The Physician Assistant Essay and Personal Statement Collaborative

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1. Gigi says

   June 19, 2022 at 1:58 pm

   I was a sick kid. Pharyngitis was a grim quarterly ritual of my childhood, costing nearly 50 rounds of progressively stronger antibiotics by my freshman year. I caught mono, bronchitis, impetigo – you name it. When fever hit, my mom drove me 80 miles north to a clinic in Albuquerque due to inadequate healthcare in rural Socorro, NM. She made the same drive biweekly to the nearest oncologist when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, a privilege unavailable to most. Illness interfered with my highly active lifestyle, so I needed to understand why I got sick and how to get well faster. I admired how my medical team always had a plan, and I wanted to know answers like these for myself and for loved ones forced to put life on pause while sick.

   My family moved to New Zealand when I was 15. I thrived in the NZ education system, emphasizing balance between academics, sport, and art. As a country with publicly funded healthcare, the attitude around medicine is much different from the US: everyone has affordable access to preventative routine care. The physician assistant (PA) role is not well established despite general practitioner shortages.

   I remained in NZ alone to earn a BSc in medicinal chemistry because I wanted to develop new solutions for others like me with recurrent infections from behind the scenes. I revel challenges, diving into the difficult curriculum and new self-reliance gleefully. The detail of how biologic systems work fascinated me, and my interest nutrition and fitness blossomed as I applied concepts from science classes to my personal health habits. In 2015, I learned the hard way that top grades required consistent effort instead of cramming, so I improved my study habits and honed my discipline to prioritize school. As I began caring for myself with proper rest, fuel, and exercise, my chronic illnesses subsided. By 3rd year I knew my outgoing personality wasn’t suited to a reclusive academic life as a synthetic chemist, but I had no idea what else I could apply my skills towards.

   It occurred to me I could serve the front lines of healthcare four years into my first career in sales. Managing a vast portfolio of industrial chemicals at Silver Fern then healthcare data at IQVIA taught me the value of persistence, teamwork, and communicating with integrity to gain trust. Even though I served my clients well, I suspected the problems I solved were just making more money for millionaires. My disquiet amplified when COVID hit because I heard about heroic healthcare staff sacrificing everything to keep strangers alive while I was helplessly sheltering in place. It was the ultimate forced pause. Clearly the real issue was not a dearth of novel therapies, but a shortage of providers to give evidence-based, easy-to-understand care. Sales built my confidence and my hard-earned progress in the gym built my self-efficacy, so I was ready to emerge from the sidelines to help. I desperately wanted to share my passion for health using my unorthodox sales expertise and academic acumen.

   To ensure I had the emotional capacity to see patients, I began volunteering at Cottage Hospital. I fell in love with my simple transport role. Encouraged, I poured myself into learning more about different health specialties. A prescriber report I ran for an IQVIA client last May solidified my focus on a PA career, as I could clearly see how crucial they were to routine care by the disproportionately large share of scripts for everyday bugs. The autonomy to diagnose and treat, emphasis on collaboration, and flexibility to choose specialties appeals to my grit, curiosity, and adaptability. I knew I was making the right choice when I left my secure life behind to go all-in on becoming a PA.

   As a dermatology medical assistant (MA) and Mohs technician, I enjoy educating patients on the importance of consistent simple rituals like sunscreen to prevent skin cancer. My commitment to personal fitness gives me the energy required to be calm and focused under pressure, whether I’m cranking out perfect frozen sections or assisting with a 3-hour interpolation flap repair. I’m proud to be on a team that supports learning, but I know I can give more than my current scope allows. My eyes opened wider when I scored PA shadowing opportunities in urgent care and orthopedics after months of cold calling; the way the PAs took the time to thoroughly assess, communicate kindly, provide resources, collaborate with the doctor, and refer if needed resonated with the type of provider I envision myself as.

   I’m certain in my career choice to become a PA. Although I have worn diverse hats in my life, I believe each one prepared me in a unique way for the difficult path ahead. Overcoming my own illnesses gave me the maturity, tenacity, and confidence in myself to care for others. Tackling a rigorous PA program will be a thrilling challenge, and I’ll do whatever it takes to succeed for the privilege of guiding people to the healthy life they deserve.

   Reply

   • Whitney Prosperi says

     June 22, 2022 at 9:05 am

     Gigi,
     You do a good job of showing the journey that has brought you to this point.
     You could separate your paragraph discussing your current role as an MA from your shadowing paragraph and then elaborate in both paragraphs. (adding in more clinical skills you gained and some more insight into shadowing.)
     You may need to condense throughout your essay to make room for this.
     I wish you good luck, Gigi.

     Reply

2. Hapuruchi Avugara says

   June 18, 2022 at 4:55 pm

   Possible title ?: Can’t think of any right now? Please suggest for me if you can.

   In two situations, the pain of being homeless would have caused me to fail in my career: a panic call from my father while I was at school. Hapuruchi, please come back home, Amaka left the faucet running, and I am drowning in the basement. Another possibility was a family of six sleeping when my mother smelled gas coming from the kitchen, with a slim chance of wiping out the entire family in a single night. “Wake up ooooo” She cried out as she saw my sister open all the gas furnaces with the fire, warming herself up from being cold when the heat was on. My family and I were oblivious to the warning signs of impending disaster that something was wrong with my sister for a long time, but when she was diagnosed with moderate learning disability and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

   Despite having a minor learning handicap and obsessive-compulsive condition, everyone liked Amaka. Her difficulties stemmed from a head injury sustained from a fall from the stairwells when she was younger. It was a challenge for everyone in the family at the time, but the care she received over the next few years during her recuperation taught me the value of professional physicians and physician assistants.She had grown particularly fond of me because I was her carer, and she would call me every day at 6:00 a.m. to remind me to come to a clinic for routine work. In my capacity, I was in charge of providing her with her bathing, eating, medication, and going to scheduled hospital appointments for her diagnosis. Amaka would smile at me as I walked her through her clinic routine. She would sit next to me on the couch and grasp my hands while I sat beside her, saying in a calm voice, “thank you, sister.”

   I became interested in biological sciences in a clinical and non-clinical environment to assist me in analytical and diagnostic skill set after feeling helpless with the desire to be there for her. Volunteering and shadowing took up a portion of my life, and my medical experience confirmed that there was no other job I desired more. Observing a team of doctors, physician assistants, nurses, and technicians collaborate to host homeless men and women at St. Francis House, a day shelter in Boston’s downtown area. Their collaboration and the medical assistant’s capacity to operate autonomously intrigued me. Through all of my study and experience, it appeared to me that my passion for medicine is so broad that it would be impossible for me to focus solely on one part of medicine. Having the potential to work in practically any specialization excites me, and having the ability to diagnose and cure instead of simply observing would be a dream come true.

   I helped pack and sort everyday clothes and shoes at St. Francis House, a day shelter in the center of Boston, and it made a life-or-death difference. I started talking to the people who were the most forgotten. They felt acknowledged with a simple good morning, and how are you today, as I would say. I had no clue that this would show a deep interest in science and the difficulties of caregiving that I had not known I possessed. In my second community service work at the Greater Boston Food Bank. I sorted and packed food for those in need. My passion for physician assistant’s acme helped me to make a good influence. I got the opportunity to work with an instructional team to minimize hunger in Eastern Massachusetts while in this position. I also participated in varieties of extracurricular activities, such as marketing a $1,000 fundraising, purchasing gifts, and providing counseling to patients and their families.

   My desire to work as a physician assistant allows me to make a difference in the life of people. It began while I was a student at Pine Manor College and caring for my disabled sister. During my undergraduate career as a pre-med/biology major, I became interested in advanced science courses to supplement my formal classroom studies, pushed me outside of my comfort zone, and engaged in activities such as unsupervised laboratory performance, entrepreneurship, and participation in extracurricular activities. I had shadowed an ob-gyn, Dr. Cari, at Mount Auburn Hospital for about two and a half months. After a month of shadowed, I learned from Dr. Cari that building strong doctor-patient connections is crucial to gaining patient trust. Emergency room doctors, general practitioners, pregnant patients, and individuals with mild to severe menstruation irregularities were among the people I shadowed. I would go through fetal ultrasounds, fill out pregnancy papers, and listen to Dr. Cari give detailed advice and a booklet on how to deal with stress, eat healthily, and exercise regularly. I would see fetal ultrasounds, fill out pregnancy paperwork, and listen to Dr. Cari give thorough advice and a leaflet on how to handle stress, eat well, and exercise consistently. Women with more severe menstrual abnormalities due to polycystic ovarian syndrome and other conditions towards birth control help them menstruate.

   I understand that academic achievement is required to become a medical assistant, so I’d like to take the time to clarify the disparities in my transcript. As a result of my constant battles with Amaka’s difficulties. My best efforts to achieve academic greatness graded me with substandard marks in my freshman, and sophomore years. Even for college students, there are numerous delights in life when their loved ones become ill on occasion. None, however, compares to the comfort I get in another’s healing touch. My summers away from college were impactful in making strides to pursue a career in the future. My grades in the second and third years of my college experience reflect my active participation in the classroom. I had no clue that this encounter would lay the groundwork for my decision to pursue a career as a physician assistant.

   After graduation, I obtained full-time administrative employment as a radiology authorization specialist at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, where I worked via email with oncologists and their mid-level providers to handle insurance concerns regarding cancer patients’ imaging denials. My job became remote when the outbreak struck, and I didn’t have much time to do anything else. As a result, on Wednesday evenings, I devote my time to virtual shadowing with Heal Clinical Network. Dr. Robert Behringer of Heal Clinical Network organized a virtual shadowing session with presentations concentrating on real-life patient problems. I’ve learned to operate alone and as part of a team player in my patient care experiences. The patient with the most affection was one who had gonorrhea proctitis, a condition that produced excessive rectal bleeding and stomach agony. After ruling out various other options, we discovered that the patient had gonorrhea proctitis.

   These experiences showed me the importance of a team-based care system. Being an excellent care provider requires being a physician assistant with honor and embracing teamwork in the face of obstacles. Many others will benefit from the emotional and physical help I provide if I can transform my sister’s life and other experiences I’ve had as a caregiver. I realized that while I might not be carrying out my childhood goals of changing the world as a physician assistant, it would only be the beginning of my education in aiding the medically underserved over the course of my adult life to transform the lives of each of my patients. Each patient I’ve had the honor of caring for has taught me what it is to be fulfilled and have a reason to keep doing what I’m doing now that I’m on the verge of starting a career as a physician assistant.

   Reply

   • Whitney Prosperi says

     June 21, 2022 at 9:58 pm

     Hapuruchi,
     I know that your sister is lucky to have you as her advocate, and I can sense throughout your essay that you will be a compassionate and effective provider.
     I would suggest condensing where you can throughout your essay.
     Also, if you have gained any clinical skills in your roles, describe those.
     I’m not saying you need this, but should you want more help, we are taking submissions for our essay revision service.
     I wish you good luck, Hapuruchi!

     Reply

3. Maddie says

   June 17, 2022 at 9:38 am

   Thank you for your help!
   “How bad is it if a client’s dog has eaten a [insert double chocolate donut, teabag, jar of coconut oil, or pair of underwear here]?” All of these are questions that I have had to ask a veterinarian on staff in my work as a veterinary receptionist. Not one day went by in that position where I had all of the answers; instead, I was constantly turning to my superiors and my fellow co-workers with questions. As soon as I understood one thing, someone else called with a completely different problem. I learned to work in, and came to love, a collaborative medical environment where there were always new dilemmas to puzzle through, making the physician assistant (PA) career an ideal fit.
   My time spent virtually shadowing various PAs affirmed that the career is highly collaborative and comes with plenty of learning opportunities. Physician Assistant Michele Neskey, who works in oncology, spoke of a patient who had an allergic reaction to the solvent of her immunotherapy treatment, a phenomenon she had never seen in her fifteen years of practice. Savannah Perry, a dermatology PA, shared that she would often bring her physician in on a case not necessarily because she needs the help, but because she knows that all of the practitioners in her office like learning opportunities. Last but not least, Physician Assistant Gabriella De Vita, who works in family medicine, talked about a case where she referred her patient to the ER due to her fear of cholangitis. She conferred with another PA in the office to come to this conclusion, and together they likely saved that patient’s life. All three of these PAs highlighted the highly collaborative nature of their positions, and emphasized that there is always room for learning and growth. I welcome a career where I can continue to learn and where I can continue to turn to my fellow healthcare providers for support and guidance.
   In addition to the potential for constant learning experiences, I have been drawn to the medical field for years now because I would like a job where I can see the impact of my efforts daily. As a Certified Nursing Assistant in a rehabilitation and long-term care facility, my favorite part of my job was giving my residents their showers. Before I started there, I never would have guessed that I would enjoy a seemingly mundane task so much. But a meticulous, considerate shower allowed even the most confused or irritable resident to brighten and see that I cared for their well-being. It seemed to me that the shower, more so than many of the other facets of caregiving, gave them a sense of dignity, which is a very important thing to maintain in such a setting. There were certainly challenging days, but I learned to enjoy small moments such as these where I was satisfied because my patient felt taken care of and secure. I know that, likewise, there will be difficult days as a PA, days where it may be hard to believe that I have made any difference in the lives of my patients. I have learned, however, to hold onto and value those small instances where I know that I have. I can provide care to my patients with a wider scope of practice as a PA than as a CNA, and I look forward to seeing the instances when I have positively impacted the lives of my patients in bigger ways while still valuing the little ways as well.
   In light of my undergraduate experience and my professional experiences, I believe that I will be a capable PA student. Despite taking 18 credits nearly every semester of my undergraduate career, I have maintained both a strong overall GPA and a strong science GPA. As such, I believe that I can take on the rigorous academic load required of PA students. I have learned how to achieve balance despite my busy academic schedule, with leadership roles in multiple clubs and the campus’ women’s group. I have had multiple summers where I have balanced two part time jobs, learning the importance of professionalism and responsibility when working with my supervisors at each location. As a CNA, I learned the importance of care plans catered to the individual’s medical background and needs, and as a receptionist learned the importance of communication and teamwork.
   With my past experiences and efforts, I am confident that I will be a successful PA student. I believe I have the capacity to be academically successful despite the demanding course load, and I have learned so much in my professional life that I will carry with me through PA school and beyond as a practicing PA. I am sure there will still never be a day in school and in my career that I do not ask questions, but I am ready and willing to learn.

   Reply

   • Whitney Prosperi says

     June 21, 2022 at 9:45 pm

     Maddie,
     Your introduction grabs the reader’s attention while showing your commitment to learning and collaboration.
     I would mention some of the clinical skills and medical knowledge you have gained in your current or past roles.
     Through your description of caring for your patients’ shower needs I can sense that you will be a compassionate and effective provider. I wish you good luck on your journey, Maddie.

     Reply

4. Maddie says

   June 17, 2022 at 9:34 am

   Thank you so much for your help everyone!
   “How bad is it if a client’s dog has eaten a [insert double chocolate donut, teabag, jar of coconut oil, or pair of underwear here]?” All of these are questions that I have had to ask a veterinarian on staff in my work as a veterinary receptionist. Not one day went by in that position where I had all of the answers; instead, I was constantly turning to my superiors and my fellow co-workers with questions. As soon as I understood one thing, someone else called with a completely different problem. I learned to work in, and came to love, a collaborative medical environment where there were always new dilemmas to puzzle through, making the physician assistant (PA) career an ideal fit.
   My time spent virtually shadowing various PAs affirmed that the career is highly collaborative and comes with plenty of learning opportunities. Physician Assistant Michele Neskey, who works in oncology, spoke of a patient who had an allergic reaction to the solvent of her immunotherapy treatment, a phenomenon she had never seen in her fifteen years of practice. Savannah Perry, a dermatology PA, shared that she would often bring her physician in on a case not necessarily because she needs the help, but because she knows that all of the practitioners in her office like learning opportunities. Last but not least, Physician Assistant Gabriella De Vita, who works in family medicine, talked about a case where she referred her patient to the ER due to her fear of cholangitis. She conferred with another PA in the office to come to this conclusion, and together they likely saved that patient’s life. All three of these PAs highlighted the highly collaborative nature of their positions, and emphasized that there is always room for learning and growth. I welcome a career where I can continue to learn and where I can continue to turn to my fellow healthcare providers for support and guidance.
   In addition to the potential for constant learning experiences, I have been drawn to the medical field for years now because I would like a job where I can see the impact of my efforts daily. As a Certified Nursing Assistant in a rehabilitation and long-term care facility, my favorite part of my job was giving my residents their showers. Before I started there, I never would have guessed that I would enjoy a seemingly mundane task so much. But a meticulous, considerate shower allowed even the most confused or irritable resident to brighten and see that I cared for their well-being. It seemed to me that the shower, more so than many of the other facets of caregiving, gave them a sense of dignity, which is a very important thing to maintain in such a setting. There were certainly challenging days, but I learned to enjoy small moments such as these where I was satisfied because my patient felt taken care of and secure. I know that, likewise, there will be difficult days as a PA, days where it may be hard to believe that I have made any difference in the lives of my patients. I have learned, however, to hold onto and value those small instances where I know that I have. I can provide care to my patients with a wider scope of practice as a PA than as a CNA, and I look forward to seeing the instances when I have positively impacted the lives of my patients in bigger ways while still valuing the little ways as well.
   In light of my undergraduate experience and my professional experiences, I believe that I will be a capable PA student. Despite taking 18 credits nearly every semester of my undergraduate career, I have maintained both a strong overall GPA and a strong science GPA. As such, I believe that I can take on the rigorous academic load required of PA students. I have learned how to achieve balance despite my busy academic schedule, with leadership roles in multiple clubs and the campus’ women’s group. I have had multiple summers where I have balanced two part time jobs, learning the importance of professionalism and responsibility when working with my supervisors at each location. As a CNA, I learned the importance of care plans catered to the individual’s medical background and needs, and as a receptionist learned the importance of communication and teamwork.

   With my past experiences and efforts, I am confident that I will be a successful PA student. I believe I have the capacity to be academically successful despite the demanding course load, and I have learned so much in my professional life that I will carry with me through PA school and beyond as a practicing PA. I am sure there will still never be a day in school and in my career that I do not ask questions, but I am ready and willing to learn.

   Reply

5. Madison says

   June 16, 2022 at 10:24 am

   My timid footsteps came to a halt at the sentence, “Your mom should have died”. It was then that Friday, November 27th, 2015 became the scariest day of my life. It was the day after Thanksgiving, and my brother and I were waiting at home for my mom to get off of work, except she never came home. It was not until my grandfather showed up at the front door that we knew something was wrong. He rushed me and my brother to the hospital without saying a word. After many hours in the waiting room, a doctor emerged from the double doors asking for the family for Wunder. My stomach dropped in disbelief that I was the family for Wunder and we were finally going to find out what happened to my mom. She had a Triple-A, abdominal aortic aneurysm, the worst the hospital had seen anyone survive. As a fourteen-year-old, I had no idea what any of the big words meant that were being spoken to us. I remember the fear being written all over my face until one of the physician assistants (PAs) sat down with me and drew a sketch of what happened to my mom and how they repaired her aorta in surgery. It was only until I understood the situation that I could finally catch my breath and be grateful that my mom survived.

   I moved in with my grandfather for the two weeks that my mom was in the hospital. I visited every day and every day a member of her healthcare team reassured me that she was going to be okay. This was my first experience observing what it was like to work in a hospital. I watched the patient care technicians and nurses hustle to each room. I watched the physicians make their rounds. I watched the PAs do the same except they stayed in the rooms for a longer period of time. I felt safe when the PA came into the room because I knew they would stay with me for a few minutes and I wouldn’t feel so alone. In my eyes, that physician assistant was a leader and I realized I wanted to help others in the way they helped me.

   After this moment I became obsessed with everything related to healthcare. I bought books about holistic nutrition and studied medical terminology. Then in the summer of 2018, I volunteered at the University of Kentucky Medical Campus where I was able to observe a variety of healthcare providers caring for patients. My time volunteering confirmed that the PA profession was truly the right one for me. Before I started college, I knew I wanted to be on the Pre-PA track, so I tailored my education and extracurricular activities to match that goal. The summer between my senior year of high school and my first year of college, I earned my Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and State Registered Nurse Aid (SRNA) license. At the time, I did not feel like I was doing enough to help my community, so I went down to the University of Kentucky campus and I enrolled in the Army ROTC program. Three years ago I realized the best way I can serve my community is by becoming a PA for the United States Army and I feel even more strongly about that today.

   Volunteer efforts in a public hospital, shadowing experience in a private orthopedic clinic, and my healthcare career as a state registered nurse aid have allowed me to witness the role of PAs in public and private sectors of healthcare. In both settings PAs have the fortunate role of working closely will all members of the healthcare team. As a future PA, I plan to use this to my advantage to strengthen the bridge between healthcare and public health to prevent chronic diseases before it reaches the stage that my mother’s disease did. I believe it takes a leader to connect this bridge and that is exactly what a PA’s role is in the healthcare system.

   As a cadet in an Army ROTC program, I have learned what being a leader entails. Throughout my ROTC career, I have been tested on a foundational list of leader competencies which include leadership, development, and achievement. These characteristics not only developed my interpersonal skills but also showed me what it takes to influence others. In ROTC I have been selected to be platoon sergeant, company commander, and officer in charge (OIC) of multiple events. It is through these positions that I have gained experience as a leader within my battalion. I wish to use this knowledge of leadership to make medicine more personable as a PA. I desire that one day every member of our community has the information they need to live a healthful life. A PA was there to comfort me on the worst day of my life, and I truly hope I am awarded the opportunity to serve my community in the same way.

   Reply

   • Whitney Prosperi says

     June 21, 2022 at 9:29 pm

     Madison,
     First of all, thank you for your service. Also, I am so glad that your mother was okay.
     I think you do a great job of grabbing the reader’s attention while also showing how you first learned about the PA profession.
     I would elaborate on any clinical skills and medical knowledge that you have gained in your roles.
     Also, if you have a patient care story that you can share that reveals you in action providing clinical care of some kind while connecting on a personal level, include that.
     You could also add more details about your shadowing experience.
     I wish you good luck on your journey, Madison.

     Reply

6. abby says

   June 14, 2022 at 8:52 am

   Here’s my draft. Thank you!

   I was the pharmacy student rounding with the ICU team that Wednesday. A nurse came over to us, anxious, stating that our patient in room 101 had a drastic drop in blood pressure to 40/20 during dialysis. The physician, PA, and resident frantically began a beside ultrasound and ordered vasopressors, while the pharmacist and I ensured the appropriate vasopressors and doses were ordered. As we watched the process, I couldn’t deny the desire I had to be in that room, performing and reading the ultrasound and providing hands-on care. And it was a feeling I couldn’t shake throughout all 4 years of school.

   I went to pharmacy school to be a highly accessible healthcare professional that could provide reliable information to anyone who walked through the pharmacy doors, regardless of insurance status, socioeconomic class, or any other barriers. Through experiences volunteering in disadvantaged communities, I had seen a gap in knowledge between receiving a diagnosis from a provider and understanding how to treat and manage the condition with their medications. It has been rewarding to use my pharmacotherapy knowledge to ease the fears of a patient with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes by teaching them about insulin, or educating a provider that semaglutide is the most effective GLP-1 agonist for weight loss and then further helping the patient attain it affordably. But going through the program, I realized providing quality care to fill in gaps in our healthcare system is what drew me to medicine as a whole and not just pharmacy, and that I desired to do it in a capacity that touched on more aspects of patient care than just medication. As I worked with a team of physicians, NPs, and PAs during my rotations, it became clear that the PA profession embodied the type of care I had always desired to provide—hands-on, autonomous but collaborative, and with a broad scope of practice to expand care.

   Shadowing orthopedic surgery PA, John Lignore, and surgical staff PA, Miranda Warunek, exposed me to a new and exciting side of medicine. I was fascinated by John’s ability to assist in a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty and provide pre and post-operative care outside of the OR, all while having a per diem job in the Emergency Department. I saw Miranda respond to a trauma alert in the ED where she efficiently assessed the patient and skillfully performed an eFAST exam before handing the case off to the ED attending. Learning from John and Miranda about the versatility of the PA training model and seeing that I would have the ability to care for patients in this way as a PA solidified my desire even more.

   As a fourth year pharmacy student whose goal was now to become a PA, I focused on selecting clinical rotations that would make me a stronger prescriber. I set up an out of network rotation with the Indian Health Service in New Mexico, where pharmacists function as providers through collaborative practice agreements for disease states within their scope of practice. Two days into the rotation I was assigned to the pain clinic, where I saw a patient who was on 90 morphine milliequivalents daily for her chronic back pain—the highest dose in the entire facility. When we suggested tapering her off opioids given the greater risk than benefit, she began crying, stating that her pain was under control at this dose and she could finally take care of her kids, and that at least if she got the opioids safely from us she might not seek them elsewhere and overdose like her relatives had. The challenge of improving her health in the context of the issues the native community faces again confirmed I wanted to be a provider who had the ability to make these difficult and meaningful decisions, but someone who also had the ability to provide more holistic care, including non-pharmacologic treatment options and diagnostic and physical assessments. I knew I needed to learn areas of medicine that were out of the pharmacist’s scope of practice.

   In my current role I see myself as a corner piece of a patient’s puzzle, touching strongly on a few aspects of their medical care. I want to change my shape to a middle piece as a PA, influencing more aspects, carrying the values that inspired me to pursue pharmacy into the profession, and combining my existing knowledge with additional medical training to extend the delivery of quality healthcare.

   Reply

   • Whitney Prosperi says

     June 21, 2022 at 2:52 pm

     Abby,
     You are off to a strong start. You do a good job of showing how your desire for advanced responsibility for patients’ care has expanded.
     In your story about the woman tapering off opioids, you may want to add short dialog that reveals you educating and encouraging her.
     Also, if you have gained any clinical skills in your rotations, spotlight those.
     I wish you good luck on your journey, Abby!

     Reply

7. Blade Crutchfield says

   June 13, 2022 at 8:27 pm

   One of the miracles in life I have gotten to be a part of is my mom’s fertility journey. I was the first of six children. My mother and father started having fertility issues after I was born, which lead them to attempt IVF. Four years after me, my twin brothers Stone and Drake were born. Low and behold, three years later, my brother Sai was born. The last to be born were my two sisters, Ireland, and Kia. I was about 13 years old when my mother explained to me how Stone, Drake, and Sai were created. I wish she had recorded my reaction when she said something like, “We had eggs combined in a dish and then implanted inside me.” I never really thought about IVF again until one day it was mentioned in my high school biology class. I was utterly amazed by the fact that a human being or beings could be created by simply combining eggs from a male and female in a dish. I realized then that because of advancements made in medicine, I get to be a big brother to five awesome siblings. This is what first piqued my interest in science and medicine.

   I decided to go to college and major in biology, knowing I wanted to eventually pursue medicine and provide health care. I obtained a four-year degree in biology and then a master’s degree. I struggled in my first few years of college but later strived to better my GPA. I knew if I wanted to get serious about ever working in medicine, I would have to make better grades. I achieved this by changing my study habits and putting in the work I knew I was capable of.

   While I have shadowed and studied a variety of different types of health care providers, PA is one profession that has always really stood out to me. A PA can work in essentially any medical setting as well as specialty. They can diagnose and treat patients. What makes the career of PA special to me is the way that they approach patient care. Being a PA would allow me to serve others and provide them with needed care and knowledge. A PA must know how to work in a team and collaborate with others, something I feel I have gained by having a large family and in my current role.

   I currently work as a monitor technician. In this role, I have learned to read heart rhythms, apply Holter monitors, and a variety of other tasks. I have watched hearts start and unfortunately stop. I have performed EKGs on newborn babies. This job has allowed me to experience one on one patient care with a vast range of ages. While my role as a monitor technician is a respectable job, I feel like I have more of myself to offer to patients. I want to be on the frontlines diagnosing and treating patients. I want to be helping others at their most vulnerable times. I want to be in a career that can give me abilities like bringing life into the world and bringing people the joy of having siblings. I want to impact lives, and that is why I believe the PA profession is for me.

   Reply

   • Whitney Prosperi says

     June 21, 2022 at 2:41 pm

     Blade,
     What an incredible miracle story about your family!
     I suggest moving your discussion about your grades to the paragraph before your conclusion. You are wise to address this, but that is usually the best spot for this information as it allows you to lead with your strengths before addressing grades.
     I would also suggest including a paragraph that describes you in action with your current role. You want to show yourself providing care while connecting on a personal level. In your story, spotlight some of your character traits that will make you an effective and compassionate PA.
     Also, I would include a paragraph that details an experience shadowing a PA. What about an interaction between PA/patient or PA/supervising physician solidified your decision?
     I wish you good luck, Blade.

     Reply

8. Blade Crutchfield says

   June 13, 2022 at 8:20 pm

   Any help would be appreciated in editing my personal statement. Thanks a ton!

   One of the miracles in life I have gotten to be a part of is my mom’s fertility journey. I was the first of six children. My mother and father started having fertility issues after I was born, which lead them to attempt IVF. Four years after me, my twin brothers Stone and Drake were born. Low and behold, three years later, my brother Sai was born. The last to be born were my two sisters, Ireland, and Kia. I was about 13 years old when my mother explained to me how Stone, Drake, and Sai were created. I wish she had recorded my reaction when she said something like, “We had eggs combined in a dish and then implanted inside me.” I never really thought about IVF again until one day it was mentioned in my high school biology class. I was utterly amazed by the fact that a human being or beings could be created by simply combining eggs from a male and female in a dish. I realized then that because of advancements made in medicine, I get to be a big brother to five awesome siblings. This is what first piqued my interest in science and medicine.

   I decided to go to college and major in biology, knowing I wanted to eventually pursue medicine and provide health care. I obtained a four-year degree in biology and then a master’s degree. I struggled in my first few years of college but later strived to better my GPA. I knew if I wanted to get serious about ever working in medicine, I would have to make better grades. I achieved this by changing my study habits and putting in the work I knew I was capable of.

   While I have shadowed and studied a variety of different types of health care providers, PA is one profession that has always really stood out to me. A PA can work in essentially any medical setting as well as specialty. They can diagnose and treat patients. What makes the career of PA special to me is the way that they approach patient care. Being a PA would allow me to serve others and provide them with needed care and knowledge. A PA must know how to work in a team and collaborate with others, something I feel I have gained by having a large family and in my current role.

   I currently work as a monitor technician. In this role, I have learned to read heart rhythms, apply Holter monitors, and a variety of other tasks. I have watched hearts start and unfortunately stop. I have performed EKGs on newborn babies. This job has allowed me to experience one on one patient care with a vast range of ages. While my role as a monitor technician is a respectable job, I feel like I have more of myself to offer to patients. I want to be on the frontlines diagnosing and treating patients. I want to be helping others at their most vulnerable times. I want to be in a career that can give me abilities like bringing life into the world and bringing people the joy of having siblings. I want to impact lives, and that is why I believe the PA profession is for me.

   Reply

9. Sam Nelson says

   June 13, 2022 at 1:55 pm

   Thank you for your help!

   For as long as we have had the farm, we always bought our hay from Dave. Every month or two, we throw ropes in the pickup and head to the border between Berks and Lancaster County, out where the horse buggies are as common as the cars. I toss the bales down from the barn loft and Dave wedges them into the flatbed.
   But this time as I climb down, I see Dave bent over, his hands resting heavily on his knees. He is breathing too hard for someone used to hard work. We exchange a look, but he waves me off. I let it go but leave uneasy. A month later, I drive back to the barn, hoping to see him back to normal. His son is there instead.
   “Where’s Dave?” I ask.
   “Well…” his son replies, “He’s been in hospital since last week. The doctors found a lump in his lungs.”
   My heart sinks. I saw Dave’s illness a month ago and did nothing. Then again, if I pushed him, would it have changed anything? Dave was not the type to go into the city for a slew of medical tests. He was a “rub some dirt on it” kind of a guy, which describes our corner of Berks County. Like everyone short on time and finances, he pressed through the discomfort. I spend the day mulling over how I could have made things better for Dave.
   * * *
   I remember the first time I put a Band-Aid on my kid sister. “All better?” I asked, watching her pain melt away. I was hooked. Nothing has ever given me more satisfaction than caring for others. I began doing all I could to explore the medical field.
   My first medical experience was with a local ambulance service as an emergency medical technician. A month in, my partner and I were transporting Jared, a 14-year-old boy, from our local hospital to a facility with more specialized care. As always, we introduced ourselves, and without responding, he got up, walked to the stretcher, and climbed in, covering his face with a blanket. We gently buckled him in and wheeled him into the vehicle. I got in the back.
   I had become well acquainted with silent rides. I gave Jared space, and half an hour into the ride, he pulled down the blanket and looked around.
   “Have you been in an ambulance before?” I asked, trying to sound casual. He shook his head.
   “Well, anything you want to know about?”
   There was a long pause, and then he pointed to the oxygen tank. “What’s the green tube?”
   We eagerly conversed about the ambulance and when that topic ran dry, we discussed our other interests. An hour into the trip, Jared admitted how nervous he was about the new hospital and his treatment. Despite feeling underqualified to address his fears specifically, I knew I could listen. In the following hour, I saw that just letting him feel heard was as powerful as any medicine I could have given him. I was providing more than just treatment. I was giving care. As we pulled up to the ambulance bay, Jared smiled at me and said, “Thanks. Talking helped.”
   * * *
   A year later, I took a position as a nurse’s aide at the hospital near my school. Once again, this let me see how important it is to build trust and rapport. But as fulfilling as it was to listen to people, I knew that emotional care was not enough to fully impact my patients’ health. I needed to find a balance between medical and emotional care.
   One day, I was helping Betty, an 80-year-old patient of mine, sit up in bed when a physician assistant (PA) came to discuss the plan of care. I finished helping Betty and left to complete other tasks. An hour passed, and I came back to check-in only to find her and the PA still talking. As I entered, I heard the PA say, “you don’t need to worry about me. I can answer as many questions as you like. My co-workers will cover for me.”
   This was the balance I was looking for. A PA has enough knowledge to develop a care plan, manage problems flexibly, and summarize all the data that accumulate over 24 hours in a hospital. Moreover, with the help of their colleagues, they can take the time to address patients’ emotional needs as well.
   The more I research the PA role, the more confident I become that it is the best fit for me in the spectrum of providing care. I am drawn to the ability to change specialties, which will allow me to find the best fit for my abilities over time. It is meaningful to me that I can decide if a field is right after working in it for months or even years, rather than a brief rotation.
   * * *
   Six months later, as I listen to Dave’s son talk about his father’s treatment, I consider how I could help. As a PA, I want to use my abilities to help those in rural communities gain easier access to healthcare. I want to be someone who has earned their trust by listening to their needs. If Dave had easy access to his provider, he might have been seen and diagnosed sooner. My goal is to be part of a team that brings care directly to rural communities. Whether it is by telemedicine, a mobile clinic, or even house calls. I feel a duty to reduce the disparity in delivering healthcare to rural populations. Dave deserves that. We all do.

   Reply

10. Sam Nelson says

    June 13, 2022 at 7:38 am

    Here is my personal statement. Thank you so much for your help!

    For as long as we have had the farm, we always bought our hay from Dave. Every month or two, we throw ropes in the pickup and head to the border between Berks and Lancaster County, out where the horse buggies are as common as the cars. I toss the bales down from the barn loft and Dave wedges them into the flatbed.
    But this time as I climb down, I see Dave bent over, his hands resting heavily on his knees. He is breathing too hard for someone used to hard work. We exchange a look, but he waves me off. I let it go but leave uneasy. A month later, I drive back to the barn, hoping to see him back to normal. His son is there instead.
    “Where’s Dave?” I ask.
    “Well…” his son replies, “He’s been in hospital since last week. The doctors found a lump in his lungs.”
    My heart sinks. I saw Dave’s illness a month ago and did nothing. Then again, if I pushed him, would it have changed anything? Dave was not the type to go into the city for a slew of medical tests. He was a “rub some dirt on it” kind of a guy, which describes our corner of Berks County. Like everyone short on time and finances, he pressed through the discomfort. I spend the day mulling over how I could have made things better for Dave.
    * * *
    I remember the first time I put a Band-Aid on my kid sister. “All better?” I asked, watching her pain melt away. I was hooked. Nothing has ever given me more satisfaction than caring for others. I began doing all I could to explore the medical field.
    My first medical experience was with a local ambulance service as an emergency medical technician. A month in, my partner and I were transporting Jared, a 14-year-old boy, from our local hospital to a facility with more specialized care. As always, we introduced ourselves, and without responding, he got up, walked to the stretcher, and climbed in, covering his face with a blanket. We gently buckled him in and wheeled him into the vehicle. I got in the back.
    I had become well acquainted with silent rides. I gave Jared space, and half an hour into the ride, he pulled down the blanket and looked around.
    “Have you been in an ambulance before?” I asked, trying to sound casual. He shook his head.
    “Well, anything you want to know about?”
    There was a long pause, and then he pointed to the oxygen tank. “What’s the green tube?”
    We eagerly conversed about the ambulance and when that topic ran dry, we discussed our other interests. An hour into the trip, Jared admitted how nervous he was about the new hospital and his treatment. Despite feeling underqualified to address his fears specifically, I knew I could listen. In the following hour, I saw that just letting him feel heard was as powerful as any medicine I could have given him. I was providing more than just treatment. I was giving care. As we pulled up to the ambulance bay, Jared smiled at me and said, “Thanks. Talking helped.”
    * * *
    A year later, I took a position as a nurse’s aide at the hospital near my school. Once again, this let me see how important it is to build trust and rapport. But as fulfilling as it was to listen to people, I knew that emotional care was not enough to fully impact my patients’ health. I needed to find a balance between medical and emotional care.
    One day, I was helping Betty, an 80-year-old patient of mine, sit up in bed when a physician assistant (PA) came to discuss the plan of care. I finished helping Betty and left to complete other tasks. An hour passed, and I came back to check-in only to find her and the PA still talking. As I entered, I heard the PA say, “you don’t need to worry about me. I can answer as many questions as you like. My co-workers will cover for me.”
    This was the balance I was looking for. A PA has enough knowledge to develop a care plan, manage problems flexibly, and summarize all the data that accumulate over 24 hours in a hospital. Moreover, with the help of their colleagues, they can take the time to address patients’ emotional needs as well.
    The more I research the PA role, the more confident I become that it is the best fit for me in the spectrum of providing care. I am drawn to the ability to change specialties, which will allow me to find the best fit for my abilities over time. It is meaningful to me that I can decide if a field is right after working in it for months or even years, rather than a brief rotation.
    * * *
    Six months later, as I listen to Dave’s son talk about his father’s treatment, I consider how I could help. As a PA, I want to use my abilities to help those in rural communities gain easier access to healthcare. I want to be someone who has earned their trust by listening to their needs. If Dave had easy access to his provider, he might have been seen and diagnosed sooner. My goal is to be part of a team that brings care directly to rural communities. Whether it is by telemedicine, a mobile clinic, or even house calls. I feel a duty to reduce the disparity in delivering healthcare to rural populations. Dave deserves that. We all do.

    Reply

    • Whitney Prosperi says

      June 21, 2022 at 2:31 pm

      Sam,
      You are off to a strong start. You show your early interest in helping others and making a difference. You also do a good job of showing the reasons why the PA profession appeals to you.
      I would include more details about any clinical experience and medical knowledge gained through your various roles.
      Also, if you have any shadowing experience, you could include some details about how that further solidified your decision to become a PA.
      I wish you good luck on your journey, Sam.

      Reply

11. Dee says

    June 9, 2022 at 9:25 pm

    A million concerns ran through my mind as I stood by my mom’s bedside with silent tears. After two years of battling stage IV breast cancer, my mom was reaching her end when she was diagnosed with leptomeningeal disease and encephalopathy. I was going to lose my mom and there was nothing that would relieve the pain circulating my body; that was until I saw my mom’s soft smile and followed her line of sight to the hand on top of hers. Through this simple touch, our physician assistant (PA), Patricia, eased the heaviness and pain in our hearts. Without a word, she consoled us with the compassion that she carried for us. Despite my mom’s difficulty with forming coherent sentences, she managed to tell us how grateful she was for Patricia. A few days later, my mom passed, but I will always cherish the comfort that Patricia brought to my mom in her last days.

    Throughout my mom’s battle, she always complimented the care and attentiveness she received from Patricia. Each hospital visit was increasingly exhausting, but Patricia ensured that my mom was comfortable and properly cared for. With any trouble that arose, she immediately coordinated with other health care professionals on how to effectively care for my mom. Rather than waiting for the oncologist, our concerns were quickly and thoroughly addressed by Patricia. Seeing Patricia’s positive impact on my mom and my family inspires me to do the same for others. My desire to positively influence my community led me to healthcare, but I never knew which role I would fit into until I met Patricia.

    My initial interest in healthcare began through my desire to improve access to public health education. Through Team KiPow and Student Health Outreach, I educated students about various health topics, such as managing healthy eating and sexual health. I saw an absence of health education in the younger generations as many students admitted to being uninformed about what we taught. I connected with this as I also grew up in a community where the importance of one’s health was not emphasized. Without a strong foundation, these students were lost on how to navigate their own health, thus demonstrating the necessity of proper health education. I am motivated to be a PA as I will be in a position where I can advocate for proper health care management and disease prevention to ensure that patients develop a solid foundation for managing their personal health.

    My interest in counseling further developed through my time with GREEN-MPNA, in which I worked with medical students and doctors to learn about the medical approach to counseling patients. Practicing with patient cases, I saw the thought process behind the diagnosis and treatment of patients. It was interesting to see these students apply their scientific knowledge to connect symptoms with potential diseases. This experience affirmed my decision to become a PA because I enjoyed the medical model of treating patients.

    As a clinical cardiology assistant, I read EKG’s in order to analyze data on Holter monitors and oversee treadmill stress tests. Through this, I have a better understanding of how to interpret results and connect symptoms to underlying heart conditions. While I am trusted to interpret EKG’s independently, I enjoy working with and seeking advice from the doctors when I need guidance. In addition to these skills, I have learned about the patience and understanding that is necessary in this field. Working primarily with geriatric patients is difficult as many of them have trouble recalling their medical history and get upset or flustered as a result. I learned to calmly and kindly guide patients to gather the most accurate information possible. Overall, I gained the necessary skills to cooperate with a medical team in order to create a supporting environment where patients feel comfortable entrusting their health to me and the team.

    Volunteering at a non-profit clinic located in a Health Professional Shortage Area showed me the struggles that patients face in seeing primary care providers and specialists. In addition to language barriers and transportation and financial issues, patients have delayed access to treatment because of the lack of providers. With the extensive training in various fields that PA’s receive, I would have the flexibility to move between different specialties and fill in gaps where providers are needed. Being a PA provides me the opportunity to reach a broader scope of patients, thus alleviating the issue I see many patients at the clinic face.

    Having experienced the indescribable pain of losing a loved one, I am determined to save lives and advocate for preventative healthcare. My mom was the strongest person I knew, but the fear in her eyes as she treaded through the unknown paths of her sickness and health is permanently with me. As a PA, my goal is for patients to never feel alone. I want to be a guiding light and help patients navigate through their health. With everything I have learned and gained from these experiences, there is no doubt that I want to pursue a career as a PA and make a positive impact on the health of my community.

    Reply

    • Whitney Prosperi says

      June 17, 2022 at 12:44 am

      Dee,
      First of all, I am so sorry for your loss.
      Patricia sounds like an amazing provider, and I trust that you will help patients in much the same way as her.
      If you have a patient care story (maybe about a patient receiving an EKG) I would include details about that, showing you in action while connecting on a human level.
      Also, if you have any shadowing experience, describe that. How did this confirm your decision to pursue the PA path?
      I wish you good luck, Dee.

      Reply

12. Abyal Padhi says

    June 6, 2022 at 7:07 pm

    I have been editing and working on this a lot. Any feedback is appreciated.
    —–
    Meliorism is trusting that the world can become a better place; faith that humans can better the world. An idea that I shared with my first ever friend, my Ba (grandmother). She had known me my whole life, so I will never forget feeling gutted the first time she failed to recognize me. It took months of uncertainty and heartache before our family found some respite after just one visit with Philippe André, PA-C.

    In 2015, Ba was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and we were in unknown territory. PA André was essential in guiding us through her condition and helping us best care for her. Four years later, my Ba passed away. That is still the scariest night of my life. I was with her as she took her last breaths, I called 911 and performed chest compressions, and then I translated for my parents when they took us to a private room and delivered the news. Days later, I remember thinking about how I never wanted to feel such panic ever again when I happened to see an old photograph of my Ba laughing. In that moment, I reminisced how she had last laughed because of PA André – that was the first time I felt a spark of passion for the PA profession.

    Captivated by the PA profession, I joined healthcare groups and volunteered at a hospital, even earning a scholarship for my dedication. However, the impact PA André had on me brought forth my initiative to pursue hands-on patient care opportunities. Said opportunity came in the form of a patient care technician at Fresenius Medical Care.

    Seeing a patient three times a week helps develop a significant bond with them, and being trilingual in Gujarati and Hindi, I overcame certain hurdles when it came to communicating with some of my patients and their loved ones. I also used my limited Spanish skills to understand and communicate with our native Spanish-speaking patients, who always smiled at my attempts. In the future, I aim to develop these skills further, specifically in medical terminology, so that I may make healthcare more transparent. I covet the ability to make someone feel at ease regardless of language barriers, to make their appointments memorable instead of unnerving. PA school will provide me with the education and experience to utilize my skills in direct patient care.

    I thrived in a great team that strived daily to improve our patients’ quality of life. Nonetheless, I wanted more. During weekly rounds, I observed the personalized care that the advanced practice providers, specifically PAs, provided the patients. They built relationships during the preliminary diagnosis before the patient even set foot in our clinic. Then, they continued to follow up with a patient who received a kidney transplant or can discontinue treatment. I crave to be a part of the diagnosis, plan of care, and follow-ups for all my patients. This sentiment is strengthened every time my patients ask for me.

    PAs are an integral part of a healthcare team, and over time my encounters reaffirmed my decision to become a PA. As a medical assistant at a pulmonary clinic, I had the opportunity to work with a PA during my training. I witnessed them maneuver between autonomy and collaboration with an attending physician. I felt that while the PA had the attending physician to rely on, they could be more autonomous because of their hands-on training and clinical rotations during PA school. In my current MA role, I have had the chance to assist a couple of visiting PAs and inquire about their journeys. I decided that I want to learn from a PA educational model as it provides a better scope of medical knowledge and has the benefit of lateral mobility to explore a myriad of specialties as I have always seen myself as a lifelong learner.

    The road to becoming a PA has not been without challenges. As an immigrant daughter, I struggled with my academic aspirations and my responsibility to my family. As a result, I made judgment errors that led to my academic failure. In retrospect, that was the shock I needed to undergo to learn to manage my time, prioritize my duties, and avoid overextending myself. With some trial and error, I came to realize my full potential. From here, I established a strong, upward trajectory in my grades. The self-discipline I acquired allowed me to handle working full-time while taking five classes. As a reapplicant, I have gained additional quality healthcare experience as a MA, taken additional classes, shadowed, and volunteered which has prepared me to succeed in a rigorous PA program.

    I now realize my passions are greater than my fears. None of us is infallible. Alone I faced struggles, but with a support system, I prospered. I will carry my academic and healthcare experiences with me to succeed as a PA student. As a team, we can provide our patients with better and more comprehensive medical care. I desire to become better and improve the world through healthcare. After all, healthcare, like humanity, is linked.

    Reply

    • Whitney Prosperi says

      June 17, 2022 at 12:33 am

      Abyal,
      I can sense your desire to help patients throughout every section of your essay.
      I trust that you will become a PA who honors your grandmother’s life through every patient you interact with.
      I think you do a good job of explaining why the PA path is for you.
      If you have a patient care story that shows you in action connecting with a patient on a personal level, I would include that. You want to show some of the qualities that will make you a compassionate and effective PA.
      Also, spotlight any medical knowledge and clinical skills you have gained along the way.
      I wish you good luck, Abyal.

      Reply