The Physician Assistant Essay and Personal Statement Collaborative

Comments

1. michael says

   August 14, 2018 at 1:03 pm

   Hello, I would like to thank your group for taking the time to read all of our submissions and providing your input

   Since the age of ten medicine has always captured my attention. In movies and TV, video games, news articles, and real life experiences. I’m constantly surrounded by it. Shows like House M.D. and The Good Doctor romanticize the successes of medical treatments and ignore some of the hardships patients encounter, while others, like Monday Mornings and The Resident, shine light on issues of ethics and the emotional attachments healthcare professionals develop with their patients. In games, the healer and medic are my characters of choice because a leader consistently cares for those for whom they serve. Medicine is a lifelong endeavor and new discoveries are found everyday while old ones are rewritten. The ability to genetically modify the genetic code of a bacterium or virus and then use it to fight infection was only an idea from science fiction until a decade ago. Or the aptitude to grow engineered heart valves from another species to surgically implant them in a newborn with a congenital heart defect. The science of medicine will only continue to grow. But science alone hasn’t taught us about building relationships and understanding the human spirit.

   Good health and fortune has always been on my side. One warm and humid Florida morning, where the leaves of an autumn were turning and the breeze was intermittent and wanting, a normal school day like any other, I received a phone call with bad news. A family friend had just passed away. Not having experienced anything of this magnitude in my life I crumbled down to the floor in the middle of a crowded hallway. My mind and body were in shock and didn’t know how to react. Not long after, a grandparent also passed. Sadly, then another. Being away from family for school I kept to myself because I thought I was alone. My grades suffered and newly found friendships were neglected. It wasn’t until a year later that I realized how much those experiences affected me. Meanwhile, I became immersed in volunteering. First, through small events and organizations, then with hospitals. With these firsthand experiences I began to understand that the majority of people just want someone to be there for them. Everyone has personal stories they want to share, to leave their mark in the world.

   Still not knowing exactly what I wanted to study I found an opportunity as a standardized patient. It provided a chance to interact with medical students and understand how they learned to handle unknown situations and how to confront them. It wasn’t just about coming to a diagnosis and treatment plan, but how to effectively deliver good or bad news to patients with sympathy and compassion. To do this well required a certain level of emotional intelligence. With each encounter I realized that this form of intelligence was difficult to learn from books and could only truly be gained through personal experience. All of the medical students had the physical intelligence and a firm understanding of the science. And I used my experiences to share my stories and of those who have impacted mine.

   It was at this point I wanted to go to medical school. I didn’t get in. No longer being able to support myself I returned home to look for work. I thought I lost, like in some game. After one year I managed to find work in a laboratory. Being a great place to work for and under expert guidance I grew into a person of leadership along with my curiosity for medicine. Through the years however, I knew I was doing important work in the laboratory but I still enjoyed the periodical visits to the clinics through the lab and comforting the patients. It wasn’t until one day that a new face appeared at one of the clinics. The way this person carried herself when speaking to the patients and the manner in which she approached the patient care technicians was stellar. I thought this was a nurse but it turned out to be a physician assistant – I didn’t even know there was such a position. Upon introducing myself to the new teammate I was afforded the opportunity to observe and ask her a few questions during her rounds. Like a cat that has stumbled into an empty box I found myself all-in. We learned a lot about each other and as we parted ways that day, she quoted Winston Churchill and I’ll never forget, because I had come across it before, “we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” That day changed my life forever.

   Reply

2. michael berard says

   August 13, 2018 at 8:59 pm

   Hello, I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to read not just mine, but all the comments your group is able to read. I look forward to your thoughts. I already have certain edits I can make but I’d like to hear your opinion 🙂

   Since the age of ten medicine has always captured my attention. In movies and TV, video games, news articles, and real life experiences. I’m constantly surrounded by it. Shows like House M.D. and The Good Doctor romanticize the successes of medical treatments and ignore some of the hardships patients encounter, while others, like Monday Mornings and The Resident, shine light on issues of ethics and the emotional attachments healthcare professionals develop with their patients. In games, the healer and medic are my characters of choice because a leader consistently cares for those for whom they serve. Medicine is a lifelong endeavor and new discoveries are found everyday while old ones are rewritten. The ability to genetically modify the genetic code of a bacterium or virus and then use it to fight infection was only an idea from science fiction until a decade ago. Or the aptitude to grow engineered heart valves from another species to surgically implant them in a newborn with a congenital heart defect. The science of medicine will only continue to grow. But science alone hasn’t taught us about building relationships and understanding the human spirit.

   Good health and fortune has always been on my side. One warm and humid Florida morning, where the leaves of an autumn were turning and the breeze was intermittent and wanting, a normal school day like any other, I received a phone call with bad news. A family friend had just passed away. Not having experienced anything of this magnitude in my life I crumbled down to the floor in the middle of a crowded hallway. My mind and body were in shock and didn’t know how to react. Not long after, a grandparent also passed. Sadly, then another. Being away from family for school I kept to myself because I thought I was alone. My grades suffered and newly found friendships were neglected. It wasn’t until a year later that I realized how much those experiences affected me. Meanwhile, I became immersed in volunteering. First, through small events and organizations, then with hospitals. With these firsthand experiences I began to understand that the majority of people just want someone to be there for them. Everyone has personal stories they want to share, to leave their mark in the world.

   Still not knowing exactly what I wanted to study I found an opportunity as a standardized patient. It provided a chance to interact with medical students and understand how they learned to handle unknown situations and how to confront them. It wasn’t just about coming to a diagnosis and treatment plan, but how to effectively deliver good or bad news to patients with sympathy and compassion. To do this well required a certain level of emotional intelligence. With each encounter I realized that this form of intelligence was difficult to learn from books and could only truly be gained through personal experience. All of the medical students had the physical intelligence and a firm understanding of the science. And I used my experiences to share my stories and of those who have impacted mine.

   It was at this point I wanted to go to medical school. I didn’t get in. No longer being able to support myself I returned home to look for work. I thought I lost, like in some game. After one year I managed to find work in a laboratory. Being a great place to work for and under expert guidance I grew into a person of leadership along with my curiosity for medicine. Through the years however, I knew I was doing important work in the laboratory but I still enjoyed the periodical visits to the clinics through the lab and comforting the patients. It wasn’t until one day that a new face appeared at one of the clinics. The way this person carried herself when speaking to the patients and the manner in which she approached the patient care technicians was stellar. I thought this was a nurse but it turned out to be a physician assistant – I didn’t even know there was such a position. Upon introducing myself to the new teammate I was afforded the opportunity to observe and ask her a few questions during her rounds. Like a cat that has stumbled into an empty box I found myself all-in. We learned a lot about each other and as we parted ways that day, she quoted Winston Churchill and I’ll never forget, because I had come across it before, “we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” That day changed my life forever.

   Reply

3. Kayla says

   August 12, 2018 at 1:09 pm

   My medical and scientific interest began with a flash, watching my insides light up during a nuclear scan to diagnose bladder reflux. Later in my childhood, during tests surrounding a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, and during numerous ER visits due to being an accident-prone child, I would pride myself on the ability to recount my entire medical history to the medical staff.
   The flash of a reporter’s camera further encouraged my interest in science. In third grade at a “Girls in Science” club, where I was able to experience many branches of science from a young age, I had a pig heart put in front of me ready to be dissected and I dug right in. It wasn’t until the reporter took the picture that I realized how uncertain the other girls looked, and how this interest wasn’t normal. Throughout high school I looked forward to science classes more than any of the others, signing up for AP Biology junior year of high school without a second thought, and started searching for colleges with strong science programs. I began to merge my desire to help people with my love of science, and chose the pre-med track at Taylor University, a school focused on intentional community, outreach, faith, and academic excellence.

   Another flash – a CT scan lighting up cysts and tumors in Cuenca, Ecuador – showed me that I wanted to use my degree to work directly with patients, but I was unsure of how I would go about it. My semester abroad gave me the privilege of working with the general medicine doctor in the social security hospital. Many of the patients he saw had walked for hours to see him about problems that they’d been having for months or longer. I watched a scan of a man’s brain filled with cysts caused by a parasite and felt tumors on every single lymph node in a man with advanced lymphoma. I have never stopped wondering what would have happened with these men if they’d had easier access to medical care, and I knew then that I wanted to go into missions of some nature as well as become an integral part of public health initiatives in the United States and abroad.

   Flashes of ambulance lights and sirens made me more confident in my road to patient care. After returning from Ecuador, I was excited to take on the challenging class load that was ahead of me, though financial struggles that almost prevented me from returning and a new diagnosis of depression caused classes to become even more difficult. Although focusing on classwork with depression became difficult, I developed relationships with the PA at my primary care office as well as many trusted professors. My primary care PA took so much time to talk with me about my life and struggles to figure out what would work for me, investing more in me than any physician had been able to. My relationships with my professors and my PA carried me through my classes, counseling, and medication adjustments and allowed me to develop skills to succeed in those classes and the ones that I will take in the future. They encouraged my passion for medicine and introduced me to what a PA does. I learned about the shorter time frame of PA school, as well as the opportunity to more easily switch specialties, and became excited to be able to help patients that much sooner. With that information, I decided to take an EMT course the first semester of my Senior year after seeking opportunities for patient care experience and researching requirements for different PA schools. I was quickly reassured that this was the path I wanted to pursue. I excelled in the classroom and in my clinicals, finishing at the top of my class with a 99%. I loved being able to jump in and be proactive in patient care, and appreciated the feedback I received about my ability to comfort patients. I was excited to put my education to practical use, and used my new certification to work as a volunteer EMT within the county I was attending school until graduation.

   Since graduation, I have worked in Charleston, SC, as an emergency services tech in a busy level 2 trauma center for over a year. This job has allowed me to collaborate with nurses, nurse practitioners, PAs, and doctors, asking questions about the clinical decisions being made and participating as an integral part of exceptional patient care. My knowledge and skills are tested and strengthened each and every shift, and I am consistently able to assess and anticipate the needs of a wide range of patients. I’ve learned that in medicine every member of the team is important when a patient’s life is on the line. I know that this is the profession I was made for, and every day I want to learn more so I am able to give my patients better care. As a PA, I know I can do so much more to help and am excited to work as part of a team to provide direct care for my patients. My whole body lights up like I’m five years old again with the confidence that I’m on the correct path, and I know I will excel both in PA school and in a career as a PA.

   Reply

4. Linda G. says

   August 9, 2018 at 1:25 am

   Thank you very much for taking the time and effort to critique my essay.

   The year 2016 arrived in a blanket of snow. Like a clean, white slate, it invited me to fill it with new experiences, achievements, disappointments, and reevaluations. As I draw out my year, I’ve discovered parts that were colorful and bright,and others that were grey and white. Nonetheless, all the colors on the canvas converged and transformed into my hopes and goals.

   Medicine has fascinated me since a very young age. I was the strange child who actually enjoyed going to doctor visits – except when I was there for my shots. It’s something I couldn’t put words to, but I just knew a career in medicine felt right to me. Because of that desire and fascination, I thought I wanted to become a physician.

   The first time I heard the words physician assistant (PA) was on New Year’s Day of 2016. I was shadowing an emergency medicine physician and his residents at Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center. One of the residents was an alumnus of Penn State, so I felt an immediate connection as he was someone who had been in my shoes. When sharing his stories, he introduced the PA profession as something he would have considered. Because it wasn’t well advertised, he didn’t knew such a career existed until after he was in medical school. I left that shadowing experience with a new knowledge locked in the back of my mind, but I wasn’t completely sold.

   Another semester ended and I had hit the lowest point of my academics. How did I go from graduating high school as valedictorian to getting a D in my first Organic Chemistry class? Utterly embarrassed, I blamed it on my busy schedule not allowing me time to study when I knew that was an excuse. I couldn’t connect with the materials, so I gave up and hoped luck was on my side. Like adding salt to an open sore, my advisor informed me that my academic credentials would make it difficult for me to enter medical school and I could consider other possibilities. I was disheartened and angry with myself. Did I waste all this time in college for something that wasn’t meant to be? Had I been lying to myself the entire time? Then like the light at the end of the tunnel, she mentioned those words: physician assistant.

   Intrigued, I turned my attention to the PA profession. From my preliminary research, I found that PAs had similar responsibilities as physicians in terms of examining, diagnosing, and treating patients. Wishing to witness more firsthand experience, I looked to shadow PAs, but I met another obstruction as I received rejection one after another. Not wanting to surrender when I just started, I turned to YouTube. There I watched every videos I could find from both PA students and actual PAs. While I understood these videos cannot fully replace shadowing experiences, I personally didn’t think they limited my understanding of the PA roles and responsibilities. In fact, those videos made me realized my passion is more aligned with the PA profession.

   I was most attracted to the lateral mobility between specialities found in physician assistant careers, which is not available to physicians. It was appealing because I like to try different things before I commit to it. It’s hard to know whether you truly enjoy a speciality until you have spent a few years in it and seen all aspects. With the career flexibility, I can allow myself to find the right fit. In addition, it provides an opportunity for me to challenge myself if I ever decide to switch specialities. I enjoy challenges as I see it a way to learn more and improve myself. For instance, around the same time I went through a period of self-reassessment. My conclusion was that I cannot imagine myself not being in healthcare, and my grades were not an accurate reflection of my abilities to succeed. With a renewed sense of purpose, I challenged myself to reattempt Organic Chemistry. I drew and built countless carbon models, dissected it and then rebuilt it. I collaborated with classmates until our collective efforts reached a solution. Through it all, I learned to stay tenacious when the answer is not immediately known, and to search for new approaches when the old methods don’t apply anymore as expected of all physician assistants.

   They say you find love when you least expect it. That can’t be any more truer for me. Like a lighthouse in the middle of the dark night, finding my true passion has brought my lost ship safely to shore. While I might not know fully what this new land holds for me, I am certain that I came prepared.

   Reply

5. Linda G. says

   August 9, 2018 at 1:16 am

   Thank you very much for this free service. I appreciate your time and help, and I look forward to your critiques.

   The year 2016 arrived in a blanket of snow. Like a clean, white slate, it invited me to fill it with new experiences, achievements, disappointments, and reevaluations. As I draw out my year, I’ve discovered parts that were colorful and bright,and others that were grey and white. Nonetheless, all the colors on the canvas converged and transformed into my hopes and goals.

   Medicine has fascinated me since a very young age. I was the strange child who actually enjoyed going to doctor visits – except when I was there for my shots. It’s something I couldn’t put words to, but I just knew a career in medicine felt right to me. Because of that desire and fascination, I thought I wanted to become a physician.

   The first time I heard the words physician assistant (PA) was on New Year’s Day of 2016. I was shadowing an emergency medicine physician and his residents at Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center. One of the residents was an alumnus of Penn State, so I felt an immediate connection as he was someone who had been in my shoes. When sharing his stories, he introduced the PA profession as something he would have considered. Because it wasn’t well advertised, he didn’t knew such a career existed until after he was in medical school. I left that shadowing experience with a new knowledge locked in the back of my mind, but I wasn’t completely sold.

   Another semester ended and I had hit the lowest point of my academics. How did I go from graduating high school as valedictorian to getting a D in my first Organic Chemistry class? Utterly embarrassed, I blamed it on my busy schedule not allowing me time to study when I knew that was an excuse. I couldn’t connect with the materials, so I gave up and hoped luck was on my side. Like adding salt to an open sore, my advisor informed me that my academic credentials would make it difficult for me to enter medical school and I could consider other possibilities. I was disheartened and angry with myself. Did I waste all this time in college for something that wasn’t meant to be? Had I been lying to myself the entire time? Then like the light at the end of the tunnel, she mentioned those words: physician assistant.

   Intrigued, I turned my attention to the PA profession. From my preliminary research, I found that PAs had similar responsibilities as physicians in terms of examining, diagnosing, and treating patients. Wishing to witness more firsthand experience, I looked to shadow PAs, but I met another obstruction as I received rejection one after another. Not wanting to surrender when I just started, I turned to YouTube. There I watched every videos I could find from both PA students and actual PAs. While I understood these videos cannot fully replace shadowing experiences, I personally didn’t think they limited my understanding of the PA roles and responsibilities. In fact, those videos made me realized my passion is more aligned with the PA profession.

   I was most attracted to the lateral mobility between specialities found in physician assistant careers, which is not available to physicians. It was appealing because I like to try different things before I commit to it. It’s hard to know whether you truly enjoy a speciality until you have spent a few years in it and seen all aspects. With the career flexibility, I can allow myself to find the right fit. In addition, it provides an opportunity for me to challenge myself if I ever decide to switch specialities. I enjoy challenges as I see it a way to learn more and improve myself. For instance, around the same time I went through a period of self-reassessment. My conclusion was that I cannot imagine myself not being in healthcare, and my grades were not an accurate reflection of my abilities to succeed. With a renewed sense of purpose, I challenged myself to reattempt Organic Chemistry. I drew and built countless carbon models, dissected it and then rebuilt it. I collaborated with classmates until our collective efforts reached a solution. Through it all, I learned to stay tenacious when the answer is not immediately known, and to search for new approaches when the old methods don’t apply anymore as expected of all physician assistants.

   They say you find love when you least expect it. That can’t be any more truer for me. Like a lighthouse in the middle of the dark night, finding my true passion has brought my lost ship safely to shore. While I might not know fully what this new land holds for me, I am certain that I came prepared.

   Reply

6. Laura says

   August 6, 2018 at 7:34 pm

   Hi I am a first time applicant. This is what I have so far. I went over the character limit by 200 characters so far, so any feedback would really help.

   Thank you!

   During my “college crisis” as I like to call it, I did not know what to do with my life. Sophomore year, I decided that pipetting solutions and running gels in a laboratory was not what I wanted to do anymore. I stomped into Dr. Z’s office and began to tell him my story. Even though I did not love medicine from the start, I have always known that I wanted to devote my life to serving others. At nine years old, it was a huge commitment, but it was also something that remained constant throughout my life. By the age of eleven, I moved to America, leaving everyone and everything I knew behind to embark on the American Dream. Because I was the first in my family to learn how to speak English, I became their advocate. After a long discussion Dr. Z said, “You should become a PA,” and before I could get another word in, he said “Google it, then we’ll talk some more.” One Google search later, something clicked, and suddenly, the goal of becoming a Physician Assistant solidified.
   I started out like most teenagers with a summer job as a lifeguard because I wanted to learn CPR, first aid, and work with my hands. At this job, I learned about the importance of teamwork and quickly realized I liked to be “the middleman.” It’s ironic that a PA can be referred to as a Mid-level provider as they are involved with the medical decision making, but not in charge of the whole department which is why I think this profession stands out to me. During my first shadowing experience, I had the opportunity to interact with a PA student on her didactic year Emergency clinical rotation. When I asked her why she wanted to be a PA, she simply stated, “I don’t mind having a boss and I still get to treat patients.” Working as an ED medical scribe, I could see what she was referring to as the relationships between Doctors and PAs rely on communication, honesty, and knowing when to ask for help.
   It was through my patient care experiences at Friendship Community and Brethren Village where I experienced first-hand the true impact of one’s actions on someone’s life during a vulnerable time. It was important for me to tune in to what my individuals and residents were thinking and feeling to figure out the best way to care for them. I distinctly remember one of my residents telling me, “You always listen to me and give me the best showers.” Somehow, this took me by surprise, as most residents in the dementia unit do not remember most of the Personal Care Aides; she could not remember my name or my face but she remembered the way I made her feel. That is the impact I want to have on my future patients that will be achieved through my work as a PA. Although working with the IDD and elderly community had its challenges and tested my patience, the part I treasured most were the long-lasting friendships I made with the individuals and their families.

   Before I made the decision to major in something that would allow me to work in the healthcare industry, I served my community by volunteering at the Ephrata Community Hospital. I volunteered at the Family Maternity, NICU, and pediatrics floor where I got the privilege to see my very first surgery a Cesarean section and provide comfort for babies struggling with NAS. The “withdrawal babies,” as they call them in the unit, needed extra care and comfort beyond the nurse’s capabilities. It was hard to care for infants struggling so early in life but it taught me the importance of emotional stability when treating patients. A year later, I decided to switch units to verse myself in as many aspects of medicine as I could. I decided to volunteer for the Orthopedics Unit helping with the Ephrata hospital’s first Total Knee and Hip Replacement Program launch where I was able to interact with patients during their pre-operation class. I was there for the first day that patients came back from their surgeries into the brand-new unit.
   Volunteering in two different units at the hospital made me realize that I did not want to dedicate the rest of my career to one medical specialty. While shadowing a Family Medicine PA, Heather Coyne, this past June I realized just how easy it is for a PA to work in various specialties. Heather shared with me that before Family Medicine she worked in Pediatric Oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. It was after she decided to have kids that she started working at Dr. David J Silverstein associates. PAs are able to switch to different specialties of medicine without much difficulty giving them the freedom to adjust their work life to accommodate family life.
   “When you practice in the future learn to just talk to people.” This was some of the best advice I received unexpectedly while shadowing a Family Medicine PA, Cole Pizzingrilli. Shadowing Cole, I could tell that his patient’s respected and trusted him with their care. His secret was not anything out of the ordinary other than taking the time to talk to his patients. It is my passion to help others and advocate for my future patients that led me to consider a career in healthcare. One google search, thousands of hours, 5 experiences, and a vast amount of knowledge later, I finally know that working as a Physician Assistant is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

   Reply

7. Madison Elizabeth says

   August 2, 2018 at 2:25 pm

   Hi! I am a first time applicant- would love any and all feedback on this rough draft!!

   The patient was a 33 year old female, presenting to the Emergency Department complaining of severe abdominal pain. I stood by my physician, viciously jotting down every answer the distressed patient gave to the series of questions being fired her way: When the did the pain start? Has the pain progressively worsened? Are there any exacerbating or relieving factors? As a newly hired scribe in one of the largest EDs in the city, I documented almost every word. I noted the patient’s denial of any possibility of pregnancy and her regrettable admission of regular smoking habits. I then moved to the corner of the room while the physician performed a pelvic exam. The physician calmly asked that I summon a nurse, and stood to look the patient in the eye while informing her that she was moments away from giving birth. The following twenty five minutes were chaotic, to say the least, but I was entranced. This particular ED was in no way prepared for newborn delivery, but an outsider would have never known. The medical team worked synchronously to deliver a healthy baby boy and place him in the arms of the utterly unexpectant mother. I admired their ability to adapt and succeed, and I felt a wave of reassurance that I was where I am supposed to be.

   I was first introduced to the medical field as a freshman in highschool, when a family friend was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of six. My initial interest sparked from my interactions with the team of medical providers who took on her case. I admired their strength and positivity in the face of something so difficult. Even throughout the most challenging and hopeless periods of time, the entire staff presented uplifted spirits. In addition to their dedication, I give their inspirative demeanours partial credit to her amazing recovery.

   Throughout my high school career, I had the opportunity to shadow many different individuals in the medical field including physicians, physician assistant’s, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. I was immediately interested in the position of the physician assistant because of their collaborative relationship with their doctor. I chose to follow this path, and completed most of my prerequisites though my major of Exercise and Sport Science. I was able to learn about the human body in a way that was specific to nutrition and the physiology of exercise. I have seen the healing effects of one’s lifestyle, and I hope to carry this knowledge to use on future patients.

   During the summers of undergrad, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to multiple third world countries on medical mission trips. An extended trip to the rural cities of the Dominican Republic allowed me to participate in creating and leading educational health courses to the populations of those areas. I became passionate about the potential benefits of preventative medicine, specifically in medically underserved areas.

   I have continued to explore my initial interest in oncology through volunteer opportunities in a hospital and clinical setting. My current volunteer position allows me to have thorough conversations with cancer patients while they undergo 4+ hour chemotherapy treatments. I am there to be whatever the patient needs that day: a distraction, a companion or a shoulder to cry on.

   After graduating, I moved to a new city to begin working as a medical scribe in the ED. I could never have anticipated the amount of experience and knowledge I would gain from this position. Each physician I work with has taught me something new, whether it be the medical reasoning behind a diagnosis or the importance of looking the patient directly in the eye when speaking to them. The broad range of patients and medical problems that appear in the emergency room provide an unique exposure to the medical field. I have learned that efficiency and quality care go hand in hand to ensure that every patient receives the care they deserve.

   Reply

8. Katherine says

   August 1, 2018 at 10:11 am

   My body was screaming in pain as I took the final stroke of my rowing career and our boat glided into first place at the championship regatta. This race was the culmination of four years of hard grueling work on and off the water. I’m a naturally competitive person, so from the moment I joined this team four years ago, I wanted to be in that top boat. Despite being an athlete my whole life, this task proved to be much harder than I first thought. While rowers are stereotypically tall, bulky people, I am quite the opposite. I was even told by some of my coaches that I wouldn’t make it very far in this sport due to my size. This only caused me to push myself every harder over the years, not allowing anything to get in my way of being one of the fastest rowers on the team.
   Over my college career, rowing proved to be quite the time commitment, forcing me to quickly learn how to expertly manage my time between school, work, and rowing. Late nights and early mornings in the library and on the water were not uncommon for me as I did my best to balance all of my commitments. While pushing myself in school, I was also in the midst of making the most important decision of my life; my career. The path to making this decision began in the spring of my junior year when I enrolled in a course in public health microbiology. I took this course as one of my in-major electives but this class wound up being my favorite class over the entire course of my college career. This class covered the transmission, treatment, and prevention of various infectious diseases and also included the study of several CDC investigations of outbreaks. I was lucky enough to be able to take all of this new information and apply it during a student internship I had received this semester at the local hospital. During this internship I was able to shadow different medical professionals in an acute care unit and experience the integration of several different medical fields working together in patient care. I was able to see firsthand many of the diseases that I had learned about during my class and see the preventative methods put into action in a hospital setting. I saw patients with lupus, patients who had just suffered heart attacks and strokes, and patients recovering from surgical operations including amputations. It was inspiring to be able to see firsthand the lasting positive impact on these patients no matter how grim their condition may have seemed. Many of these patients seemed to have pressed pause on their recovery time; making little to no progress between each passing day. However, thanks to the endless commitment and dedication these physicians and physician assistants had for their patients, each one still remained cheerful throughout their stay. The happiest moments though were seeing the first smiles of a patient when told they would be able to leave the hospital and return to their home.
   It was at the end of this internship that I decided to pursue a career in medicine. I discovered that all along, I had a passion for health and medicine. I had been implementing this passion into my own life with my love for fitness and nutrition but had not been able to connect the dots until then. After making this decision I found myself feeling more empowered in my studies and actually received the highest GPA this semester since my freshman year despite juggling 18 hours, rowing, and my internship.
   Since this internship, I have worked in both the ER as a medical scribe and on a med-surg floor as a patient care tech. I loved being able to see such a wide variety of different medical conditions, injuries, and symptoms during these jobs and was beginning to find it difficult to answer the question ‘What specialty are you wanting to do’. Lucky for me, as a physician assistant I will have the ability to transfer specialties much easier than I would as a physician. Physician assistants also are able to spend more time with each of their patients which is something that I value personally as a health care provider.
   After four years of fighting to prove myself as a competitive member of the rowing team, I finally achieved my dream of making the top boat for our championship regatta. The journey was a long one, with many set-backs along the way, but the one thing that constantly kept me going were the inspiring words of my coach, ‘Failure is not final if you refuse to give up’. These simple words have helped me push through not just every hard workout, but also through every tough study session. My time as a rower has taught me so much more than just how to row. Through this team I have developed dedication, passion, and persistence that I have been able to extend into my school work and my career. While my rowing career may have come to an end, my career in medicine is just beginning and I am excited to tackle whatever challenges it may present me next.

   Reply

9. Mallory says

   July 31, 2018 at 8:01 am

   Hello!
   This is the first time I am applying. what do you think?

   Having been a volleyball player for most of my life, I am no stranger to injuries. In middle school, I remember sustaining an injury that eventually led me to an orthopedic surgeon who diagnosed me with multiple stress fractures in my left foot. Playing volleyball had become too painful. After months of rest and therapy I thought I would be ready to get back on the court, but I continued to have pain. The orthopedist, at that time, said that his recommendation would be to not play volleyball anymore. It was a terrible feeling to be told you cannot play a sport you love. He told me that I could try more therapy and see how I am then, but there were no guarantees. The way I saw it, I had more to lose if I did not try. Thankfully, I was able to eventually return to the sport and team that I loved so much. I was even able to play competitively throughout college. This injury and the treatment I went through opened my eyes to the medical field and the realization that I could help other athletes, like myself, return to the sport they love.

   It was not until my freshmen year of college that I learned what a physician assistant was. As an emergency room scribe, I have been exposed to many different patient cases. Every day that I work at the hospital, I have the privilege of working with physician assistants, physicians, and nurses who all work together to accomplish one goal: to provide care for patients in need. Every patient has their own story and it is the responsibility of the provider to listen and care for them. I loved the versatile nature of the job and continuous learning opportunities that it provides. There is also a team dynamic to this career that drives me to do my best. Between the nurses, technicians, supervising physician and PA, these people act together as one team to care for and support the patient.

   I remember one particular experience where a PA that I was scribing for treated a 70 year old male with abdominal pain. The pain had started two weeks ago but had worsened the night before. The PA asked him why he waited so long to be seen by a healthcare provider. The patient responded saying that he had not been seen by a medical professional in over fifty years. He was afraid that if he went to the ER, he would not go back home because of a memory that he had in which his mother had abdominal pain and she went to the ER for help, but, unfortunately, never made it home to him.

   After examining the patient, he was tender to his abdomen and was tachycardic. The PA I was working with assured the patient that he made a good decision to come to the ER and that he was going to do everything in his power to understand why he was having so much pain. The PA went back to his desk and ordered basic labs, EKG, gallbladder ultrasound and some pain medication. He then told me that he was going to discuss the case with his supervising physician due to the fact that this patient was older and had not seen a doctor in decades, meaning that he could have unknown underlying medical illnesses. The supervising physician agreed with the PA’s plan so far, but would also go and meet and examine the patient as well.

   We returned to the patient’s room and you could automatically see that the patient was still very anxious. He was still fearful of his own outcome. The PA assured him the best he could while still maintaining an honest opinion.

   The PA built a rapport with the patient, which was really great considering how fearful the patient was to even walk in the doors. The compassion and determination the PA showed was remarkable to witness. From this experience, along with many others while working as a scribe, I now know that I want to be a PA that is as compassionate and determined as he was. I think the idea of being a part of a team and working with others that all have one goal in mind, the patient’s welfare, is what draws me to this career. There are also continuous learning opportunities which would allow me to have a daily routine that still manages to have some mystery to it. Because of my work ethic, ability to work in a team, compassion, and the eagerness I have to help others, I know I will be a great PA student and future PA.

   Reply

10. Shelley B. says

    July 30, 2018 at 8:19 am

    I’m a first time applicant and would appreciate some feedback on my essay! I still have about 400 characters left, so I have some wiggle room to add any necessary information

    Usually when I receive a letter while away at summer camp, I feel excitement to see what is happening at home while I am away for the week. The summer before starting my freshman year of college, however, I opened my mail and read the letter sent from my father with a sense of desperation and sorrow. He had written to tell me that my mom would not be home to welcome me when I would return just a few days later. She instead would be in Birmingham, Alabama, in a mental health hospital receiving treatment for her bipolar disorder. My mom had been treated for this as long as I could remember, but she had always been good about taking her daily medicine to keep her life on track. A year before receiving that letter was when things began to unravel. She started taking her medications less and less the summer before I began my senior year of high school. Being the last child at home, I knew it would be an upsetting moment for my parents when I finally left for college, but my mom responded in a way the caused even more upset. Without her medicine to help keep her balanced, her illness had this control over her to make her act like a different person.

    My mom continued off and on with the charade that she was taking her medicine for the next five years. This put a strain on our relationship, which caused me to visit home less frequently over my four and a half years at Auburn. At the beginning of my freshman year, I directed all of my focus into my schoolwork to keep from having to address the problems with my mom. Over the subsequent semesters, my focus moved from my schoolwork to the social portion of college. I tried to balance the intense load of the biomedical science major with the easygoing mindset of the social scene. Because of this my grades in the strenuous science-based classes suffered, and as a result my GPA suffered. I acted immaturely and used my mom’s illness as an excuse to become apathetic to her and to my responsibilities as a student. However, if it weren’t for the obstacles I faced with my mom and throughout college, I would not have made the decisions I did that would lead me to the path of becoming a physician assistant. I hope that Admissions can look past my less than outstanding GPA to afford me the opportunity I know that I deserve.

    After graduating in December of 2016, my next step, or so I thought, was to find a job in the healthcare field and begin applying for medical school. During my time in college I always had high hopes of attending medical school. I’ve been interested in the healthcare field for as long as I can remember, and seeing firsthand how illness, whether mental or physical, can affect a life, I knew I wanted to work in a profession that allowed me to help others battle illness, no matter how big or small. It wasn’t until I accepted a job working as a medical scribe 653 miles away from my home in Dallas, Texas, that I would begin questioning medical school and learning more about PA school. Everyone always asks why I chose to move so far away from home, and what I never told them was that it was due to my relationship with my mom being too arduous while she was battling her illness. Because of this, I chose to move away from home to escape the hardships I was battling at home. Fortunately for me, escaping my past troubles would lead to deciding on my future. At the beginning of my job as a scribe, I was informed I would only be working with physicians assistants and nurse practitioners before working with physicians. This discouraged me as I wanted experience with as many physicians as possible before applying to medical school. However, over the beginning months I began to learn about the profession of a PA, and this sparked my interest. What stood out to me the most was the flexibility of a PA to work in different specialties. I’ve always be interested in pediatrics, but after working in the ER at Children’s Medical Center, I’ve been exposed to a multitude of different specialties through different consults for various patients. As a PA, I would be able to explore the options of not only working in pediatrics, but working in a subspecialty within pediatrics, without all of the extra time spent in residencies or fellowships.

    I know that the road to becoming a PA, is a demanding one full of challenges, but I am confident that it is one I can handle. I have become more determined and focused than ever in taking the necessary steps to accomplish my goals. I know that my devotion, newly found perseverance, and compassionate nature will make me work hard to become a remarkable physician assistant.

    Reply

11. Jenny says

    July 30, 2018 at 6:16 am

    Our limitations arise as we experience different life situations. When I was nine-years-old, my Mom required many surgeries that required hospital stays. Each time I would go see her, the second we got to her floor, the smells and sights of the hospital corridors would over whelm me. A wave of panic and dizziness would hit me and I could feel my heart beating fasting and my hands getting sweaty. My anxiety was so over whelming, I could barely give my Mom a hug and a kiss before having to go sit with my head between my knees.

    After I graduated from college I waivered with what my future would hold. Becoming a physician assistant had been the plan but now that it was time to final take action, I hesitated. My childhood anxiety crept up and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to work in a hospital or the medical profession.

    But I refused to admit defeat without trying, so when the call came in for an interview to be a patient care assistant at the Hospital’s Emergency department I accepted. Clocking in for my first shift the symptoms I felt as a nine-year-old started to set in and the sweat was evident. But instead of letting my fears take over, I was determined to focus on the patients and the tasks at hand. It did not take long for the overhead system to announce a medical alert five minutes out, respiratory and two pcas needed. Walking into Red 3, the goose bumps raised the hair on my arms and I could feel my nerves flow through my entire body. The double doors automatically blew open making way for EMS. There was no time but to become part of the team working together to get the patient’s pulse back. We, as a team succeeded and got his pulse back. It was then that I knew this was where I belonged and that becoming a physician assistant was not only obtainable but was right for me.

    Our emergency department sees upwards of 300 patients a day on a regular basis, sometimes more than can even be squeezed into our hallways. On a day similar to this, I was working in triage bringing countless patients back to their rooms. I passed the same elderly husband of a hallway patient enough times during that day where he felt comfortable making small talk and even little jokes with each short passing interaction. By the end of the day I was exhausted, but passed him once more and simply asked if he needed anything; he kindly declined. With more conversation I was made aware he would be staying over-night with his wife. Before leaving for the night I collected a recliner, pillow and blanket to provide a little more comfort. Upon my return the look of appreciation on his face while he grabbed my hands in gratitude made every minute of the day worth it. It is in those moments that make everything I do at work worth it no matter how big or small it may seem.

    Physician assistants are integral parts of the equation and spend the time needed with the patient to get to the root of what is medically or even emotionally going on. Having the ability to create a patient to provider relationship was the draw to this profession. Sitting with a patient for a few more minutes to get to know them outside of what is making them ill, makes their stay at the hospital more comforting. The patient is trapped in a foreign place unaware about what is going to happen, but having at least one friendly face can make all of the difference.

    Every day I am exposed to something new and continue to learn from the nurses, physician assistants, residents, and attendings. But, as a patient care assistant most of my learning has come from the patients. Being a part of the medical field is more than just diagnosing and prescribing medication, but being someone the patient can feel comfortable talking to and feel confident that they are in good hands. As a patient care assistant I cannot hand out pain meds or insert IVs, but there are often times that the patient responds just as well to a warm smile or other simple tasks. These small acts may seem remedial but they can make a world of difference to an individual who is scared, alone in a windowless room and with no information about what is to come. I will never lose the everlasting feeling I get from a patient’s gratitude from simple acts of humanity as my scope of practice expands.

    Reply

12. Mallory Stressler says

    July 29, 2018 at 7:21 pm

    “Your father is dying”. The words echoed through my head as the reality of what they meant sank in. I was 4 hours away from my father and family. I never made it home in time to say goodbye to my father, the man who raised me to do whatever it takes to get what I want in this life. Since his death, he has been a constant motivator in my
    Watching my father battle Leiomyosarcoma for the last 14 years of his life played a large influence in my decision to enter the medical field. He taught me how to handle the most difficult of situations with both grace and stoicism. I grew up observing and learning from my mother, an ICU nurse, who cared for my dad with the most gentle and knowledgeable hands. Both of my parents have always encouraged me to do what it takes to achieve the goals I set for myself, as well as teaching me the proper tools to reach those goals.
    I knew I wanted to work in medicine from the age of 7, but I never knew exactly what that would look like. Throughout school, I was always intrigued by the science of the human body. I looked forward to dissections and the opportunity to expand my knowledge of anatomy and physiology. As I approached the end of high school, I shadowed a family practice PA named Deanna. Deanna worked in a low-income clinic in Chicago, and treated all of her patients with the most utmost respect and care, no matter their background or current situation. She sat and listened to the concerns they presented, taking the time to thoroughly address them. Seeing the trust in her patient’s faces and how comfortable they were with her makes me want to do the same for my future patients. I want to show my patients that I truly care about the battles they are facing, and that I am fully committed to doing my absolute best to ease them of their struggles.
    Between my father’s cancer, my mother’s stories of the ICU, and scribing in the emergency department, I have a strong desire to work in a fast paced environment. I still get excited every time the EMS phone rings, and look forward to the day when I will be the one caring for those patients who come through the hospital doors. Two PA’s who stand out to me are Ralph and Tim, providers in the ED where I am employed. Both demonstrate the true meaning of being a PA. They are quick, sharp, and exceptionally knowledgeable of each unique patient situation. Tim and Ralph take the time to answer not only patient questions, but mine as well. Both are always willing to share their expertise with others, and I aspire to be like both of them in my future career. The PA profession presents me with the opportunity to continue growing my education through my work. The ability to change specialities, as well as working alongside the physician, provides me with an endless learning experience. Becoming a PA will help promote my urge to gain new information, techniques, and procedures.
    My time spent volunteering at Modern Med Recovery, an outpatient treatment center for heroin and opioid addiction, has taught me about the world of addiction and its part in the realm of mental health. I feel that it has given me a better understanding of the concept of addiction and the multiple factors that create it. I want to use this knowledge to help people learn and better understand the often judged world of addiction and mental health.
    Losing my father while in college resulted in me not performing at my full potential. My grades started off subpar, but I have retaken the classes that I underperformed in and continued to register for classes that have helped expand my knowledge base. This has allowed me to expand my knowledge and improve my GPA. I feel that my grades in the last 3 years of my education are an accurate reflection of my work ethic and who I am as a student. My liberal arts education has allowed me to develop a holistic approach to the practice of medicine. I also spent my time in school working in addition to my classes. My last year as a student I took a full course load and worked full time as well. I feel that this allowed me to develop time management skills and the ability to multitask when needed to complete both my homework and attend my job shifts.
    My life experiences have allowed me to grow as a person and learn the concept of perseverance. I have known for the majority of my life that the field of medicine is where I belong, and the PA profession will allow me to achieve that. My academic workload, work experience, and volunteer opportunities demonstrate an exceptional capability to succeed as a physician assistant. I want to be like Deanna, Tim, and Ralph; knowing that I provided them with the best care I could and doing what I can to leave a lasting impact that changed their life for the better.

    Reply