Getting In, Problem-Based Learning, and Interview Prep
In this episode, I sit down with Shada and Toni, two first-year McMaster PA students who survived the application cycle and lived to tell the tale.
We pull back the curtain on the "med school mindset" trap, the reality of McMaster’s Problem-Based Learning (PBL) style, and why your summer camp job might actually be your greatest interview asset.
IN THIS EPISODE:
02:00 Why did you choose to become a PA?
06:03 How did you choose your undergraduate degree?
11:57 Experiences that made you a strong PA school candidate
20:26 Why McMaster's PA program?
28:05 What problem-based learning looks like in PA school
35:38 What first year PA school is really like
41:11 What happens during second year and clerkship
44:29 Admission requirements explained
47:20 Are patient care hours required?
49:25 Tips for the McMaster supplementary application
54:26 What the MMI interview is really like
55:47 How is a virtual MMI different than in-person?
58:59 Preparing for PA school interviews
01:12:07 How should you dress for the virtual MMI?
01:16:23 Managing nerves during the MMI
01:23:22 Final advice for future PA applicants
ABOUT OUR GUESTS
Toni, PA-S1 Toni is a first-year PA student at McMaster University with a background in Honors Biochemistry and Psychology. Before PA school, she was a lead planner for McMaster’s Science Welcome Week and a volunteer assisting individuals with spinal cord injuries.
Shada, PA-S1 Shada is a first-year PA student at McMaster University who completed her undergrad in Biomedical Science and Neuroscience at the University of Guelph. A long-time camp counselor turned senior staff member, she brings a deep focus on advocacy and community to her journey toward becoming a PA.
Originally published: April 22, 2021