Saturday, January 19, 2013

This is me


I thought it would be nice to let you know a little bit of my background before taking you on my journey through graduate school.  I'm Nicole, currently 22, originally from Silver Spring, MD (right outside of DC).  I went to undergrad at West Virginia University and therefore Morgantown is now a second home to me.  In May 2012 I graduated with a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Forensic and Investigative Science.  I then applied to the Pathologists’ Assistant program at WVU. Now 8 months later, I am finally starting my journey of becoming a PA.

This blog will not only be a great way for me to look back on my experiences in the program, but I hope that it will also help those considering the PA path as well. While I was researching PA programs I ran across the blogs of Forrest and That Girl with the Scalpel. These blogs helped solidify my decision to apply to the PA program, therefore I hope to pass along my knowledge so that anyone interested will understand the daily life of a PA student, and so that my family and friends have a better understanding of the Pathologists' Assistant world.

17 comments:

  1. Your blog looks great and is easy to read. I look forward to all of your future posts!

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  2. I am back on Nikki's blog, trying to figure out how to comment. So Nikki I never in a million years wondered who assisted a pathlogist. Obviously it is not a one man job and there is much to be done in the pathologist's lab. Study hard for tomorrow's test and I will be checking in. And I hope I am getting through. Aunt Bonnie

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  3. Hi there! I stumbled on your blog as I was reading through That Girl with the Scalpel's blog. I'm applying to WVU's PA program right now, as well as other PA schools this summer/fall.

    If you have any tips on the application process (especially the Personal Statement part), I would greatly appreciate it! I'm at a loss right now as to what to write, haha..

    Anyway! Best of luck with your first year! =D

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    1. Hi Char! Sorry it took this long to respond to you! I only applied to WVU's PA program so I don't have much experience with other PA's schools personal statements, but for WVU they ask you to write about why you decided to apply to the program, why it is the right program for you, and about your shadowing experience. I wrote about my experience attending my first autopsy and how it lead me to research the PA field. I also talked about the specific aspects of WVU's program that I liked (it shows that you've done research on the school and that you are interested). For the shadowing statement make it clear that you understand the daily life of a PA and how you see your skills/character fitting in with the job. Most importantly be yourself!

      I'm not sure if you've checked out Forrest's blog (he also attended WVU), but he has a post about commonly asked questions and one of the topics is the personal statement! http://pathotoko.blogspot.com/2012/08/commonly-asked-questions.html

      Hope this helped at least a little! Good luck with the application process and if you have any questions as you're further along (interview process, etc.) don't hesitate to ask!

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    2. Thanks so much Nikki! No problem, I understand that school has been busy for you!

      Yeah, I'm in the process of [slowly] writing the personal statement for WVU right now.. =P Guess it doesn't help that I'm also being hit with midterms, haha.

      I emailed Forrest awhile ago, and he was pretty helpful as well - he talked about his experiences in Japan, but since I have no such experience overseas........ =P In any case, I'll do my best to be myself! It's comforting to know from Forrest, you, and some other PAs who I've shadowed that the personal statements aren't supposed to be stiff and structured like a college thesis paper, haha.. =P

      How long did it take for you to get an interview offer? Applications this year are due on May 31st, so I'm assuming it was the same deadline for you last year...? And about what percentage of the interviewees get accepted into the program?

      Ahh, so nervous! My grades aren't stellar (ridiculously low 2.7 GPA), but I'm hoping they'll be a bit more lenient with that seeing as I'm coming in from UCLA..?? But that means I'll have to have amazing letters of rec AND personal statements AND interview, hahah. =/

      Good luck on your exam tomorrow! Looking forward to that future post on the histology rotation and frozen sections lab. =D

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    3. Ugh, should have said, "How long did you have to wait for the interview offer".... Sorry, brain fried.. D: If I'm dying from the lack of sleep in undergrad...... Well, let's hope that it won't go downhill as well in PA school, heheh.

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    4. I submitted my application close to the deadline (sometime in late May) and I received an offer to interview around the middle of June. My interview was around the last week of June and then I got my acceptance offer late July/early August.

      I believe that for the class of 2014 there were 70-80 applicants (seems to be increasing each year) and 17 of us were accepted. From what I've heard, WVU interviews the majority of the applicants (i'll have to double check with our program director on that one though), which is good because it give you a chance to defend any weaknesses in your application without being turned away immediately!

      Keep working hard and good luck on your midterms!

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  4. Hey Nikki I recenlty was just offered an interview at The University of West Virginia. And I was wondering if you could give me some pointers and advice on how the interview process is and what questions I might be asked

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    1. Hi Smitha7! Congrats on getting an interview! The interview process is pretty laid back. The number of people on the interview panel varies and typically consists of the program director, a few instructors, and students. Don't feel overwhelmed if there are a bunch of people in the room; everyone is really nice and easy to talk to.

      As far as preparing for the interview, I googled "most frequently asked graduate school interview questions" and then wrote my responses to the questions I found. Obviously the interview won't be those exact questions, but it was a good way to practice and I definitely felt more prepared for my interview.

      Don't be afraid to think about your answers before responding and be yourself! Good luck :)

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  5. Thanks Nikki. You think I wouldn't be as nervous since I did have to interview when I was excepted into graduated school for my masters degree. But this is so much more different because it is something that I really want!! And I really don't want to screw it up. Did you ask qestions yourself during the interview. And what types of questions did you ask?

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    1. Don't worry I was very nervous too! I've always been told that you should ask questions at the end of the interview. I don't remember what specific questions I asked, but they should show that you've done your research on the program or any concerns that you have. You could ask about the classes or specimen types that WVU's hospital receives or anything that you're curious about! But no matter what be sure to ask questions!!

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  6. Hey Nikki I was wondering if you wouldn't mind giving me your email address as I would like to ask you some more specific questions about the interview process. Or you can just shoot me an email my email is asmith2@sccp.sc.edu. Good Luck on your exams.

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  7. Hey Nikki, Like many others I've also stumbled on your blog and noticed how helpful you were. Can I also email you in regards to PA program at WVU? I graduate with a BA in nutrition this fall 2013 and is in the process of applying to WVU. My gpa is really low...however I am working in a lab along side pathologists for over a year now. I was wondering if I should still apply with a low gpa of 2.4 with my experience or with that gpa will I not have a chance?

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    1. Hey Tammy!
      Feel free to email me at nwise1@mix.wvu.edu with any other questions. For WVU they say a 3.0 GPA is preferred, but I am not sure if that means that you cannot be accepted if it is lower. I think it just depends on the other applicants that year and how you compare to them!

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  8. I just wanted to say I'm excited to read your blog, since I am interested in the PA program! I hope this can give me more insight as to what the job entails and how the program is. I just kinda stumbled across this but I'm glad I did! - Sarah

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