CASPA

Tips and tricks for staying ahead of the game. Learn how to navigate through the online PA portal of your application.

CASPA PEARLS of Wisdom

Apply early! Be proactive in knowing the date when CASPA opens.
We recommend that if you are not applying this year, create a CASPA account to see what requirements are needed so you are able to become more familiar with the site and the application process.
To ease the CASPA application process, keep a log of different programs you are applying to, create a checklist of pre-requisites, hours (shadowing, volunteering, clinical), letters of recommendations.
CASPA rolls over onto next year, so you’re saved of the hassle of inputting the same information for the next cycle!
We recommend looking through missions statements of programs you are interested in and recognizing to see if they resonate with your values. dsfsd
Below is a timeline we made for your reference
The timeline below may be used to guide pre-PA students in organizing their application process to a PA program. All PA timelines vary with respect to each individual's experience and pre-PA journey. This timeline is meant to act as a guide.

Be genuine.
Write many rough drafts (write internal monologues, streams of consciousness to start off if needed).
Have others proofread your essay (those involved in the medical field and those who are not).
Your school or university may have writing workshops available to help you through the process.
Many programs require secondary applications with different deadline dates that may include additional essays. Allocate enough time for these deadlines.

Ask in advance!
A minimum of 3 evaluation letters and up to 5 maximum.
- We highly suggest that at least one recommender is a PA.
- One option is your employer as they are most able to comment on your work ethic and/or patient care interaction.
- Another option is a professor who is able to comment on your academic performance.
Think through about whom you feel would be able to best advocate for you as an individual and is able to write you a strong letter of recommendation.
Let your recommenders know that their email and phone number are required to be provided on the CASPA application.
Follow up as needed and don’t forget to thank your recommenders!

- Ask in advance!
- Minimum of 3 evaluation letters and up to 5 maximum. We highly recommend that at least of the recommender is a PA. Other sources may be your employers who have worked with you and are able to comment on your work ethic or patient care interaction or a professor who is able to comment on your academic performance.
- Let your preceptors, teachers or work leaders know that you will be applying to CASPA and their email and phone number are required for the application.
- We recommend allowing your recommenders a certain deadline of when you would like to submit your application to provide them an accurate due date.
- Follow up as needed and don’t forget to thank your recommenders!

Be able to provide information on high school and college(s) attended.
Transcripts will have to be ordered and sent directly from your undergraduate/community colleges to PA programs that you are applying to.
Keep track of recent standardized testing, such as GRE, through the appropriate website here.
Variable course requirements for different programs (ie: medical terminology, genetics, Spanish, etc.)

We recommend creating an excel log of patient care hours.
Divide your hours into patient care and non-patient care hours for ease of CASPA organization purposes
Be able to describe the details of your engagement in these activities.

Keep track and organize your achievements and awards that you may have obtained through patient care, academics, and volunteer involvements.
This also includes academic publications and research pertinent contributions.

We recommend creating a shadowing hour log and keeping the contact information of the providers you have shadowed.
A shadowing hour log should most likely indicate the dates attended, hours completed, the name of the provider and their specialty.
If possible, once completed, have the providers sign the recorded hours for verification.

Be able to gather and organize your current licenses.
Examples include BLS, ACLS, working licenses (EMT, MA, CNA, phlebotomy), licenses and student memberships (CAPA, AAPA).

CASPA charges a fee for the first program you apply to and another fee for each additional programs thereafter.
PA programs may have additional supplemental fees. A limited number of fee waivers are available on a first-serve basis. Find out if you qualify and how you can waive the initial CASPA application fee here.

Read the article "Things We Wish We'd Known Before PA School: A PA Student Survival Guide" here.

Don’t give up!
Contact the school(s) that you applied to and find out what is weak in your application or call post-interviews to receive feedback.
Improve your current application (work on your GPA, obtain more volunteer and clinical hours)
Practice mock interviews, sit in on classes, information sessions from the schools willing to provide it.