PREPARING FOR A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT (PA) SCHOOL INTERVIEW

Being a physician assistant is a dream career for many people. However, to get there, one must go through the schooling system. There are several PA schools that a person can enroll in and to be allowed to join, an interview must be done. Most people are usually fearful about this step of their career. It is considered a make-or-break situation. However, PA school interviews are usually plain and simple. It usually marks the end of a tedious process and if you have been called to a school interview, preparation is the best way to get through it well. Here are some of the key points that you can follow when preparing for the school interview.

LEARN ALL YOU CAN ABOUT THE SCHOOL

When applying for a school, you will have to talk about yourself, goals, and accolades if you have them. It is mostly about you. However, when it comes to the interview, you will have to know a great deal about the school. How well will you fit in with the school? That is a question that you are likely to be asked and it is vital for you to have basic information about the school. You can get information from their website, pamphlets, articles, alumni of the school, and many more. Know what the school’s program is like, their main point of emphasis, and their specialties. Knowing about them will give you a bonus in the interview.

KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT

Knowing what to expect during the interview will not only help with confidence during the interview but can help you become successful. You can call the school anonymously and ask them some of the key points about their interview including where they usually conduct their interviews and any information they can reveal during the interview process. Is there anything that interviewees are expected to carry? You can ask basic questions such as:

1. Is there anything that you can tell me about what to expect during my interview?

2. Will I be interviewed by an individual or a panel/group?

3. Will there be a tour of the school?

4. Is there anything I need to bring?

5. Confirm your interview day and time

Try and learn as much as you can about the interview from the horse’s mouth. Most schools are usually open about basic information.

IDENTIFY AND PREPARE FOR THE MOST ASKED QUESTIONS

This is perhaps one of the most crucial steps. No matter what PA school you are going to interview for, there are usually common questions that people are asked. You can practice a mock interview and try to give each answer no more than 1-minute. Be ready for questions such as the following:

1. Tell us about yourself.

2. Why do you want to become a physician assistant?

3. What is your understanding of what a physician assistant does?

4. What interactions with physician assistants have you had?

You can find many more other questions by asking people who have been to interviews and online PA communities. Find as much as you can get.

DRESS APPROPRIATELY

How well you present yourself is vital for an interview. Appropriate dressing is vital to ensure that you give the right impression. Remember, in a PA school they look at the overall characteristics of a person and the way you dress will reflect a lot. A suit for example is a dress code that will never fail you.

BE EARLY AND NOT ON TIME

Many people strive to be on time. If the interview starts at 10 O’clock, they will be there exactly at that time. However, this is a risky practice and not advisable. Being at the site of the interview at least 30-minutes before is vital. From there, you can sit down or have a walk and calm your nerves. Interviewers will be impressed and it will be good for you as well as you can better prepare the final particulars of the interview instead of stressing if you’ll be five-minutes early or late.

CHECK ON INTERVIEW SOURCE MATERIALS TO GET BETTER

Many people generally say that they are not good at interviews. However, it is not something that people are naturally born with. You can get source materials to familiarize yourself with the interview process and key points that people should focus on during interviews. We have reliable source materials for interviews. Some of the vital rules include:

1. Answers shouldn’t be longer than 60-seconds

2. Be honest and always present yourself in a positive light

3. If you aren’t sure you should talk, don’t talk

4. Note that interviews are formalized. Everyone in the room is human and you should relax knowing that you aren’t being judged but assessed.

5. If you get confused while answering a question, you can ask the interviewers if you are giving the right response. They can reframe the question or get you back on track.

6. Make sure you have about three questions to ask about them as well. It is a school that you are considering joining. That means you are interviewing them too.

SHOW DEVOTION TO THE PRACTICE

No PA school is the same. However, they all have the same goal of training people who care and help others. Do not focus on future salaries, excitement in the workplace and such. Show the interviewers that you are devoted to the job and looking to help people. There are people who ask interviewers if they can become doctors after being a physician assistant. However, schools want to train people to be the best PA’s they can. The field should not be looked at as a stepping stone to another career. If so, you may be in the wrong field. Show your passion to fulfill the specific roles that a PA has.

BE ENTHUSIASTIC

During the interview, show some gleam of hope and desire to become a PA. Your interviewers will have many years of experience in the field and have seen all kinds of students. Show and be the ones that have high hopes of becoming the best they can be in the field.