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From finding shadowing opportunities to understanding application requirements, knowing where to begin is not always easy. At Mount St. Joseph University, the Pre-Physician Assistant (Pre-PA) Student Organization is helping students navigate that process by providing resources, professional connections, and support from peers who share similar goals.

The organization’s mission is to provide aspiring physician assistants with a supportive community and the resources they need to pursue PA school. Through application guidance, connections with practicing PAs and PA students, and opportunities for professional development and hands-on experience, the organization aims to help students feel more prepared for the next step in their education.

Founded during the 2025–2026 academic year, the Pre-PA Student Organization was established to address the need for more guidance and resources for students interested in pursuing PA school. Before the organization was created, the Mount did not have a dedicated pre-PA student organization. The club was started to help students better understand the steps toward applying to PA school and connect them with opportunities they might otherwise struggle to find.

Since its founding, the club has grown to more than 20 members and has continued to expand its offerings. Through participation in campus events, connections with practicing PAs, shadowing opportunities, mock interview resources, and résumé workshops, the organization helps students prepare for the application process and explore the profession. The club is also working toward fundraising initiatives to help offset application-related expenses for students pursuing PA school.

For Danielle Mitchell, who was recently accepted into the Mount’s Physician Assistant Studies program, these resources played an important role in her journey toward becoming a PA.

She first learned about the club after reaching out to faculty for advice about the application process. Dr. Maria Brown directed her to Audrey Brewington, the club’s founder, and the organization provided a place to find guidance, build connections, and learn from others pursuing the same career.

One of the most valuable benefits was access to shadowing opportunities across multiple specialties. Through the club’s connections, Mitchell gained the shadowing hours needed for her application while learning more about the profession firsthand.

“Connecting with PAs through the club gave me a much deeper understanding of the profession, the practices, and the different specialties available for PAs in the real world,” she said.

Those experiences helped solidify her decision to pursue PA school and gave her a clearer understanding of the career she hoped to enter.

The club also helped her navigate the application process itself. From understanding when applications opened to identifying faculty members to approach for letters of recommendation and seeking essay feedback, she gained guidance that made an unfamiliar process more manageable.

“Without the club, I did not fully understand when the application opened and how soon to get my application in,” she explained. “However, with the help of the club, I was able to complete everything fairly quickly.”

Beyond professional connections and application resources, the club offered something equally important: a community of peers who understood the challenges of applying to graduate school. Having other students to turn to helped Mitchell feel more confident and motivated throughout the process, including during the summer application period.

“Being a part of the Pre-PA Club helped me gain so much more confidence within the application process,” she said. “Knowing that we were all in it together and offering each other support by reaching out during the summer, was extremely motivating.”

For Mitchell, the shadowing opportunities made the biggest difference in strengthening her application. Her experience also demonstrates how access to information, encouragement, and a network of people with shared goals can help students feel more prepared for an important next step in their education.

For Brewington, seeing the organization grow and help students navigate the application process has been especially rewarding. Her original goal was to give students a resource they could turn to when they were unsure of their next steps. Seeing members gain confidence and pursue their goals has shown how the club is fulfilling that purpose.

Mitchell’s acceptance into the Mount’s PA program is one example of that impact. She will graduate from the Mount in December 2026 before beginning the program in January 2027. Brewington is excited to become Danielle’s classmate as they continue pursuing their shared goal of becoming physician assistants.

For students who are unsure whether to join the organization, Mitchell encourages them to take the opportunity to get involved.

“Joining a new club might seem daunting at times, but the members are always welcoming,” she said. She emphasized that the organization provides a chance to gain support, support others, and learn the ins and outs of an application process that can otherwise feel difficult to navigate alone.

What began as an effort to make resources more accessible has grown into a community centered on connection, preparation, and encouragement. Through professional shadowing opportunities, application resources, and support from peers, the Pre-PA Student Organization is helping students at the Mount move closer to their goals.

For students just beginning their journey toward PA school, the club offers a place to find guidance, ask questions, and take the next step with greater confidence.

Photo: Some members of the Pre-PA Club are, from left to right, Krystalin Wagner, Ava Harrigan, Jacob Ramey, Ashley Williams, Audrey Brewington, Ava Maxwell, Kylie Koelling