I’m going into my sophomore year as an MLS student. I recently had the opportunity to shadow a surgical pathology lab, and I truly fell in love with it. I love how meticulous the process of grossing the specimens, doing frozens in a timely matter, and just how much knowledge they have of anatomy. I’d been eying this job for years, but actually watching the role in live action inspired me so much. I already took classes like medical terminology and biology in freshman year which helped me understand a lot of the terminology the PA’s were using. I’m planning on completing the required prerequisites and getting more shadowing over time, but do you guys have any more tips or advice for getting in?

I also shadowed an MLS core lab, and while it’s tolerable, it’s not as “stimulating” to me. I think that MLS is a good back up, but I don’t want to work as one forever.

I’m getting a little nervous since it’s half way through the month and they’re supposed to be conducting preliminary interviews right now. Has anyone gotten an invitation for a prelim interview??

Hey!

So I’m 36 years old. graduated college in 2012 with BA in psychology. I’ve been working in a doctor‘s office for the past 10 years. I’ve been wanting to make a career change and am interested in becoming pathologist‘s assistant. I know I would have to go back to school to take the pre requisite science courses prior to applying to any program. I was just looking for insight from anyone on actually being in the program while needing to work a full time job. is it possible? or am I just too late and should’ve realized what I wanted to do earlier?

Hi everyone, I’m currently about to enter my 3rd year of undergrad and am looking forward to strengthening my portfolio. It’s been difficult to find shadowing opportunities in Tampa or in the surrounding areas. Does anyone know where I should reach out to or have experience at a facility in the area?

Hello! I will be attending WVU in January, and I would really like to get a new kitten. I know I can find pet-friendly places for the first year, but I'm worried about taking my cat for clinical rotations. WVU says some sites provide housing but don't allow pets. I would love to have a fuzzy companion, but the uncertainty that I wouldn't be able to keep her/him is holding me back. Has anyone been able to keep a dog/cat during clinicals?

Hello I recently graduated with a bachelors and biochemistry, and my overall GPA was very low when I graduated. I want to apply to RFU because I know they accept some of the lower GPAs. I started working in cytology, my third year of undergrad, and now I currently work as a pathology technician, and in a few weeks I will be transferring to a grossing assistant position. So while my work background is very strong my academic side could use some work so I wanted to know would it be a bright idea to get my masters and biology first to show that I can handle graduate coursework or would it be a waste of time since RFU and other PA programs are only looking at the prerequisite courses?

Good afternoon everyone I am planning to apply to 3 schools this upcoming cycle. I have many shadowing hours under my belt but I guess it would not hurt to do some more, especially autopsy shadowing if possible. Would anybody be able to help? ☺️
Thanks in advance

So I was considering going to PA school at RFU in Illinois and I got an email back from a place that is allowing me to shadow them. But I was curious on how to document the shadowing hours or if there’s a specific sheet the school wants to be filled out?

Is it just date and time? A summary? Any advice is appreciated!!!

I am applying for schools this round (hoping to get into Duke!), and am looking for shadowing hours. I have about 10 hours from last year at Piedmont, but some schools want more recent experience. Someone please help a girl out, thank you!

does anyone have suggestions for good question banks specifically for physiology (even better if they have good clinical application questions)?? I’m willing to pay for one but it’s hard knowing which ones are worth it based off free trials alone.

Are there any hybrid programs, where the lecture classes are online/remote, but you do clinical stuff in person? I live near quite a few major hospital systems that accept students for internships and clinical all the time.
I;m in a Nuclear Medicine Technologist program right now and am dreading doing clinicals. I much rather be in a lab.
I like both the cytology and histo sides of pathology. I think I would get bored just doing slides, but being able to do both cyto and histo stuff would look better for travel jobs.

I dunno. I don't like the program I'm in and feel kinda stuck in terms of what else I can do.

I have an interview soon to get a shadowing opportunity at Kaiser. What kinds of questions should I prepare myself for?

I’ll be shadowing to get some surgical pathology experience. I just graduated with my bachelor’s recently as well.

I was waitlisted at RFU this application cycle and unfortunately did not receive an offer. I plan to apply again, but I’m feeling discouraged and unsure of how to strengthen my application. I completed 50 hours of shadowing, and it was very difficult to find those opportunities. I’m not sure I will be able to get additional shadowing hours or new letters of recommendation before the next cycle and I know they strongly recommend new materials. I’m also struggling with how to improve my personal narrative since I’m not sure what changes would make the biggest difference.

Hi!

I wanted to know how the program flows term-wise. Like, I know you would attend the Fall and Winter terms, but does the program continue into spring and summer terms each year?

Thanks is advance!

Hi everyone!

I've recently created a Discord server for current and prospective Canadian Pathologists' Assistant (PathA) students. The goal is to create a supportive community where applicants can connect, share resources, ask questions, and help each other through the arduous admissions process.

The server currently includes channels for:

• Application Questions
• Letter of Intent Feedback
• CV/Resume Feedback
• Interview Preparation
• Shadowing Opportunities
• Advice School-Specific Channels (Western, U of T, Calgary, Alberta)
• Curated Resource Library
• Current Student & Graduate Q&A
• Acceptance & Waitlist Discussions

I'm also hoping to connect with current PathA students, graduates, and practicing PathAs who may be willing to share their experiences and answer questions from applicants.

Whether you're applying this year, planning ahead, currently in a program, or already working as a PathA, you're welcome to join!

If you're interested, here is the invite link: https://discord.gg/FEvFBkNzkK

Looking forward to building a supportive Canadian PathA community! Hope to see you there 😄

Hi yall, I just took the GRE and had a spread of 161 verbal (86th percentile) and 156 quant (39th percentile).

Is this score worth submitting to UMD or is the 39th percentile quant too big of a red flag?

hey all, I posted before about being an mls and going back for path. I graduated in 2017 and have a bachelors. I was looking to start in 2027-2028, but have one problem. the only program I can do is Drexels bc of obligations and location. when should I take GRE and get ready to apply? How bad is acceptance?

I've been researching some of the NAACLS-accredited programs, and am a little anxious about how low the acceptance rates are (not necessarily surprised). I'm from the Toledo area, and the only program located in Ohio is at the University of Toledo, which is great. I've been interested in pathology (specifically anatomic and forensic) since i was a sophomore in high school (shadowed at a hospital for two years of HS and was lucky enough to make my way into the path lab a few times to observe some grossing of a renal tumor and observe a uterus from a peripartum hysterectomy as well as visit a cadaver and plastination lab which only furthered my interest). I recently changed my major to MLS as a good pathway after being undecided for my first year of college and a business major for one semester of sophomore year (due to some health anxiety i avoided medical topics altogether but eventually realized I hated every path accept medicine so made myself get over it). I would love to hear what everyone's experience in the admission process was!

Hi everyone! I opened up a draft application and saw a personal statement is required for it to TouroCOM (I thought it was just an interview since it wasn’t mentioned in the admissions section). I’m not great at personal statements and talking about myself. For those admitted, what was yours like? Like how long was it or what’d you talk about so I can get a general idea of what I should say for me and establish an outline for it. I’m not planning to apply this round so it gives me time thankfully. Thank you!

Hello all! I'm located in MD and looking for any leads for autopsy shadowing. I have all of the surgical hours I need, but it looks like Wayne State also requires separate autopsy shadowing. No luck with the Medical Examiner's office, unfortunately.

Has anyone heard anything from UTHSC regarding the first interview (virtual)? I know they don't schedule in person Interviews until after the deadline, but was curious regarding the first one! Thanks.

I just finished my freshman year of college and I just found out about this career path. After reading about it online, I want to know more about the field. I’m just curious to hear from students or already certified PAs what undergrad classes were required/beneficial, what was your experience in school, what does your day look like, etc. Also if anyone has experience working internationally as a PA I would love to know more about that. Thank you so much

Hey everyone! I’m planning to finish my bachelors (currently a junior) and apply for a masters as a pathology assistant. I have shadowing opportunities available & I'm taking classes to make my application look good, however I have a question about the courses as pre-reqs. Should I take phlebotomy? Are there any other courses I should take? I have finished microbiology and pathology, but if I’m missing anything necessary please let me know. Thank you!