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Single Edit One-on-one Service Supplemental Essays
Your success is our passion. (See just some of our 100's of testimonials and comments below). We are ready to help. Our current PA school essay editing service status (7th May 2024): Accepting New Submissions
(Photo: Me circa 1987, just thinking about my future PA School Essay)
- Are you struggling to write your physician assistant personal statement?
- Are you out of ideas, or just need a second opinion?
- Do you want an essay that expresses who you truly are and grabs the reader's attention in the required 5,000-character limit?
We are here to help perfect your PA school essay
I have written countless times on this blog about the importance of your personal statement in the PA school application process. Beyond the well-established metrics (GPA, HCE/PCE hours, requisite coursework, etc.), the personal statement is the most crucial aspect of your application.
This is your time to express yourself, show your creativity, skills, and background, and make a memorable impression in seconds. This will be your only chance, so you must get it right the first time.
For some time, I had been dreaming about starting a physician assistant personal statement collaborative.
A place where PA school applicants like yourself can post their PA school essays and receive honest, constructive feedback followed by an acceptance letter to the PA school of your choice!
I have been reviewing a ton of essays recently, so many in fact that I can no longer do this on my own.
To solve this problem, I have assembled a team of professional writers, editors, and PA school admissions specialists who worked to revise and perfect my PA school application essay.
Beth Eakman has taught college writing and worked as a professional writer and editor since the late 1990s. Her projects have involved a wide range of disciplines and media, from editing technical reports to scriptwriting for the PBS Kids show Super Why! Her writing has appeared in publications including Brain, Child Magazine, New York Family Magazine, and Austin Family Magazine. Beth lives with her family just outside Austin, Texas. She is driven to help each client tell the best version of their story and achieve their dream of becoming a physician assistant.
Deanna Matzen is an author with articles featured in Earth Letter, Health Beats, Northwest Science & Technology, and the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. With an early career in environmental science, she developed a solid foundation in technical writing. Her communication skills were further honed by producing and editing content for a non-profit website, blog, and quarterly journal. Inspired to extend her craft, she obtained a certificate in literary fiction, which she draws on to build vibrant scenes that bring stories to life. Deanna loves working with pre-PAs who are on the cusp of new beginnings to find their unique story and tell it confidently.
Carly Hallman is a professional writer and editor with a B.A. in English Writing and Rhetoric (summa cum laude) from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. She has worked as a curriculum developer, English teacher, and study abroad coordinator in Beijing, China, where she moved in 2011. In college, she was a Gilman Scholar and worked as a staff editor for her university's academic journal. Her first novel, Year of the Goose, was published in 2015, and her first memoir is forthcoming from Little A Books. Her essays and creative writing have appeared in The L.A. Review of Books, The Guardian, LitHub, and Identity Theory, among other publications.
Read more client testimonials or purchase a revision
We Work as a Team
Our team of professional editors is wonderful at cutting out the "fluff" that makes an essay lose focus and sets people over the 5,000-character limit. Their advice is always spot-on.
Sue, Sarah, and Carly are amazingly creative writers who will take your "ordinary" and turn it into entirely extraordinary.
I mean it when I say this service is one-of-a-kind! We have spent countless hours interviewing PA School admissions directors and faculty from across the country to find out exactly what it is they are looking for in your personal statement.
We even wrote a book about it.
To collaborate, we use Google Drive. Google Drive is free, has an intuitive interface with integrated live comments in the sidebar, the ability to have a real-time chat, to collaborate effortlessly, and to compare, revise, or restore revisions on the fly. Google Drive also has an excellent mobile app that will allow you to make edits on the go!
Our team has worked with hundreds of PA school applicants within the Google Drive environment, and we have had enormous success.
The Physician Assistant Essay and Personal Statement Collaborative
I have set up two options that I hope will offer everyone a chance to participate:
- One-of-a-kind, confidential, paid personal statement review service
- A collaborative, free one (in the comments section)
Private, One-On-One Personal Statement Review Service
If you are interested in the paid service, you may choose your plan below.
The Personal Statement Review Service is:
- Behind closed doors within a private, secure network using Google Drive.
- It is completely interactive, meaning we will be able to provide real-time comments and corrections using the Google Drive interface.
- Telephone consultations are included with all edits above the single edit level. It’s often hard to communicate exactly what you want hundreds of miles away; for this reason, we offer the option to edit right along with us over the telephone while sharing in real-time over Google Drive. This is an option available to all our paid clients who purchase above the single edit level.
- We provide both revision and editing of all essays. What’s the difference? See below
- We will provide feedback, advice, and help with brainstorming and topic creation if you would like.
- We will help with a “final touch-up” before the big day, just in case your essay needs a few minor changes.
Why Choose Our Service?
- It’s not our opinion that matters. We have gone the extra step and personally interviewed PA school administrators from across the US to find out exactly what they think makes a personal statement exceptional.
- We are a team of PAs and professional writers, having worked over ten years with PA school applicants like yourself, providing countless hours of one-on-one editing and revision.
- Our clients receive interviews, and many go on to receive acceptance into their PA School of choice.
Because we always give 100%, we will open the essay collaborative for a limited number of applicants each month and then close this depending on the amount of editing that needs to be done and the time that is available.
Our goal is not quantity but quality. We want only serious applicants who are serious about getting into PA school.
Writing is not a tool like a piece of software but more like how a photograph can capture your mood. It’s more like art. The process of developing a unique, memorable personal statement is time-intensive, and it takes hours to compose, edit, finalize, and personalize an essay.
As Antoinette Bosco once said:
And this is why I am charging for this service. We love helping people find stories that define their lives, and we love helping individuals who have the passion to achieve their dreams. It’s hard to describe the feeling I get when an applicant writes back to tell me they were accepted into PA school.
There is no price tag I can place on this; it’s the feeling we get when we help another human being. It’s just like providing health care. But this takes time.
Interested? Choose your plan below.
Read more client testimonials.
Free Personal Statement Review
Post your essay in the comments section for a free critique
We want to make this opportunity available to everyone who would like help with their essay, and that is why we are offering free, limited feedback on the blog.
You post your essay in the comments section, and you will get our critique. It is that easy. We will try to give feedback to every single person who posts their COMPLETE essay here on this blog post in the comments section.
Also, by posting your comment, we reserve the right to use your essay.
We will provide feedback on essays that are complete and fit the CASPA requirements (View CASPA requirements here). We will not provide feedback on partial essays or review opening or closing statements. Your essay will be on a public platform, which has both its benefits and some obvious drawbacks. The feedback is limited, but we will try to help in any way we can.
Note: Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That’s how we’re gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, I will delete your stuff. Otherwise, have fun, and thanks for adding to the conversation! And this should go without saying: if you feel the need to plagiarize someone else’s content, you do not deserve to go to PA school.
* Also, depending on the time of year, it may take me several weeks to reply!
We love working with PA school applicants, but don't just take our word for it!
How to submit your essay for the paid service
If you are serious and would like to have real, focused, and personalized help writing your personal statement, please choose your level of service and submit your payment below.
After you have submitted your payment, you will be redirected to the submissions page, where you can send us your essay as well as any special instructions. We will contact you immediately upon receipt of your payment and essay so we may begin work right away.
Pricing is as follows:
Choose your plan, then click "Buy Now" to submit your essay, and we will get started right away!
Every purchase includes a FREE digital copy of our new 100-page eBook, How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement, Our 101 PA School Admission Essays e-book, the expert panel audiobook, and companion workbook. This is a $65 value included for free with your purchase.
All credit card payments are processed via PayPal over a secure HTTPS server. Once your payment is processed, you will be immediately redirected back to the essay submission page. There, you will submit your essay along with some biographical info and all suggestions or comments you choose to provide. You will receive immediate confirmation that your essay has been securely transmitted as well as your personal copy of "How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement." Contact [email protected] if you have any questions, comments, or problems - I am available 24/7.
The hourly service includes your original edit and one-on-one time over Google Drive. It is simple to add more time if necessary, but you may be surprised at what a difference just a single edit can make. We find our four-hour service to be the most effective in terms of time for follow-up and full collaboration. We are open to reduced-rate add-ons to suit your individual needs.
Writing and Revision
All writing benefits from rewriting when done well.
When you are in the process of writing a draft of an essay, you should be thinking first about revision, not editing.
What’s the difference?
Revision refers to the substantial changing of text. For example, it may include re-organizing ideas and paragraphs, providing additional examples or information, and rewriting a conclusion for clarity.
Editing, on the other hand, refers to correcting mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
On all submissions, we perform both revision and editing.
How to submit your PA school essay for the FREE editing service
Follow the rules above and get to work below in the comments section. I look forward to reading all your essay submissions.
- Stephen Pasquini PA-C
View all posts in this series
- How to Write the Perfect Physician Assistant School Application Essay
- The Physician Assistant Essay and Personal Statement Collaborative
- Do You Recognize These 7 Common Mistakes in Your Personal Statement?
- 7 Essays in 7 Days: PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 1, “A PA Changed My Life”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 2, “I Want to Move Towards the Forefront of Patient Care”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 3, “She Smiled, Said “Gracias!” and Gave me a Big Hug”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 4, “I Have Gained so Much Experience by Working With Patients”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 5, “Then Reach, my Son, and Lift Your People up With You”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 6, “That First Day in Surgery was the First Day of the Rest of my Life”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 7, “I Want to Take People From Dying to Living, I Want to Get Them Down From the Cliff.”
- Physician Assistant Personal Statement Workshop: “To say I was an accident-prone child is an understatement”
- 9 Simple Steps to Avoid Silly Spelling and Grammar Goofs in Your PA School Personel Statement
- 5 Tips to Get you Started on Your Personal Essay (and why you should do it now)
- How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement The Book!
- How to Write “Physician Assistant” The Definitive PA Grammar Guide
- 101 PA School Admissions Essays: The Book!
- 5 Things I’ve Learned Going Into My Fourth Physician Assistant Application Cycle
- 7 Tips for Addressing Shortcomings in Your PA School Personal Statement
- The #1 Mistake PRE-PAs Make on Their Personal Statement
- The Ultimate PA School Personal Statement Starter Kit
- The Ultimate Guide to CASPA Character and Space Limits
- 10 Questions Every PA School Personal Statement Must Answer
- 5 PA School Essays That Got These Pre-PAs Accepted Into PA School
- 7 Questions to Ask Yourself While Writing Your PA School Personal Statement
- 101 PA School Applicants Answer: What’s Your Greatest Strength?
- 12 Secrets to Writing an Irresistible PA School Personal Statement
- 7 Rules You Must Follow While Writing Your PA School Essay
- You Have 625 Words and 2.5 Minutes to Get Into PA School: Use Them Wisely
- What’s Your #1 Personal Statement Struggle?
- 31 (NEW) CASPA PA School Personal Statement Examples
- How to Prepare for Your PA School Interview Day Essay
- Should You Write Physician Associate or Physician Assistant on Your PA School Essay?
- Meet the World’s Sexiest PA School Applicants
- PA School Reapplicants: How to Rewrite Your PA School Essay for Guaranteed Success
- How to Write a Personal Statement Intro that Readers Want to Read
- PA School Reapplicant Personal Statement Checklist
- How to Deal with Bad News in Your Personal Statement
- Inside Out: How to use Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling to Improve your PA Personal Statement
- Ratatouille: A Pixar Recipe for PA School Personal Statement Success
- Personal Statement Panel Review (Replay)
- Mind Mapping: A Tool for Personal Statements, Supplemental Essays, and Interviews
- Start at the End: Advice for your PA School Personal Statement
Colleen Henry says
It was two years after high school and I was still not in college. My father made too much money for financial aid but too little to assist. I was working at the local call center thinking I could save up and one day pay for it on my own. However, as time passed I became unwilling to accept this as my future and began considering other options. I could bear the burden of debt, or join the Navy and earn my way through school.
Although I never thought of myself as a woman in uniform, the idea wasn’t foreign. I was the daughter of a single father who made the Navy a career. Living half of my life in Virginia, Italy, Spain, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, I learned to approach new experiences with an open mind, appreciate foreign cultures, and adapt quickly. Feeling equipped, I made the choice to join the Navy. This action didn’t only take me to college, but it opened my eyes to a desire I didn’t then know I had, becoming a physician assistant.
For the next four years, I spent the bulk of my time taking orders, navigating field and basic life support training, aiding in war, humanitarian efforts, and literally earning my way towards a higher education. Days started early and work went late. There were critical missions at hand and in order to complete them we were taught to pay attention to detail, master training regiments, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively as a team. After returning home from Afghanistan, I couldn’t help but reflect on the poverty of the local nationals and the fine line between life and death that surrounded me every day. The people of this region only know a life of war and desperation, and living in their land, I became humbled. Within a week of being home, I felt an overwhelming sense of confusion and sorrow. We were there to win their hearts and minds, but their sunken eyes, blotchy skin, and poor posture told me they needed more. I felt powerless. Searching for clarity, I came to the realization that I desire a career which allows me to make a personal impact in the lives of others.
Eventually, I moved forward from the Navy and prepared for an academic career. During my second year of college I came across a book titled, “The Language of God,” written by physician-geneticist and founder of the Human Genome Project, Francis. S. Collins. In his autobiographical journey through healthcare, Collins explained the discoveries he made in disease genes and his desire to make a difference. Through his story, I felt connected to the passion he had for healing people. When I closed the book, an innate desire to learn more about the biology of the human body surfaced from within me, and at that moment, I knew I wanted to practice medicine. On a flight, a few weeks later, I was fortunate to sit next to a geneticist from Boston University and a colleague of Dr. Collins. To my surprise, he had conversed with the author at a national seminar only hours earlier. For the duration of the flight, we talked about the work being done on the Genome Project, my developing education, and my interest in the medical field. The thought-provoking interaction left me completely inspired. After returning home, I researched careers in healthcare and after careful consideration I came to the conclusion I wanted to invest all I had into becoming a physician assistant.
Looking to gain clinical exposure during my last year of college, I became a COPE Health Scholar at St. Johns Medical Center in Oxnard, California. Within the scope of the program, I’ve been able to provide meaningful hands-on patient care including transfer, feeding, bathing, wound dressing, and vaginal delivery. I have rotated in telemetry, the mother infant unit, labor and delivery, and will be heading to the emergency department next. During a night in telemetry, I was asked to feed a patient. I walked in the room, introduced myself, and proceeded to ask the patient identifying information. After no response, the provider charting at the computer confirmed the patient’s identity and informed me she hard of hearing and didn’t much speak. While I encouraged the patient with each bite, the clinician turned her head from the computer to ask where I wanted to go in healthcare, and as my eyes drifted towards her badge labeled physician assistant, I said, “A physician assistant.” She smiled. Upon cleaning up, the physician assistant began telling me about her journey in healthcare. I asked about the ability to spend more time with patients and the exploration of specialties. She told me those were the reasons she went into the field and explained how doctors just don’t have those freedoms. My heart warmed as I imagined the possibility of being in her shoes. Seeking to expand my medical knowledge, I too find it rewarding to be able to contribute to several specialties. Unexpectedly, the patient waved her hand and so I crouched down beside her. “You will make a great physician assistant,” she mumbled. She had been listening. Feeling emotional, I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and replied, “Oh, thank you so much. I’m going to give it my all.”
For many reasons, I feel that becoming a physician assistant is my vocation. Working collaboratively with diverse groups of people in the military has fine-tuned my social and behavioral skills. I’ve grown to be a better communicator and listener by empathizing with people’s feelings and their individual life’s story. For this reason, working with patients feels natural. The advice and guidance from the medical staff at St. John’s has given me confidence in obtaining a meaningful patient-provider relationship. Equally important, my military training and experience in dealing with stressors on deployment has harnessed me with the ability to make competent lifesaving decisions under pressure. To me, practicing medicine as a physician assistant is not just about seeing patients, writing prescriptions, and engaging with healthcare professionals, rather it is about providing patients with the quality care and compassion they deserve. Reflecting back, I believe that I have been training for this program my entire life. If given the opportunity, I will bring the determination, adaptability, and teamwork skills I’ve obtained in my unique experiences and apply it to excel in your Masters of Physician Assistant Studies program.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Colleen,
You do an excellent job of detailing your journey to PA school, in fact, in too much detail. Your essay is more than 1300 characters/spaces over the CASPA limit. You need to cut, cut, cut. That being said, you’ll want to keep the great info about your exposure to diverse cultures and the skills you acquired in the Navy. One thing that should go is the use of contractions. They’re disfavored in academic essays.
Here’s how I would write the third paragraph:
I moved forward from the Navy and entered college. During my second year, I read “The Language of God,” written by physician-geneticist and founder of the Human Genome Project, Francis Collins. Through his story, I felt connected to the passion he had for healing people. When I closed the book, I knew I wanted to practice medicine. On a flight a few weeks later, I was fortunate to sit next to a geneticist and colleague of Dr. Collins. We talked about the Genome Project, my developing education, and my interest in the medical field. The thought-provoking interaction left me completely inspired. After returning home, I researched careers in healthcare and came to the conclusion I wanted to invest all I had into becoming a physician assistant.
This is just one example of how to cut. Keep going by eliminating non-essential details.
I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Michael Haege says
As I left the engineering department offices I thought back to what had been a very typical day. My team and I had just finished transporting and erecting a 160,000 lb. piece of equipment for a large oil refinery, a typical project in my work as a mechanical engineer. The equipment was located in an extremely congested area of the plant with numerous underground and overhead hazards, some said the lift was impossible. But through extensive planning, collaboration and an acute attention to detail my team and I were able to successfully complete the job on schedule and I was able to stretch my cognitive muscles on yet another challenging project. The job had progressed smoothly and the client was relieved to have the new equipment sitting on its foundation. As we left the field and started back to the main office we all congratulated each other on another job well done.
As a first-generation college student, my position as the head crane lift design engineer at the refinery was an exciting start to a promising career. And while I enjoyed the engineering work and the challenges it posed, it was here that I realized that my true passion was elsewhere. My inner motivation and determination, the same traits that got me through the universities rigorous engineering program while providing for a family of five and had advanced my career as a mechanical engineer, were the catalyst for the decision I made-the decision to pursue my dream of becoming a physician’s assistant.
My heart is set on becoming a physician’s assistant. I eagerly await the day to develop relationships with patients, support them in their times of crisis, and guide them on their roads to recovery. Even when I was in high school I had envisioned myself as a medical provider. This was largely due to family members that were in the medical field and said that I would be well suited for a medical position. However, for various reasons, I decided to study engineering in college. One of the reasons I chose an engineering major was because my uncle, an anesthesiologist, and my aunt, a nurse, both recommended that an engineering major would give me a solid foundation on which to build my career in the medical field. As an engineering student I always thought I would go on to medical school and become a doctor. However, after some changes in my life circumstances and further research I know that a career as physician’s assistant, would be the perfect fit for me.
My growing interest in the medical field was further fed by recommendations from my wife (an EMT), a family friend (a M.D.) and various other influences in my life to start looking into the PA programs. As I continued with further research, shadowing, and questioning other practicing PA’s and medical professionals, I became euphoric with thoughts of a lifelong career as a physician’s assistant. As a PA I will be able to continue to utilize my problem solving skills as I work with teams of medical professionals to diagnose and treat patients. I will be able to walk alongside people of various cultures and in different stages of life and I will have a schedule that will allow me to be the husband and father that my growing family needs.
I know the road to becoming a PA will require sacrifices and create difficulties for my family and me, but in the words of Theodore Roosevelt, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty….“ My aspiration to become a PA has led to some drastic life changes for my family that some have called ‘crazy’. I knew that I could not pursue this dream while working as an engineer. Even so, letting go of that stability was a hard move, especially with a wife and four children five and under to support. We sold our house and most of our possessions and now live within much smaller means in order for me to dedicate myself full-time to becoming a PA. My desire to get started on this new path led to my immediate enrollment in the prerequisite coursework required for PA school admittance and the joining of an EMT training program in order to gain patient care experience. The changes have not all come easy, but my wife and I feel certain that the end goal of becoming a PA is worth the sacrifices required.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Michael,
You’ve had an interesting career path and that will grab the attention of your readers. What will even grab their attention more, and unfortunately in a negative way, is the misspelling of the profession. You will not be going to physician’s assistant school ever, because there is no such thing. And if you don’t get the name of the profession correct, you may not ever be a physician assistant! However, there are times to use apostrophes. When you’re using the title of the profession in the context of a possessive, the correct spelling is physician assistant’s. The same goes with the acronym. It’s PAs, not PA’s, unless you’re using it as a possessive. Admissions folks will think you know nothing about the profession other than what you gathered from an Internet search if you don’t get the title right.
The following is picky, but it will be helpful. You use the word “typical” twice in the first paragraph. It leads to expectations that something unusual will happen. So change that first sentence to this: “As I left the engineering department offices, I thought back to my day.” Notice I also added a comma — you could use more of those throughout.
Your third paragraph needs work so it flows better. And that last sentence is missing crucial information. This is how I would change it:
“In high school, I envisioned myself as a medical provider. Family members who were in the medical field said that I would be well suited for a medical position and I felt they were right. I decided to study engineering in college because my uncle, an anesthesiologist, and my aunt, a nurse, both said that an engineering major would give me a solid foundation on which to build my career in the medical field. As an engineering student I always thought I would go on to medical school and become a doctor. However, life circumstances intervened (here you’ll want to say what happened) and I had to delay my medical career. Now I am ready to make that leap, and my research and shadowing has shown me that a career as physician assistant would be the perfect fit. I eagerly await the day to develop relationships with patients, support them in their times of crisis, and guide them on their roads to recovery.”
I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Michael says
I want you to meet Donna. She has been through so much. Four back surgeries. Physical therapy. Countless injections. Long-term opioids. Ten years of constant pain. Unfortunately, Donna is my typical patient, and we are nearing the end of the road. There are very few options left for Donna if this treatment does not work.
Today is Donna’s procedure. When I met her at the office, she was draped in turquoise jewelry and a floral print dress, undoubtedly a free-spirit of the 60’s. Now, she is wearing a paper gown, and she seems alone and anxious. I make an effort to be warm and confident as we discuss the procedure, hoping to put her at ease. She has post-laminectomy syndrome. Twenty-four hours a day, Donna has intense low back pain that radiates down both legs. She has trouble sleeping, walking, and cannot play with her grandchildren. I review the procedure with her and what we hope to accomplish for her. “I just want to get off the pills,” Donna proclaims, a little forlorn. “We are going to do our best,” I promise her and grasp her hand before leaving her room. I hope we can deliver.
Donna is here today for a spinal cord stimulator trial and I am her clinical specialist. At one time, her physician could manage her chronic pain with opioids and injections, but after a decade their efficacy has waned and the opioids leave her hazy and lethargic. If the spinal cord stimulator does not work, she will likely remain on opioids for the remainder of her life. During the procedure, the physician and I work as a team to deliver an electrical stimulation to the nerves carrying the pain signal to the brain. The procedure sounds simple, but is often wrought with challenges that must be overcome in order to produce a successful outcome. In Donna’s case, she has significant fibrosis in the epidural space from her previous back surgeries which means the physician is unable to place the leads in an ideal position. By examining the fluoroscopic imaging and using Donna’s feed back, I am able to generate a field which provides Donna with the desired therapy. Donna will return on Friday to have the trial system removed and assess the pain relief she experienced.
* * *
My love of science began with the ocean. As a child, our spent every available hour at the beach. Playing in the waves, digging holes and dams in the sand, watching the coastal flora and fauna interact in their environment fed my curiosity of the natural world. As I began my education, I enjoyed history and literature, but the sciences always peaked a special interest. In elementary school, our yearly field trip to the aquarium was my favorite day of the year. In middle school I won the science fair with my analysis of fire-retardant baby clothing. In my sophomore year of high school, I met the teacher who influenced my the most, Dr. Price, my AP Biology teacher. I knew I wanted to succeed in AP Biology but Dr. Price refused to hold anyone’s hand. My success or failure would be my own. At the end of the year, we all took the AP exam. I still vividly remember opening the results and seeing the “5.” It gave me the confidence that I could pursue a career in the sciences. As I began courses at the University of California – Santa Cruz, I decided to study biochemistry because it would provide me with a deep understanding of biological systems. Our biochemistry program was rigorous, working full-time made it more so. After graduating, I considered research and volunteered in a marine biology laboratory. The subject matter was fascinating but found the daily operation uninspiring and inert. I always considered a career in medicine, so when I was offered a position as a clinical specialist I jumped at the opportunity.
The two years as a clinical specialist were the toughest and most rewarding of my life. The role of CS was multi-faceted. I was a member of a collaborative surgical team, where I learned to think critically in stressful situations. I was responsible for educating clinicians on new technologies, which taught me the importance of lifelong learning in medicine. I worked closely with patients, which taught me compassion is as important as clinical skill. I learned I loved working with patients. The long hours, challenging surgeries, and tough programmings were made worthwhile when I saw a patient transformed into the vibrant person they once were. I was ecstatic to help my patients, but I wanted to offer them more. I decided to explore other careers in healthcare and saw PA as a perfect fit. A career as a PA would provide me the opportunity to expand my clinical skills and focus on treating patients like Donna.
Donna’s trial was successful. She was implanted two years ago. Her pain has decreased 80% and she rarely needs pain medication. We stay in touch. I send her photos of my infant son and she tells me to enjoy this rare time with him. And she tells me how much fun it is playing with her grandchildren.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Michael,
I love your essay. It’s gripping from the start. However, that’s not to say it couldn’t use some editing.
Make sure you don’t have grammar errors such as in this sentence: “As a child, our spent every available hour at the beach.” I’m sure you can find it. And you need an “I” after the “but” in this sentence: “The subject matter was fascinating but found the daily operation uninspiring and inert.” Also, make sure not to use the plural and singular of the same subject: . . . a patient transformed into the vibrant person they once were. Instead write “patients transformed into the vibrant people they once were.” You may think I’m being picky, but Admissions folks expect these essays to be grammar-error free. As they told me when I interviewed them for our book, a missed detail can result in serious harm or death.
I would delete these sentences: “In elementary school, our yearly field trip to the aquarium was my favorite day of the year. In middle school I won the science fair with my analysis of fire-retardant baby clothing.” Nobody wants to hear about elementary or middle school. Even most of the high school info could go.
Then you’d have more room to expand on why you’ve chosen the PA profession. You have only one general sentence and that’s not enough. Provide more detail so Admissions folks know you really understand what the profession entails.
Last little thing — leave out the asterisks. They’re distracting and I’m not sure you can even use them in the CASPA application.
I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Smita D. says
“I need to go to Florida,” my aunt told my parents while I pretended not to pay attention to their conversation. My grandmother was lying in a hospital bed, unconscious. I thought she just passed out and was staying at the hospital to be monitored. “She’s not waking up” my aunt stated in a sad tone, but being sixteen years old I was naïve about everything that was going. This even sparked my genesis to pursue a career in healthcare. I wanted to know what happened to my grandmother and how I could have helped her.
My journey continued with my acceptance at Georgia State University. I joined a sorority my freshman year which enabled me to share similar aspiration as others and helped guide me through my college career. We talked about future goals and how to achieve these aims. Joining my organization allowed me to gain leadership skills and build my social network. I was involved in many aspects of my organization as well as other organizations. Learning the ins and outs, I gained experience working in at team and learned to become a successful and trustworthy leader. For example, I eventually worked my way up to become the Vice President of my organization. I took on many executive positions and chair positions each semester. At that time, I was focused on becoming a nurse; the only healthcare profession I knew of other than a doctor.
“Not enough oxygen was supplied to her brain.” I heard that statement almost five times a day but I never really understood what that meant. During the junior year of high school, my life changed. In the middle of the year, I had to leave school for a week. My grandmother was still not waking up. My parents knew exactly what was going, but I thought it was nothing more than a simple injury that the doctors and nurses could fix. Finally, I saw my grandmother laying helplessly on the hospital bed with all these machines hooked up to her. She was so still. I turned away and began crying because it was hard to see her in that state. After a couple of days, I was sat down with my brother and my aunt told me exactly what was going, but I didn’t believe her until the very end. My grandmother was in a vegetable state; her brain was “mush” as the doctors described it. This was when I knew. I wanted to be more than a nurse. I wanted to be the one to make medical decisions.
We were preparing a funeral for my grandmother, and my cousin was talking about her profession. She told me to look into becoming a physician assistant. I researched what a PA was right then and there, and I knew that is exactly what I wanted to do. Not having a lot of connections in the medical field, I applied as a medical scribe in hopes of working with a doctor or mid-level. After a few weeks of working with one of the PAs in the fast track area of the emergency room, I knew I found my path. He was quick to see each patient but was still able to give exceptional care to each patient. He was one of the most confident PAs I’ve ever met. To be sure emergency medicine is what I truly wanted to do; I shadowed two more PAs in ENT and internal medicine. I saw these PAs work autonomously, making their medical decisions. This experience confirmed my decision by showing the various fields PAs have an impact on and the influence, confidence and compassion that PAs hold unanimously.
As much as I have the utmost respect for nurses and all that they do, my calling is to become a PA. My grandmother helped guide me to the path I was meant to follow. The versatility of the PA profession embodies what I want to do in my future. I could help the local communities through volunteering as well as volunteering around the world. My ideal goal is to work as a PA in a hospital, specifically the emergency room. Throughout college, I was able to balance school, work, and extracurricular activities while maintaining and excelling in my academics and helping others. I am confident my time-management skills, my drive to be successful, and my team-player pose will serve me well in graduate school as well as a PA
Joseph Mungai says
At times, it can feel like the world around you is crumbling, and the only choice is to take a step into the darkness and hope the ground will be there to meet you. The day the world crumbled for Bobbie started out like any other. I was completing my routine clinical tasks as physical therapy rehabilitation technician when she arrived for her weekly treatment session and sat with one of our physical therapy assistants (PTA). She had been coming into the clinic for three months now. I sat down and listened to Bobbie recount what she had been through since her last visit. She told the PTA how the day before she had been in her doctor’s office for eight hours running tests. The doctor informed Bobbie that she has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Upon hearing this the PTA stopped in her tracks. They shared in a moment of silence while the PTA processed the information and Bobbie fought to hold back tears. The moment seemed to last forever. When Bobbie first came in she presented with loss of muscle function and generalized weakness. Through her treatment she demonstrated improvements in strength and stability, eventually progressing from a walker to a cane. I was stunned by this news because I had seen the improvements she had been making. After about a minute of silence Bobbie smiled, shook it off, and wanted to know what the PTA had in store for her that day. That was the type of patient and person Bobbie was. She wasn’t going to let anything stop her. She wanted to be pushed and she pushed you to be better everyday.
My darkness. I am the type of person that likes to have a plan. The ground can shake and the earth can crumble, but everything will be okay if I have a plan to hold onto. There was a time in my life when I didn’t have a plan. I was lost, wandering around around in darkness, and scared. I had failed my senior capstone class and was looking at, at least one more semester of school. My classmates, those that I had started this journey with, were graduating and heading out to start the next chapter of their lives. I was left alone without a plan and without a clue of what to do next.
The ground that found me. I had a heavy burden to become the first child in my family to graduate from college. I’m not the type of person to quit, and I knew I couldn’t give up. So I made a new plan to retake my class and graduate. My mentor suggested that I look into a future that accentuated my passion and love for people. She knew that I wanted a career in healthcare and suggested that I look into being a physician assistant (PA). That is when I began researching into the world of being a physician assistant. The more research I did, the more I fell in love with the profession.
There are many aspects of the PA profession that I find interesting. A PA has many advantages that an MD or DO do not. For instance, a PA can work in several different specialties, whereas a doctor has to complete another residency to work in a different field. Even nurse practitioners tend to specialize more and have less mobility between specialties. I love learning new things and I am interested in many areas of medicine. I welcome the idea of being able to treat many different patients across a spectrum of specialties and settings. I like that I will have a supervising physician that I can consult. Working in a team and being able to go to someone if I have any questions or concerns will improve my ability to efficiently treat the patients.
The two years that I have spent working I have been able to see patients transition from their darkness and find the light and the ground to walk on. I believe that being a physician assistant will accentuate my characteristics of compassion for people and allow me to have a direct impact on a patient’s life. I was not able to directly affect Bobbie’s life, but she had an affect on mine. I will not let anything stop me, I will push myself to be better everyday. I will help my patients face their darkness without fear and help them overcome it as I did and as Bobbie did.
Abdella Anwarzai says
Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. Everyone’s life is full of decisions and it is not just that; you have to make the right ones too. I believe I made the biggest decision, I have had to make thus far in my life and that was to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant. I made the decision very late in life, while people and mostly my parents were pressuring and telling me what to do and what not to do. At first my parents were shocked at my decision, they thought, ”why be an assistant to a doctor when you can be the doctor?” The question wasn’t that easy to answer in the beginning and for the longest time, I had to just ignore them and find the real reason why I wanted to become a Physician Assistant.
Being a traditional Middle Eastern family, more specifically an Afghan family, the value of the career decisions their children make is very important; this decision was not just important to the family but also the community. They could not grasp the thought of a Physician Assistant; they thought I was wasting my time. To them the only plausible future for their children was either a doctor or an engineer. Being the first Anwarzai, to attend and finish college was a prestigious title for my family and they did everything they could to get my brother and I into the best schools they could.
My thoughts and ideas of my future have always lingered around or in the field of medicine. I was once heavily perusing a future in dentistry and one day that had all changed. Back in 2011, my dad had owned his own flooring company and was working almost every day. He never took a break never went late and never came home earlier than 9pm. Because he was not coming home his diet was horrible, he was consuming many carbs, sugars and processed foods. Being a diabetic we knew this was bad for him but we didn’t know just how bad. One day with my dad on a weekend, we had just finished at a job site and we stopped at Taco Bell to grab some food. I remember it was a hot summer day and the white utility vans AC unit was broke. So we ate and then got back on the road on the way home. Suddenly my dad had stopped and said something was wrong. I was scared and started to wonder what I could do. He pulled over and had a sever emesis episode. Everything had come out, and it was not a pretty site. After about 20 minutes on the road we got back and proceeded home. I thought he was ok after that, I though it was just food poisoning. The day was a Wednesday, and my dad had scheduled an appointment to see the family care doctor on Friday. I remember this next phase of my life very vividly. I was at home just relaxing when my mom had called and told me my dads kidneys had failed. They had rushed him to the ER that day. And I couldn’t understand why, I didn’t know that could happen, I knew you had two so the chances of them both failing would be high, right?
I was wrong, it was happening and it was happening fast. My life and family’s life had changed after that moment. My dad had a machine surgically placed in his arm called a dialysis fistula also called a shunt. And the dialysis had started the week after. I would see my dad wake up every day at 430 am and go to the place down the street where they would clean his blood. It hurt me every day to see this and it hurt me even more because I couldn’t help, I couldn’t warn him about he risks he was taking, over working and having a bad diet. Feeling helpless and hopeless was the worst feeling I ever felt. My family was distraught and everyone was calling to see how he was doing. My dad was strong he didn’t show signs of weakness he didn’t tell me that it hurt he just came home and slept after dialysis. I went to all his appointment and also even to the dialysis place down the street. I saw others lying there almost lifelessly as they had this machine stuck in them as they were just clinging onto life. I knew this was a temporary fix to a long-term problem. My parents never told me how long they waited for a donor but I know it was long. I started to become more and more interested in the treatment of this cause and started asking questions. The more I asked the more I started to research. One day I asked the doctor what he did and where he went to school. He told me his background and then told me he is not a doctor. I was surprised, I told him, “we have been coming here to you for almost a year, and you are not the doctor?” I was shocked, he knew so much and he spent so much time with us and he was not even the doctor. I was scared to ask what he was, but I did it anyways. The two-letter acronym he replied with was, “PA.” At that moment in time, I made my decision, my decision to become a PA. My dad looked at me and smiled. This guy who saved my dads life and sent him to the ER, was not the doctor but the Physician Assistant. From that moment on my dad knew the importance of PA, and I knew that I had chosen the right path. It is not just the title you have but the judgments we made and time we take to help one another. The time we spent with him made us feel comfortable and safe. Eventually, my dad received the kidney, and that was from my aunt.
The question my parents asked me in the beginning was now easily answered and I didn’t have to say anything. I chose this because I want to make the patients feel that they are a human and not just another number or case. That PA could have just ignored my dads symptoms and just told him to drink more water and the fact that he was throwing was up was because of food poising. But he didn’t he took his time and did the research and saved his life. My family and I are forever indebt to him. He is the man I wanted to be; I want to pursue the life of a physician assistant. I want to help the kids in urban and rural areas make smart health decisions. I want to bring life into this world and make sure the future generations are healthy. I had made my decision and to this day I have not looked back.
Colleen Henry says
“The time is here upon me now, like a weight, heavy pounding. Or has it Lifted? Hard to tell, the questions keep arising.” These words from Brian Emerson’s poem, “A Different Path”, resonated with my nineteen-year-old mind. It was a year after high school, and I was still not in college. My friends left to pursue their dreams, and my days were spent working in phone sales. My father made too much for financial aid but too little to assist. Anxious with the idea of putting myself through college, I considered my options. I could bear the burden of debt, or join the Navy and earn my way through school.
Although I never thought of myself as a woman in uniform, the idea wasn’t foreign. I was the daughter of a single father who made the Navy a career. Living half of my life in Virginia, Italy, Spain, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, I learned to approach new experiences with an open mind, appreciate foreign cultures, and adapt quickly. Convinced my college degree and financial stability were on the line, I made the choice to join the Navy. In the end, the decision didn’t only take me to college, but opened my eyes to a desire in life I didn’t then know I had, becoming a physician assistant.
For the next four years, I spent the bulk of my time taking orders, navigating field and basic life support training, aiding in war, humanitarian efforts, and literally earning my way towards a higher education. Days started early and work went late. There were critical missions at hand and in order to complete them we were taught to pay attention to detail, master training regiments, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively as a team. After returning home from Afghanistan, I couldn’t help but reflect on the poverty of the local nationals and the fine line between life and death that surrounded me every day. The people of the region only know a life of war and desperation, and living in their land, I became extremely humbled. Immediately after getting back to the states, I felt an overwhelming sense of confusion and sorrow. In an effort to make sense of my time spent there, I came to the realization that I desired a career that allowed me to make a personable difference in the lives of others.
Eventually, I moved forward from the Navy and prepared for an academic career. During my second year of college I came across a book titled, “The Language of God,” written by a physician-geneticist and founder of the Human Genome Project Francis. S. Collins. In his autobiographical journey through healthcare, Collins explained his discoveries made in disease genes and the desire to make a difference. Through the eloquence of his wording, I felt connected to the passion he had for healing people. Reading the last few pages, I was brought to tears of joy as I thought about the possibility of being in his shoes. When I closed the book, an innate desire to learn more about the biology of the human body surfaced from within me, and at that moment, I knew I wanted to practice medicine. On a flight, a few weeks later, I was fortunate to sit next to a geneticist from Boston University and a colleague of Dr. Collins. I was amazed when he told me he had conversed with the author at a national seminar only hours earlier. For the duration of the flight, we talked about the work being done on the Genome Project, my developing education, and my interest in the medical field. The thought-provoking interaction with this gentleman left me completely inspired. After returning home, I researched careers in healthcare and I came to the conclusion I wanted to invest all I had into becoming a physician assistant.
Early on in my undergraduate studies, I served internships with a biologics and biotechnology company, but it soon became clear to me I wished to make a difference in a more personable manner, rather than in a laboratory setting. Looking for ways to obtain exposure into the medical field, I became a COPE Health Scholar at St. Johns Medical Center in Oxnard, California. Within the scope of the program, I’ve been able to provide meaningful hands-on patient care including transfer, feeding, bathing, wound dressing, and vaginal delivery. I have rotated in telemetry, the mother infant unit, labor and delivery, and will be heading to the emergency department next. I thoroughly enjoy the learning process and look forward to being able to apply it to a physician assistant program. Having the opportunity to interact with patients, nurses, anesthesiologists, and physicians has only solidified my desire to become a physician assistant.
For many reasons, I feel that becoming a physician assistant is my vocation. Working collaboratively with a diverse group of people in the military has fine-tuned my social and behavioral skills, and I’ve grown to communicate with others by empathizing with their individual personalities in hopes of becoming more understanding. Working in a hospital setting feels natural since becoming a Health Scholar. The advice and guidance from the medical staff at St. John’s has given me confidence in obtaining a meaningful patient-provider relationship. Equally important, my military training and experience in dealing with stressors on deployment has harnessed me with the ability to make competent lifesaving decisions under pressure. To me, practicing medicine as a physician assistant is not just about seeing patients, writing prescriptions, and engaging with healthcare professionals, rather it is about providing patients with the quality care and compassion they deserve. If granted approval to the program, it would be my greatest joy to work diligently alongside a healthcare team to make sure that each individual is cared for efficiently, and with dignity and respect. Reflecting back, I believe that I have been training for this program my entire life. If given the opportunity, I will bring the motivation, determination, and teamwork skills I’ve obtained in my unique experiences and apply it to excel in your Masters of Physician Assistant Studies program.
Karen Asante says
I am really blown away by this service and am grateful to have found it. Thank you so much!
Blinding light after blinding light flew by above her as she was rushed to the operating room in her mother’s arms. The little girl’s head whipped left and right and her neck craned to see the commotion around her. Despite the warm blood gushing from from her right eyebrow, her curiosity was heightened as she watched the nurses and doctors feverishly collecting supplies for the patients lined in the hall. She did not cry, until her fascination with the emergency room transformed into fear when she was suddenly held down by multiple nurses and a sharp needle dug into her eyebrow. I was that little girl. What prompted my visit to the ER was an unfortunate fall I had while racing my best friend at my home in Ghana. Our goal was to run down the sloped parking area to the iron gate that enclosed my home and whoever touched the gate first, won. Needless to say, my face reached the iron gate before my hand did. Due to anesthesia, I do not remember the rest of my ER visit. However on that day, I got my first glimpse into the ER and developed a deep yearning to find my place in the world of medicine. In school, I pursued every opportunity presented to me that I felt would put me on the correct path. I fell off that path during my sophomore and junior year of college when I suddenly found myself with the world at my feet and very little direction to guide me. I lost my focus and motivation which unfortunately affected my grades. I finally learned to focus on my strengths rather than try to keep up with everyone else’s during my senior year. In between semesters, I took summer classes at a local community college and found that small class sizes were an essential factor to my academic success. Over the past three years, I was given another opportunity to step back into the ER, this time as a scribe rather than a patient. My unique role placed me at the heels of a different ER physician each shift. Together, we worked to accurately document patient complaints, physical examinations, test results, and more. Being responsible for producing such a crucial legal document in a timely manner, placed a lot of weight on my shoulders and served as a steep learning curve. Other than enhancing my medical terminology, it taught me how to anticipate a patient’s diagnoses based on their tests results and the importance of working together as a team with other scribes and the rest of the medical staff. Being an ER scribe allowed me to witness almost every kind of ailment possible and was truly a key part of my growth. While a scribe, I also got the chance to shadow a trauma PA. On one particularly busy day, I watched as she speedily, yet accurately, documented the case of a little girl who was just brought into the ER. From the many voices spewing details in the room, she was able to write down the most important facts while simultaneously working with the rest of the team. She kept her professional attitude throughout the whole ordeal, did her individual work well, and helped keep the process running smoothly. At the bedside, she was gentle and compassionate with each patient. I saw more and more of the bright future ahead of me with every move that she made and it fueled my motivation to becoming a PA even more. Currently, I am enjoying another great opportunity working as a medical assistant for an outstanding neurologist in his private practice. This time, I am able to have direct contact with the patients and to put what I learned from the ER physicians to good use. I am able to ask the right questions when documenting their complaints and have learned to take accurate vitals. I have also learned a lot about the field of neurology specifically, from treating seizures to managing the ugly disease that is Alzheimer’s. Even though most of the work is done by the neurologist, in the short time I spend with them, I am able to make the patients more comfortable in an otherwise tense environment. I am blessed with the gift of easily making people smile and with the rest of our staff’s help, patients who enter the clinic with fear and frustration always leave with satisfied hearts. Their smiles reassure me that I am making a difference in people’s lives. The hundreds of hours I have earned as a medical assistant, in addition to the few online courses I took this past summer, are new accomplishments that have enhanced my application for 2017. They are only a piece of my journey toward becoming the best PA possible. After a taxing several years in and out of college, I have fine-tuned my strengths, acknowledged my flaws, grown intellectually, and narrowed down my options for the most-suitable career for me. This is it. As a PA, I can continue to be a life-long learner and have the ability to find my God-given purpose in any specialty I desire. It would be absolutely gratifying to be trusted as a valuable health care provider and to be a great example and role model to those who aspire to be in the medical field in the future.
Lauren D. says
In junior and senior high school I participated in a few sports and had my share of injuries. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to be treated by several talented physical therapists including one that treated the San Antonio Spurs! I was so impressed with my treatment and the facilities that I thought that it would be a path worth pursuing for my future career. I was fascinated by the body’s resilience after injury and wanted to help others the way I had been. So I planned to study physical therapy after undergraduate school. During college, I volunteered as a program assistant with the National Association for Child Development. My job was to work with an autistic child to improve his neurological functioning. During the time I spent with the child, I became close to his mother who desperately needed a fellow team member to help with the care of her son, as well as an ear to listen. I loved working one on one with the child and forming a relationship with his mother that has extended beyond the time I was a program assistant. Because of this volunteer opportunity, I aspired for something more than just healing muscular impairments and started to question my decision to become a physical therapist. I was encouraged by the child’s mother to pursue physician assistant school, not only to guide others to become healthier because of my own struggles but to also support those who needed more than just a prescription for exercise. While volunteering is part of my moral makeup I also needed to earn money to help pay for school. Serendipitously, I started working at St. Joseph Regional Hospital as a scribe in the emergency room. I found it intriguing to learn about medicine while interacting with people who were in need of urgent care. I had the privilege to learn from some of the brightest minds as well as learned how to handle the emotions and complications that arose from interacting with people in need. I loved spending time getting to know the patients, while also listening to the doctor’s explanations of how to connect the biological dots to create a diagnosis and how all the facets of the body worked together. It was a huge step in providing the clarity I needed for my future. The period I worked in the emergency room also showed me that obesity is an epidemic issue. I saw how it caused a number of other problems such as infections from diabetes, heart attacks and joint injuries.
I also started shadowing a physician assistant who specialized in neurosurgery. I watched as she assisted in spinal fusions, laminectomies and a craniotomy. The surgeries were incredibly interesting but what really inspired me was the time I spent with her during morning rounds to check on the patients. The compassionate way in which she engaged with them as she addressed their concerns and assessed their recovery resonated deeply with me.
I am a person who takes an active role in helping people whether by being a good listener or by quickly taking action to help with a physical ailment. My goal in the future is to not only fight the surging occurrence of obesity in America but to travel outside of the United States utilizing my bilingual skills to provide health care to populations that do not have the resources. As a physician assistant, I would have the privilege to help provide health care to those that would otherwise go without.
I am convinced that pursuing a career as a physician assistant is a natural fit for me, so it is essential I explain the inconsistencies in my grades. During my junior year at Texas A&M University, my grades fell. During that time my personal life took an unexpected turn and many of the components of my life that were my foundation suddenly crumbled. My parents unexpectedly divorced and at the same time my own engagement was broken off. I fell into a cycle of taking poor care of myself and depression.
Eventually, I was able to work through it by reaching out to others and refocusing on my health and wellness. Though this time in my life was very difficult, I am much stronger now because of the emotional hardship I endured. I had people in my life that helped me through it. In turn, I want to be able to do that for others. I am passionate about health and wellness because I have experienced what happens when those two crucial issues are neglected. Since that time I have worked to improve my GPA and to gain more experience in the medical field. To that end I have taken extra classes and I currently work full time with an internist who treats many patients with co-morbidities associated with obesity while I also shadow a physician assistant who specializes in orthopedic spine injuries and scoliosis.
I hope that Admissions can see my passion for the field I have chosen and that I would be allowed the opportunity to continue to learn about medicine at a higher level and fulfill my desire to help others become heathier by becoming a physician assistant.
Joe says
Thank you, Carly, for the suggestions you made to my personal statement. Here is a revised version. Feedback would be great. Thanks for your time!
I was waiting for the first 5 a.m. patient to check in when I saw a woman slowly shuffle into the empty lobby. She was pregnant and having difficulty walking. The security guard and I rushed to help, offering her a wheelchair. Grimacing and breathing heavily, she shook her head, in so much pain she refused to sit. With the labor and delivery department just steps behind me, I turned and sprinted into their unit to alert them of the situation. Two nurses were available and we all hurried back to the front lobby, only to hear fluid leaking onto the lobby floor. One nurse swiftly took off her outer scrubs and made a makeshift towel to hold underneath the woman’s legs. I heard the newborn’s cry, and without any further warning, saw the newborn descend into the nurse’s deft and toweled arms. Now finally able to sit, the woman showed signs of relief as they wheel-chaired her, with infant in arms, into the nursing station.
As miraculous of an experience as that was, it left me with another moment in the healthcare field in which I felt powerless to help. Many such moments had occurred during my shifts in the ED triage and registration department. Often, patients complained of so much pain that they would yell and scream, but had to wait to see a doctor until another bed became available. Once, a patient was wheel-chaired into triage, showing obvious signs of weakness and symptoms of an impending stroke, and I rapidly entered the patient’s information into the system, but had to remain on the sidelines as a “code stroke” was called. And of course, even the patients checking in for head or facial bleeds had to wait – there was little I could do to help them. While all the patients I checked in and assisted with triage were given proper medical attention, in many of those brief patient encounters, my feelings of inadequacy lingered.
I want to be a PA because I want to play an active role in diagnosing and treating patients, and I admire the patient-centered care that PAs strive to provide. Because I am curious in many fields of healthcare, I also like the flexibility the PA profession affords. Special fields like pediatrics, emergency medicine, or surgery may become attractive to me in the future, and having the option to switch over to any one of those fields gives me a certain freedom I could not enjoy as an MD/DO without completing another residency. In addition, I welcome practicing medicine under the supervision of a physician, who I could consult when necessary.
Although I experienced many moments of helplessness, the ten years I served as a hospital and ED admissions clerk also provided me with many positive experiences. In those years, I had the opportunity to listen to stories from patients prior to them undergoing surgery, witness the different dynamics of nearly every nursing station, and listen and observe MDs assess, treat, consult, and discharge patients. As a result, I learned to value my position on the “front lines” as a part of a diverse team of nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and technicians – a team based on patient care and satisfaction. I hope to bring the team-oriented attitude I honed as an admissions clerk to the PA profession.
Although I enjoyed my job, eventually I sought to play a larger role on the healthcare team. As an admissions clerk, I was an important member of the team but completely lacked a scope of practice. To remedy that, I enrolled in a semester-long EMT course and obtained my license. As a freshly minted EMT, I could then obtain medical histories from patients, assess them based on my training, and administer simple medications. I finally had a scope of practice.
Important as these newly acquired skills and privileges were, it soon became clear to me that EMTs were quite limited in their patient care as well. While they serve as the backbone in EMS, their primary goal is to stabilize and transport patients to a more advanced healthcare provider. I remained unsatisfied with my limited scope of practice, and knew I wanted to become one of those advanced healthcare providers. Having evaluated my options, I know I can accomplish that best as a PA.
To learn more about the PA profession, I researched the field and sought advice from a friend who recently became a PA. I also kept my ears open to the interactions the ED PAs had with their patients, given the close proximity I sometimes had with them as an admissions clerk; they gladly answered any questions I had. My attraction to the practice increasingly solidified. The advantages PAs had over other healthcare providers became more palpable.
With a changing healthcare environment and the need for more mid-level practitioners growing, I am thrilled to help fill that demand as a PA. My extensive experience in a hospital setting, my desire to serve patients, and my ability to work in a collaborative environment make me a qualified candidate. I am excited to continue expanding the scope of my practice as a PA.
Jeremy says
Checkers was a favorite pastime as a kid. Especially fun was playing against dad and finding ways to single, double and triple jump his men. Most the time dad won, but I loved the challenge. Then, one day, I heard about chess. It had similarities to checkers, but was more complicated and interesting. I watched my father play, fascinated by the rules. As my knowledge grew, I started giving suggestions to my dad or whoever else was playing. As the strategy and rules became more clear, I started playing on my own. I enjoyed the challenge of each match, win or lose. Each loss strengthened my resolve to learn from my mistakes. No two games were the same. It was exciting to test my skills against new opponents. Medicine is my life’s game of chess. A physician assistant career will satisfy my desire for a challenging, deeply involved experience in medicine. PAs must develop a deep understanding of medicine. They must apply that knowledge in real life situations. PAs can practice in multiple specialties/branches of medicine.
I can’t learn enough about medicine. From a young age I can still remember the navy medical book my parents owned growing up. It had the staff of Asclepius imprinted on the binding. I was drawn to that book, and would spend hours reading symptom charts and disease descriptions. This curiosity with medicine eventually led to my decision to major in Clinical Laboratory Science. The Clinical Lab Science major satisfied much of my curiosity about medicine. In school, we learned about numerous diseases and the physiology behind them. We were able to correlate what we observed in the lab with disease states. We had class from 8 am to 5 pm and spent time most our time in the library studying after class. I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to just read my textbook for fun!
It was thrilling to land my first job after graduation. However, it came with a bit of disappointment. I quickly learned that a huge part of lab work was in understanding and operating the analyzers. In school we had learned the theory behind each test and how the findings could help diagnose certain diseases. My job seemed to focus mostly on getting the results out quickly with no mistakes. I discovered much of my knowledge slipping away. While it was helpful to have the background, there was a more pressing need to understand the analyzers and to mass produce test results in a short period of time. Certain areas of the lab required more hands on critical thinking skills. I was drawn to microbiology and blood bank for these reasons. Yet, there was still something missing. I never talked with or saw the patients. I didn’t observe the results of treatment. I wanted to be involved more extensively with the patient from diagnosis through treatment. I was only watching part of the game being played from a distance.
Each chess opponent had their own strategies and skills. There were lessons learned from each one. It was gratifying testing my skills against new opponents which made the experience that much richer. The same holds true for PAs and their opportunity to practice in various specialties. I’ve seen the wide scope of practice that PAs can become involved in. In my current job, the clinicians who work full time in the ER are all physician assistants. There are no doctors working along side them. I also met a PA while shadowing a dermatologist. She had worked in the ER for several years and decided to switch to dermatology for awhile. Currently, I am shadowing a PA who works in family practice. There are all kinds of opportunities to find the perfect niche for any PA. I look forward to such a career.
My current job is a generalist position with the added duties of performing EKGs and phlebotomy. It’s opened my eyes to a whole new aspect of medicine. Each time I walk into a patient room, I don’t know who will be behind that door. From the 106 year old man with thick round glasses and suspenders to the 2 year old with who trusts with unquestioned innocence, each experience is unique. I envy the depth of knowledge PAs possess in treating conditions of all varieties. I’ve watched as they question the patient, probing for vital information as they form their game plan. I’ve come to realize that I want to be involved with medicine to this same extent. It’s not enough to just watch the game. I want to play and master it for myself. I know I will find deep satisfaction as I pursue a career as a physician assistant.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Jeremy,
This is a really excellent essay. I love the theme and how you build on it. While you could send it in as is and impress people (except don’t use exclamation points or contractions — they’re disfavored in academic essays), it could use a bit of finessing to make it truly great. These sentences, for example, should be consolidated: “From a young age I can still remember the navy medical book my parents owned growing up. It had the staff of Asclepius imprinted on the binding. I was drawn to that book, and would spend hours reading symptom charts and disease descriptions” — you don’t want to lose your readers in the minutia of your childhood. I’d edit them as follows:
“From a young age I was drawn to my parent’s Navy medical book — the staff of Asclepius imprinted on the binding, and would spend hours reading symptom charts and disease descriptions.”
The only other thing is the fourth paragraph. It’s jarring because there’s no transition. You need an opening sentence like the one mid-paragraph: “In my current job (then put what it is to ground us in the story) , the clinicians who work full time in the ER are all physician assistants.” That gives you the opportunity to get to chess again, although you’ll need a few words to lead in to the sentence. You’re a good writer and will figure out a way to do it!
Hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
fernanda plascencia says
April 3rd 2012, was one of the worst days of my life, the day my fiancé Cesar was diagnosed with stage III lymphoma. He had gone in to get surgical repair of an inguinal hernia. It was a Tuesday afternoon, I was at school when I got a call from him telling me he wasn’t going to be having surgery that day, and in his voice I could hear that something was wrong. I insisted he tell me what happened but he wanted talk with me in person. I immediately left school to see him, the ten minute ride seemed never ending, my stomach in a knot and my hands shaky. When I finally arrived at his house I sat in the car, scared and nervous for what he was about to tell me. I walked into the living room, which seemed gloomier then ever, in the corner I saw his mom and brother holding each other sobbing. My body tingled and was filled with emotions as I looked at Cesar, I hugged him tight as he whispered to me “I have cancer.” I hugged him tighter and cried endlessly. I felt so helpless, I saw such vulnerability as I looked into his eyes and in that long silence my desire for a future as a physician assistant strengthened.
Cesar battled cancer for nine long months before he was declared cancer free. Being by his side during his difficult journey taught me so much. I learned to be compassionate and sensitive to his needs not as my fiancé but as someone who was going through a physical and emotional roller coaster. I learned about the misconceptions that exist within my own culture and the lack of health education within my community. These learnings have reassured my desire to use my background as Latin woman to help improve racial and ethnic health disparities.
There is a great and increasing amount of diversity in our country however, this diversity brings challenges on how we can deliver culturally competent healthcare services to patients which will allow them to feel understood and like their needs are being met. It is our responsibility as a society to deliver health care providers that can effectively meet the cultural, social and linguistic needs of our communities.
It was while I shadowed Eileen, a family practice PA at a community clinic, where I saw the impact a culturally competent health care provider can have on their patients and their community. During one of my shadowing visits I met Margarita, one of Eileen’s long time patients. Eileen explained to me that she had been seeing Margarita for over 10 years and that Margarita has followed Eileen around throughout her career just to be seen by her. I was impressed by the relationship they had built with one another. Margarita traveled over an hour for her appointment with Eileen and I could clearly see why. Their interaction was fluid and genuine, like that of a 10 year friendship. As I watched them fill each other in, I could see the gratitude in Margaritas eyes towards Eileen for being present in the moment and having the ability to comprehend all of her concerns. At the end of Margarita’s visit she gave Eileen a warm hug good bye, a hug so true that it warmed me too and in that moment I too was grateful to Eileen for being culturally understanding and for the genuine care she expressed towards Margarita.
That moment gave me perspective and taught me that health care is more than just a science, it is about being present in the moment during those fifteen minutes you have with your patient, having a true and genuine interaction, and most importantly the ability to understand your patients needs. I strive to be a PA that can deliver culturally responsive and compassionate care. Whether you are the patient or the provider, we are all human and we all want to be heard and understood. While shadowing Eileen, I not only gained a deeper understanding about my future as a PA but how I can further serve my community and help bridge a gap in our existing health care.
My desire to become a physician assistant has been strengthened by unforgettable patients as well as personal experiences. I am eager to advance in the medical field and become a PA that will have a meaningful impact on patients’ lives.
Youa says
My heart is pounding out of my chest, the more I walk the louder the pounding becomes. Breathing is getting hard to do, my heart continues to beat faster, then my sight becomes hazy and I collapse. When I awoke I was told my hemoglobin levels were below normal and with every blood drawn the levels continued to drop. At the age of 22 I never thought anything, especially my health, would prevent me to live my life. I felt my life came to a pause. As a patient it was daunting and scary not knowing if I would ever be able to walk again without losing my breath or the least, be able to feel the breeze outside again. All I could think about was when would this nightmare end.
Being a patient I had many physicians: a primary care physician assistant, hematologist, nephrologist, and a rheumatologist. My primary care physician assistant was unlike any other health professional I met before, she was the first person to recognize something was abnormal with lab work and the last person to continuously check-up on me. Lupus was the true culprit, the anemia was secondary to lupus. With the other specialist physicians, they were quick to resolve any associated problems with my condition and soon left, my interactions were so short I could not recall their names. Being a patient I felt I lost a sense of my identity, I was no longer this young strong, independent, thriving woman. Instead I saw the long sad faces I received from my family and hospital staff, like when you hear someone has cancer. I know my physician assistant went above and beyond to ensure I received the best care or else I would have never known the root of my condition. It was because of my primary care physician assistant I survived and was able to find my identity again.
I knocked on the door before entering and was greeted with a soft “Good morning,” Agnes replied. As a rehabilitation technician I helped Agnes get dressed and ready for therapy. I remember putting on her socks because she had a spinal cord injury and bending was one of her restrictions. Her foot were as cold as ice and I saw the wrinkles under her eyes as she smiled at me. “Would you like anything else before we leave for therapy,” I asked Agnes. “No, thank you sweetie. The sooner I get better, the sooner I can get home to walking my dogs again.” I am reminded daily of the individuals I help to ensure they will regain their sense of identity once again to live their lives to the fullest, just like myself when I was a patient. I have also spent many hours volunteering and observing in senior living, primary care, and hospitals. From all health professionals physician assistants stood out the most to me because physician assistants spent the most time with their patients and I believe, the most influential in determining a patient’s progress. They are most versatile to new situations and very knowledgeable to different specialties. In addition, physician assistants have the ability to learn about their patients as individuals.
Growing up I witnessed the shortcomings of being an underprivileged Hmong child. My parents sought asylum as immigrants from Laos shortly after the Vietnam War. Because my parents immigrated from a third world country they lacked access to healthcare, resulting in little knowledge in health. Growing up my family visited the doctor, at most, once a year if we were sick. I remember waiting in long lines at the clinic to see available healthcare providers because my parents could not afford health insurance. Every individual deserves the same care no matter their social economic status, every life is precious. My mom is a diabetic but did not seek a primary care often because of her little knowledge of diabetes. In Hmong the translation for diabetes means high blood sugar, but my mom did not believe she had it as she would say, “I don’t eat sweets”. Hmong’s diet are primarily comprised of white rice. Because of the knowledge I learned in undergraduate studies I urged my mom to seek primary care and currently has her diabetes under control with diet change and medication. My mom has a different perspective than previously because the physician assistant is patient with my mom due to cultural views, language barrier, and little education my mom has. From my mom’s experience, I knew my pursuit of becoming a physician assistant solidified as I wanted to work with underprivileged individuals such as myself and my family.
We each seek to continue our identities whether it is a young college student striving to complete college or an elderly simply wanting to walk her dogs. Sometimes our identities are lost or even stolen from because of an illness. But it does not matter who we are or where we live each of us strive for a quality of life, to find a purpose and meaning. To be a part of this process to help an individual regain their everyday life would be most meaningful and rewarding.
Alana M. says
August 10, 2010 is the date that solidified my decision to be a physician. The date is significant to me because it is the day my grandfather died after being involved in a minor car accident. He lived in a third world country and sustained minor injuries, however due to the poor healthcare system, he passed away because there were no hospital beds available, and he was not admitted to the hospital because no one deemed his condition as serious enough to receive immediate treatment. Had he gotten the necessary tests and evaluations, he would be alive today. This scenario is commonplace in developing nations like Jamaica, where people die needlessly, because of the lack of basic medical services that patients in even the most impoverished communities in North America and Europe take for granted. It is not unusual for patients to wait all day to see a doctor, and leave the hospital without having seen anyone. Millions of deaths in developing countries can be prevented by access to basic health care, and it was on that day that I knew that I wanted to make a difference in the world by providing people with high quality, compassionate care, through a career in Family Medicine. My lifelong goal and passion has been to help people. At an early age, I developed qualities such as determination, diligence, responsibility and organization, as I was the eldest of three children in a single parent home, and had to take care of my brothers while my mother worked. I chose Family Medicine because I value building relationships with patients, and seeing them through different stages of their lives.
I have been able to connect with patients of all ages during my rotations, and they were able to talk to me about their concerns, not only those regarding their health. During my Family Medicine rotation, I met a young woman who had been diagnosed with cervical cancer but after treatment and lifestyle changes, was in remission. She had come in for a routine checkup and over the course of our interaction, shared her story with me and encouraged me to let nothing stand between me and my dream to become a doctor, as she did not let a cancer diagnosis hinder her from living her life. I met a teenaged girl during my Pediatrics rotation, who had been complaining of abdominal pain of a few weeks duration, with seemingly no trigger. After all the necessary laboratory work, everything came back normal. When she came for a follow up she was in tears but would not say why. The doctor stepped out for a moment, and she told me that she feared she may be pregnant, but did not want the doctor to know since she had known him since she was a child. I was somewhat surprised that she confided in me, as it was only her second time meeting me, maybe because I was closer to her age, but I was happy to know that she felt comfortable sharing with me. I hope to provide all patients with the sense that they can trust and confide in me with any concern they have, and to create an honest environment.
Family Medicine is a field that requires diligence as it encompasses almost every area of medicine. Diligence is a trait that was instilled in me at an early age while growing up in Jamaica. The school system in Jamaica is one that does not allow students to become lazy or fall behind in their work, and at the age of 9, I recall having to complete 300 test questions each night, in Math, English and Social Studies, in preparation for exams. This fostered discipline and industriousness in me, that has grown stronger over the years and that I will put in to practice as I go further in my career. I have used these skills in many areas of my life, including my time in medical school when I organized an on campus clinic, which provided free services to members of the community once a week. I enjoy challenging myself, and although medicine is an arduous career, I know that it is enormously gratifying. During my career, I plan to work in and volunteer in underserved countries, as I realize the need for quality healthcare is often lacking in these places.
I hope to become a part of a Family Medicine residency program dedicated to education and refinement of clinical skills, which will help me to provide patients with the best care possible. I would like to be a part of a team, where physicians and residents build each other up and work together to become better doctors. It is my desire to use my organizational skills and diligence to make the best use of my time throughout my residency so that I spend my time productively and efficiently. Family medicine will be challenging due to its breadth, however, I believe that my upbringing and life experiences have well equipped me to excel in this field. There is no other specialty where one can deliver a baby, perform colonoscopies, give immunizations, counsel about women’s health issues and care for the elderly in one day. This is something that excites me and that I look forward to during my residency and throughout my career.
Patricia says
I’m aware that I am over the maximum limit of 5,000 characters and spaces, that’s why I’m here for your feedback! I know a lot of things could potentially be cut! Please be as critical as you need to be! I am tough and take it as constructive criticism!
When I was younger, I jumped at every opportunity to try a new sport. I put my skills to the test for each sport. I found soccer, running, swimming, volleyball, softball, and basketball before settling on just a few. I was just so amazed at what my body could do, and eventually I also discovered things my body did not want me to do. I had excelled in track and cross-country for three years before my calves decided they had had enough. I spent a year in physical therapy in hopes that I just needed to work on mechanics. When the physical therapy failed, I went to the Andrew’s Institute in my hometown where I was eventually diagnosed with chronic (exertional) compartment syndrome. After surgery, I spent even more time in physical therapy and truly became interested in the medical field.
Eventually it was determined that strict running was not good for me. I began focusing on soccer and excelled in it as well. Unfortunately, during my senior year as Co-Captain of the varsity soccer team, I tore my right anterior cruciate ligament, medial meniscus, and lateral meniscus. That meant another trip to physical therapy. Honestly, I was devastated that my high school soccer career was over, but I was also excited to get back into physical therapy. I craved more knowledge about the anatomy and physiology of the body that I just could not get from textbook readings. My physical therapy clinic was like a hands-on lab and I was inspired every appointment. After some time, I became disheartened when I realized some people did not care to do the necessary requirements to get better. I realized that I did not want to be apart of their short-lived rehabilitation, but that I wanted to be there for them throughout their entire care.
Upon completing high school, I pursued an education at The Florida State University where I intended to go to medical school. I figured that was my only other option for a career in the medical field. My first few semesters of undergraduate classes were great and it was not until I hit a brick wall with organic chemistry that I began to wonder if becoming a physician was ultimately what I wanted my end result to be. But I did not give up. I was determined to pass organic chemistry and I did. I kept trekking on through my pre-med classes until I fell into another hole. Junior year was rocky for me and I felt so beat down by classes. I lost my craving for knowledge. I questioned a career in the medical field entirely. I searched for answers and eventually discovered the physician assistant profession. I felt a breath of new life that overcame me, made me dust off from my fall, and enticed me strive again.
While the coursework for pre-med and pre-PA were essentially the same, I no longer felt like I was drowning myself in classes just because. I truly felt that this time I had a purpose and I began craving knowledge again. I discovered all of the wonderful possibilities the physician assistant profession had to offer. I fell in love with the fact that I could transition between specialties, which meant that I could continuously gain knowledge throughout my career and constantly stimulate my interests. Feeling energized and bursting with excitement, I enrolled in and completed a Clinical Medical Assistant course to start gaining experience.
Now, ProHealth Medical Care is where I am today. It is a local, family-owned business that caters to clients who do not have a primary care physician or do not have health insurance at all. I work along side of physician assistants and nurse practitioners that are overseen by a presiding physician. Even though we are not necessarily located in an underserved area, the physician assistant that I primarily work with has the ability to serve as a primary care provider for those without insurance. I find it enticing that while he has a great deal of autonomy, he has a physician that he can collaborate with to ensure he is providing the best possible care. Working alongside the physician assistant has solidified my desire to pursue this path. He has given me the opportunity to shadow him and assist him in minor procedures. He has taught me various things that I cannot wait to learn in my own program one day. It has been rewarding and uplifting to work as a Clinical Medical Assistant for many clients that do not have direct access to healthcare and cannot afford it. It has given me high hopes that I can be there for these clients, just as our PA is.
Through my education and experiences, I not only discovered the physician assistant profession, but I also discovered myself. I have found that I am resilient and determined. No matter what obstacles stand in my way, I will surpass them. My GPA may be mediocre, but I can only hope that it can be shyly taken into consideration and that I can be entrusted with the chance to attend a PA program. I know I deserve it and I truly believe that I have proven my capability and motivation after refocusing my goals. I am ready to take the next step towards providing the highest quality care of which I am capable. After years of trying to find the best career path, I have finally found the one I want and I will not give up until I get there.
Jocelyn says
I have a thick skin so be as critical as you can be. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!! Thank you again.
“Sana, sana, colita de rana; si no sanas hoy, sanarás mañana.” It means “heal, heal, little frog’s tail, if you don’t heal today, you’ll heal tomorrow.” My mother used to sing this Spanish children’s rhyme to me whenever I got hurt, and as an energetic and hyperactive kid she sung it to me often. I would get scrapes practicing karate, burns baking a cake, or bruises playing volleyball. The activities were meant to help my boundless energy and yet despite them all it was the aftermath of these activities that would keep my attention; the scrapes, cuts, and bruises. Curiosity always took over and I began to wonder what could be done to heal my injuries. Do I need an ice pack? Band-Aid? A children’s rhyme? Regardless of the injury, I knew that I would always recover and that fact fascinated me, ultimately leading me to pursue a career in medicine.
As a graduate of the University of California – Irvine, I studied a variety of subjects including physiology, ecology, evolution, microbiology, and anatomy. My thirst for learning in these areas pushed me to explore clinical aspects of medicine and I sought a position as an emergency room volunteer. It wasn’t until I volunteered at the St. Joseph Hospital of Orange that my desire to become a physician assistant (PA) solidified. As an emergency room volunteer I had the opportunity to shadow a PA. One moment that stands out in particular was when he dealt with a patient with a large abscess on her right armpit. Maintaining his professional calm, the PA carefully started the procedure and soon asked me to assist. I jumped at the chance, nervous and tense at my first time actually working with a patient. I did my best to emulate the PA’s attitude and watched as he finished the procedure. I couldn’t help but admire the PA and note how the success of the procedure not only relied on the wide variety of medical skills of the PA but also his attitude. The ability to be calm, courteous, crack jokes, and inspire these feelings in your patients and coworkers is something I deeply respect and hoped to achieve. That same PA suggested that if I wanted to gain more experience with direct patient care with patients, I should become an EMT.
As I started working as an EMT alongside the Santa Monica Fire Department, I was excited to go on calls and demonstrate, mostly to myself, what I am capable of. It was during my first critical medical call when I was truly able to see what that would entail. A call went out for a 68-year-old female with an altered mental status. Upon arrival at the patient’s residence, I immediately noticed her pale skin, sweating, and confused expression. The patient’s vitals were within normal range but my gut feeling told me otherwise, due to her staring at nothing in particular. While en route to the hospital, the patient suddenly displayed a glazed look to her right side and eventually became unresponsive. Her blood pressure decreased, respirations became minimal, and her heart rate skyrocketed. As the paramedic began intubating the patient, I took on other responsibilities: spiking an IV bag, placement of 12 EKG leads, obtaining vitals, and so on. The paramedic handed to me the bag-valve-mask and with no hesitation, I took the bag and began ventilations. Once we arrived at the hospital and patient care was transferred, I was finally able to take a deep breath and stretch out my cramped hands, knowing I trusted my instincts and medical knowledge, doing all I could to assist in saving the patient.
I am glad I followed the PA’s advice about becoming an EMT as I am more confident in myself and my patient care skills. As I continue to develop my abilities and knowledge in the field, my interest in medicine only continues to flourish. After working for almost a year, I still love taking the initiative to help sustain a patient’s life and the feeling of accomplishment that comes when patients’ express their gratitude for our services.
I found that the PA profession has many advantages that the physician profession does not. The versatility in my education and healthcare experience is more in line with that of a PA, who has the ability to transfer their expertise and skills from one specialty to another. The frenetic pace of PA life and the versatility of their skill set connects me to my childhood of ever rotating activities. My experience as an EMT has further served to reinforce the notion that managing large skill sets is something I excel at, as well as something I am thoroughly engrossed by. While my interest lies mainly in emergency medicine, I am someone who is interested in all aspects of medicine and being a PA gives me the flexibility to work in other specialties. I want to utilize my current and future medical knowledge and experience to educate, advocate for, and treat my patients to the best of my ability. Whether I was inspired from my cuts and bruises as a child or a simple children’s rhyme, I can not wait to continue on my path to become a PA.
so young choi says
Any type of help is greatly welcomed! I love getting encouraging words as well as harsh critique 🙂
Amy huddled in the corner of the room, screaming and hitting her head repeatedly. Saliva spewed out the corners of her mouth as her eyes frantically danced about. Having briefly glanced at her history, I knew that she had been diagnosed with autism and severe mental disability as a toddler. I approached her in a calm and gentle manner, eventually managing to get near enough to slowly embrace her in an attempt to placate her fears. Her sobs turned into small whimpers, her hand stroking my arm in a repetitive manner. I was filled with an immediate sense of reward as I realized that as a mere volunteer I had provided relief and comfort to a patient in her time of
distress. This feeling was further amplified as I continued to help the physician during Amy’s annual physical; by using the rapport I had established with her just a few moments prior, I was able to keep her calm throughout the rest of the examination. Moments like these, in which I could be of direct service to a patient and feel an impact, helped pique my curiosity for a profession in the medical field. I knew I wanted to pursue a career in which I could provide quality care and ensure patients’ safety, and was excited to explore the many avenues available to do so.
In order to expand my knowledge of the many different types of healthcare professions, I interned as a Clinical Care Extender (CCE) at St. Mary Medical Center. My experiences there helped me to gain extensive exposure to not only the myriad of different illnesses and injuries people were afflicted with, but also the vast team of medical professionals who worked tirelessly to combat them. One such experience was when I learned to work as part of a cohesive team during an emergency situation. One evening, as “code blue” rang loudly from the speakers I found myself waiting in nervous anticipation amongst other medical staff to assist an elderly male stroke patient. The EMT who brought the patient in quickly stated the patient was found unconscious on his bathroom floor for an unknown amount of time. The PA sprang into action and quickly asked the nurse to insert a ventilator tube into Hector’s mouth. He swiftly and deftly proceeded to perform CPR as the other staff and I readied the defibrillator. The rush of adrenaline helped me steady my racing mind and shaking hands as I pumped Hector’s chest, hoping for any signs of life.
I wish this story were a triumphant memory in which the patient recovered but like far too many other stroke patients, he had not been found quickly enough. A rare opportunity arose for me to accompany the PA while he informed the family of their loss. With this glimpse into the other duties of the profession, I discovered several traits required of the PA. Among those, true compassion and empathy served to create personal connections that helped to assuage the pain and sense of loss. I was able to observe this in action as I watched the PA make every reasonable effort to listen to and address everyone’s concerns before going back to report the situation to the physician- a seemingly small act on the PA’s part but a great deal to the family.
Upon reflection, I was greatly humbled to have been a part of this team of professionals, working harmoniously in giving the patient everything we had; we were pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly together, each assuming different roles. From my experiences in the acute clinical and outpatient settings, the defining role for the PA seemed to be true dedication and mastery of quick decision-making. Moreover, I was inspired by the display of compassion and empathy toward patients above and beyond my expectations. To him, patients were not a number or a file, but individuals that deserved the fullest attention and care. Also, PAs have a strong sense of being able to observe and analyze the human condition.
Having observed PAs in such a critical role, I am confident in not only my decision to choose this path, but also of my ability to excel in these situations. Although it was not in a healthcare setting, in prior places of employment I frequently took on managerial duties in order to keep the overall process flowing smoothly. In my years volunteering and working in a pediatrics clinic, I learned a great deal in how to interact with patients of all kinds by knowing when and what to say as well as knowing when to adapt and alter my communication strategy. Having previously juggled a demanding academic workload while also working and volunteering, I am also confident in my ability to adapt and to thrive under the rigorous workload a PA program offers.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi So Young,
Overall the essay is well done. The opening is quite engaging, but beware of overdramatizing. Leave out the “eyes dancing.” It’s too much (plus eyes don’t dance).
The conclusion is your weakest part. A conclusion should come full circle from your beginning. Instead, you end with your abilities to succeed in a PA program. The paragraph is too long (assuming it is formatted correctly here) and covers too many topics. Break it up, then write a short conclusion tying it to your opening.
I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Lieza Flores says
The earth crunched below me as I fell from the bottom branch of my backyard tree. I yelped in pain as I lay on the floor and vividly remember being swept off my feet and arriving at an emergency department in a matter of minutes. As I waited in the waiting area of an unfamiliar location, I couldn’t help but marvel in awe at the hustle and bustle of all the doctors, nurses, and patients scurrying all around me, a world I never knew existed as a seven-year-old child.
I was taken to a small, dim lit room to have a radiographic image taken of my arm. “How will they know if my arm is broken, with just a picture?” I quietly whispered to my mom. The radiologic technologist heard my question and patiently answered in terms that I would understand. Furthermore, she allowed me to see the image of my arm on the digital screen and explained the anatomy. The care and comfort that she showed during our brief interaction has stayed with me ever since. I left the hospital unscathed, with a new perception to a new bigger and unknown medical world. A world where people took care of others with such passion and a world that included magical instruments and cameras. I was fascinated and obsessed with this new found revelation, I based my life on it. This was my earliest and fondest memory of what I wanted to do in life, the vivid longing desire to pursue a medical career. Specifics were not yet put into perspective but I knew I needed to be just like the lady who took pictures of the insides of people.
I pursued my dream of becoming a radiologic technologist right out of high school and within four years I had reached my goal of becoming a certified technologist, and obtaining my beloved job. Fortunate to find a job right out of school I began my career enthusiastically, I relished in the days of taking portable radiographs in the emergency room and spending hours in the operating room with the best surgeons, this was exactly how I had envisioned my life to be.
Months after starting my new job I was informed that my grandfather was admitted to a nearby hospital with chest pain. The doctors had performed a heart catheterization and deployed stents in three of his arteries, and possibility of bypass was yet to come. Upon visiting him, I was in shock to see this once energetic, relatively healthy man in pain and possibly having a surgery that I knew nothing about. I felt helpless that I could not answer any of his questions and alleviate him of his fears of what was yet to come.
The fear of the unknown quickly prompted my research on the catheterization procedure he had and the risk factors, side effects and alternatives of his possible surgery. Luckily the stents and medication relived his pain, yet I sought to know everything on the subject and continued my research well after he had fully recovered. I had discovered a new passion, and the depths of possibilities of medicine and technology.
As my research persisted I soon learned that I could work in the cardiac catheterization lab with my credentials as a radiologic technologist, this peaked my interest. I started frequenting the lab in my hospital, familiarizing myself with possible job positions, the staff and even shadowing occasionally. I fell in love with this new found profession within my modality. Finally, a position had become available I applied and was offered the position with little to no experience. I knew this job was going to be a challenge as I was to newly immerse myself in an unfamiliar world of complex technology and terminology.
I was quickly introduced to much more than I bargained for as I was submerged not only to cardiology but also neurology, electrophysiology and interventional radiology. Within months I had acclimated and was circulating, scrubbing and monitoring cases in every room. I hit the ground running and was regularly working 50+ hours a week, it was a different environment and I was hooked on the adrenaline of the heart alerts, stroke codes, and all around emergency based atmosphere. The personal interaction with patients on the job was what enthralled me the most. The emotional and personal connections made with them and their families was the key difference of what made my new job much more special from the prior one. These connections are what defined my day, the reason I kept going when it was 3 AM, and had been on my feet for 15 straight hours. Establishing these connections and providing comfort to these patients and families under intense stress was something that they always showed appreciated for, a way to offer that glimmer of hope is what I lived to love most. Especially living in a predominately Hispanic community, there were numerous times I had the opportunity to translate for the families that had no one to speak for them on their behalf, these were the small things that meant the most to many of them. This in part validated that I was in the right field, the feeling that came over me when I saw that smile or gesture of appreciation. This was my passion and I knew that I was integral to the team.
I continued to learn and grow throughout the course of my first interventional radiology job, there were new adventures every day. Constantly growing and learning I was made aware of a new profession in and similar to my field that could help me excel in my career. A profession that incorporated my love for health care and desire to be intimate with patients, a métier of a physician assistant.
Working in close proximity with physicians and their assistants, there was a particular physician assistant that caught my eye. She worked with a cardiologist that frequented our lab, her demeanor and personality was magnetic. Day in and out she had a permanent smile on her face and was in a contagious great mood. What attracted me the most was her relationships with her patients, she had the best bedside manner with patients that I had ever seen. She showed sensational rapport with every person she came into contact with and her affability showed through her work everyday. There were multiple occasions where a patient did not want to start a procedure until they had talked to her for reassurance. I was in awe of everything she stood for and knew she represented everything health care was meant to be. I and was intrigued with the basis of what her profession was and the interaction she was able have with these patients. We developed a friendship as I began asking about her profession and she became a great mentor. She explained that her job allowed her to spend more time with the patients than the doctor could afford, as their time was much more limited. Once I was educated that I could incorporate patient care with the personalization of medicine I decided this was the job I was born to do, as a technologist I have minimal interaction with patients and this is the aspect of the job that illuminates my career the most.
A brand new seed had been planted and this was my new career goal, I immediately started school to finish my bachelor’s degree and prerequisites for possible programs. The next few years would not be easy as it was difficult to simultaneously keep a full time job and complete as many classes as possible per semester, but I endured with my eye on the prize and earned my degree. In my search for some of the best graduate programs across the country I also pursued jobs to advance my experience and expertise in my current career. Less than a year ago I was afforded an amazing opportunity to advance my career at a prestigious oncology centralized hospital. Thus I have relocated to the eastern coast where possibilities are endless, in a scenario where I can excel in my career while also pursuing some of the best programs in the country. To pursue my goals, and to achieve my dream job as a physician assistant.
As everything is put into perspective, I can truly say that it was a journey figuring out what my calling was. My earliest experience from falling out of that backyard tree to spending 7+ years in a cardiology/interventional lab and to ultimately moving across the country has lead me to be at the perfect place at the right time. My experiences have all come together as I aim to pursue bigger dreams and achieve higher goals. I am passionate about growth and, this is truly my vision for my life. I am excited for the opportunity and to begin my journey into this amazing career.
Grant says
You need to get under 5,000 characters if you’re submitting to CASPA you’re at 8,000 something. Just use the word check in microsoft word review tab, then it tells you character count.
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Lieza,
It was a pleasure to edit your essay. Since I did, I won’t be commenting on it here.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com
Grant says
“What is moyamoya?” I asked my charge nurse as I reviewed the diagnosis for Ms. P, a new patient. After she explained how it affects a patient’s cerebrovascular system, I headed to Ms. P’s room saying moyamoya under my breath a few more times, considering its foreign tone. Little did I know, caring for Ms. P would greatly teach and test me as a CNA and care provider over the next several months. Due to her condition, she was frequently disoriented and exhibited extreme emotional swings, going from intensely grateful towards me in one moment to dishearteningly condescending the next, even accusing me of wanting her to feel pain during personal cares. While some coworkers asked to trade patients so they would not have to care for her, I found myself more than willing to do so to ensure she would be cared for by someone who wanted to be there.
It was by no means easy, as her emotional swings could be mentally draining, but her moments of clarity, like when she was truly thankful I was able to feed her or able to crack a joke about politics, made it all worth it. One morning I walked into her room in a tired, irritable mood. Ms. P was already awake, and said, “Thank goodness you’re here I had a terrible night.” Her words snapped me back into my usual positive and engaging self. That moment was a culmination of my months of diligent care. It solidified how paramount it is to always provide patients with a consistent and empathetic attitude, as interactions with them can be what make or break their day and bring them joy or sorrow. Moments like this are what drive me to become a PA.
It takes many such moments to truly be comfortable with a career decision, and not long ago I was frequently thinking “What am I going to do with my life?” The question has been a fear lingering in my mind all throughout college. Thankfully fears often drive results. My journey to the answer has included exploring multiple careers, including PT, OT, public health, and more before finding the PA profession. I have volunteered in a PT clinic, spent over a year serving working towards occupational and speech therapy goals with a young boy who has autism, among others. While understanding those fields’ principles and merits will be useful in my future, they never truly captivated me. Exploring and analyzing becoming a PA has steadily eradicated that fear. During my second shadowing experience, a family practice PA I have been learning from validated my feelings that each patient interaction is a puzzle requiring critical thinking. I have been in awe at times, watching him deftly integrate patient history, body language, complaints, and manifestations to finish the puzzle by recommending lifestyle change, prescribing medicine, ordering imaging, etc. His ability to provide so much in a condensed period of time is remarkable. Post-visit discussions of what key points or techniques led him to his answer have made me eager to one day wear those shoes. Like with Ms. P, the hours I have shadowed PAs have been more of those moments pushing me towards becoming a PA.
My favorite aspect about working on a sub-acute rehab and nursing unit has been caring for a wide variety of patients, as some may be in for a few days of IV antibiotics, while others may have serious complications requiring demanding therapy such as Ms. P’s case. With this patient pool, the variety of healthcare professionals I interact with on a daily basis is also broad. I’ve developed a strong appreciation of how important teamwork and collaboration are to the healing process. Knowing that if I fail to be there when a patient needs me to help get ready for therapy could set his whole day back drives me to be efficient and detail oriented. I double check my patient therapy schedules each shift to ensure I do my part to maintain their personal schedule. Watching physicians and PAs routinely look to nurses for explanation of their patient’s normal behavior is inspiring. Advancing to become a PA would allow me to use my knowledge and problem solving skills to be a more effective and valuable part of the team.
The objectives that require the most perseverance to reach in life often require a mindset formed and solidified through personal reflection to achieve them. When my mother asked why I wanted to be a PA when I was in the early stages of exploring it, I did not have an answer I was comfortable with. Months after learning more about myself and the profession, I was able to confidently explain to her. I believe in my heart and mind that there is no worthier pursuit than improving other people’s time on earth, as time is the only resource we all have. While many routes can be taken to achieve that, I’ve found my interpersonal communication skills, ability to empathize with others, and understand science and medicine have lead me to moments that have driven me to become a PA.
Grant says
Any feedback is appreciated!
Sue Edmondson says
Hi Grant,
I really love the opening line. It’s priceless. To tie it into Ms. P, you could add to this sentence as I’ve suggested: “Little did I know, caring for Ms. P would greatly teach and test me as a CNA and care provider, and not just because of her diagnosis.
Overall you have done a great job in the essay. The transitions are good for the most part. You need one for the paragraph that starts with “My favorite aspect about working on a sub-acute rehab . . .”
You could do without this somewhat convoluted and general statement: “The objectives that require the most perseverance to reach in life often require a mindset formed and solidified through personal reflection to achieve them.” Keep things personal to you, and skip the philosophy.
Other than that and using “etc.” (never use it — be specific) and contractions (they’re disfavored in academic essays), you’ve got an excellent essay.
I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.
Sue Edmondson
http://www.thepalife.com