Why do you want to be a PA?
Often they want to see why you settled on PA school rather than doing something else. Be authentic in your answer. It is okay if you repeat things that you have stated elsewhere in your application because the interviewer may not have looked at it before your interview. Having the interviewer relate to your motivations will allow them to see that you have a strong will to do well in their program and as a PA.
"I grew up with a sibling that had a chronic health condition. That experience made me interested in medicine as a kid. It was after interacting with PAs that contributed to my sibling's care I became interested in the field. Later, in college, I did more research and discovered more aspects that I loved about the PA profession that worked better for me as a first-generation college student. PAs have fewer student loans than doctors which will allow me to support my family and siblings while still achieving my dream of being a medical provider."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
From my experience as an EMT, I knew that healthcare was what I wanted to do, but I wasn't satisfied with the level of care that I was providing. I learned that I wanted to be more involved with finding diagnoses and managing treatment plans. As a clinical assistant, I have been able to work with nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors, and physician assistants, and it has enabled me to find out that being a PA would be the perfect balance of collaboration, autonomy, and flexibility throughout my career to change specialties.
Stephanie's Feedback
Your passion for the healthcare profession really shines through here! To strengthen your response, I suggest including a few additional words to show why you're specifically interested in becoming a PA versus others becoming a physician, a nurse, or another medical professional. What is it specifically about the role of a PA that draws you in?
Anonymous Answer
I knew since my freshman in college that I wanted to do something in medicine. Medicine is my passion and my inner voice has always said there is no better profession than medicine where I can help others. I wanted to make a difference in the world through my exemplary patient care, ceaseless motivation to help others, and solid commitment to medicine.
Marcie's Feedback
Awesome! You come across as passionate about medicine, which the interviewer will no doubt appreciate. Can you talk more about why you have such a desire to help others? Is there an example you can include here of a time when you helped someone and explain how it made you feel? Perhaps also talk about how much you enjoy supporting physicians so they can do their job well to benefit patients. The more details you can add, the better! Great job!
Anonymous Answer
I fell in love with the field of healthcare after college when I was working in clinical research. I was working closely with PAs and became so impressed with all of the skills that they were capable of as well as the way they were able to interact with patients based on their diverse backgrounds. As I researched the career further I was astounded by all the ways that a PA can be utilized. I am really drawn to the idea of continuing to learn more about practicing medicine throughout my entire career.
Marcie's Feedback
Awesome! Your passion for both the industry and the role shines through in this response. Can you talk in more detail about some of the PAs you worked closely with and what you learned from them? What are some of the ways PAs can be utilized that interest you? Remember, the more details you include, the more meaningful and memorable your answer will be to the interviewer. Great job!
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