PA School Group Interview: Activities and Tips
PA school group interviews and group activities: the two formats, what observers assess, and how to add value without dominating, with an example.
PA School Group Interview: Activities and Tips
131 of 333 PA programs list a group interview in the PAEA directory for the 2026-2027 cycle, but "group interview" means two different things: several applicants answering a panel together, or several applicants working a task while faculty watch. Your invitation tells you which one you have.
Our view: in a group activity, the observers are watching how you move the group to a decision. The highest-value moves are naming the time, summarizing where people stand and calling the question. Having the best idea matters less than helping five strangers reach a good one.
The countercase: in a panel-style group interview, where each applicant answers the same question in turn, there is no group decision to move. There, the old rules apply: answer clearly, be brief, and listen to the others without repeating them.
Every PAEA and program page quoted below was checked on November 7, 2026. For the full question bank, see PA school interview questions.
Two things called "group interview"
PAEA's PA Program Admissions Resource (©2023), written for programs, defines the term two ways in the same document:
- In the main text: "group interviews (several interviewers and applicants)".
- In Appendix B, a table row labeled "PANEL OR GROUP" described as "One applicant and multiple interviewers", with a sample schedule titled "Panel/Group Interview (multiple interviewers-one applicant)" (PAEA, PA Program Admissions Resource).
So the PAEA guide itself uses "group" for a room with other applicants and for a room with one applicant and several interviewers. The directory's "Group Interview" tick box doesn't say which a program means.
The directory can also miss a group activity entirely. Northwestern's directory entry lists only "Traditional Interview", while its own FAQ describes "an information session, a group activity featuring an interactive Problem-Based Learning patient case, and several one-on-one interviews" (Northwestern PA FAQ). PAEA's directory says: "We rely on the information provided to us by programs. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the program's website" (PAEA program directory).
What to do: read the program's own interview page and your invitation. If neither says, ask the coordinator one question: "Will the group portion be a discussion with other applicants, or a panel?"
What program pages describe
| Program | What its page says about the interview day |
|---|---|
| Northwestern | "a group activity featuring an interactive Problem-Based Learning patient case"; "we do not employ Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)" |
| Ashland University | "individual interviews and a group activity" that evaluate attributes including "Teamwork", "Insight into the PA role", "Social skills" and "Professionalism" |
| Assumption University | "Four short interviews with faculty" and "A group activity" |
| Hardin-Simmons University | "An individual interview with faculty", "A moderated group interview" and "A critical thinking writing assessment"; "We do not offer virtual interviews." |
| OHSU | Directory lists traditional, group and MMI; its page says the committee evaluates "Empathy and teamwork" and "Ethical reasoning", among others |
In the directory, by our count of all 333 program pages (collected October 31 to November 6, 2026, with five pages rechecked live on November 7, 2026), 41 programs list both a group interview and an MMI.
Common group formats
Formats 1 and 2 come from the pages above: PAEA's "several interviewers and applicants" and Northwestern's patient case. Formats 3 and 4 are constructed, written by us to show the shape of other tasks; we found neither on a program page we checked.
- Panel questions to the group. One or more faculty ask a question; each applicant answers in turn.
- Patient case. The group works through a case together (Northwestern's stated format).
- Ranking task (constructed). The group ranks candidates for a scarce resource, such as an organ or a clinic slot.
- Build or puzzle task (constructed). The group builds something with limited materials or instructions.
What observers watch for
Programs list the traits. Ashland lists "Teamwork", "Social skills", "Professionalism" and "Insight into the PA role". OHSU lists "Communication skills" and "Empathy and teamwork". PAEA's guide tells programs that interview day lets them evaluate how you interact with students, faculty and staff (what the rest of interview day looks like).
Turned into things an observer can see:
| Trait | What it looks like in the room |
|---|---|
| Teamwork | You build on another applicant's point by name: "Building on what Rosa said…" |
| Communication | You speak in short turns and finish your sentences |
| Social skills | You invite the quiet person in once, without putting them on the spot |
| Professionalism | You disagree with the idea, not the person |
| Insight into the PA role | In a patient case, you say when you would bring in the physician or another team member |
Walkthrough: a constructed ranking task
Constructed example, written by us, not a real group interview (172 words). Context (invented): five applicants have 15 minutes to rank four patients for one liver transplant. Names and patients are invented.
Facilitator: You have 15 minutes. Give us one ranked list.
Rosa: Can we take two minutes each to read and then go around once?
Kwame: Patient C has kids. I think C has to be first.
Hana: I'm not sure family status should decide it. What criteria do we want to use?
Eli: Medical urgency and how likely the transplant works. That's what I'd want to know first.
Rosa: OK, so we have urgency, chance of success, and Kwame raised dependents. Can we agree on the first two and decide if the third counts?
Tom: (silent)
Hana: Tom, you haven't had a turn. What are you seeing?
Tom: Patient A is sickest, but he's still drinking, and that affects whether it works.
Kwame: That's exactly it. A shouldn't get it.
Eli: I'd say we can't judge that from one line. In real life a team would assess it.
Rosa: We're at 10 minutes. Here's what I'm hearing: B first on urgency and success, then A or C. Can we vote on second?
What each move shows:
- Rosa sets a process, summarizes and calls the time. Those are the three moves this page recommends. She never has the "best idea".
- Hana challenges a criterion without attacking Kwame, then brings Tom in by name.
- Eli names a criterion, then points out the limit of the information and the role of a team. That is the PA-role insight Ashland lists.
- Kwame has energy but jumps to answers twice. Two strong opinions with no criteria read as dominating.
- Tom speaks once and adds a fact no one else had. One good contribution is enough if it moves the group.
Roles to take and roles to avoid
Take one of these:
- Timekeeper: "We're at 10 minutes." Say it once or twice, not every minute.
- Synthesizer: "So far we have two views." Summarize, then ask a question.
- Includer: bring a quiet person in once, by name.
Avoid these:
- Scribe only: writing everything down and saying nothing.
- Dominator: speaking first, longest and last.
- Opinion with no criteria: "C has to be first" without saying why.
- Arguing to win: reopening a point after the group has moved on.
After the group activity
Send a thank-you only to the facilitators you can name, and keep it short. Do not thank the other applicants by email. The PA school interview thank-you email page has three constructed examples. For what the rest of the day looks like, see PA school interview day: what to expect.
Questions about PA school group interviews
Is a PA group interview the same as an MMI?
No. An MMI rotates you through stations with an interviewer at each. A group interview puts you in a room with other applicants. Some programs use both; 41 list both in the PAEA directory. The PA school MMI and ethics questions page covers stations.
How do I stand out without dominating?
Use one of the three roles above, speak in short turns, and make one contribution that moves the group to a decision.
What if the group reaches a decision I disagree with?
Say so once, with your reason, then help the group finish. Blocking the decision costs more than losing the point.
Are group interviews virtual?
It depends on the program. Hardin-Simmons, for example, says "We do not offer virtual interviews." Check your invitation.
Do I need medical knowledge for the patient case?
None of the program pages quoted here asks for clinical knowledge. In a case, say what you would want to know and who on the team you would bring in.
Review the writing you send next
The way you describe teamwork in your CASPA personal statement should match how you worked in the room. Get a free Quick Review of your CASPA personal statement against GradPilot's CASPA personal statement rubric, which reads how you show team-based practice. After the interview, the medical school letter of intent and interest rubric, the closest fit for a PA letter, reads the letter you send to your first-choice program.
More PA guides are on the medical school essays hub.
Sources
Retrieved November 7, 2026, except where noted.
- PAEA, PA Program Admissions Resource (©2023, written for programs): two definitions of group interviews; interview-day interaction.
- PAEA, Program directory (2026-2027 application cycle, self-reported by programs): group interview counts; Northwestern and OHSU entries; our count, collected October 31 to November 6, 2026.
- Northwestern University PA Program, Admissions FAQ: group activity with a Problem-Based Learning patient case.
- Ashland University, MS in Physician Assistant Studies: group activity and attributes evaluated.
- Assumption University, Physician Assistant Studies: interview-day components.
- Hardin-Simmons University, Physician Assistant Program: moderated group interview; in-person only.
- OHSU, PA admissions: interview evaluation criteria.
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