Even if you’re passionate about becoming a PA and have readied yourself for your physician assistant school interview, there is one fatal mistake that can sink you. The mistake is failing to adequately answer the very first question: “So tell us why you want to become a physician assistant.”
It probably doesn’t sound like a tough from where you sit in the comfort of your home reading. But the WHY physician assistant interview question is commonly botched. It just seems too easy, and it gets overlooked. To rise to the occasion, you need to…
ANSWER THE RIGHT QUESTION
Most PA school interviewees answer this question with some form of “I love the healing professions because…” or “I have always liked medicine’s combination of science and helping others.” Unfortunately, the question isn’t about why you want to go into medicine. It’s about why you want to become a physician assistant. Why did you choose to become a PA instead of a physician, phlebotomist, a nurse, or a taxidermist for that matter? Answering the right question requires you to…
PROVE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING INTO
Share your knowledge of the field. This is easy to prepare for if you do your homework. Study up on the physician assistant profession. Know what a typical PA’s workday looks like. Know some of the big issues in the field right now. Shadow a PA. You might be shocked at how many people apply to PA school with only the vaguest idea of what a PA is! The more you know, the easier it will show that you have thought this through, and it’s the right choice for you. To show that PA is right for you, you will need to…
CONVINCE THEM YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB
All interview questions , on some level, are aimed at learning who you are. The WHY physician assistant interview question is no different. Now that you’ve proven to them that you understand what being a PA is about, it’s time to teach them about you–the real you, not the one on a paper application. Why is being a PA a good match for who you are? What do you have to offer the profession?
With a little preparation, the WHY physician assistant interview question becomes a great opportunity to shine. So don’t get tripped up on the first, easiest-to-prepare-for question you’ll get.
Chance favors the prepared mind.
-Louis Pasteur
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
First of all, I want to say thank you so much for this website! The articles and the forum are just what I was looking for: a way to talk to real people who know what’s going on to learn more about the process of applying to and being in PA school. The distinction you made in this article about the question being about PA vs. medicine is very helpful, but I was wondering how much your response should answer the question “why not NP/MD?” I would want my interviewers to hear positive things during the “why PA?” question rather than anything negative, but I wouldn’t want to leave anything out that I should potentially include. Thanks!
I think that’s a fine addition. The question they usually ask is “Why do you want to become a PA?” but the question that most people hear and answer is “Why do you want to work in medicine.” As long as you answer the question they ask, and not the one you think you heard, you’ll be in fine shape. I also think another good practice whenever you interview for ANY job or school is answer briefly, and they ask, “Am I answering your question?” This gives them a chance to steer you onto the track that they are wondering about if you weren’t clear which track that was.
Hi Paul,
This question is haunting me!!! Ok, it’s not quite THAT bad… but I really want to make sure I don’t start babbling during this question. I have several events over the past few years that really led me to pursue PA over MD, NP, RN… actually, especially over president of a small, family-owned business! But I’m afraid of getting into a long story that turns out to be babbling or is too in depth. What is a good average for how long an answer should be? Thank you in advance!
Don’t panic, Kate. All it takes is a little practice. Write out your “story,” and pare it down to the essentials. Practice it in the bathroom mirror in the morning, in your car, whatever, until it comes out naturally and easily.
As for length, I recommend you stick with about one minute. It doesn’t sound like long, but if you ever talk without giving anyone else the floor for one minute straight, it seems like quite a bit. If it goes a little more or less, that’s fine. This is a question that may be worth a little more. If you go too long, or get flustered, just stop, and ask them, “Did I answer your question?”
The beauty of this question is that you know it’s probably coming – how cool is that?
[BIG Breath] You’re right. I will work on getting it down on paper and refine from there. Thank you for the input!!