How to Survive PA School: 5 Backed-by-Experience Tips for Your Didactic Year

By Taylor Hansen, PA-S

I still remember my first day of PA school and the very first lecture. “Buckle up,” our lecturer said. “These are going to be the hardest 2 years of your life, but they will also be the most rewarding.”

As a PA student now entering clinicals, I look back on my didactic year with great fondness. There were some hard days and maybe even weeks, but I always brought myself back to why I fought so hard to be sitting in this seat. And although I worked really hard, I also managed to attend football games, fly home to see family, take quick trips to Disney World, and relax with friends. While the didactic year is intense, it’s completely possible to achieve work-life balance.

Below are the exact tips and strategies that helped me and my peers succeed.

Find Your PA School Support System

Creating a support system is one of the most important strategies for surviving PA school. The journey is mentally, emotionally, and physically demanding.

Why You Need a Network in PA School 

• Beat Burnout: The fast-paced curriculum and frequent exams can quickly lead to stress and self-doubt.
• A Safe Space: Your network provides a safe place to vent, share struggles, laugh, and celebrate milestones.
• Shared Purpose: Your peers understand exactly what you are going through, creating a strong, lasting connection.

How to Build a Collaborative Study Group in PA School

My support system was built around three peers whom I met on day one. Early on, we formed a study group that met weekly to review course material using a strict, efficient strategy:

• Divide and Conquer: We divided complex topics and created condensed outlines to present to one another.
• Use Whiteboards: We held meetings in the medical building, utilizing whiteboards to draw diagrams and clarify difficult concepts.
• Active Testing: Each session concluded with five practice questions prepared by each member to reinforce the material.

This collaborative approach kept us accountable, made learning engaging, and ensured we didn’t feel isolated.

Avoid Toxic Comparison and Imposter Syndrome

It’s easy to fall into the trap of toxic comparison, especially when you are surrounded by highly motivated classmates. In college, you may have been a top student, but in PA school, you are surrounded by top students from all over the country.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

• You Earned Your Spot: Remember that you went through a rigorous PA school admissions process to get here. If you didn’t belong, they wouldn’t have offered you a seat.
• Trust Your Own Pace: Avoid comparing your study habits to those of your classmates. Everyone learns differently.
• Group vs. Solo Study: Some people thrive in group sessions, while others do much better by reviewing solo right before an exam.

Master Time Management and Block Scheduling

Effective time management in PA school is all about intentional planning and prioritization. With a packed schedule full of lectures, labs, and studying, you must map out your days in advance.

Golden Rules of PA School Time Management

• Use a Digital Calendar: Block out your class times and study sessions first, then build everything else around those core commitments.
• Make Self-Care Non-Negotiable: Treat exercise, meals, and rest like mandatory appointments.
• Meal Prep: Prepare your meals on the weekends to avoid unnecessary stress on busy school nights.
• Try the Pomodoro Technique: Break large tasks into manageable, focused chunks to prevent burnout.

A Sample Daily Study Schedule

Our program used block scheduling, meaning we learned the same body system in medicine, pharmacology, and physiology at the same time. Here is the exact daily structure I used to stay on track:

• 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM (Lectures): Medicine, pharmacology, and physiology classes.
• Lunch Break (Quick Review): My friends and I would quiz each other on the content from the day prior.
• 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Medicine Focus): Reviewing the day’s medicine content, creating study guides, and making Quizlet decks.
• Dinner Time (Mental Reset): Combining meals with phone calls to family to support my well-being.
• Evening Hours (Pharm & Physio): Delving deep into the day’s pharmacology and physiology lectures.
• End of Day (Clinical Reasoning): Reviewing Quizlet flashcards formatted as vignette-style questions.
• Weekends (Review & Practice): Spending weekends reviewing the past week’s content and doing Blueprint questions.

Use High-Yield PA School Study Strategies

If you were a crammer in college, now is the time to break that habit. Material you learn today will resurface on your End of Rotation (EOR) exams, the PANCE, and in clinical practice.

Essential PA School Study Tools

• Flashcards for Spaced Repetition: Use platforms like Anki or Quizlet to build long-term memory. These tools automatically select the content you struggle with the most.
• Early Practice Questions: Use your program’s question banks early and often. Tools like Blueprint (previously Rosh Review) and Exam Master are perfect for highlighting gaps the weekend before an exam.
• High-Yield Focus: It is impossible to know every single detail. Focus on high-yield points from lectures instead of getting caught up in rare, esoteric details.

Example: High-Yield vs. Low-Yield Concept

When I studied Acute Pancreatitis, I broke it down to the core essentials instead of getting lost in rare details:

• Etiology: Gallstones and alcohol.
• Presentation: Epigastric pain radiating to the back.
• Diagnostics: Elevated lipase.
• First-line Treatment: Bowel rest with fluid resuscitation.

Prioritize Self-Care and Mental Health

Self-care in PA school is a basic necessity for your academic success. Keep these non-negotiable rules in mind:

• Protect Your Sleep: Your brain requires 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night to perform at its best.
• Keep Moving: A quick walk, lifting weights, or a short yoga session reduces stress and improves cognitive function.
• Schedule Fun: Make a concerted effort to schedule time for activities that bring you joy each week to boost your academic performance.
• Seek Support Early: If you are struggling emotionally, you are not alone. A study published in JAMA found that nearly 1 in 3 medical students suffer from anxiety or depression. Take advantage of the tutoring and mental health resources your program offers.

Conclusion: Remember Your “Why”

When the days feel completely overwhelming, remind yourself of the passion and dedication it took to get here. Every hour spent studying, shadowing, volunteering, and applying brought you to this moment.

• Read Your Personal Statement: When you feel discouraged, reread your statement to regain that spark.
• Keep Goals Nearby: Write down your goals—whether it’s working in emergency medicine, serving underserved communities, or simply making it to graduation—and look at them frequently.

PA school is short—just two years of intense training stand between you and your dream career. While it’s easy to focus on the finish line, don’t forget to embrace the journey.