5 Questions You Should Ask At Your PA School Interview

Posted By: Kubin   |   PA School Interviews

Most people think of an interview as an uncomfortable exercise in being scrutinized by others.  But interviews are a two-way street; you’re interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.  With this in mind, there are 5 questions you should ask at your PA school interview:

If I enter your program, will a preceptor be found for me, or will I be responsible for finding one myself?

As a PA student, you will have a preceptor – a doctor and/or PA who oversees your clinical work.  Some programs cultivate ongoing relationships with preceptors so that students have a preceptor when they start.  Others make it the student’s responsibility to find their own preceptor.  But if you don’t know any doctors, this can be very hard to accomplish.  If at all possible, stick to programs that will find your preceptor for you.  It’s your job to learn the material, and it’s your program’s job to set things up so you can do so with a minimum of hassle.

Could you tell me about the hospital rotations I will be doing in your program? 

Different programs have different emphases.  Some physician assistant schools prefer a broad, well-rounded approach.  Others hope you will go into a particular specialty.  Are there equal opportunities to try different things?  Are some rotations much longer than others?  Are they done throughout the length of the program, or are they packed into the last year?  Are they located within a reasonable distance, and a solid institutions?  Rotations tell you a lot about how that program will be “grooming” you to become a PA.

Do you have job placement assistance for graduating students?

There are many great opportunities for new PAs out there, and sifting through them can be challenging.  Many schools have a staff member who keeps track of employment opportunities and helps to connect graduating students with them.  Others have no such service.  Job placement help is invaluable!

How much of the curriculum is didactic (lecture & instruction), and how much is self-paced?

Programs that are oriented toward those with families or existing careers may meet less often in exchange for requiring you to do more of the learning on your own.  They may provide you with a list of material to learn and then you learn it on your own.  Other programs prefer full days and weeks of lecture, and “spoon feed” it to you.  Which is right for you will depend on your learning style, your life situation, and the tuition.  Find out their format so you will be prepared for it.  Not all programs are the same – choose the type that is best for you.

What is your program’s first-time pass rate for national board exams (e.g. the PANCE)?

Most students who complete PA school pass the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certification Exam) the first time they take it.  In fact, many programs have pass rates in the 80-95% range, or even 100%.  But if you interview at a school with a low rate or a rate significantly lower than other schools you are applying to, you might want to think twice.  The board exam is the final hurdle you face before becoming a PA.  Lower first-time pass rates may indicate that their instruction is weak, or (more likely) that their curriculum is poorly aligned with the PANCE standards.  Your program should prepare you well to pass your boards. 

Don’t be afraid to ask them good questions – they show that you’re sharp, and you’re not desperate.  In this way, your questions can tell them more about you than theirs!

8 comments

  1. Great list Paul. I teach this to my students/clients as well. Good questions show us as an AdComm that you are interested and curious as to how our program can benefit you as well.

  2. Thanks, Dave. There’s nothing that makes someone want you than thinking that they may not get you, that someone else will get you instead, or that you may not want to be with them. We don’t want to communicate a LACK of desire to attend a particular program, but inviting them to believe you aren’t yet sold on them can make them want to pull you in. Another question some people as their interviewers is, “Why I should attend your program instead of so-and-so’s program?” That questions gets them trying to talk YOU into going there.

  3. I don’t like any of these questions because the just about all of them can be found on the program’s web site so it shows that you have not read it carefully. (Aside from the first one)

    1. I think the only one you may find on most programs’ websites is the PANCE scores, particularly if they are high. If they aren’t listed, this could easily be because their scores they are lower than average. As for rotations, some schools will tell you that you’ll have a surgery rotation, a psychiatry rotation, etc., but few will tell you on their website where they will be, how long, etc, and for this question, the devil is in the details. Some programs will tell you their preceptor policy, but again, knowing a little about the process will give you an idea how well it will go. I’ve spoken to students at some schools who were promised a preceptor, but none was ever found, and as the year progressed, they felt pressure to beat the streets on their own to find one.

      If you have suggestions of questions to ask, please share – I’m sure our readers would benefit from other ideas! Thanks. -P

  4. I have mined the internet over the last six months reading about PA school interviews and how to approach the interview process. Now as I approach my fourth interview, I have written a post on my blog about perfecting the art of interviewing while sick. It is my personal key to success!

    1. Nice work, Buff! It’s a situation I hadn’t considered. Nightmarish, I would think. Glad to get your ideas on how to deal with it!

  5. These are great questions. I have an upcoming interview with a school that has the answers to all these questions on its website. They go into great detail about curriculum and clinical rotations, specifically. Do you have other questions you would suggest asking? Is it silly to ask them a more general question, for example, “What sets your program apart from the others I am considering?”. Is there a better way to ask this? I don’t want to come off as rude or overly-confident by bringing up the other programs I am looking at.

    1. Not at all. Don’t ask ANY question that you honestly know the answer to. What do you wonder about their program? If you wonder about the “feel” of the place, the culture, the curriculum, what sets them apart, or how most students pay for their schooling, don’t be afraid to ask them. This is a golden opportunity for you to get even more familiar with them so you can make an informed decision about how badly you want to train there.

      Also, I don’t think it’s cocky to ask them (politely) to sell you on their program. You’re saying in essence that you aren’t desperate and might want to go somewhere else. We all place higher value on things that seem just out of reach than the things that already have or can easily acquire. So ask them! Nobody wants a person who is desperate and will say/do anything to get in. in fact, YUCK!

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