The Physician Assistant Essay and Personal Statement Collaborative

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1. Cristina Jass says

   June 19, 2025 at 12:12 pm

   I’m a first-time applicant and would appreciate any and all feedback as I am working on finishing all my applications for this cycle.

   I felt invincible, untouchable and with no thought or worry regarding death. I didn’t care what I did, what I ate, how fast I was going on the freeway. I felt that there was no way I would die or that any of my loved ones would die either, why would they? They were all healthy and had no chronic conditions to speak of.
   I would see my grandmother, walk, eat, and complain about her day as she didn’t want to do anything but relax and watch TV. She would get up and eat, cook, and do other activities throughout the day to keep herself occupied. I would just watch as she would do what she wanted, she had gone to the doctor multiple times a year ago and she was the picture of health for her age, no chronic illnesses to speak of. The way she moved, walked, and acted showed no signs that she was going to die soon. I didn’t have to worry at all, she was going to live a long life. I came home at midnight one night, tired from my 12-hour shift, heard her complain about the bed in her room, I dismissed it and walked to my room to sleep. Not long after 1am I heard my mother’s screams. I have never forgotten her screams that I heard that night, and I learned that my grandmother had passed. I rushed out of bed, contacted 911 and helped my younger sibling perform CPR. Even after all the attempts, she was not resuscitated, and I comforted my mother as best I could as she cried out and screamed her pain. Her screams continued to haunt me and the cause for my grandmother’s passing. It was never resolved; it was ruled out a natural death and I never learned what the reason was.
   I begin to recall her actions, who she was and realize how no one is invincible, I’m not and neither are other people, we can all die at one point or another. I don’t want to live without knowing what the cause for her passing was and think back on if I had noticed something I could have prevented it. I should take into consideration how valuable time is and cherish each moment with the other person. Just like cause and effect, I want to investigate, learn the cause and prolong life as much as possible, so people can enjoy more time with each other and cherish their time. The knowledge that I helped brings back some happiness knowing that what I went through won’t happen to another person.
   I didn’t have this goal and had no idea this profession existed until I began working in the medical field. I have always worked full time while going to school for my old major. I didn’t excel in math and purposefully avoided any subject that contained it, I struggled. I understand that it is a highly competitive program where the students should have excellent academic education, I have some discrepancies in my transcript, and I have no excuses for my grades. I ensured that even though I struggled, I made sure that I put in the effort to pass all my required courses for this program. Getting into the program is a new beginning for me in reaching towards my goal and understanding what the cause is for the people I meet in the future.

   I know that each day I come to work I learn something new, it is always a mystery needing to be solved as a career for physician assistants, you work to discover and find out what the problem is. I am fortunate to have been able to experience and learn from the people I work with and get the privilege of witnessing what they do and work towards each day in the hospital. I strive to be like the PA’s I have met throughout the hospital as they have left a big impact on me, I want to be able to help people and improve their health after they come to the hospital. I am determined and that this is my purpose, to pursue this career. Outside of my qualifications from my education and work experience, I have been told that I am a compassionate, friendly, and strong person. I chose this profession as I want to make a difference, work in a team, and know that I am helping another person. Getting into the program is a new beginning for me in getting to reach my goal and become a journey for me to be able to reach it.

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2. Brina says

   June 3, 2025 at 1:45 pm

   Growing up, I watched my grandparents endure chronic pain with quiet endurance. My grandpa carried years of back pain without ever voicing it. In our Asian household, pain was often internalized, something to be tolerated, not treated. I only noticed it in his limp or the way he’d wince when he thought no one was watching. As the youngest, I was often asked to walk on his back to relieve the discomfort he wouldn’t talk about. At the time, I thought I was helping in the only way I could. In families like mine, silence was mistaken for strength.
   Looking back, I realize I was learning an early lesson in caregiving: that it’s not just about helping, it’s about listening, anticipating, and showing up, even when it’s hard. That lesson stayed with me until years later when I experienced my own medical emergency — appendicitis. I remember trying to push through the pain, conditioned by what I’d seen growing up. But when I finally ended up in the ER, everything shifted. A physician assistant (PA) was the first person who made me feel heard. He explained the next steps, comforted me, and became my anchor through the uncertainty. For the first time, I understood what it meant to be seen, not just as a patient with symptoms, but as a person with a story. His presence didn’t just ease my fear—it redefined what it meant to care for someone. In that moment, I saw the kind of provider I wanted to become.
   That experience stayed with me. It challenged the silence I grew up with and opened my eyes to a different kind of strength, the kind that comes from compassion and communication. It was also the moment I knew I wanted to become a PA. Working as a nursing assistant (NA) confirmed that my instinct to care deeply wasn’t just a family trait, it was a professional strength. Beyond assisting with daily tasks, I found myself attuned to patients’ emotional needs: calming anxiety, listening when they felt alone, and advocating when they couldn’t speak for themselves. I wasn’t just providing support; I was earning trust. Those moments made it clear that I wanted to take on a greater role in patient care, combining compassion with clinical skill.
   I have had various interactions with patients, both rewarding and difficult, but what truly motivates me is watching someone recover and knowing I played a role in their healing. That is the most fulfilling part. Over time, I began to see that my desire to help didn’t stop at the bedside. I wanted to expand the ways I could support people through different stages of illness and recovery, especially in underserved communities. That’s what led me to the PA profession. With its strong foundation in team-based care and its adaptability across specialties, the role offers the chance to reach patients in diverse settings and to fill critical gaps in care, something that deeply resonates with my commitment to service.
   However, my journey hasn’t been without challenges. Balancing long shifts as a NA with the demands of rigorous coursework tested my resilience. There were moments I questioned whether I could handle both. I also faced emotionally taxing situations, such as de-escalating verbally and physically aggressive patients, where I had to stay calm and compassionate in the face of fear. These experiences taught me how to manage stress, adapt quickly, and remain grounded in empathy.
   Through it all, I’ve developed a foundation that I know will serve me as a future PA: effective communication, emotional resilience, and an unwavering commitment to patients. My path has been shaped by silent strength, personal vulnerability, and professional growth all of which have prepared me to embrace the responsibility and privilege of becoming a physician assistant.

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