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Single Edit One-on-one Service Supplemental Essays
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(Photo: Me circa 1987, just thinking about my future PA School Essay)
- Are you struggling to write your physician assistant personal statement?
- Are you out of ideas, or just need a second opinion?
- Do you want an essay that expresses who you truly are and grabs the reader's attention in the required 5,000-character limit?
We are here to help perfect your PA school essay
I have written countless times on this blog about the importance of your personal statement in the PA school application process. Beyond the well-established metrics (GPA, HCE/PCE hours, requisite coursework, etc.), the personal statement is the most crucial aspect of your application.
This is your time to express yourself, show your creativity, skills, and background, and make a memorable impression in seconds. This will be your only chance, so you must get it right the first time.
For some time, I had been dreaming about starting a physician assistant personal statement collaborative.
A place where PA school applicants like yourself can post their PA school essays and receive honest, constructive feedback followed by an acceptance letter to the PA school of your choice!
I have been reviewing a ton of essays recently, so many in fact that I can no longer do this on my own.
To solve this problem, I have assembled a team of professional writers, editors, and PA school admissions specialists who worked to revise and perfect my PA school application essay.
Beth Eakman has taught college writing and worked as a professional writer and editor since the late 1990s. Her projects have involved a wide range of disciplines and media, from editing technical reports to scriptwriting for the PBS Kids show Super Why! Her writing has appeared in publications including Brain, Child Magazine, New York Family Magazine, and Austin Family Magazine. Beth lives with her family just outside Austin, Texas. She is driven to help each client tell the best version of their story and achieve their dream of becoming a physician assistant.
Deanna Matzen is an author with articles featured in Earth Letter, Health Beats, Northwest Science & Technology, and the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. With an early career in environmental science, she developed a solid foundation in technical writing. Her communication skills were further honed by producing and editing content for a non-profit website, blog, and quarterly journal. Inspired to extend her craft, she obtained a certificate in literary fiction, which she draws on to build vibrant scenes that bring stories to life. Deanna loves working with pre-PAs who are on the cusp of new beginnings to find their unique story and tell it confidently.
Carly Hallman is a professional writer and editor with a B.A. in English Writing and Rhetoric (summa cum laude) from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. She has worked as a curriculum developer, English teacher, and study abroad coordinator in Beijing, China, where she moved in 2011. In college, she was a Gilman Scholar and worked as a staff editor for her university's academic journal. Her first novel, Year of the Goose, was published in 2015, and her first memoir is forthcoming from Little A Books. Her essays and creative writing have appeared in The L.A. Review of Books, The Guardian, LitHub, and Identity Theory, among other publications.
Read more client testimonials or purchase a revision
We Work as a Team
Our team of professional editors is wonderful at cutting out the "fluff" that makes an essay lose focus and sets people over the 5,000-character limit. Their advice is always spot-on.
Sue, Sarah, and Carly are amazingly creative writers who will take your "ordinary" and turn it into entirely extraordinary.
I mean it when I say this service is one-of-a-kind! We have spent countless hours interviewing PA School admissions directors and faculty from across the country to find out exactly what it is they are looking for in your personal statement.
We even wrote a book about it.
To collaborate, we use Google Drive. Google Drive is free, has an intuitive interface with integrated live comments in the sidebar, the ability to have a real-time chat, to collaborate effortlessly, and to compare, revise, or restore revisions on the fly. Google Drive also has an excellent mobile app that will allow you to make edits on the go!
Our team has worked with hundreds of PA school applicants within the Google Drive environment, and we have had enormous success.
The Physician Assistant Essay and Personal Statement Collaborative
I have set up two options that I hope will offer everyone a chance to participate:
- One-of-a-kind, confidential, paid personal statement review service
- A collaborative, free one (in the comments section)
Private, One-On-One Personal Statement Review Service
If you are interested in the paid service, you may choose your plan below.
The Personal Statement Review Service is:
- Behind closed doors within a private, secure network using Google Drive.
- It is completely interactive, meaning we will be able to provide real-time comments and corrections using the Google Drive interface.
- Telephone consultations are included with all edits above the single edit level. It’s often hard to communicate exactly what you want hundreds of miles away; for this reason, we offer the option to edit right along with us over the telephone while sharing in real-time over Google Drive. This is an option available to all our paid clients who purchase above the single edit level.
- We provide both revision and editing of all essays. What’s the difference? See below
- We will provide feedback, advice, and help with brainstorming and topic creation if you would like.
- We will help with a “final touch-up” before the big day, just in case your essay needs a few minor changes.
Why Choose Our Service?
- It’s not our opinion that matters. We have gone the extra step and personally interviewed PA school administrators from across the US to find out exactly what they think makes a personal statement exceptional.
- We are a team of PAs and professional writers having worked over seven years with PA school applicants like yourself, providing countless hours of one-on-one editing and revision.
- Our clients receive interviews, and many go on to receive acceptance into their PA School of choice.
Because we always give 100%, we will open the essay collaborative for a limited number of applicants each month and then close this depending on the amount of editing that needs to be done and the time that is available.
Our goal is not quantity but quality. We want only serious applicants who are serious about getting into PA school.
Writing is not a tool like a piece of software but more like how a photograph can capture your mood. It’s more like art. The process of developing a unique, memorable personal statement is time-intensive, and it takes hours to compose, edit, finalize, and personalize an essay.
As Antoinette Bosco once said:
And this is why I am charging for this service. We love helping people find stories that define their lives, and we love helping individuals who have the passion to achieve their dreams. It’s hard to describe the feeling I get when an applicant writes back to tell me they were accepted into PA school.
There is no price tag I can place on this; it’s the feeling we get when we help another human being. It’s just like providing health care. But this takes time.
Interested? Choose your plan below.
Read more client testimonials.
Free Personal Statement Review
Post your essay in the comments section for a free critique
We want to make this opportunity available to everyone who would like help with their essay, and that is why we are offering free, limited feedback on the blog.
You post your essay in the comments section, and you will get our critique. It is that easy. We will try to give feedback to every single person who posts their COMPLETE essay here on this blog post in the comments section.
Also, by posting your comment, we reserve the right to use your essay.
We will provide feedback on essays that are complete and fit the CASPA requirements (View CASPA requirements here). We will not provide feedback on partial essays or review opening or closing statements. Your essay will be on a public platform, which has both its benefits and some obvious drawbacks. The feedback is limited, but we will try to help in any way we can.
Note: Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That’s how we’re gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, I will delete your stuff. Otherwise, have fun, and thanks for adding to the conversation! And this should go without saying: if you feel the need to plagiarize someone else’s content, you do not deserve to go to PA school.
* Also, depending on the time of year, it may take me several weeks to reply!
We love working with PA school applicants, but don't just take our word for it!
How to submit your essay for the paid service
If you are serious and would like to have real, focused, and personalized help writing your personal statement, please choose your level of service and submit your payment below.
After you have submitted your payment, you will be redirected to the submissions page, where you can send us your essay as well as any special instructions. We will contact you immediately upon receipt of your payment and essay so we may begin work right away.
Pricing is as follows:
Choose your plan, then click "Buy Now" to submit your essay, and we will get started right away!
Every purchase includes a FREE digital copy of our new 100-page eBook, How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement, Our 101 PA School Admission Essays e-book, the expert panel audiobook, and companion workbook. This is a $65 value included for free with your purchase.
All credit card payments are processed via PayPal over a secure HTTPS server. Once your payment is processed, you will be immediately redirected back to the essay submission page. There, you will submit your essay along with some biographical info and all suggestions or comments you choose to provide. You will receive immediate confirmation that your essay has been securely transmitted as well as your personal copy of "How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement." Contact [email protected] if you have any questions, comments, or problems - I am available 24/7.
The hourly service includes your original edit and one-on-one time over Google Drive. It is simple to add more time if necessary, but you may be surprised at what a difference just a single edit can make. We find our four-hour service to be the most effective in terms of time for follow-up and full collaboration. We are open to reduced-rate add-ons to suit your individual needs.
Writing and Revision
All writing benefits from rewriting when done well.
When you are in the process of writing a draft of an essay, you should be thinking first about revision, not editing.
What’s the difference?
Revision refers to the substantial changing of text. For example, it may include re-organizing ideas and paragraphs, providing additional examples or information, and rewriting a conclusion for clarity.
Editing, on the other hand, refers to correcting mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
On all submissions, we perform both revision and editing.
How to submit your PA school essay for the FREE editing service
Follow the rules above and get to work below in the comments section. I look forward to reading all your essay submissions.
- Stephen Pasquini PA-C
View all posts in this series
- How to Write the Perfect Physician Assistant School Application Essay
- The Physician Assistant Essay and Personal Statement Collaborative
- Do You Recognize These 7 Common Mistakes in Your Personal Statement?
- 7 Essays in 7 Days: PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 1, “A PA Changed My Life”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 2, “I Want to Move Towards the Forefront of Patient Care”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 3, “She Smiled, Said “Gracias!” and Gave me a Big Hug”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 4, “I Have Gained so Much Experience by Working With Patients”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 5, “Then Reach, my Son, and Lift Your People up With You”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 6, “That First Day in Surgery was the First Day of the Rest of my Life”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 7, “I Want to Take People From Dying to Living, I Want to Get Them Down From the Cliff.”
- Physician Assistant Personal Statement Workshop: “To say I was an accident-prone child is an understatement”
- 9 Simple Steps to Avoid Silly Spelling and Grammar Goofs in Your PA School Personel Statement
- 5 Tips to Get you Started on Your Personal Essay (and why you should do it now)
- How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement The Book!
- How to Write “Physician Assistant” The Definitive PA Grammar Guide
- 101 PA School Admissions Essays: The Book!
- 5 Things I’ve Learned Going Into My Fourth Physician Assistant Application Cycle
- 7 Tips for Addressing Shortcomings in Your PA School Personal Statement
- The #1 Mistake PRE-PAs Make on Their Personal Statement
- The Ultimate PA School Personal Statement Starter Kit
- The Ultimate Guide to CASPA Character and Space Limits
- 10 Questions Every PA School Personal Statement Must Answer
- 5 PA School Essays That Got These Pre-PAs Accepted Into PA School
- 7 Questions to Ask Yourself While Writing Your PA School Personal Statement
- 101 PA School Applicants Answer: What’s Your Greatest Strength?
- 12 Secrets to Writing an Irresistible PA School Personal Statement
- 7 Rules You Must Follow While Writing Your PA School Essay
- You Have 625 Words and 2.5 Minutes to Get Into PA School: Use Them Wisely
- What’s Your #1 Personal Statement Struggle?
- 31 (NEW) CASPA PA School Personal Statement Examples
- How to Prepare for Your PA School Interview Day Essay
- Should You Write Physician Associate or Physician Assistant on Your PA School Essay?
- Meet the World’s Sexiest PA School Applicants
- PA School Reapplicants: How to Rewrite Your PA School Essay for Guaranteed Success
- How to Write a Personal Statement Intro that Readers Want to Read
- PA School Reapplicant Personal Statement Checklist
- How to Deal with Bad News in Your Personal Statement
- Inside Out: How to use Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling to Improve your PA Personal Statement
- Ratatouille: A Pixar Recipe for PA School Personal Statement Success
- Personal Statement Panel Review (Replay)
- Mind Mapping: A Tool for Personal Statements, Supplemental Essays, and Interviews
- Start at the End: Advice for your PA School Personal Statement
Iqra says
It’s dinnertime, and my mom has made my favorite food, mac and cheese, but I’m looking forward to something that comes after my dinner. No, it’s not dessert…but it’s my Mom’s stories of her experiences as a Pediatric resident in Hyderabad, Pakistan. Every day after dinner, she would tell various stories about patients coming in with different challenges. She would then tell me how she would take care of the kids with determination and compassion, and how she would treat them and put a smile on their face. There was one story in particular that was my favorite, and I would make her repeat that story over and over again. A five-year-old boy came in with his dad with a complaint that his son had a hearing disability. My mom took the child and his dad to other appropriate physicians to get the proper help. Since the child had become very comfortable with my mother, she stayed with them and witnessed him receive proper help, from the fitting of the hearing aid, to the actual moment the child heard his very first sounds ever. She actually witnessed the child’s eyes light up when he heard the doctor whistle. It was a moment of sheer happiness; it gave her goose bumps, and every time she would share this story with me, it would give me goose bumps too. Her stories as a Pediatric resident left me spellbound each time I heard them, and inspired me to help others, especially children, through the field of medicine. With each passing day, I became more certain that I wanted to be that person, treating children and improving their health, one child at a time.
As time went by, I started looking for opportunities to gain experience first-hand in the field of medicine. My first opportunity came in my sophomore year of high school, where I shadowed Dr. Ericka Young, a Pediatrician. I realized with this very first interaction that with all the skills of a doctor, a human component is equally important. Senior year of high school brought me a second chance to shadow. This time it was with Dr. Ronald David, Pediatric Neurologist, at a local hospital. Shadowing with him, I noticed how vital collaboration is between various faculty and departments. It was essential for Dr. David to collaborate with his team and speech pathologists to create the best possible treatment for his young patients, and it also gave me another insight into a different stream in the field of medicine.
College provided me different opportunities, whether it was volunteering at an Assisted Living, conducting research at George Mason University, or travelling to Ourense, Spain to work in a hospital in an underdeveloped area. Volunteering at the Assisted Living showed me another aspect of the medical field. I learned that when people are sick, physically or mentally, many a times, they are alone. The closest human interaction isn’t with their family, but it is with the members and faculty of the facility. I knew then, that I not only wanted to treat patients, but I wanted to be their support system too. Volunteering here allowed me to learn extensively about human anatomy and physiology, mental diseases such as schizophrenia and dementia, but even more so about the necessity of compassion in this field.
Conducting research enhanced my ability to become profoundly involved to help and treat humanity in the field of medicine. The research focused on studying the role of a particular enzyme in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and how a specific drug affected inflammation. My research was instrumental in helping me determine the importance of continuous learning in this field, and that the physician assistant (PA) career was one that brought this exact quality.
While interning at a hospital in Ourense, which is an underdeveloped area that services smaller nearby villages, I went through rotations in Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Family Medicine, General Surgery, and Anesthesiology departments. This exposure to various fields opened my eyes and made me realize that being a PA was the only way to go for me. That is where I would be able to procure continuous knowledge about the various fields in medicine, collaborate with different departments and physicians, be in direct contact with the patient, create compassionate bonds, treat them as a human being, and improve their lives through medicine one person at a time. My fellowship in Ourense is where I made up my mind: the PA career was the best match for me.
Thus, a PA is the complete package for me. I would ultimately be able to dedicate almost all of my professional time to treating people in need, without creating severe financial burdens, have a balance between work life and family life.
My Dad has always said: “Life is a series of choices and decisions. The kind of choices you make will determine what your life will turn out to be.” Being a PA is a choice and a decision, and I am looking forward to achieving my vision, my goal, and my inner desire of providing incomparable patient care.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Irqa,
Your essay has potential — you’ve had a lot of great experiences. Instead of spending so much time mother’s story, you’ll want to spend the time on your own experiences so your essay reaches its potential.
If you’ve worked with or shadowed PAs, I’d use a patient example with a PA instead of the one with the doctor. Then instead of listing the things you like about the PA profession, you’ll be able to show the PA doing those things. Or if you haven’t shadowed or worked with PAs, use your experiences in Ourense to show why you want to be a PA rather than just draw the conclusion.
Leave out the references to your mom cooking your favorite dinner unless you clearly put in an age so we understand you are a child at the time and what your dad has always said in the conclusion. I hope this doesn’t sound mean or insensitive, but even if you’re still relatively young, you don’t want to be seen as a person who relies on her parents to feed her and still guide her decisions. The problem with the opening is there’s no age context, so when I read it, I think it’s present time. The bottom line is that you want to be seen as an independent adult who makes her own decisions.
This is how I’d edit your opening paragraph (by the way, don’t use ellipses, use an em dash instead and don’t use contractions in these essays) :
It’s dinnertime, and my mom has made my favorite food, mac and cheese. Although I am 11, it is not dinner I am excited about but what comes after — my Mom’s stories of her experiences as a Pediatric resident in Hyderabad, Pakistan. Every day after dinner, she would tell me how she would take care of the kids with determination and compassion, and how she would treat them and put a smile on their face. Her stories gave goose bumps and left me spellbound each time I heard them. They inspired me to help others, especially children, through the field of medicine. With each passing day, I became more certain that I wanted to be that person, treating children and improving their health, one child at a time.
I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Cassidy says
Any comments are appreciated! Thanks for your time!
Desert heat pressed in on us as we huddled around the patient in a small operating room in Nazca, Peru. I stood close to my mother’s shoulder, watching her hands move quickly, strong, and sure as she executed a hysterectomy. She was providing a critical service as well as teaching a local surgeon how to perform this procedure with a less invasive technique in order to reduce healing time. I remember an overwhelming eagerness to be a part of this process, especially after I left with my dad, who was translating, to go back to the hotel. As we made our way out of the hospital, a mass of people, seeing us in scrubs, rushed in toward us, asking for medical help. I longed to both communicate with them and provide care for them, but at the time I was limited in both Spanish and medical training.
Part of this wish came true when I returned to Peru as a religious missionary for 18 months and learned to better communicate, not just in Spanish, but with people in general. I learned to really feel love, compassion, and concern for people as I considered and respected their cultural, religious, and other differences. Upon returning to the United States I volunteered as a Spanish translator in a free clinic and felt again an exhilaration to be part of a medical team and actually work with patients and participate in their care. I enjoy working with Latin American people and recognize the issues they face as they seek for healthcare in the United States and in their own countries.
As a patient care tech in a nursing home and hospital, I have found working with patients to be challenging and rewarding. This experience has driven me to be passionate about healthcare as I have witnessed the work and effort that healing requires and the gratifying results of that effort. Though I often work with nursing staff, I have found opportunities to follow and learn from both physicians and physician assistants and I am intrigued by their practice wherein they not only interact with their patients, but analyze and make decisions about their care, which ultimately impacts the healing process. I can imagine myself as a physician assistant because I can imagine myself consulting with patients, using reasoning to determine problems, and skillfully addressing those problems by applying medical knowledge and treatment.
I work well as a nursing assistant, anticipating what the patient might need and what information the nurse needs, which is why being a physician assistant would aptly fit my personality as I work well both independently and with a supervising medical professional. I can imagine myself in that surgery with my mom, anticipating her moves and assisting in a way that makes the procedure more efficient and safe. Though perhaps it would be appealing to work independently as a physician, I appreciate the flexibility of the PA profession wherein I can explore and specialize in a variety of careers, while physicians are often limited to one profession unless they decide to do an additional residency. Physician assistants have great work-life balance, which is something I’ve witnessed through shadowing and friends and family who are involved in healthcare.
A physician assistant I shadowed shared his excitement at getting involved in research in order to study a specific population with sleep problems. This encouraged me to look forward to a career where I can be a part of new breakthroughs that influence lives and promote health. I love to learn and build upon my knowledge and I know in a science that continually adapts, I can dedicate myself to lifelong learning and education. For these reasons I feel that I would not only do well as a physician assistant, but thoroughly enjoy my job on a day to day basis.
Apart from healthcare experiences, I have taken and excelled in all of the required science credits including: Biology, Anatomy, Physiology, a Chemistry series, Psychology, Microbiology, Statistics, and others. The majority of these classes were combined with a lab section in which I learned to apply principles taught in lecture by performing experiments, examining samples, and thoroughly studying the human body inside and out. From my English major I have honed critical thinking and analyzing skills, and learned how to create an effective output with evidence and research. In the process of diagnosing and treating a patient, I’m confident these skills will be useful.
Conclusively, my life experiences have greatly motivated me in my desire to be a physician assistant because I want to actively be a part of the medical problem solving team and communicate with and provide care for individuals. Being a physician assistant would allow me to push myself in medical science but also allow me to engage personally in the improvement of other’s lives. As a physician assistant I will have the tools and drive to do what I’ve longed to since that day in Peru and I am eager to start in this promising and fulfilling career.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Cassidy,
Great job on the opening — it’s very engaging. We need to know how old you are during this experience to give us context. Do the same with when you went back to Peru, again to give us context.
The essay is quite well done overall, but skip the list of science classes you’ve taken. Your transcripts will show them. Instead use the room to expand on your experiences with PAs. You’re good at descriptions — show us instead of telling us what you appreciate about the profession.
A couple of minor things — don’t use contractions in academic essays, and “conclusively” doesn’t belong in your conclusion. At best, it’s awkward.
I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Lauren S says
Hi! Thank you so much for providing this service- appreciate any help you can give! I feel as though my first paragraph is too generic, but I am not sure what to do to correct it.
For as long as I can remember, while I didn’t know exactly where my career path would lead, I knew I would have a career in the medical field. During my undergraduate work at Oklahoma State, I had a shadowing experience that impacted me deeply, but I still wasn’t completely sure which specific career was the best match for me. As a result, I applied to the Medical Laboratory Science program at Quinnipiac University, where I currently attend as a Biomedical Science major. My intention with this program was to really hone in on the area that interested me the most and ultimately figure out what corner of the medical field I belong in. With what I have been learning through this program, reflecting on my past undergraduate research experiences, and shadowing individuals who work in various fields, I have confirmed what I was already quite sure of before beginning this program- I want to become a Physician Assistant. I am aware that I have chosen a very competitive field. In order to achieve this career goal, I know that I must work harder than I have ever worked before. As a current Biomedical Science graduate student, I have learned that graduate school coursework is very challenging and requires dedication and determination. I am prepared to do whatever is needed in order to continue to be successful. More than anything, I want to put myself in a position to be as successful as possible in PA school in order to be the best resource possible for my future patients.
Over the past few years, I have shadowed health professionals in various fields in order to make sure the path I was pursuing was correct for me. One of my favorite experiences was shadowing James Chandler, a Physician Assistant in the Emergency Department at Stillwater Medical Center. I was fortunate enough to see a wide range of cases during my time in the ED. Mr. Chandler kept me involved with everything and explained all I needed to know about each patient. I saw everything from broken limbs and stitches to seizures and brain trauma. I also shadowed a Physician in the same ED, which allowed me to see the differences between the two positions. During my time shadowing at Stillwater Medical Center, it was evident that Mr. Chandler was not only in charge of his patients, but he kept the whole department running smoothly. It was so satisfying to see how vital the role of the PA is and how much James was appreciated by the doctors and nurses around him. Seeing this dynamic was something that really increased my desire to become a PA.
I will never forget Brendan, a patient who came in with a work related hand injury. One wrong move caused his finger to nearly be sliced off by machinery. Before we walked into the exam room, James encouraged me to chat with the patient to help ease his mind while he got stitches. Initially, this was nerve wracking because I didn’t know what to say. However, once we got in there and James began treatment, it was quite evident that Brendan was in quite a bit of pain despite the anesthetic. While carefully watching James and his technique, I began asking Brendan about his family, and even though it was a small thing, it was evident that his mind was eased a little bit by the distraction. In that exam room, I learned that aside from providing the best care possible, interacting with the patients and making them feel at ease in your care is something that can truly differentiate a great experience and an experience that is surrounded by fear and uncertainty. This particular experience, as well as my time with James as a whole really strengthened my will to pursue a career as a PA
After completing my undergraduate studies, I didn’t necessarily feel ready to dive into a program as notoriously rigorous as PA school. I was a Psychology major, and despite taking all of the pre-requisite courses, I was worried I didn’t have a solid enough background to be completely successful in such a fast paced, difficult program. However, after only one year of this graduate program, my viewpoint has changed significantly. Through the Medical Laboratory Science program, I have the unique opportunity to tailor my schedule to meet my future career goals, rather than solely take courses that were chosen for me prior to even entering the program. I have grown a lot as a student over the past year, and I cannot wait to apply what I have learned in this graduate program to my future Physician Assistant studies
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Lauren,
Your instincts are good — your opening is a little generic. You could liven it up a lot by opening with the shadowing experience that impacted you so greatly. We don’t know what it was or why it impacted you. So let us in on the secret. Skip the first sentence altogether and just move directly into the experience.
Also, the timeline is confusing, which makes the entire essay is confusing. I can’t tell when you shadowed or when you decided to be a PA. Write the essay chronologically and it will make more sense.
A couple of grammar points — don’t capitalize physician assistant unless it’s part of a formal name. Physician is not capitalized either.
I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Lauren Smith says
Thank you so much for providing this free service! I am so grateful for any help you can provide 🙂 I feel like the first paragraph is too generic, but I am not sure what to do to change it….
For as long as I can remember, while I didn’t know exactly where my career path would lead, I knew I would have a career in the medical field. During my undergraduate work at Oklahoma State, I had a shadowing experience that impacted me deeply, but I still wasn’t completely sure which specific career was the best match for me. As a result, I applied to the Medical Laboratory Science program at Quinnipiac University, where I currently attend as a Biomedical Science major. My intention with this program was to really hone in on the area that interested me the most and ultimately figure out what corner of the medical field I belong in. With what I have been learning through this program, reflecting on my past undergraduate research experiences, and shadowing individuals who work in various fields, I have confirmed what I was already quite sure of before beginning this program- I want to become a Physician Assistant. I am aware that I have chosen a very competitive field. In order to achieve this career goal, I know that I must work harder than I have ever worked before. As a current Biomedical Science graduate student, I have learned that graduate school coursework is very challenging and requires dedication and determination. I am prepared to do whatever is needed in order to continue to be successful. More than anything, I want to put myself in a position to be as successful as possible in PA school in order to be the best resource possible for my future patients.
Over the past few years, I have shadowed health professionals in various fields in order to make sure the path I was pursuing was correct for me. One of my favorite experiences was shadowing James Chandler, a Physician Assistant in the Emergency Department at Stillwater Medical Center. I was fortunate enough to see a wide range of cases during my time in the ED. Mr. Chandler kept me involved with everything and explained all I needed to know about each patient. I saw everything from broken limbs and stitches to seizures and brain trauma. I also shadowed a Physician in the same ED, which allowed me to see the differences between the two positions. During my time shadowing at Stillwater Medical Center, it was evident that Mr. Chandler was not only in charge of his patients, but he kept the whole department running smoothly. It was so satisfying to see how vital the role of the PA is and how much James was appreciated by the doctors and nurses around him. Seeing this dynamic was something that really increased my desire to become a PA.
I will never forget Brendan, a patient who came in with a work related hand injury. One wrong move caused his finger to nearly be sliced off by machinery. Before we walked into the exam room, James encouraged me to chat with the patient to help ease his mind while he got stitches. Initially, this was nerve wracking because I didn’t know what to say. However, once we got in there and James began treatment, it was quite evident that Brendan was in quite a bit of pain despite the anesthetic. While carefully watching James and his technique, I began asking Brendan about his family, and even though it was a small thing, it was evident that his mind was eased a little bit by the distraction. In that exam room, I learned that aside from providing the best care possible, interacting with the patients and making them feel at ease in your care is something that can truly differentiate a great experience and an experience that is surrounded by fear and uncertainty. This particular experience, as well as my time with James as a whole really strengthened my will to pursue a career as a PA
After completing my undergraduate studies, I didn’t necessarily feel ready to dive into a program as notoriously rigorous as PA school. I was a Psychology major, and despite taking all of the pre-requisite courses, I was worried I didn’t have a solid enough background to be completely successful in such a fast paced, difficult program. However, after only one year of this graduate program, my viewpoint has changed significantly. Through the Medical Laboratory Science program, I have the unique opportunity to tailor my schedule to meet my future career goals, rather than solely take courses that were chosen for me prior to even entering the program. I have grown a lot as a student over the past year, and I cannot wait to apply what I have learned in this graduate program to my future Physician Assistant studies.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Lauren,
You posted two essays, and I chose the one above to comment on.
Best regards,
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Owen H says
Thank you very much for helping with this! You are all truly wonderful people.
Have you ever tried to see the world through someone else’s eyes, to visualize what they are see right in front of them? I have.
Two years ago, my senior year of college, I stuck a sterile Q-Tip in my mouth, rubbed the inside of my cheek and signed my name on the dotted line committing myself aiding others in their hardest of medical times. Three months later I received a phone call explaining my DNA was a close enough match to a 46 year old male on the other side of the world, and that my bone marrow might help save his life. Two years later I received a letter from the recipient thanking me and showing me that the transplant was successful.
Over the last six years I look back and see all that I have achieved. I had been a TA (teacher’s assistant) for the general biology department for the Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II lecture and lab classes. There I assisted with hours of teaching them the origin, insertion, action and innervation for every muscle in the body and to identify where they are located on a cadaver. I was only able to attain teaching position after I got myself back on track academically. I taught myself how to study, and recognize the material I needed to invest more time. My freshman year was a complete shock for me compared to high school. Between not knowing how to study, my over involvement with clubs and activities, and feeling compelled to assist my homesick friends I over exerted myself and I performed poorly. For my whole life I said I was going to work in the medical field, it wasn’t until I truly dedicated myself to this goal to learn everything that I could so I could state my case that you should accept me as one of your students.
I have now worked in a hospital for over two years providing quality care to my patients every day. The majority of time I worked in the oncology unit working alongside the hospitalist team physicians and physician assistants. The PA role, large amounts of communication between the doctor and the patient, communicating different ideas back and forth, assessing, diagnosing, and reviewing the plan of care with the patient, is the image I had always pictured myself in. This is the role I have envisioned for my entire life. I am not in medicine for the money, or recognition. I am in it to provide the best care for my patients each and every day and to improve their quality of life. I loved the staff and the patients in the oncology department but I still have the drive to learn everything I can so that I can continue to be a top notch PA. I decided to return to my earliest experiences with medicine from high school as a life guard and Eagle Scout, first aid and emergency medicine instructors.
While I was a youth in the Boy Scouts of America I was known as the first aid man, I taught our first year scouts what they needed to know during our first aid merit badge month, assessing their first responder skills and preparing them for the Chester County First Aid meet. These lessons taught how to stabilize a critical situation, or perform life saving measures on an individual, after proper triaging the scene, until more trained emergency professionals arrived on scene. I now work in our emergency department as an EDCA (emergency department clinical assistant), where I have more involvement with the care of my patients. Using my clinical judgement, I bring pack the patients that are presenting the most life threatening symptoms. I communicate these critical assessments of patients and their complaints to the doctors, NP’s, and PA’s that are on duty.
I have found that most patients come into the ER with fear for their life. They believe that they have a true emergency that needs immediate intervention. Some of these individuals do qualify for that need for immediate intervention, and some do not. As the first medical professional that they see I have to remember to look through their eyes. To see myself and how I am holding myself if I look panicked and rushed, then the patient will act the same. By being calm, collected, and confident then this reassures them, promoting a much smoother experience to administer the lifesaving care. This serves as a representation of my new and old friend that I made through the bone marrow registry. Two years after I made my bone marrow donation I received a letter from the recipient of the transplant. We have been together for two years but we have only just now met. Through my eyes I see a man that has received quality care and is able to continue to be a father of three and a loving husband to his wife. Through his eyes he sees a man that is willing to make the needed sacrifices so that others can continue to live. He calls me his personal hero, a title I feel uncomfortable with and do not accept. I am simply a man staying true to his commitment of his dream of becoming a PA to provide the best medical care to others that I can give.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Owen,
You are a incredibly generous person to donate bone marrow. However, the experience doesn’t work for your essay. First, the two opening sentences don’t tie to the experience of donating in a tangible way, not to mention the grammar error in the first sentence: : “. . . what they are see right in front of them?” Then you don’t give us any insight into why you’re opening with that experience — how it ties to your decision to be a PA. You just move on to your TA experience without any transition. You try to link your donor experience to the opening towards the end, but it just doesn’t work. It’s really strained.
It’s also a problem that you write this: “I decided to return to my earliest experiences with medicine from high school as a life guard and Eagle Scout, first aid and emergency medicine instructors . . .” right in the middle of a paragraph describing your current experiences. It’s jarring.
I don’t usually say this (for obvious reasons) but your essay could really benefit from professional editing. I’m not trying to be mean, but it needs more help with flow, content and transitions than I can offer here.
I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Sasha Yerokhin says
Thank you so much for your time and effort helping everyone, the assistance is invaluable. Any critique is appreciated.
To understand why I want to be a part of the physician assistant program, one must first understand the drive and motivation that brings me to this point in my life. My journey began in Kazakhstan. Poverty and inequality was a way of life and my family was not exempt. At age sixty, my grandfather began to save for his funeral. The morbidity of it all still shocks me. However, at the time, life expectancy in Kazakhstan was approximately sixty-four years of age and much lower for those working in the mining industry such as my grandfather. Fortunately for us, our family immigrated to the United States the following year and my grandfather will be celebrating his eightieth birthday this July.
One of the things that has remained with me from my time in Kazakhstan is the uncertainty and disquiet people exhibited about getting older. They understood the impact of poverty on their health and many people quietly accepted pre-mature mortality as their fate. Meager pensions were barely enough to afford groceries, let alone medical treatment and medication. The systemic poverty and lack of quality, affordable healthcare left vulnerable individuals living out their last years alone in hospitals and hospice care centers. I knew then that something had to be done and I wanted to be a part of it.
I seized an opportunity and became involved in healthcare eight years ago. What first impressed me, upon my entry into the field, was the positive outlook so many people here in the United States shared when it came to aging. Much unlike my time in Kazakhstan. I am most privileged to take part in a program that promotes quality of life, encourages independence and choice for the elderly and people with disabilities. In my eight years within the healthcare field, I have built my career as a clinical Case Manager with the Aging and Disability Services. I work directly with patients to improve care and recovery, utilize community-based services, emphasize chronic disease self-management, and healthy behavior change.
Often, together with a nurse, I meet patients, usually in their homes, to figure out what their primary needs are and any barriers to care. I conduct a comprehensive assessment of their health and psychosocial needs, develop a service plan and stay highly involved to help navigate the complex medical system. I recall getting a referral for a patient who was constantly being re-admitted to the hospital. Having battled diabetes for years, she knew the consequences of uncontrolled blood sugar, yet was never educated on the importance of her diet or how to properly adjust and administer her insulin. She would go to the hospital when her blood sugar was out of control, and then go back to those unhealthy behaviors once discharged. I provided educational material on managing diabetes and helped her fill out a form to track providers, appointments, medications, and questions for her health care team. We coordinated with a pharmacist to review her extensive list of medications and a dispensing unit was installed to ensure compliance. It is very rewarding to be present when a patient has that sudden revelation that they indeed can manage the disease. When they finally understand that they can be in control. Knowing that you have helped someone to a better quality of life is truly very rewarding. This is what drives me.
Over the years, I have had the honor of collaborating with and learning from terrific Physician Assistants. They have demonstrated true patient-centered care, and shown me the vital role they play in the medical field. I am amazed to see the wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic services they perform, as many take on their own patients to help offset the shortage in primary care providers. Given my quest to help people and effect change, I realized this is the career for me, this is exactly what I want to do.
Advancements in medicine are improving our quality of life and living past the age of sixty four is a profound reality. As we re-define healthcare, I am eager to become a part of the next generation of healthcare providers, to continue with that sense of purpose and in my own small way, to give back and somehow make a difference.
Colleen Lamberson says
Staring at mounds of snow surrounding barren trees, I sensed nothing but frozen concrete beneath my legs, and heard no sound but the ringing of the telephone as I called my parents, sitting outside my sophomore dorm in gloomy Troy, New York. A familiar voice answered from 200 miles away. Instantly, my every apprehension about the past year and a half of college poured into words: “What am I doing here, Dad? How am I going to make it?” I sincerely enjoyed a challenge, but the rigor of a top tier engineering school tested my confidence and led me to question my purpose. Doubts met with parental support, I struggled through another semester to the best of my ability, without a reason but to please those waiting to scrutinize my grades and accomplishments written on paper.
The summer came as it always did. The twelve-year-old boy sitting on the stretcher in front of me sat up confidently and pronounced every medication he had ever received for his leukemia with impressive precision. As he spoke, his fingers gripped the stale sheets, his limbs laid limp and thin, and his eyes met mine politely, but exhausted. Charlie, the boy who emulated bravery amidst wailing sirens and a shaking ambulance, turned to his father after this routine medical interview, and whispered, “Daddy, I’m scared.” “It’s ok,” his father insisted, with the same tired eyes, “we are just being careful.”
I picked Charlie up from his warm home in my sterile, cold ambulance after he had his fifth seizure in his twelve year life. I carried Charlie’s fragile body from home to hospital. His skin was warm and dry, but drained and pale. His pupils equal and reactive, but weary. The strength in his extremities equal and purposeful, but weak. I palpated for his pulse and listened to the beats of the pressure in his arteries. I recorded numbers. I placed a mask over Charlie’s face to gently blow oxygen into his lungs. I laid a hand on his shoulder, and his father’s as well. Still, there was nothing I could do for Charlie. The ambulance doors slammed shut and I wheeled Charlie away from the dark and the flashing emergency lights into the bright and busy emergency room. His eyes met mine once more as I lifted him up off the gurney onto a familiar hospital bed. “Feel better, Charlie”. There was nothing else I could do. “Thank you” he said, with a sincere smile. I never saw Charlie again. Whether it was for better or worse, I will never know.
I returned to Troy, NY, to face the daunting Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The rainy days and bitter winters remained the same, but I did not. I began to work with the awareness that my success could one day directly affect another person’s life. I remembered the feeling of being helpless, of my efforts and knowledge having limits out in the field of EMS. In this I found the desire to become a patient advocate. I walked across the stage that hot summer day in Troy with a degree that was much more than a title on paper. I yearn to use science to definitively heal, but also remember the value of compassion in the journey of a patient’s illness.
Jasmine Thandi says
Hello! I would greatly appreciate any insight into my essay. Thank you! At the age of eight I remember being pulled away from playing Barbie to the middle of police investigation. The police were trying to question a drunk in our apartment complex, his family and our community members gathered around at a standstill because they did not understand each other. I was needed as the translator. Yes, I am dramatizing the situation a bit, however as an 8 year old that was afraid of the police, it seemed like I was walking to the gallows. My elder sisters’ typically handled translating duties but the need arose so I took over. I am a first generation Punjabi American, and this was the first vivid memory I have of helping my community. I had to mature at a young age to be a voice for my community.
My skills were utilized to navigate the patient provider communication gap. I grew up in a small town which relied on the community clinics which provide the only medical care within a 30 mile radius. The constant exposure and challenge of Translating medical concepts, symptoms, and terminology, as an elementary school child was difficult but instrumental in fueling my passion. I witnessed the disadvantages that shadow underserved populations, and how certain individuals were in a unique position to break down those barriers and combat these issues. My primary care provider- Marsial Sanchez PC-C, inspired me to become a healthcare provider.
I geared my educational career towards the occupations that I connected with the most. I researched, and contemplated becoming everything from a medical assistant to a physician. I was not well informed about the variety of health careers possible, and did not truly understand the role of PA until the tail end of my undergraduate career. I returned home one summer and reconnected with Marsial (Marty), it wasn’t until then that I realized he was a PA, not an MD. He mentored me, an educated me about the field. I slowly learned that the role of a physician assistant combines all facets of my vision for making an impact in the community. A PA has the opportunity of working closely with a physician to ensure all patients receive the highest quality of care. As a PA Marty was able to make close relationships, and his modified specific patient case load allowed him the time to be heavily involved in community improvement programs. This made the provider that I admired I finally knew this was the profession for me.
I have worked to prepare myself for the PA path. My socioeconomic status required me to work full time while juggling my rigorous course load. Unfortunately my grades suffered, but I used the opportunity to improve my study habits and prioritize my obligations. I dedicated myself to a year of service as a Community HealthCorps AmeriCorps member to continue giving back to the community. My service has been enlightening, my clinic allowed me to be greatly involved in all aspects of outreach as well as having significant interaction with the providers. Since my first application I have since retaken courses, continued learning about healthcare from the providers, and been hired on as a Community Outreach Coordinator because of my exemplary service during AmeriCorps. I am extremely grateful they created this position for me to continue my service so that I may continue strengthening my application, and knowledge base for my future as a PA.
I am eager to begin the educational process to becoming a PA. I feel at peace knowing that there is a career that exists which will fuel my drive for helping others, while doing what I love. There aren’t many primary care providers in my underserved neighborhoods whom are fluent in Punjabi, and fairly adept at speaking Spanish as well. I know I will be able to bridge some of the barriers to healthcare these individuals’ face. Hopefully I can help alleviate the stress of future translators along the way as well.
Danielle says
Any comments or critiques are appreciated!
One of the most substantial interactions I have had with a patient occurred when I was doing my clinical rotations in an emergency department for my emergency medical technician certification. EMS arrived emergent nearing midnight with a 57-year-old male complaining of difficulty breathing. In my head I imagined a man of normal appearance, in moderate discomfort, and breathing heavily. That is what I always imagined when I read about respiratory distress in textbooks anyways. It is funny how you can read about something and believe that you fully understand it, but a textbook can never prepare you for what you will experience in real life.
There was madness in trauma room 2 as the nurses and doctors each tried to get the history and figure out their role in the situation. Through the controlled chaos I saw the patient. The first thing I noticed was his ashen white skin, sweating with the effort of trying to get air in his lungs. His chest heaved with every breath he took. One nurse was holding an oxygen mask to his face, another was holding an emesis bin that was nearing full. The PA I had come in with was now at the head of the bed, motioning me closer to the bed. Standing at the patient’s side, I saw that he was sweating from the effort of breathing and his eyes were scared and starring wildly at the people around him.
It felt like a blur as the team sedated the man and quickly intubated him. They attached the bag-valve-mask and handed it to me. There was no hesitation as I took the bag and began ventilations. I begin counting in my head five seconds between each breath, then I would squeeze again. The resistance was unexpected. The only time I had used a BVM before was on a mannequin. I should have expected it would feel a little different on a live person. The rush I felt was unexpected. I could not believe that I was actually breathing for a living human being. The color slowly began to return to his face. I worked with the respiratory therapist to get his CO2 levels back within normal range before a machine took over my job. I first felt relief in my cramped hands. Then I felt overwhelming emotions from having played a hand in potentially saving the patient’s life. It was an unforgettable experience that played a considerable part in solidifying my desire to continue to help people in both big and small ways for the rest of my life.
My desire to become a PA was realized over a longer period of time. I shadowed many different providers, from nurses to doctors to PAs and in many different settings and specialties. I volunteered in clinics and rehabilitation hospitals and began working as an EMT to gain first hand experience with interacting and treating patients. I was immediately attracted to the amount of patient interaction PAs are able to have. I admire the time they take in both family practice and the ED to talk to their patients and get to know them and their history. No matter what a patient is presenting with, the care they are provided is always going to be specialized for them and their situation. I learned that by establishing a relationship with your patients, it allows you to provide the best care possible.
Another aspect that is important to me is the interaction PAs have with other medical professionals around them. No matter where I was, whether it was in an ED, an urgent care, or a family practice, there was always a team dynamic that I admired. The PAs, doctors, nurses, techs and scribes worked as a team on nearly every case. I was especially impressed by the rapport between the doctors and PA’s. In many cases the two were equals. They discussed everything from interpreting X-ray results to particular courses of action they should take for a patient. I learned quickly that teamwork in the medical field is the best work. Being able to talk to someone else about thoughts and results allows practitioners to bounce ideas off each other and gain a different perspective he or she may not have thought of before. Finally, I enjoy the flexibility and variety of the work physician assistants do. Becoming a PA means I will always be learning. There is no stagnation; there is no final step where I can finally say I have learned everything I can. Instead, each patient presents with a new and exciting challenge, whether it be something I have seen a dozen times or something I have never encountered before and that allows me to grow as a provider as long as I practice. I cannot wait to become a PA so that I can make an impression on each of my patient’s health and their future in both big and small ways.
Lauren says
Any feedback would be awesome, thank you!
May 7th, 2016. The day my parents ask, “So, when do you move to Alaska?” Mind you this is merely seconds after walking across the graduation stage. When I decided to become a Physician Assistant (PA), I told my parents I would do anything it takes- including moving to Alaska if necessary. From that day forward, my future educational goals cemented the urge to power through any obstacle necessary to achieve my dream.
Pursuing the impossible can appear as a daunting task. However, my parents instilled in me the perseverance to become resilient in the face of adversity. The unique bond my family shares, is unlike many others. My unconditionally supportive family stood together as a unit to aid my sister in her battle with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Despite erratic waves of sensitivity, I see my sister through rose-colored glasses, an articulate piece of art. In spite of the many challenges, her incredible nature mastered the techniques needed to excel. The most influential individual in my life, showed me a simple quote to live by, “Remember: A kite rises against the wind rather than with it.”
Growing up in this unique environment has shaped who I am today. Fueling my passion for pursuing Physician Assistant studies, is not only based on overcoming challenges, but giving others the opportunity to experience the unconditional support that I cherish so deeply. They say blood is thicker than water, but I believe that is only skin deep. My hope is for future patients to see me in those same rose-colored glasses that I see my sister in. To know that there is someone out there who will never give up on them. Some may say I am drawn to those in need, but in my opinion, I am simply paying forward what I was so lucky to experience. I came across a resident named Lynn, sitting alone in the lobby of a retirement community I volunteered for. After we exchanged a short introduction, I quickly became aware of her sense of abandonment due to her children having dropped her off at the community the day prior. As an unprepared new resident to Florida, I spent some time taking her shopping in order to alleviate her worries of lacking proper Florida attire. Upon arrival back to the retirement community, Lynn stated “Lauren, you are going to make a great PA one day.” The simple reminder of how much a selfless act can mean, reassures all the hard work of achieving my dream.
Determined to establish my niche in the medical field required a rigorous course schedule along with juggling multiple officer positions for the Pre-Physician Assistant Association (PPAA) and other various organizations I was apart of. Working as an undergraduate at the competitive University of Tampa’s Health Center was accomplishment enough. Furthermore, being asked to join the team full-time upon graduation proved that anyone can truly rise in the face of adversity. Years prior I would have never set the bar this high. With refusal to let the fears of conquering possible challenges taint my view, I am determined to be one of the many Physician Assistants that is always there for their patients, unconditionally.
Yordi says
My dad had first diagnosed with Prostate Cancer five years ago while we were in Ethiopia. To get a better treatment and care, he needed to go abroad as quickly as possible. Fortunately, my family was already in the process of coming to the United States. After we came here, my dad had hospitalized right away for several months. I was really afraid of losing him and I was spending a lot of time in the hospital as well as at home giving him all the care he needed. I was very appreciative of the patient care team who took care of my dad very patiently and who gave us all the extra love and comfort during our stay in the hospital. The Doctors’, the PAs and the Nurses, used to also communicate with us very thoroughly about his care plan. I didn’t have enough knowledge about the disease back then nor did I understood the procedures or the treatments he was getting. Thus, I used to ask this very willing and kind PA who used to take his time and explain everything in-depth for us, he was very passionate about what he does and he first gave me an insight about this job field. In general, this whole experience gave me such an everlasting impression on the health care field.
My dad was such an inspiration to me in achieving my goal and always determined in supporting his family until the last point. After he passed away, my family was in so much stress and trouble. My mom also had a back injury and she couldn’t get back to work at that point. The grief, in addition to all the family responsibilities I faced, made it the hardest time of my life. As I was working full time, I wasn’t able to give as much time and effort for my demanding science classes thus my grades had dropped significantly. In the meantime, my mom started getting well and my sister also started working. Hence, with my family by my side, I was able to pursue my education as a pre-physician assistant student. As a first generation college student, I am always much focused in my school and in achieving my goal to make my family proud, especially my Dad.
I first started volunteering in a nearby hospital the summer of my freshman year. The numerous appreciations I was getting from the patients, the family and the staff member were such an encouragement for me to keep doing it every summer until my senior year. However, it was a program at Shady Grove Adventist hospital called ‘The Stepping Stone’, which gave me a clear picture that becoming a PA is what I really want to do. It is an eight-week program that involves shadowing different health care providers in the different departments, yet of all the health care providers I have shadowed the ED physician assistant really caught my attention, she was very knowledgeable, calm and determined in taking care of her patients, I finished the program with the thought of hoping one day to be able to practice patient care with the same skill as her.
After I graduated from school, I started working as a Medical scribe in an ER, I was working with Physician Assistants to help them in documenting patients’ history, examinations, and any result findings as required. This experience helped me to see what the daily activity of a typical physician assistant looks like and I found it very appealing. I have seen how they interact with their patients and I found it a safe practice to have a physician’s guidance and consult.
To get a more in-depth patient care experience I obtained my Nursing Assistant Certificate and I am currently working in an Intensive care Unit at Sibley Memorial Hospital. I am fortunate to start working with many nurses and PAs and many have recognized my enthusiasm for learning and they always share their medical knowledge with me. Furthermore, I also participate in rounds and observe procedures. What always catch my attention is that how much more time the PAs give towards the Postoperative patients, unlike the surgeons.
One of the main things I have gained through these patient care experiences is the self-satisfaction I gain by helping others. This lady once said this to me; ‘Thanks for taking care of my mom. You have been so gentle and kind to us, Can I give you a hug?” This was such a heartfelt and rewarding moment for me. I was ones in their shoe being a family member and I know how they would want their beloved ones to be taken care of and I love doing this in a great personal level.
If my family hadn’t come to this country, I know I would have lost my dad much earlier. Most third world countries don’t have a well-organized health care system nor do they have enough health care providers. Thus, as a potential physician assistant, I really would like to help and support these medically underserved areas. Moreover, I want to put in my effort to reducing the health disparities that exist among minorities and lower income individuals through the growing urgent cares. I have always been very determined to achieve my goal and I believe becoming a physician assistant would help me take my first step to my future.
Yordi says
This is the second draft,
My dad had first diagnosed with Prostate Cancer five years ago while we were in Ethiopia. To get better treatment and care, he needed to go abroad as quickly as possible. Fortunately, my family was already in the process of coming to the United States. After we had come here, my dad had hospitalized right away for several months. I was spending a lot of time in the hospital as well as at home giving him all the care he needed. But, I was very appreciative of the patient care team who took care of my dad very patiently and who gave us all the extra love and comfort. The Doctors, PAs, and Nurses also used to communicate with us very thoroughly about his care plan. I didn’t have enough knowledge about the disease back then nor did I understood the procedures or the treatments he was getting. Likely, one of the PA who was taking care of him was explaining everything in-depth for us. He was very passionate about what he does, and this instance gave me a first insight about PAs. But, this whole experience gave me such an everlasting impression on the health care field.
My dad was such an inspiration to me in focusing on my education. After he passed away, the grief in addition to all the family responsibilities I faced, made this the hardest time of my life. My mom also had a back injury at the time and to meet our financial needs I had to work a full-time job. As a result, my transcript was strongly affected; I wasn’t able to give as much time and effort for my hard science classes. In the meantime, my mom started getting better and with my family by my side; I was able to pursue my education as a pre-physician assistant student. As a new immigrant to the country and as the first generation college student I was disadvantaged in so many ways. However, I was able to overcome all the obstacles I faced and completed my degree.
I first started volunteering at a nearby hospital the summer of my freshman year. The numerous appreciations I was getting were such an encouragement for me to keep doing it every summer until my senior year. However, it was a stepping stone program in a hospital that gave me a clear picture of becoming a PA. This program involves shadowing different health care providers in various departments of the hospital. Of all the health care providers I shadowed, I found the ER PA interesting. She was very knowledgeable, amiable and organized in taking care of her patients with great compassion. I remember, when I finished the program, I had a thought of hoping one day to be able to practice patient care with the same skill as hers.
After I had graduated from school, I started working as a Medical scribe in an ER; I was working with Physician Assistants documenting their patients’ records. This experience helped me to see what the daily activity of a typical physician assistant looks like, and I found it very appealing. I always like to be challenged, and solving problems give a countless self-satisfaction. I have seen how the PAs involve in the treatment plans and how they can diagnose a patient. I have also noticed that having a physician’s guidance and consult makes it a much safe practice.
To get an in-depth patient care experience I obtained my Nursing Assistant Certificate, and I started working in an Intensive Care Unit. I am very fortunate to start working here, many nurses have seen my willingness for learning, and they always teach me something new every day. Furthermore, I participate in rounds and observe some procedures done. I have also seen most PAs from the OR spending enormous amount of time with postoperative patients in the ICU. Watching PAs in the ER as well as here in the ICU gave me a high perception of the flexibility of the job field with the ability to specialize in more than one area. One of the main things I have gained through these patient care experiences is the self-satisfaction I attained by helping others. This lady once said this to me, “Thanks for taking care of my mom. You have been very gentle and kind to us, Can I give you a hug?” It was such a heartfelt and rewarding moment for me, I almost cried. I was ones in their shoe, and I know how they would want their beloved ones to be taken care of, and I love doing this on an extremely personal level.
If my family hadn’t come to this country, I know I would have lost my dad much earlier. Most third world countries don’t have enough health care providers. I love patient care but, I also see myself as a primary care provider. Thus, as a potential physician assistant, I would like to help and support these areas that are in great need. I always focus on achieving my goal to make my family proud, especially my Dad and I believe becoming a physician assistant would help me take my first step to my future.
Kyle says
Ever since I was a child, I’ve had an innate desire to reach out to the broken and hopeless in the world. Growing up in a household filled with domestic violence (brought on by my father) showed me, to some extent, how downtrodden people in the world can be. The one who taught me to do whatever it takes to be a light in the darkness was my mother. Although effected most harshly by the domestic violence in our household, she never relented in showing the world who she was or what she stood for. Not only did she raise three boys to the best of her ability, but she was also actively involved in foster care, the Church, and work in order to provide. I have been instilled with my mother’s loving, nurturing and gentle spirit and have the same zeal she has for humanity.
It was a sunny, humid morning in the country of Indonesia. I had been shadowing medical staff for three weeks at the Siloam Hospitals Lippo Village. Before beginning my rotations, the Medical Director, George, pulled me to the side to give me a word of wisdom about medicine: “Kyle, I want to talk to you about the difference between curing and healing.” He then lead me to a recovery room full of patients. We walked through the room until we arrived at one patient who was unconscious. This patient, George told me, was an individual who had just gotten out of gastric bypass surgery and was recovering. Gastric bypass had been performed on this patient three times now. This individual, unhappy with their life, had kept eating as a means of fulfillment. This copious amount of eating stretched out their stomach to its original size each time after having gastric bypass surgery. “This”, said George, “is not a stomach issue. This is a heart issue”. Of course, when George said “heart issue”, he meant that this was a deep-seated issue in the person’s life that goes beyond the physical. He said that curing an individual does not always do what it promises. Curing attempts to rid a physical ailment or problem and that is far as its scope goes. However, with the example of the individual who had gastric bypass 3 times, curing could not fix what was going on in the patient’s heart. Healing is a process altogether different that transforms the individual as a whole. It is seen in how we treat our patients not only physically, but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually as well. It is seen in instances which include patient interaction, conversation, and attitude. In this way, medicine becomes so much more than just treating an illness or ailment. It becomes a process that reaches beyond the physical and engages with patients on a personal and intimate level in order to reach the most broken parts of their lives. Healing, George said, is what we aim to do in medicine. I will never forget what George taught me and the patient that he used to illustrate his point. This process of healing in medicine was exactly what I had been looking for as a means to reach the broken and hopeless in the world. I am certain that I would be able to provide healing to a myriad of individuals as a PA.
This idea of healing became practical in my life when I had been working as an EMT for about a year. I was working a night shift and my partner and I got a call in the middle of the night. We responded to a Skilled Nursing Facility to a patient, named Richard, that needed transport to the ER because of a chief complaint of cough and congestion due to suspected pneumonia. Aside from this, the patient had a history of Alzheimer’s and End Stage Renal Disease. Richard, in his confusion, had been refusing dialysis treatment and had little to no recollection of it. As I introduced myself to Richard and began speaking to him, I realized that he did not know what was happening. I asked him why he was refusing dialysis treatment and he said that he didn’t know. Apart from taking care of him physically (putting him on oxygen for comfort, performing our assessment, obtaining vitals, etc.), I was able to be there for him on a more personal level. In his confused state, I told him that he could trust me and that I was going to take care of him. I also told him to stop refusing dialysis treatment because he needed it and he told me that he would. Establishing eye contact, putting my hand on the Richard’s shoulder, and using words of reassurance all worked together to provide comfort for patient on an emotional, mental, and spiritual level. As I saw Richard’s shift from scared and nervous to comforted and relaxed, I realized that a process of healing was taking place. A feeling of excitement and honor rushed through me as I realized that I was helping to change someone’s life in a positive way. I knew from that point forward that I wanted to work in medicine. The combination of my love for treating patients and zeal for reaching the broken in the world had never been more evident in my life than in that moment with Richard. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. As a PA, I know that I can accomplish this more abundantly.
Tiffany Mayfield says
My commitment to becoming a physician assistant is deeply rooted in my experiences as a Black girl growing up in rural Mississippi. After losing both parents due to health complications, I began to understand the importance of healthcare. As I grew older, I came to identify one’s health as a route to living longer and gained interest in promoting health and wellness. I was aware of the fact that limited resources can keep individuals from making their health a priority, and I saw this in my friends and family members’ experiences. Understanding the needs of rural communities such as the one where I grew up, I developed a strong desire for wanting to become a pa and to establish trusting relationships with people in these areas. My journey in the healthcare field has presented me with opportunities to meet many people from different backgrounds and has fueled my quest for gaining an advance education in healthcare.
After losing my father in the sixth grade and my mother the first week of my senior year in high school, I was all of a sudden the head of my household, responsible for providing support both for myself and my family. To do this, and to help facilitate my ultimate goal of going to college, I decided to join the Mississippi Army National Guard. However, my ability to be committed to both college and military obligations during Operation Iraqi Freedom was very difficult, and I struggled to maintain a strong academic record during my freshman and sophomore years. Despite the many adversities surrounding my deployment, I remained determined and was able to boost my GPA through graduation.
I volunteered to serve as combat lifesaver during deployment which allowed me to administer intravenous fluids, apply first aid in tactical situations, and help splint bone fractures. I also assisted our combat medic with conducting physical profiles for injured personnel and keeping medical supplies stocked and up-to-date. After deployment, I began to look for civilian positions that focused on helping others and gained employment as a home health aide. My job consisted of assisting elderly individuals with their daily activities and reporting changes in their overall health to their physician. Similar to my role as a combat lifesaver, being a home health aid was a great experience; however, the limited medical knowledge required for these positions left me feeling unequipped during certain situations and desiring to obtain a more specialized role in healthcare, more specifically, the practice of medicine.
After graduating with a BA in psychology, I worked as a mental health specialist at Communicare. I enjoyed working in the rural and under-privilege area of Marshall County MS, but was again presented with limitations of what I could do. As I continued to work closely with the psychiatrist and pa, I then realized the importance of physician assistants in the healthcare system. Observing the pa prescribe and update medications, update chart records, address questions and concerns, and conduct follow up appointments was quite astounding. After seeing the pa in action, I knew that becoming a pa was the career for me. Being able to learn the necessary skills and earn my degree in almost half the time and cost of medical school help, furthermore, solidified my career choice. To prepare me for my journey ahead, I invest in many hours shadowing.
Shadowing Physician Assistants Anna Burns and Brandi Patton ignited my passion to become a pa even more and motivated me to apply to CASPA. I saw, firsthand, what practicing medicine looked like from day to day, and I felt the tremendous pride of someday being able to help others become healthier versions of themselves. Becoming a pa integrates with who I am, who I want to be, and it is consistent with my past work and schooling experience. These experiences have always been centered on assisting physicians and top medical personnel. For example, my experiences in the field of psychology and shadowing physician assistants allowed me to witness, firsthand, how rewarding, if very demanding, the job can be in clinical and surgery settings. Despite the job’s intensity, in my opinion the rewards heavily outweigh it. I am extremely confident that I possess the skills necessary to succeed in the pa program and as a pa.
Firsthand and indirect experiences have shaped me into an individual who wants to give back to her community and to her country. Understanding that many people in rural areas have limited access to healthcare has fueled my passion to become a pa in a rural area. And, driven by these motivations, I have accrued both the work and schooling experience necessary to follow this career path. As a pa I plan to use my knowledge, while continuing to study and learn about the practicing medicine. I am excited by the prospects of educating people in communities like the small, rural town where I grew up about their health and most importantly recruit others into the pa field.
Megan says
The beige concrete walls of the small compound on the Titanyen village hilltop were quickly being transformed into a much sunnier yellow, all thanks to ten pairs of arms rolling fresh paint up and down the walls. Taking a break from my group to get some shade, I turned a corner and watched through an open window as a mother brought her screaming child inside the dim structure and set her on a stool. Bright red and blistered skin covered the majority of the little girl’s arm, the result of running too close to an open coal stove earlier that morning.
A woman named Sheryl from the mission organization I was with, whose exact role was still unknown to me, walked in and started speaking in Creole. Though I didn’t know what they were saying, I could see the relief and gratitude wash over the terrified young mother’s face. It was clear she’d had no idea what to do with her daughter but here was someone standing before her, offering hope. Later that night, Sheryl told me she was a PA at the burn clinic we had been painting. She said it was challenging having scarce resources but felt more rewarded helping such an underserved and uneducated population. I had never heard of a physician assistant before that trip, but after seeing the look on that mother’s face, I knew providing answers to someone at a desperate point in his or her life was something I really wanted to do. Although any nurse or physician might have given the same care Sheryl did that day, the memory of her calmly reassuring that mother her daughter would be taken care of is what led to my initial research of the PA profession, and jump-started my path to where I am now.
Taking an EMT certification course before my junior year was one of the most exciting things I have done in my undergraduate education. In just a few short months, I was learning to actually apply information gained from years of science courses. I wasn’t just learning where blood flows in the body but about related medical conditions and how I could help people suffering from them. Clinicals on the ambulance running calls were a thrill; you never knew what you were going to see or what skills you’d get to try out. First responders often get to be the best part of someone’s worst day, and that’s an amazing feeling.
However, I knew I wanted more than that, and that I wanted my education to extend beyond the scope of practice that even paramedic training could teach me. During my job as an EMT, I’ve had patients describe symptoms when doing a medical assessment that I knew were signs of a respiratory malfunction. I could often pinpoint exactly what they were experiencing, like asthma or congestive heart failure, but beyond providing high-flow oxygen and monitoring their status, there wasn’t much else I could do besides hand them off to the ER. I didn’t want my treatment to stop there. What happened to them? What did the ER staff do to make sure they were okay? As a PA, I could better form relationships with my patients and have a fundamental role in deciding their treatment and tracking their progress.
Several professors have asked why I don’t want to go to medical school when they look at my GPA. My plan was always to attend PA school, the greater flexibility of the profession has always held great appeal for me. My interests have changed before, and I am constantly discovering new things within medicine and healthcare, so I know they might again. I’ve shadowed PA’s in several areas, starting in dermatology thinking that’s where I’d find my calling, only to find after observing one in the neuro ICU that surgery is a definite possibility for a specialty I would like to pursue as well. The chance to somewhat tailor to my own interests, as well as the needs of a dynamic healthcare system, without having to start from scratch is one thing that sets this profession apart from others.
As a PA, I’ll have the ability to evaluate and diagnose patients while still constantly expanding my knowledge and capabilities from daily experiences, as well as by working collaboratively with the physicians around me. I’ll then be able to communicate this information to my patients, spending time with them to make sure they understand as clearly as possible their diagnosis and the treatment involved. Volunteering at a non-profit medical center in urban Nashville, I interacted with patients while I took their vitals and gathered their chief complaints. One man stared at me blankly when I informed him his blood pressure was 175/97, it was clear he had no awareness of whether that was good or bad. Another twenty-eight year old woman informed me after being given her test results that she didn’t know what an STD was. I was truly astounded at the lack of education some had regarding health concepts I assumed were common knowledge. I also realized there were probably a lot of people all over the country in the same circumstance. The chance to be able to spend a little more time with and pass on some of what I know to people who might be terrified of their situation or have no familiarity in anything healthcare is a privilege and one of the most rewarding duties of a PA.
I’ve known for a long time I wanted to work in the medical field. The little girl in Haiti may have indirectly introduced me to the PA profession on that mission trip in high school, but some of my own experiences in healthcare and through observation thus far have only served to validate the idea that becoming a physician assistant is what I’m supposed to do and what I’m dedicated to achieve.
Russell Ridulfo says
Adorned with the gentle glaze of dawn’s sunlight, the echinacea petals radiate a certain pastel lavender that would calm and at the same time invigorate me each morning even before starting my day at Amberwood. A particular friend of mine, Mary, could always be found wheeled up to the window each morning admiring that same patch of echinacea. As I would walk in she would change focus and enthusiastically greet me with both lazy eye and resting smile that demanded an affectionate reception to reciprocate. Later that morning Dr Niranjan and I went to visit Mary in her room. “Knock, knock”, he would always say ingenuously as as we entered. Inured by sequelae of long-uncontrolled diabetes, I could see she was crying furtively, suggesting she no stranger to suffering. Looking at her slouched in her wheelchair, her eyes conveniently scanning the floor tiles to hide her tears, I saw myself. That morning the facility was notified by her ER visit the previous evening that her left foot tissue necrosis has been exacerbated by her diabetic neuropathy and edema, leaving her with little options besides removing 3 of the affected toes.
As a child my father would often be reduced to tears by anxiety attacks, I spent those years growing comfortable with being the inferior and undesirable twin brother and now, tragically, it is the same brother who has not shown his face to his family in 5 years after being consumed by body dysmorphic disorder. These unceasing trials have not merely given me an understanding of empathy, they have made it the foundation of my nature. So, regrettably familiar with suffering in my life, I made an effort to stifle tears as she abashedly looked at me while I said “We’ll get you through this, Mary”. Back in the office, I was chastised by Dr Niranjan for giving false reassurance and stepping out of my scope of practice. I reticently replied, “I understand”.
After obtaining a B.A. in biology, inspiration dawned on me after some trial and error; I realized that healthcare is my opportunity to help underpin the suffering that is ubiquitous in the world. Once I was introduced to the PA track, I found it an ideal synthesis of things that comprise my passion: biology, interpersonal relationships and public empowerment. My first exposure to health care, after hospital volunteer work, was as a medical scribe. This was a stark insight into how much I needed to learn. However — inadequacies on medical vernacular and formalities aside — interacting with patients and taking their histories came to me instinctively. Speaking to patients as they were friends seemed to assuage any perceived tensions.
Countless times, through shadowing and scribing, I have been able to witness the ability PA’s have to interact with patients as friends, treat complex issues diligently and confidently, and reassure them on their path back to health. Not once has my resolve wavered to pursue PA school in light of this field exposure; I have been reassured myself after seeing what their work day consists of. As a health fellow with FIMRC this summer in La Merced, a critically underserved city in Peru, my predilections were confirmed. No matter how seemingly trivial some help can sometimes seem, our service made it apparent that mere guidance on the path to health is sometimes most important. Even a lesson as simple as how to wash your hands provides the information necessary to have a choice. Working with the Belen community, we presented an alternative to their current bathroom involving a permanent structure that incorporates compost. Working with a grade school, we developed an ongoing “Mini-First Aiders” program on how to take vitals, treat wounds and identify fractures. This type of care through education resonates with me the most because it is potentially everlasting.
I, however, proceeded extemporaneously through high school. I did not strive for better grades, hit in volleyball better or tackle more solos in jazz band. Over time this attracted others with similar mentalities. However, once I chose biology as my major in my junior year, I was able to relinquish myself from the unprincipled group of friends and proudly assimilated with the impassioned students. This sense of inclusion led me to no longer be encumbered by a perceived lack of worth. I was motivated to strive to be better in all facets of my life and embrace plasticity; believing that no challenge is unattainable with a clear goal and some tenacity. Although on paper I may not have been able to fully vindicate my efforts, I have tried my best to make considerable strides in order to realize my niche as a physician assistant.
Shortly after my visit with Mary that day I made a transition into the office to work as an MA so I have not seen her since. However, I am sure she still resides in room 108-A and makes the best of her time in the facility. Recalling those days, I see her beaming serenely through the window as she appreciates the echinacea in the morning. I also remember how limited I was to even offer a morsel of consolation to someone who was upset. As a physician assistant I will not only be able talk to patients, but also support them in times of need; to offer them a hand. I hope that in the near future a patient will see me as an approachable ear to vent to, an understanding friend to relate to, and someone consoling to uplift. When there are no flowers around to inspirit, I will be the patch of echinacea.
kavita jaiswal says
I would be grateful, if you can please read my essay and give your insightful comments to make any kind of changes. Thank you very much for considering the request to read my essay and giving your valuable time.
—–Essay Below——
It was our third wedding anniversary and my soul mate remarked somberly- “I know how much you loved your brother; he was akin to your own shadow. I know you will regret all your life for not being able to save him. However, on this auspicious day of our lives, I want an anniversary gift from you. I implore you to treat the ailment I am suffering from, NASH (Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis). I would like you to do a liver transplant, if required.” His statement made me reminisce. I lost my teenage brother while he was immersing the Hindu idol on the festive occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, a popular Hindu festival celebrated in India and across the world by Indian community living there. If someone had performed resuscitation, my brother would be with us today. These hard personal challenges has made me stronger and steeled my determination, I resolved to pursue medical science. I thought I may never revoke the losses of the past, but I can definitely prevent this in someone else’s life. The biggest turning point in my life however came with the birth of my son in 2012, after prolonged hours of battling with pain. All through this period, my physician assistant, Ms. Amy, stood by me like a pillar of support and guidance. Her guidance and advice made me research about the profession of physician assistant (PA) and It was then I decided that I wanted to become a PA. I had found my heart’s calling.
My propensity for science and science related subjects can be traced to my high school acivities- I have actively participated in several science competitions and fairs at both the county and state levels that helped enhance my knowledge in science subjects and improved my self- confidence. To further my long-term career objective, I have volunteered in activities involving medical science. I have extended unequivocal support to a team of doctors during the aftermath of the massive 2001 earthquake that rocked Gujarat, India. The sight of thousands of people in a state of physical and emotional trauma, made me realize the value of life and the profound impact of medical professionals in the upkeep of human life.
Subsequently, earning a degree in pharmacy school in India, facilitated me in developing a strong command over several disciplines of life sciences such as Human Anatomy and Physiology, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology. The knowledge I garnered improved my understanding of the theoretical concepts and practical approaches of medical biology quickly and comprehensively. Leading health awareness rallies and participating in extra-curricular activities has improved my punctuality, creativity, ability to work with a team, and leadership qualities. During the pharmacy internship training program, my practical exposure to the clinical facets of disease conditions and the medical approaches to cure diseases, bolstered my interest in the field of medicine.
After comimg to the United States, I have been able to surpass my language and cultural barrier while tutoring at Houston Community College and at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. It has also helped me to convey my ideas effectively. Shadowing different physicians, in two different countries, has given me the opportunity to broadly visualize, sense, and respect the thinking of the patients, physicians, and the system. The gratitude obtained by serving patients in the Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emergency, and Pediatrics departments was ever rewarding and fulfilling. Both these experiences have honed my skills in personal interaction and developed interpersonal communication. Working as a medical scribe in emergency, granted me an opportunity to get better understanding of diseases, symptoms, diagnosis, and relationship between healthcare provider and patient. Being a scribe, I have learned an incredible amount of medical terminology, improved my multitasking skills, memory, and clinical thinking ability.
Having gone through a roller coaster of real life experiences and possessing a strong background and training in the medical field, I am confident to face the challenges associated with medical academics as well as take on the responsibilities at clinical settings. Given the opportunity, as a PA, I will take on the challenges of patient care and look forward to being able to follow through all my patients and provide the best patient care possible. I sincerely hope to make a difference in people’s lives and promote healthy living.
Catherine Harlow says
P.S.
The correct email address is [email protected]. Thank you.
Catherine Harlow says
Hi all,
All comments are appreciated. This is my first time applying and the only thing missing is my personal statement. Hopefully, I won’t be judged too harshly.
——————————– ESSAY BELOW —————————————-
All of the descriptions about the Philippines that you see in travel books, magazines and online articles are true. Tourists flock to the Philippines due to its white, sandy beaches, huge coral reefs and of course, its amazing cuisine. What the books and magazines fail to portray is the everyday struggles the Filipinos had to endure. With a population of more than 300,000 people situated on 23 sq. mi., it’s easy to picture how dense the city has become. As the population continues to climb, so does the need for more sources of food, water and healthcare.
I personally saw the need when I was given the opportunity to be with a family of 11 briefly when I was in my early teenage years. I saw a family battle the uncertainty of knowing where to get their next meal or pump their water from a well. But the most striking instance was when the father got sick. I think he contracted pneumonia. I saw him wake up the same time on the days I was with them and go to work. He’s a tricycle driver. Tricycles are a form of transportation in the Philippines. He brings home approximately $5 a day; and that’s a good day. He can’t afford to go see a doctor because that would mean he would miss work. Seeing a doctor would also mean having a prescription for medications. And they definitely can’t afford any medicines. There were no free clinics like the ones we have in the US or if there were, the wait list is too long. I wanted to help but there was nothing I could’ve done. This is the start of a journey to seek ways to be of service to those who have no one else or those who could use an extra hand.
I also briefly volunteered my services to the home of the abandoned and forgotten by cleaning and feeding. It was also there that I saw the need for healthcare. People were sick but the home just doesn’t have the funds to pay for care for them. Government assistance is available but not enough. By then, I know that I have seen too much of how people are affected due to the lack of access to care.
I want to be a physician assistant so I can have the skills necessary to render my services to those who didn’t have as much luck as I did. I want to eliminate the false belief that medical professionals, not just physician assistants, are in it for the money. I know that before I can help others, I need to have the competence to do so. I am an excellent candidate to be a physician assistant because not only do I understand the need, but I’ve experienced it.
Heidi P says
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my essay. I am not sure yet how to address the fact that I have changed names for privacy without sacrificing characters. As of right now, my essay is ~60 characters over the limit with the added bit about HIPAA. Any advice is welcome. Thank you!
Note: Names have been changed in accordance with HIPAA
Anna sits in her chair, humming softly, bouncing her foot up and down to the rhythm. Her eyes light up when she sees me. “How are you doing today, Miss Anna?” A man approaches as I sit down. His name is Harry, and he pulls a chair up next to me and inquires about his wife’s condition as he opens a crossword puzzle book. Anna watches as he sketches his pencil across the page. He takes her hand and grasps it firmly and she looks at me with dark eyes. I ask if either of them want coffee, and she smiles. “Coffee is my middle name!” It is the first time she has spoken since I arrived.
Harry mentions how she used to make coffee for every meal. Anna beams as he holds her hand tighter, and focuses his attention on adjusting her blankets. His book falls onto the floor. As I pick it up, I notice that his answers to the puzzle do not make sense.The nurses told me that Anna’s actual husband passed away many years ago; Harry is also a resident who suffers from severe dementia. In my time volunteering in hospice I have learned that it is not the reality of the situation that matters as much as their interactions with the world around them.
There is a rumor that hospice is a place where patients go to die but I have found this to be entirely untrue. While hospice may be the next step when a cure is no longer an option, there is plenty of living left. It is up to the team of nurses, physician assistants, doctors, and volunteers to provide palliative and holistic care, in addition to traditional medicine, in order to ensure a dignified and comfortable transition during a patient’s end of life. In this regard, hospice is a form of primary care. It is in essence the greatest example of healthcare, as the entire patient is being treated instead of solely physical symptoms.
I once had someone ask me why I choose to volunteer my time in hospice. I immediately think of Anna and Harry holding hands while reminiscing about lives they lived apart from one another. Through hospice, I provide companionship that often includes playing music, watching old movies, and reading Anna’s favorite romance novels out loud to her. Occasionally, I am lucky enough to meet the patient’s family. It is then that I able to understand that the patient’s family is an enormous part of their social support system. When I volunteer to visit with a patient, I am relieving the family for a few hours of their day so that they may have respite from caregiver responsibilities. Hospice provides opportunities for patients to receive a variety of care in ways that extend beyond physical treatment while creating an environment that is restful, supportive, and kind.
In order to competently practice medicine, all aspects of health must be understood and appreciated. It is not enough to simply look at the physical symptoms when there are underlying psychological and social factors that intricately influence a person’s health. Volunteers are trained to understand patient as a person instead of just learning about their medical history and diagnosis. This is something that I will build upon while practicing medicine, as health care encompasses so much more than just treating physical symptoms. Psychological and social components are equally key in the health and wellbeing of patients, and it is important to recognize and incorporate these ideas into healthcare in order to competently diagnose and treat people as a whole.
While shadowing in the emergency room, I learned about the PA profession when I saw patients from various backgrounds with a wide variety of illnesses and injuries. Unfortunately, many did not have access to primary care, and instead utilized the ER for all of their healthcare needs. This not only puts a strain on ERs while utilizing vital resources, but it denies patients from receiving crucial primary care that could prevent these trips to the ER in the first place. Additionally, patients miss out on opportunities to establish a relationship with a healthcare provider or to receive preventative healthcare such as family planning and education about healthy lifestyle habits. It was while shadowing that I realized I wanted to practice health-care and not sick-care.
I am interested in many areas of healthcare, and am drawn to the flexibility of a career as a PA as I recognize that my career aspirations may change as I grow as well as while the world grows around me. While I am interested in primary care right now, I understand that these passions may shift with experience and time and there are a variety of fields in which I could practice medicine. As I change as a person, I hope to be able to push myself into new areas of medicine so that I may best fulfil my innate desire to provide comprehensive healthcare to my patients. Regardless of what area of healthcare I choose in my career as a PA, I will expand on what I have learned volunteering in hospice in order to connect with my patients on a deeper level so that I may fully address all aspects of their health.