Bonnie Li shares a day in her life as a first-year Physician Associate (PA) student at Yale School of Medicine.
Q+A
A Day in the Life of a PA Student: Bonnie Li
Where did you grow up and where were you living immediately prior to Yale?
I grew up in Boston and also stayed there during my gap years, working as a medical assistant and certified nursing assistant for my patient care experience prior to moving to New Haven.
Why did you choose Yale School of Medicine?
YSM stood out to me for its global rotations, medical language electives, early clinical collaboration, and the opportunity to volunteer at HAVEN, a free student-run clinic. Beyond these opportunities, what I found most compelling was the type of collaborative cohort this program sought to build.
The interview questions and application process were designed to get to know us as people beyond just our metrics, and it was clear that Yale cared deeply about recruiting students that would learn from, grow with, and complement one another.
Can you briefly describe your schedule on a typical weekday?
Our class schedule varies day to day, but I will typically carpool with my classmates to school around 8:30 a.m. and sit through a combination of lectures, case conferences, physical exam workshops, and anatomy lab.
On most days I spend my lunch from 12-1 p.m. at Café Med, which is walking distance from the PA building. Throughout the week I try to stay active by going to the Harkness Gym, or in the warmer months, going for a run with my friends or local New Haven Road Runners run club.
Depending on how close we are to an exam, my typical evening would be spent studying in the library, going to an extracurricular event (wine tasting at the Schwarzman Center, surgical skills fair, advisory house event, etc), or staying in and watching a show with my roommates.
What neighborhood do you live in?
I live in (and highly recommend) East Rock, which is a residential neighborhood with a bunch of small markets, restaurants, cafés, and a beautiful park all within walking distance. It is a short (free!) shuttle ride to the YSM campus.
What is your favorite thing to do in/near New Haven?
I love finding local events, whether it’s a peach festival at a local orchard, a coastal art festival, or a corn maze at a nearby winery. There are also a lot of food crawls in the downtown area and, along with Yale’s student life offerings, there is never a shortage of things to do.
Do you have any final thoughts or advice for prospective students?
Say yes to new experiences and take advantage of all that Yale has to offer! There are countless electives, seminars, niche interest groups, fairs, and campus events to explore. This school truly values work-life balance, and the curriculum is intentionally designed to give you the flexibility to pursue things you are passionate about and maybe even discover new ones along the way.
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