Taking the Scenic Route - Vincent Ngo

1. Self introduction

Hello my name is Vincent Ngo! I am currently a first year PA student at Marshall B. Ketchum University. I graduated from UCSD in 2017 with a degree in Physiology and Neuroscience. My hobbies include: mountain biking, going to concerts, and collecting music records.

2. What were your stats and how many times did you apply?

I am second time applicant with low GPA (sGPA and cGPA)

First Cycle: 2019-2020

Number of Schools Applied: 6

Rejections: 6

sGPA: 2.96

cGPA: 3.24

GRE: Did not take

CASPER: Did not take

Direct PCH as Medical Assistant for Interventional Spine and Pain Management: 2880

Palomar Pathmaker Internship (Direct PCH): 192

Emergency Room/Trauma Volunteer: 364

Medical Photographer for Non-Profit: 364

Second Cycle: 2021-2022

Number of Schools Applied: 27

Rejections: 23

Accepted: 3

Waitlist: 1 (Later turned into an acceptance)

sGPA: 3.15

cGPA: 3.33

DIY Post Bacc sGPA: 3.75

GRE: 296 (Quant: 147; Verbal: 149; Writing: 4.5)

CASPER: 50th and 74th percentile (3rd Quartile)

Direct PCH as Medical Assistant from Previous Cycle 2019-2022: 2880

Current Direct PCH as Medical Assistant for General Surgery and Vascular Surgery: 4840

Total Direct PCH Hours: 7720

Palomar Pathmaker Internship (Direct PCH): 279.5

Emergency Room/Trauma Volunteer: 364

Medical Photographer: 430

3. If you applied more than once, what do you think you changed/learned along the way that helped you get accepted?

Once the first cycle completed and I received all of my rejections, I knew that I needed to improve my application alot. I decided to not apply for the following cycle (2020-2021) and took another gap year instead. I reviewed my application holistically and assessed my areas of weakness, which were my GPA and PCE. I knew that my PCE was about average and my GPA was extremely low (well below the 3.0 threshold). I sat myself down and came up with a rough outline of what I wanted to accomplish. I retook old science classes that I received Cs and took new science classes (these were all done at a community college). I got a new job as a Medical Assistant that had a PA so I can work directly with them. Something I learned along the way: that’s okay to take the “scenic” route when it comes to the PA application process. The only pressure that exists during the application process is the pressure you put on yourself. I think that taking another gap year helped me out a lot because it built on my foundation and I was able to pace myself more appropriately when it came to applying.

4. Did you work and take classes at the same time? If so, how was managing work and school?

Yes I did! I worked full time and went to school part time! I took Gen Chemistry 1 & 2, Nutrition, Physical Geography, Bioethics, and General Psychology (these classes were spread throughout a whole year). It seems like a lot, but it’s manageable with really good time management, which made it less difficult. I would wake up really early in the morning to study before my shifts and study after work before going into my classes (I took night classes and some online courses).

5. Do you recommend any specific resources/extracurricular activities/volunteer experiences around UCSD that students can use to strengthen their application?

In terms of extracurricular activities, I would recommend Scripps Volunteer Program or the Palomar Pathmaker Internship. From what I understand at the moment, it is difficult to find PAs to shadow. Volunteering at the ER at Scripps La Jolla, allowed to find an ER to shadow. At Palomar, I was also able to find an ER PA to shadow as well. A lot of PA schools speak about serving underserved communities and I think it’s extremely important to go find an organization that aligns with your values (while serving with underserved communities) and volunteer there as well. Please do not volunteer because you want it to be a bullet point on your resume. Volunteering is extremely rewarding and you should have fun while doing it. I volunteered at my local food bank that provided food to underserved seniors during the COVID Pandemic.

6. What are some common paths/options for pre-PA students with lower GPAs (for example post-bac programs)

I can’t speak on traditional post-bac programs because I never completed one. I opted to do a DIY Post-Bac. I think community college courses are great and more flexible because it allows you to work while taking classes. When I graduated I took all of my prerequisite courses at a community college.

7. Was there any mention / questioning of your GPA during your interviews? If so how did you handle them?

There wasn't any mention of my GPAs during my interviews. This may change or depend on the school that you’re applying to. Most schools will have a section in your CASPA secondary applications where you explain your GPA. If I were asked to discuss my low GPA, I would approach it with honesty and accountability. Tell them here are reasons X,Y, and Z on why my GPA is low. I hold myself responsible for it and I improved upon it by taking newer courses, retaking older courses, and etc. The key is to explain how you improved.

8. To your knowledge, are there any PA programs that are more forgiving or likely to accept students with lower GPAs?

I can only speak on the schools that applied to and were accepted to. From what I understand Marshall B. Ketchum University takes into consideration your last 60 units.

9. What do you think made you stand out among other applicants?

I would like to think that my unique volunteer experiences and my PCE helped me stand out. By the time I applied I had reached about 7K PCE hours. If a school’s minimum PCE is 500 HRS, I would do everything to make sure that you exceed that threshold. The more PCE hours you have, the more experience you will have being immersed in healthcare, which will translate to a “smoother” didactic year. There have been countless occasions, during my didactic year where I utilized my experiences to help understand a concept/disease. In terms of my volunteer experiences, I was a medical photographer. I traveled with a medical team and was able to photograph them working in the OR or in the clinic.

10. Knowing what you know now, would you change anything if you were to go back and apply again?

Absolutely not! I feel like my path to becoming a PA student ended up working out for me. The rejections helped motivate me to become a better applicant and to find out different ways to improve my application. Yes rejection stings a lot, and it can be demoralizing. I think failure is okay because there are lessons that can be learned. I encourage anyone to be honest with yourself and dig deep. I am a firm believer that anyone that goes down the PA pipeline can become a PA. It just takes a little work and a little bit of luck to get you where you need to go. There isn’t any real pressure when it comes to applying, so I encourage you guys to really really take your time when applying. Make sure that you have a quality personal statement, PCE, volunteer hours, LORs, etc.

11. What general advice would you give to other pre-PA students with low GPAs?

Although it may seem like a low GPA is the end of the world, it’s really not. I am living proof that a low GPA student can get into PA school. It just takes time and a lot of patience to get to where you need to go. So please don’t put any unnecessary pressure on yourself to get into PA immediately right after UCSD or to apply immediately after your last cycle if you don’t get in. Take the time to build on your PCE, find PA shadows, find quality volunteer hours, and work on your CASPA application chunk by chunk. I broke down my CASPA application into smaller milestones and set myself hard due dates to finish those tasks.