Admission into a pathologist’s assistants’ program is extremely competitive. There are few accredited programs and each program has a small number of students per class. There are some things prospective applicants should keep in mind when considering the PA program. First and foremost, be familiar with what the profession is about. Also, it is not required, but extremely helpful, to have some type of experience in the laboratory. The experience can be in surgical pathology or autopsy. Some people have experience as autopsy technicians, med-technologists and histo-technologists. If a prospective applicant does not have laboratory experience, I suggest shadowing a PA in order to fully understand the job. Applying early is best! It is also important to know the cost of graduate education and the cost of living in the area. I suggest prospective graduate school applicants to budget expenses!

Like any application process, make sure you are honest on the applications. When writing a personal statement, be yourself. People should be able to feel like they know the applicant through their statement. Remember to keep all deadlines in mind, too. Also, make sure previous coursework meets all the requirements for the program (i.e. GPA, pre-requisite classes, etc.).

Personally, all the programs are far from my home. I based my decision on the reputation, the location and the people involved with the program. I encourage prospective applicants to research the QU program and the area. It is a great program and the people are wonderful to work with. Everyone cares about the students and our well-being. Professors and administrators alike are helpful and willing to work with students through any situation that may arise. As an added bonus, both the undergraduate and graduate campuses are beautiful and newly renovated. They both offer all the necessary amenities. Each has administrative offices, cafeteria, library with IT help, printers and a vast amount of study areas. The university as a whole provides a great student-friendly atmosphere.

--Nancy Mendoza

Nancy graduated in 2009 from Baylor University with an undergraduate degree in Forensic Science and a minor in Chemistry. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Nancy!