How to obtain Health Care Experience Hours for PA school admissions
Becoming a Physician Assistant (PA) is a rewarding and impactful career choice, especially in the Canada, where the demand for skilled medical professionals continues to rise. Aspiring PAs are well-aware of the rigorous admission process to PA programs across the country, which emphasizes not only academic qualifications but also practical experience in the healthcare field.
University of Toronto’s Physician Assistant Program (also known as PA Consortium) is the only PA program in Canada that REQUIRES health care experience hours to apply to PA school.
Note: McMaster and the University of Manitoba do not require health care experience hours to apply to their programs.
University of Toronto’s PA Program accepts health care employment, clinical placements as part of an education program, and volunteer work as part of the minimum hours required for admission. You have to specify whether you provided direct patient care (e.g. registered massage therapist, nurse, physiotherapy assistant) or indirect patient care (e.g. research, health records, med lab technician where you are in the lab only, etc.), or patient care directed by others (e.g. administrative assistant, student in clinical placements, ward clerk, receptionist).
Although healthcare experience hours are not required for the other PA programs in Canada, the experience is invaluable providing you with exposure to patient care, and a better understanding of the healthcare system. Keep reading to learn more
I. Overview of Health Care Experience (HCE) for PA Admissions
a) Definition of ‘Health Care Experience (HCE)
Health care experience refers to practical, hands-on involvement in providing medical or health care services to patients or within a health care setting. This can include roles and activities related to the well-being of patients, including actively engaging in patient care, perform medical procedures, health care administration (e.g. receptionist) or other tasks.
b) Why is HCE assessed for PA Admissions?
It serves as a way for Pre-PAs to gain real-world exposure to the healthcare field, understand the intricacies of patient care, and develop essential skills, empathy, and knowledge necessary for success in a healthcare career.
The specific types of healthcare experiences that are accepted or required may vary depending on the program or institution, but the general aim is to ensure that applicants have practical exposure to medical or patient care environments before entering the PA program.
c) What if HCE hours are not required to apply to a PA Program?
Even if a specific Physician Assistant (PA) program does not require healthcare experience hours for admission, obtaining healthcare experience is still incredibly valuable and highly recommended.
There are several reasons why gaining healthcare experience is advantageous, even when it is not a strict program requirement:
Competitive Advantage: While not mandatory for admission, healthcare experience can give applicants a competitive edge in the admissions process. Practical experience in healthcare demonstrates a commitment to the profession and a deeper understanding of patient care. When answering questions for your supplemental application and PA school interview, you can pull examples from your healthcare experiences.
Informed Career Choice: Health care experience provides aspiring PAs with firsthand exposure to the realities of patient care and medical settings. This experience allows individuals to validate their interest in the PA profession and ensure it aligns with their passion and career goals.
Enhanced Skills and Knowledge: Engaging in healthcare roles exposes applicants to a diverse range of medical conditions, treatments, and healthcare practices. This exposure helps build critical skills, such as communication, empathy, and problem-solving, which are essential for success as a PA.
Confidence and Readiness: Health care experience prepares applicants for the rigor of PA programs and the demands of the profession. It offers a glimpse into the responsibilities and challenges faced by healthcare providers, allowing individuals to enter their PA program with greater confidence and readiness.
Professional Networking: Working in a healthcare setting provides opportunities to network with experienced healthcare professionals, including PAs. These connections can offer valuable guidance, mentorship, and potential letters of recommendation in the future.
Practical Insights: Even if not required, health care experience offers practical insights into the intricacies of the healthcare system, the importance of teamwork, and the significance of patient-centered care. These insights contribute to a well-rounded perspective on healthcare and can positively impact an applicant's approach to patient care as a future PA.
II. The Different Types of HCE
University of Toronto’s PA Program has candidates specify if your health care experience is direct or indirect patient care:
a) Direct Patient Care
This is where you directly interface with patients (“face-to-face”). Direct care refers to care that is provided personally by you, and this can involve different aspects of health care for a patient – including treatments, self-care, patient education, administering medication and more.
Roles that often qualify as direct patient care experience include, but are not limited to: Physician, Nurse, Paramedic, Physiotherapist, Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy Assistant (PTA/OTA), Midwife, Personal Support Worker, Optometry Assistant, Psychologist, Paramedic, Respiratory Therapist
Direct patient care is considered more competitive.
b) Indirect Patient Care
Indirect patient care refers to working in services that are related to patient care, but do not involve direct interaction between you and the patient.
Examples of Indirect Patient Care: Lab technician processing patient blood samples, Clinical Research Assistant, medical scribe
Note: Shadowing does NOT count as health care experience hours, see section e) below.
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Research experience counts towards your health care experience hours as long as it meets the following criteria:
The research must be conducted in a healthcare setting.
The research must involve direct patient care or indirect patient care.
The research must be supervised by a healthcare professional.
c) Regulated vs. Unregulated Role
You may have to specify to admissions whether or not your healthcare experience is regulated or not. You can view a list of Regulated Health Care Professions in Ontario to see if your health care experience falls on this list.
Examples of Regulated roles: Registered Nurse, Physician, Physiotherapist, Midwife, Medical Radiation Technologist
Examples of Unregulated roles: Medical Assistant, Volunteer, Physiotherapy Assistant, Ward Clerk
d) Paid vs. Volunteer vs. Educational Placement
Health care experience can be paid, volunteer or as part of a placement for a health care training program (e.g. nursing student).
Example of Paid Position: Medical Receptionist or Medical Assistant at a Family Medicine Clinic, Patient Transfer Attendant, Ward Clerk.
Example of Volunteer Position: Hospital Volunteer at the Emergency Department, Volunteer Medical Assistant.
Example of Educational Placement: Clinical Placement you complete as a nursing student, paramedic student, etc.
e) Shadowing DOES NOT count as HCE hours
Although the PA programs cannot confirm or deny if shadowing counts, in my opinion, it does not. And if it does, I would not consider it a strong healthcare experience.
Shadowing may not be considered a clinical experience because it is observational. You are observing someone else providing care, and there are no duties or responsibilities that are involved in shadowing.
Shadowing is still VALUABLE as it provides you with more insight into a profession and an understanding of what it is like to work in the health care system.
View examples of Health Care Experience hours that would qualify for UofT’s PA program:
III. What to track for your HCE hours
According to PA Consortium’s Admission requirements, yes, the healthcare experience will be evaluated, and you are expected to provide detail regarding your healthcare experience.
Keeping a detailed record of your healthcare experience hours is essential for several reasons. It not only helps you accurately present your experiences in your PA program application but also allows you to reflect on your growth, skills development, and the impact of your experiences.
Here are some helpful elements to track during healthcare experience hours:
Dates and Hours: Record the specific dates and the number of hours you spend in each healthcare role or activity. This information will help you calculate the total hours accumulated for your application.
Job Title and Description: Clearly document the title of the position or role you held during your healthcare experience. Include a brief description of your responsibilities and duties in that role.
Healthcare Setting: Indicate the type of healthcare setting where you gained your experience, such as a hospital, clinic, long-term care facility, or community health center.
Patient Demographics: Note the demographics of the patients you interacted with, including age groups, medical conditions, and any other relevant information that provides context to your experiences.
Supervisor and Contact Information: Keep the contact information of your supervisors or mentors during your healthcare experiences. This will be useful if the PA program admissions committee needs to verify your hours or experiences.
Skills and Learning Outcomes: Track the skills you acquired or improved during your healthcare experience. Reflect on what you learned from each experience and how it contributed to your growth as a future PA.
Impact and Accomplishments: Make note of any significant accomplishments or contributions you made during your healthcare experiences. Whether it's positive feedback from patients or commendations from supervisors, recording these accomplishments can add weight to your application.
Reflections and Personal Growth: Take the time to reflect on each healthcare experience. Write down your thoughts, insights, and how the experience influenced your decision to become a PA. Personal reflections can be valuable for your personal statement and interviews.
Certificates or Training: If you received any relevant certifications or completed specific training during your health care experience, keep records of these achievements.
Documentation and Proof: Collect any documents, letters, or certificates that validate your healthcare experience, especially if they are required by the PA program you are applying to.
Having a well-organized and comprehensive record of your healthcare experience hours will not only help you during the PA program application process but also serve as a valuable resource when preparing for interviews and reflecting on your journey toward becoming a Physician Assistant.
IV. Verifying if your HCE counts
a) PA programs do not verify HCE hours
PA programs do not verify if the HCE you submitted is valid. In fact, they list on their website that they can “Neither confirm whether or not health care experience is appropriate prior to the time of application”.
b) How to Verify if HCE hours count toward requirements
Here are a few suggestions to find out if that health care experience counts:
Check Program Websites: Review the official websites of the PA programs you are interested in. Some programs may explicitly state their specific requirements for health care experience, including the types of roles they consider as valid.
Seek Guidance from Current or Former Students: Reach out to current or former students of the PA programs you are interested in. They can offer insights into their own experiences with the admissions process and the types of health care experiences that were accepted. Here is a list of Canadian PAs and PA students you can DM on instagram.
Check in the Canadian Pre-PA Facebook Group: If you are not certain, you can ask in the Canadian Pre-PA Facebook Group in a post whether or not the health care experience applies – and other Pre-PAs, PA students and practicing Canadian PAs can reply with feedback on whether or not it will likely count.
V.How to find HCE opportunities
Finding health care experience opportunities for PA admissions can be an exciting but challenging task. Here are some tips to help you get started:
Research Healthcare Settings: Identify healthcare facilities, hospitals, clinics, and medical centers in your area. These institutions often offer a variety of roles, both direct and indirect, where you can gain valuable health care experience.
Utilize Online Job Boards: Explore online job boards and career portals that specifically focus on healthcare positions. Websites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor often have job listings for various health care roles.
Contact Local Volunteer Organizations: Many healthcare organizations and non-profit groups rely on volunteers to support their initiatives. Volunteering in such settings can provide indirect patient care experience and demonstrate your commitment to healthcare.
Reach Out to Local Clinics and Practices: Approach local medical clinics, doctor's offices, and healthcare practices to inquire about potential opportunities. Sometimes, they may have openings for medical assistants or scribes.
Networking and Informational Interviews: Attend healthcare-related events, conferences, and seminars to network with professionals in the field. Conduct informational interviews with PAs or other healthcare professionals to gather insights on potential health care experience opportunities.
University and College Campuses: If you are currently enrolled in a college or university, check with your institution's career services office or health professions advising office. They may have resources and connections to help you find health care experience opportunities.
Research Institutes and Medical Research Labs: Consider exploring research positions in medical or health-related fields. In addition to direct patient care, research experiences can be valuable for PA applications.
Online Healthcare Platforms: Some online platforms connect healthcare professionals with job opportunities. These platforms may also offer options for medical scribing or virtual health care roles.
Healthcare Agencies and Recruitment Firms: Look into healthcare staffing agencies or recruitment firms that specialize in placing candidates in various health care roles.
Remember to tailor your approach to the type of health care experience you are seeking, whether it's direct patient care, research, or administrative roles. Be proactive, persistent, and open to exploring different opportunities to find the right fit for your interests and career goals as a Pre-PA.
VI. Making the Most of your HCE
a) Emphasizing Quality Over Quantity
When it comes to health care experience hours, the quality of your experiences holds greater importance than sheer quantity.
Admissions committees value applicants who have demonstrated genuine dedication to patient care and a deep understanding of the healthcare system. Rather than spreading yourself thin across multiple roles, focus on committing to one or a few positions that align closely with your career goals.
b) Building Strong Relationships with Colleagues and Mentors
During your health care experience, invest time and effort in building meaningful relationships with colleagues and mentors. These connections can offer valuable support, guidance, and networking opportunities. A strong professional network may even lead to letters of recommendation or references that carry considerable weight in your PA application.
c) Leveraging Experiences for Personal Growth and Professional Development
Approach your healthcare experience as a learning opportunity, seeking to grow both personally and professionally. Reflect on your experiences, challenges, and achievements to gain insights into your strengths and areas for improvement. Taking the initiative to seek feedback from supervisors and colleagues can aid in your continuous growth as a future PA.
