Physician Assistant (PA) programs seek candidates who align with their mission statement and are committed to upholding those values as future healthcare providers. Typically, these candidates demonstrate academic excellence and participate in extracurricular activities that showcase their commitment to improving their local community. This requirement highlights the importance of volunteer experience as a crucial component of your PA school application.
There are numerous volunteering options available, but we encourage you to research opportunities that also align with your passion. For example, volunteering at your local hospital can be a meaningful way to give back while also acquiring valuable medical knowledge. The COPE Health Scholar program is a great choice for students who want to gain hands-on experience at a hospital. As former Health Scholars, our first experiences in healthcare involved taking vital signs, repositioning, feeding, and ambulating patients. It also provided us with the chance to volunteer in various departments and take leadership positions. This exposed us to a broad range of specialties, healthcare providers, and responsibilities.
However, there's no need to limit yourself solely to volunteering in a medical setting. You can demonstrate your commitment to helping communities through various avenues, such as volunteering at soup kitchens, food banks, school events, and more. We recommend reaching out to local community programs that are always in need of volunteers. Other opportunities include L.A. Works, Shower of Hope, and American Red Cross.
A frequent challenge associated with volunteering is the time commitment aspect, particularly for students. To address this potential issue, a helpful tip is to establish a sustainable schedule that does not conflict with your academic priorities. For example, dedicating two hours every other week may not seem like a substantial commitment, but these cumulative hours can have a meaningful impact over an extended period. Alternatively, you can explore options during summer or winter break – when you have more free time available. Many organizations in need of volunteers appreciate any amount of time you can contribute and are very flexible with their time slots.
After you start volunteering, make it a habit to document your experiences. This may seem trivial, but including details such as locations, hours, and a description of your activities will pay dividends during your application cycle. Maintaining a journal after each volunteer shift ensures that you have a thorough record to reference, allowing you to allocate time to focus on other aspects of the application. Lastly, we recommend networking and staying connected with individuals during your volunteer experiences, as they may offer to write letters of recommendation for you.
- https://copehealthscholars.org/programs/health-scholar/overview/
- https://www.laworks.com/
- https://theshowerofhope.org/
- https://www.redcross.org/
References
- Overview - COPE Health Scholars. (2023, October 17). COPE Health Scholars. https://copehealthscholars.org/programs/health-scholar/overview/