Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  *** *** **** *** *** **** Nov *** 2024 disputing $123 Advertise to coach and assist me with PA mock interviews. False advertising on her website she had dates available and on direct email and text denied about having those dates but yet she allowed other people to book with her. Also, did not want to provide MMI service yet she provided MMI service to other applicants. I tried setting up a meeting with the CEO but has not worked. Nov *** 2024 denied services and false advertising

  Business response

  12/19/2024

  The PA Platform provides personalized, one-on-one coaching services for students applying to physician assistant programs.

  ******* ******* ***** first worked with us June **** through a mock interview. This service is detailed at this link - ********************************************

  3 months later in September, ******* requested another service for free and was given a discount code if she would like to do an additional meeting. She was also told free services would not be provided for her entire pre-PA club when requested. 

  She booked additional mock interviews in ******* **** and ******** ** ****. Following her completed mock interview, she gave the service a 5 star review and positive review (attached). ******* emailed over a month later with concerns on 12/16, but would not detail what these were and proceeded to file a complaint prior to any opportunity to resolve. Upon discussion with the coach, **** ***, which is detailed in the attachments, she felt unable to further help or provide services to *******, particularly in the areas she was requesting. She also felt uncomfortable as ******* had breached professional barriers by texting **** about personal medical matters, which is inappropriate. The services ******* booked were completed fully without issue or complaint in a timely manner. 

  Customer response

  12/19/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  Formal Complaint Regarding Unprofessional and Misleading Services
  The reason I reject the services and guidance I received is because of consistent unprofessional conduct, misleading advice, and the crossing of professional boundaries. These issues significantly impacted my preparation and left me feeling misinformed and unsupported in my application process.
  Reasons for Rejection of Services:
  Unprofessional Communication Practices: My scheduled appointment with **** was for 9:00 AM CST. However, at 9:02 AM, I received a text message from her asking if I would be attending the session. This was unprofessional, as I had not provided my phone number, and our initial communication method was supposed to be through email. Texting without consent felt intrusive and not in line with professional standards.
  Harsh and Dismissive Feedback: During the session, **** provided feedback that felt more like personal criticism than constructive advice. When I explained that I was struggling with health issues, she dismissed my concerns as “tough love,” telling me to “move on.” This lack of empathy and emotional support made the session distressing, and I found her approach unnecessarily harsh and damaging to my confidence.
  Conflict of Interest and Ethical Concerns: **** expressed frustration with my decision to work with another coach and pressured me into asking for a refund from the other service provider. This was unprofessional and ethically concerning. I was trying to gain diverse insights into my preparation, and ****’s insistence on refunding the other coach raised questions about her motivations and professionalism along with insisting I send her the work from the other coach. 
  Minimal Original Feedback: When I provided the notes from my previous session with a different coach, **** simply copied and pasted those notes with minimal additional commentary on PA and did some public health feedback instead. This lack of individualized feedback and insight led me to believe that I was not receiving genuine, tailored support. I expected original analysis and value from the session, but what I received was a rehashed version of the previous notes adding irrelevant public health information. 
  Misleading Guidance and Advice: After one of my interviews, **** advised me to send a five-paragraph email to the program, which I trusted would be a professional approach. However, after consulting with multiple PAs, PA students, and a program director, they all advised me against sending such a long email. Their feedback indicated that the email would come across as unprofessional and could negatively affect my application. This conflicting advice made me question the integrity and accuracy of ****’s guidance.
  False Claims of Availability and Misleading Marketing: When I sought MMI preparation, I initially saw that ****’s calendar had open slots. However, when I attempted to book a session, she insisted that she was fully booked and unable to assist me, despite her calendar showing availability. She later admitted that she simply didn’t want to conduct MMI preparation at that time, even though she had previously advertised it as one of the services she provided. This lack of transparency was both frustrating and misleading.
  Inconsistent and Conflicting Information: Throughout my interactions with ****, I encountered conflicting information that caused further confusion. For example, after reviewing my email draft for the admissions committee, she gave me the go-ahead to send it, claiming there were no red flags. However, after consulting with other professionals, I was told that the email would be overly long and unprofessional, a situation that left me doubting the value of her advice.
  Reflection on the Experience:
  After reflecting on my experiences and consulting with multiple healthcare professionals, including PA-Cs and PA-Ss, I realized that much of the guidance I received from **** was either inaccurate or inconsistent with standard professional practices. The emotional toll of the harsh feedback and the constant misleading advice left me frustrated and confused about my next steps.
  Additionally, the unethical pressure to seek a refund from my other coach, along with the lack of clarity about the services she offers, led me to feel that **** was not acting in my best interest. Ultimately, I believe that the quality of the service was severely compromised by these issues.

  
  Requested Resolution:
  Given the issues outlined above, I am requesting the following actions:
  A review of ****’s professional conduct and coaching practices, ensuring that they adhere to ethical guidelines and professional standards.
  A clear communication policy from the PA Platform, outlining appropriate methods of communication (such as email only and not receiving texts) and ensuring coaches respect professional boundaries and do not have influence on the admissions committee.
  Reimbursement for the services provided or an opportunity to work with a different, more qualified coach who can provide a more supportive and professional coaching experience.
  I hope that this complaint will lead to positive changes in the way the PA Platform operates, ensuring that future clients receive accurate, ethical, and professional coaching. I appreciate your attention to this matter and trust that the BBB will help facilitate a fair resolution.
  Thank you for your time and consideration. Please feel free to contact me should you need any additional information.
  Sincerely,
  ******* ***** 

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