To apply to PA School, one uses a common application called CASPA. Pretty much every PA school uses this platform for their applications. They also, for the most part follow a similar timeline, of allowing the application process to start on May 1st. My goal had been to have as much completed as I could by May 2nd, or barring that, May 31st. Well here it is June 20th and I’m still working on it.

It’s not for the lack of effort. Even though I finished up the prior semester, I was busy with a lot of other stuff and found myself travelling or working every weekend in May and the first two weekends in June. Between consulting and working in the ED work, I often find myself working 60 or more hours a week. So it’s not like I’ve been lazy.

Now, that said, many of the hours in the ED are actually hours I’m picking up to gain the experience and to expand the numbers on my applications. As noted previously, some schools only require 500 hours but a few require 1000 hours. A number I surpassed a while back. But that’s a minimum, and often below the average. So I definitely want to boost it.

I was actually planning on going in last night for an extra 8 hour shift, but finally convinced myself to slow down and take the night off from work. Or at least from paying work. I did end up, as I had promised myself, working on my application and knocking out some essays. As a result, if I submit the essays as written, I am fully complete with applications to two schools. That said I will be waiting a few more days so I can review the essays and possibly improve them.

And I also now have to consider, in order to apply to a few schools that might be on my list, if I want to take Genetics come fall. And possibly a Medical Terminology course. Most that require that will allow a certificate program, but at least one school wants a 2 credit minimum class. And I’ll be honest, that particular school is not high on my list of schools I’m considering.

But meanwhile, I feel like the Red Queen in Through the Looking Glass, “Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”

I’m running as fast as I can.