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It also highlights networking with professionals, staying informed about healthcare issues, and coordinating with a pre-health advisor for planning and coursework.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/pre-physician-assistant-competency-development-the-guiding-principle-high-value-experiences/503695/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/pre-physician-assistant-competency-development-the-guiding-principle-high-value-experiences/503695.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"noah","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-10","2026-10-03",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What kinds of involvement and leadership experiences are recommended for pre-PA students?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Engage in recognized student organizations or roles such as teaching assistant, lab/learning assistant, or supplemental instructor. 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Get involved  \nYour pre-health advisor will be happy to discuss service & leadership opportunities that would connect well with your particular passions and values!  \na. Involvement in Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) or work as a teaching assistant, a lab / learning assistant, or a supplemental instructor can provide you with leadership and communication experience that PA schools are looking for.  \nb. Developing quality relationships with off-campus, non-profit organizations and the people they serve will give you invaluable community service experience. PA schools are looking for people with a service orientation, so it is much better to establish longer, qualitative service relationships with a few nonprofits than to focus merely on one-off service events or fundraisers with multiple organizations.  \n2. Understand what this career entails  \na. Shadowing is a crucial component in your discernment process regarding whether you should pursue this career. PA schools want to see that you have demonstrated sustained interest in this career and that you know what you are getting into. Shadow several PAs (and some nurse practitioners, if necessary) in multiple settings or specialties. Talk to your pre-health advisor for more info!  \nb. Paid patient-contact hours can take a variety of forms, but the most common are working as a CNA, an EMT, or a patient care technician. Although some PA schools are starting to decrease or remove their required number of paid patient-contact hours, even they still strongly recommend them. Many PA schools require that their applicants will have already accrued between 500 and 2000 paid patientcontact hours before they apply. To optimize your chances with the most schools, therefore, it would be best to meet this requirement before applying. Talk to a pre-health advisor about strategies!  \nc. PAs need to stay up-to-date about issues related to health care in the US and the world, including the way the media is discussing their profession. They also need to know what is going on in the world in general. Although pre-PA students are not expected to have all the answers, you can begin to read and stay informed in the field in order to maintain essential knowledge as you move forward in your journey.  \n3. Develop a strong academic record. Most individuals who are accepted to PA school have a GPA in the 3.3 to 3.5 range. PA schools also place high value on applicants’ math and science grades, so pay attention to this during your time here at UW. Talk to a pre-health advisor about how to keep track of your various GPAs. Typical prerequisite courses for PA school and GRE prep are listed on the next page.  \n4. Develop relationships with professionals. Physician assistants, faculty, and work/volunteer supervisors can help you open doors to exciting new experiences, but they will also hopefully get to know you well enough to speak to your competencies in letters of evaluation for your PA school application.  \nMeet Early and Often with a Pre-Health Advisor!  \nPre-Health Advising Office [hsadvise@uwyo.edu](hsadvise@uwyo.edu) 307-766-3878 Health Sciences Room 110  \nTo schedule an appointment: [http://www.uwyo.edu/preprof/schedule-an-appointment/index.html](http://www.uwyo.edu/preprof/schedule-an-appointment/index.html)  \nStay Informed! Sign up to join our Pre-P","cbCaimzL7SPzz1Iu","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimzL7SPzz1Iu","pdf",190748,"English","# High-Value Experiences\n## Get involved\n## Understand what this career entails\n## Develop a strong academic record\n## Develop relationships with professionals\n# Academic Preparation\n## Which major should I choose?\n## What courses are typically required or recommended?\n## Math\n## Science\n## Lab requirement\n# Meet early and often with a pre-health advisor!\n# Stay informed!","[{\"question\":\"What kinds of involvement and leadership experiences are recommended for pre-PA students?\",\"answer\":\"Engage in recognized student organizations or roles such as teaching assistant, lab/learning assistant, or supplemental instructor. Building quality, longer-term relationships with non-profit community organizations is also emphasized.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is shadowing important in deciding whether to pursue PA training?\",\"answer\":\"Shadowing supports your discernment by showing sustained interest and helping you understand what the career entails. It is recommended to shadow multiple PAs across different settings or specialties.\"},{\"question\":\"What do PA schools typically expect regarding paid patient-contact hours and academic preparation?\",\"answer\":\"Paid patient-contact hours can include work as a CNA, EMT, or patient care technician, and many schools require substantial prior hours before applying. Academically, PA applicants are often in the GPA range of 3.3 to 3.5, with high value placed on math and science grades.\"}]","PRE-PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT - Competency Development: The Guiding Principle - High-Value Experiences | PDF",1791059485]