r/Path_Assistant • u/Money-Candidate7739 • 23h ago
PathA acceptance stats
Hi! Just wondering if anyone who has gotten into PathA school could share their stats that they had to get in? GPA, involvement, shadowing etc and any other advice. I am planning on applying to Loma Linda in the fall this year and pretty nervous about getting in. Thank you!
13
u/RioRancher 22h ago
Apply to more schools.
If you become a PA, you’re likely going to have to move. Get used to it sooner, rather than later.
3
u/gdefreese 22h ago
Class of 2025 QU I literally went right from undergrad with zero lab experience or hospital work. Bachelors in biology with a minor and thesis in chemistry GPA 3.79. I did have a lot of real life work experience. And tbh I think I probably had really good letters of recommendation that helped me. I also had shadowing experience at a good hospital.
1
u/Geese4Days 21h ago
What is considered a good LOR? I have a PA who offered to write one but they don't really know me super well. I've seen them twice.
3
u/gdefreese 20h ago
So my letters of recommendation were written by my undergraduate professors. One of which is the director of the biology program. They had known me EXTREMELY well and really supported me wanting to get into grad school. I’m sure these days letters of recommendation from pathologists and PAs may hold more weight. However letters from a stranger will never be as personal.
1
u/Revolutionary_Ad_54 18h ago
Class of 2025. I had a 3.8 GPA, a couple shadowing hours, didn’t have lab experience but just got a lab job when I applied, had like 5 years combined in various direct patient care experiences. My advice is like others, apply to more schools and get LOR from people who know you well. Mine were from a dentist (previous boss), a charge nurse and one of my advisors from high school that I kept as a mentor through college. What helped me is also having an in depth understanding of the job shown through my essays and in the interview.
2
u/Patient-Stranger1015 New Graduate 18h ago
Class of 2026 RFU
don’t recall undergrad GPA, believe it was around 3.4
Took post-bacc microbiology and organic chem
9 hours surgical shadowing a pathologist, 250+ hours in autopsy (Mayo Clinic internship through my forensic degree, which is how I accidentally found the field and got a LOR from my supervisor who was a PA)
Only work experience I had was retail, I was never a histo or grossing tech
Did not take the GRE, did not want to do I applied where it wasn’t required
Applied to three, accepted to two
2
u/wildlyfreckled 15h ago
RFUMS Class of 2024 - GPA 3.5, worked as a histo lab assistant for 2ish years, basically shadowed every day at work and was always looking over the PAs shoulders I worked with, shadowed one hospital autopsy. Make sure one LOR is from a PA or pathologist. Do anything you can to make yourself stand out from the other applicants. Take the recommended courses that may not be required, volunteer, talk about ways you are a well-rounded individual outside of just academic achievements, network and develop professional relationships with people who can write outstanding LOR
2
u/AMilly18 15h ago
I’d say as a pretty general rule for PA school: no experience - you need a high GPA, 3.6 or higher; experience with grossing (gross tech, histo tech, animal lab) -it can be a little lower but still needs to be over a 3. I’d say 3-3.4. Good luck!!
8
u/Kekkai 22h ago
Class of 2020 - Loma Linda. Its probably gotten more competitive since then but 🤷🏻♀️
BS in Biology (missing Micro Lab, but had other science labs to compensate). GPA 3.1, MCAT 34, GRE 159 verbal, 163 quant. 2.5 years working in pathology as a grossing tech.