IG:@lillythePA

MY PA STORY

Hello, my name is Lilly Ha. I am a PA student at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) Boston PA Program. I am a first generation and proud to say that I am the first in my family to graduate from a university and pursue a master’s degree. I graduated from the California State University of Long Beach with a BSc in Health Science. I struggled to balance my courses with extracurricular activities during my early undergrad years while obtaining direct patient care experience. As I approached my junior year, I started demonstrating an upward trend in my grades as I solidified my time management and discipline within my studies. My thirst for an enriching college experience propelled me to study abroad in my junior year of college. I studied abroad on a cruise ship through the program called Semester At Sea. I voyaged 12 different countries all over Europe, Africa, and South America within four months. (Germany, Italy, Greece, Spain, Morocco, Senegal, Brazil, Peru, Panama Canal, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Trinidad, and Tobago). The ship embarked in Hamburg, Germany, and sailed me home to San Diego, CA! Within my voyage, I participated in community service in various countries, such as Habitat for Humanity (Trinidad &Tobago), Retake Roma in Italy, Peace Corps in Senegal, etc. My recognition of the desolation caused by deprivation and inequality abroad reinforced my belief that mindset alone is no treatment for health predicaments and motivated me to excel in my journey toward the PA profession. The foundation of the PA profession is to increase access to quality healthcare by providing whole-person care to those living in underserved communities. I came to appreciate the heritage of the PA profession, working with a myriad of diverse PAs. My decision to become a Physician Assistant is a conscious effort to ensure that no one has to choose between their health or the financial burdens of treatment.

MY STATS:

GPA:

Baccalaureate: 2.90 GPA !!!

Post-Baccalaureate: 3.82 GPA

Post- Baccalaureate Science: 3.74 GPA ( I didn’t begin taking my pre-requisites until after graduation!)

Overall Science GPA: 3.46 GPA

OVERALL GPA: 3.25 GPA

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OVERALL STATS/HOURS:

OVERALL GPA: 3.25 GPA

PC HRS/HC HRS: 4459 Hours/3390 Hours

VOLUNTEER HRS: 3445 Hours

PA SHADOWING HOURS: 270 Hours

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MY ENTIRE CASPA APPLICATION

PC HRS/HC Experiences:

Plastic Surgery: Aesthetic Clinical Coordinator

Dermatology: MA

Otolaryngology: MA

Perinatology: MA

Urgent Care/ Family Practice: MA

Dental Assistant Intern

Volunteer Experiences:

Annual Central County Health Expo

Peace Corps in Senegal

Habitat for Humanity (Trinidad &Tobago)

Retake Roma in Italy

Share Our Selves

Neighborhood Meal Delivery Program

Flying Samaritans

Note Taker for Disabled Students

PA Shadowing Experience:

Urgent Care

Leadership Roles:

Vice President of Student Advocacy

Academic Senate of Students

MISC:

Upscale Restaurant (Server): 3510 Hours

(Server TIP: At the end of each dining experience before your drop the check, tell the guests “I hope you enjoyed your experience Mr./Ms (last name).” (20% TIP 😉)

 

I share my story to instill hope for other low GPA applicants. You are more than a GPA! I received interview invites from 10+ PA programs such as USC, Marshall B. Ketchum, Touro, MCPHS, etc. I created a service to edit CASPA applications to mentor other students. To this day, I’ve helped over 200+ students get into their dream PA school. I pride myself on my quality of work and my ability to increase my students' acceptance toward PA school!

 

2 CASPA TIPS:

1. Experiences Section: The KEY to becoming a competitive applicant is to state the skills you acquired or what you learned from each experience.
2. Personal Statement: HOW TO WRITE A PERSONAL STATEMENT: GAIN ACCEPTANCE TO PA SCHOOL!