TAMU FAPA

"Okay I want to be a PA, but where do I start?"

If you are visiting this website, and have joined FAPA, you've already made a great start. Soon you will realize all of the requirements it takes to apply to PA school and how difficult it can be to check them all off.  Here are a few things to keep in mind. 

 

Shadowing Hours:

Shadowing is one of the first things you should do once you decide to enter the medical field. Shadowing is an easy way to gain knowledge about what a medical professional does on a daily basis. Shadow PA's, but also see if you can shadow MD's or NP's to make sure you have made the right decision for you. 

• Look for PA's in your hometown to shadow who are not overloaded with students like in College Station or Bryan

• If you have trouble finding a PA, shadow a doctor or NP first and see if they know anyone else they can refer you too

• If you volunteer or work in a hospital, ask one of the PA's there if you can shadow them

• Form a good relationship with the PA's you shadow to hopefully ask for a letter of recommendation

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Patient Contact Hours:

As of the 2022 application cycle, there is not a minimum requirement of patient contact hours for any school in Texas. This is different depending on other states as each school is allowed to set their own requirements. However, don't be fooled by this. Every school wants to see that you have had some sort of direct patient experience. The more hours that you can acquire, the more competitive of an applicant you'll be. There are several ways you can gain this experience such as:

• Medical mission trips

• Volunteering at hospitals or clinics

• Working as an EMT, medical assistant, nursing assistant, patient care tech, or phlebotomist (Most positions require certification. Look for ones that will teach you on the job)

• Scribing is considered by most schools as patient contact, but not all

• Check with the schools your are planning to apply to, and find out what they consider patient contact. 

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Volunteering:

As soon as you enter college you should start racking up your community service hours. There is no minimum requirement for this either, but all schools want to see evidence of your commitment to the community. FAPA offers several opportunities, but get involved with your church or other organizations to really get a sufficient amount. Find something that you think is fun, and none of it will seem like work to you. 

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Keep a Log:

Make an excel sheet or word document and write down the dates, supervisors, and amount of hours you spend doing any sort of shadowing, working, or volunteering. When it comes time to fill out your application, you are going to be so glad that you have all the information in one place. You will never remember every little thing you did from freshman year, so it's important to keep a good detailed list of your activities. 

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How to Get the Most Out of FAPA:

This organization is what you make it. If you have questions or want to suggest a change, come up to the officers. We would be more than happy to help! For anyone who wants to get more social interaction from FAPA, strike up a conversation with someone sitting next to you or anyone in your small group. Go to the field trip, volunteer with us, and attend the socials. A&M is all about the Aggie network. We are all in this together and are vital resources to one another, so reach out and learn all that you can!