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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 (27th April 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
Christine says
Wide-eyed and sensitive, perched above the chaos of what makes the jungle a fight between life and death, sits a creature whose name derives from “floor lion.” A small wildly intricate being whose scales adapt to its surroundings, its erratic eyes move independently focusing on movement below. Famed by its polymorphic nature and adaptability, it can thrive in many places. I pride myself in being observant, responsive, and versatile, much like a chameleon.
It was my first week as a medical scribe in the ER, a world I imagined as big and scary—but so far it had not been so big and scary, instead I was thriving. Doctors, nurses and Physician Assistants were throwing out medical jargon, speaking a new language to me, and I was absorbing it like a newborn. I was intrigued and stimulated by the buzzing around me, the constant chaos; my new jungle.
The PA I was working with that day glanced over, giving me the look. “This is going to be a tough one,” she said. I nodded in support as I rolled my oversized computer down the hallway towards the muffled laughter in room 13. We opened the door and stillness filled the air. Anita had come in for what she assumed was vertigo, but was AGAIN being diagnosed with cancer. She had suffered through breast and lung cancer, persevered through chemotherapy, and been in remission for eight years. Anita was a survivor, but this time we knew the cancer would kill her. It was an inoperable frontal brain tumor, a cancer that would deface her personality before killing her. I have been unable to forget her vivid expression, the horror of seeing life drain from her green eyes that seconds ago filled the room with warmth. She turned to us in tears, “Why don’t you just take me outside and shoot me, it would be a more humane death.” I felt a pit in my stomach the size of a bowling ball. And honestly, I hate to admit it, but I agreed with her.
I tried to reason with her diagnosis; she must have been a smoker, heavy drinker or drug user; maybe a liar, a cheat. Why else would something so horrible happen to someone? I wanted something, ANYTHING, to separate myself from her. But as I soon found out, Anita had lived a healthy lifestyle, dedicated her life to ecosystem conservation, and raised three beautiful daughters. By all standards, she was a good person.
I remember my odd mixture of sensations after realizing that Anita would die; a dysphoric feeling of anger and empathy, but I was surprisingly hopeful as well. Her devastating diagnosis sparked a growing fire in me. I knew that someday I would become a medical provider able to change the lives of people like Anita’s; providing preventative care but also as a beacon of hope when things fall apart.
I rapidly climbed the branches of my ER jungle and soon took on the role of Lead Medical Scribe. My dedication prevailed as I gained management responsibility; hiring, training and scheduling my teammates. I became a liaison between scribes and the providers we worked alongside. My ability to speak fluent Spanish and my own cultural background—Peruvian and Chinese—often placed me as a channel of communication between providers and our Latino patients. My zeal for pursuing medicine was solidified as I witnessed the relief patients felt when able to communicate through their native tongue.
We never know who will walk through those ER doors. I have learned to quickly adapt my state of mind for each new patient. I’ve honed a flexibility that is essential to PAs working under the direct supervision of numerous doctors; to be a warm smile to the terrified child in room 8 and rapidly become an out-of-the way observer while dealing with the combative intoxicated man in room 14. We must muster through our own emotions and treat each patient objectively, resisting judgments that blind us. I have learned that although it is natural to base opinions on appearances, not all homeless men are drug seekers and sometimes 30 year olds can have aortic dissections and bleed out.
Not many people can say they’ve gained genuine appreciation and respect for life through their careers, especially at my age. Thus far, through my experience scribing over the last five years, I have faced numerous life and death encounters. I have seen countless unthinkable situations, like rape and abuse, and become a bit more considerate, a bit more compassionate.
I consider myself a rational person. That is why I pursued a career in science; I like equations that work, answers that can be explained. My experience in medicine, however, has taught me that not everything is reasonable. Trying to fit Anita’s life into my equation confused me. How could I rationalize her reality? Sometimes, life’s a bitch and bad things happen to good people. My once black-and-white outlook on how to live a healthy and full life has changed and I now bring an openness to my approach to life that I will carry with me into my work as a PA, a job that demands empathy, collaboration, versatility—an inner chameleon.
Sandra says
My co-worker rushed in through the back door wheeling in a patient whose arm was drenched in blood. In desperation, he was screaming, “Ayudenme por favor! Me duele mucho!” He was in and out of consciousness with his hand elevated up by our support. We unwrapped his hand and discovered he amputated three digits of his right hand after it became caught in a machine at work. The physician assistant, John, rushed into the procedure room, told us to continue applying pressure to control the bleeding and reassured the patient we were there to help. Upon closer examination of the patient’s injury, John knew the patient had to be seen by a specialist as soon as possible; unfortunately, our in-house orthopedist would not be able to see the him until the next week. In angst, the patient continued pleading for help. John advised the patient of his options and the patient consented to being transported to the nearby hospital for immediate care. The ambulance arrived and the patient was loaded onto the stretcher. Unfortunately, due to the mechanism of injury, I later learned it would be impossible to reattach his fingers. This man had gone in to work just as he had done so many days prior but, this time, everything had changed. He would end up with a permanent impairment for the rest of his life.
Witnessing this patient’s agony rendered me with a sense of impotence. For the next couple of days, I asked myself an endless stream of questions. Was there anything else we could have done to help? How was he doing now? The only thing I was sure of was, the next time something like this happened, I wanted to be more prepared to help. I wanted, not only to be a medical assistant and scribe at the side, but to be the physician assistant ready to render aid and direct the course of treatment.
My experience working at a worker’s compensation clinic has given me perspective into much more than just the medical aspect of our practice. Our clinic is the place that works in conjunction with insurance companies that oftentimes take weeks or months to approve referrals for MRIs and specialist consultations. It is the place to which established patients walk-in to let us know their pain medications have been denied or that they are on the verge of losing their homes because they have not received payments from the insurance company. While some patients come in for minor injuries such as knee contusions, others come in with labral tears or fractures. Regardless of their conditions, all our patients come in hoping for answers. Ultimately, it is our job to restore their health so they can return to work and provide for their family and loved ones.
Fortunately, we are lucky to have caring and compassionate providers who refuse to give up on their patients. John, the physician assistant, is the type of provider who asks patients about their weekend or favorite foods. It is his way of making them feel comfortable and showing them he is listening. Even if his patients walk in with tremendous amounts of pain, Mike manages to make them smile. Working with John has taught me, even if patients comes in for something such back pain, they may seem distressed due to an unrelated illness but we still have the power to provide comfort and support. Another provider, Dr. Lin, is one who will call the radiologist or orthopedist himself if he believes important findings are being overlooked. Dr. Lin has taught me that, even when MRI reports come back normal, patient complaints can be justified and we cannot simply dismiss the case. John and Dr. Lin inspire me to always put patients first and maintain my curiosity for learning. Together, they embody some of the greatest qualities I aspire to possess as a provider in the future.
I have chosen to pursue a career as a physician assistant for many reasons. For one, John has taught me so much about profession and has shared with me so many positive experiences about his career. He often reminds me that, if he could do everything all over again, he would not change a single thing. Ever since I became interested in medicine, I knew that one of the toughest decisions for me would be choosing a specialty. Thus, what draws me most to this profession is the possibility of lateral mobility. I no longer have to worry about choosing one specialty but know now that I can delve into many areas of interest over the course of my career. I aspire to volunteer abroad, help the medically underserved, and maintain a great work-life balance all while practicing medicine. Becoming a physician assistant would allow me to fulfill every single one of my goals and more. Everyday I am at work, whether it be scribing behind a computer screen or conducting a Morgan Lens, I dream of the day I will be the physician assistant running into the procedure room to reassure the patient that I am here to help.
Ilene says
The small stomps of my little light-up Stride Rite sneakers were the only sounds resonating from our room at the doctor’s office. My mother, sweaty and out of breath with a look of anxiety on her face, stared into the wall as we waited for the bariatric surgeon to return with her results and his next plan of action for her treatment. At the time, my mother had a BMI of 59; the normal BMI for a woman her height is around a 21. As a seemingly naive child, I realized that I had a “big mom” compared to my friends, but I never thought about the health repercussions associated with obesity, let alone super morbid obesity (for which she was categorized). I listened as the physician and the physician assistant delivered the news to my mother that she would have the option to get Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Obviously, as a seven year old child, I did not know what this all involved or even what it was for at the time. But at the same moment, I could not help but to question everything the physician and physician assistant were saying. Why would she need treatment as soon as possible? Who would be helping take care of her? When would she be fully recovered? Since then, I have questioned most obstacles and situations that have come my way. This motivation to learn from experiences and question has molded my inspiration to become a physician assistant.
Fortunately, the surgery and recovery went well for my mother and she is now fully healthy, continually checking in to make sure everything is still in normal range. Although this experience was unwanted, it caused me to become immensely intrigued by the medical field, and specifically, the physician assistant profession. The physician assistant that spoke with my mother was much more inviting and personable than the physician that we interacted with. I questioned why we only spoke to the “main doctor” for a few minutes but then proceeded to have a consult with the “other doctor” for almost an hour. This PA took the time to counsel and educate my mother and I in order to emphasize the importance of being an active participant in her care. Because of this, I felt a strong urge to learn more about the PA’s role because if I was going to go into the health field, I would want to do something that included an optimal amount of time with the patients in order to be able to witness their progression when I am involved and an active participant in their care.
Progress over time has always seemed to amaze me. Whether it be catching up with friends and hearing about how their lives have developed, or witnessing someone partially regain mobility in a limb, all forms of progression are important to me. When I was able to shadow Neurology PAs at the Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration at the UF Health Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Institute, my perspective widened even more than it had before. Although I previously volunteered in the Gait Clinic at the same center, I was now able to interact with patients for a longer duration and witness the before and after tests for Deep Brain Stimulation patients with Parkinson’s Disease and Essential Tremor. In this case, their progression was measured by their ability to walk without assistance, or simply draw a fairly straight line across a page. Many of the patients simply wanted to be able to write their grandchildren letters, a task that most people take for granted. The patients’ recoveries were not only dependent on their physical well-being, but also from the personable and passionate nature of the physician assistants. Taking the time to make their patients feel welcomed, comfortable in their care, and fully informed about their conditions and overall health are prominent aspects of being a PA, and are a major part of what draws me to the profession. These are qualities that I yearn to fully possess in my future with my future patients.
Through my experience with my mother, I have always had a sense of intrigue. Although today I am no longer the artless seven year old, I am still similar to who I was back then in certain ways. Then, I used my own background of information to figure out that my mother was going through weight loss surgery. Today, my sense of inquisitiveness and problem solving remains throughout my daily life, whether it be through my religion, relationships, or simply questioning myself. A physician assistant must question the patient when trying to gain more information about the situation, question him or herself while discussing an action plan with the physician, and question many speed-bumps along the path of their career. PAs must stay alert and ready to handle new situations that arise that may interfere with both their patients’ and personal progress. I aspire to be the active participant in all my patients’ care because I am willing to question obstacles that I will face as well as aid in the progression of my patients through my passionate and personable nature.
Briana Martinez says
I was drawn to being a home caregiver because I saw it as an opportunity to work hands-on with patients and gain experience I could apply further down the road in my career. I expected to gain clinical skills and to provide a service to patients to better their recovery or quality of life. However, what I was not expecting was for each patient to give me a unique appreciation of not only the medical side of the field, but for them as an individual and the journey they have taken through life. Betty was one of those patients. During my time working with her, we developed a care routine which consisted of transferring her to her wheelchair, carefully removing her makeup, helping her brush her hair and teeth, and guiding her into bed each night. It was very easy to get caught up in the routine to ensure I was satisfying all her medical care needs. It was not until one night when I was helping her into bed, that I noticed her gazing at framed picture on her nightstand. I knew Betty had been married, but I had never asked her about him before. She told me how she shared seventy years of her life by his side. Amazed, I asked her what their secret was. She placed her warm, delicate hand on mine, smiled with sincerity, and said, “There is no secret. When something is right in life you will do anything to fight for it. Also, never go to bed angry.”
Every night that I spent with Betty for the next year, after getting her into bed, I would ask her questions about her life and try to soak in all the wisdom I could. I stopped seeing Betty as just a patient. I began to see her as someone’s wife. As someone’s friend. As someone who had a long life full of many different experiences, good and bad, leading up to being sick and needing medical care. Even then, however, I failed Betty as a caregiver.
Sitting in Betty’s den with the electric fireplace warming the room, she napped. I grazed my hand over hers to gently wake her, and we proceeded through our nightly routine. She got into bed that night for the last time. I have replayed that night over and over in my head, wondering if I did enough. Despite talking to her each night, I never took the extra initiative to give her a few more memories out of her bedroom walls. I could have wheeled her around her house to see all her family photos or taken her on a walk outside, but I didn’t. I just did my job, and that night was no different.
During my final shift, Betty was bedridden and unable to speak or open her eyes. I sat beside her bed and held her hand for the entire shift. At 8 o’clock the next morning, I said goodbye to her and went home. The next time I saw Betty was at her funeral. I have replayed multiple nights over in my head, wondering if I did enough. I will always have regrets from my time with Betty, but through my experiences with her I grew not only as a medical professional, but as a person.
A few months before Betty passed away I started working as a medical assistant at Bexley Dermatology. My responsibilities there are to assist the physicians and physician assistant in general, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. Even though I only spend about 30 minutes with each patient, I strive to use what Betty taught me to make each individual feel as comfortable and appreciated as possible.
One of my responsibilities as a medical assistant is to numb and prep patients for surgery. One day an 8-year-old girl came in with an abnormal mole on her back that needed to be excised. As I was prepping the equipment, I could see her gripping the arms of the chair so hard that her knuckles were turning white and her eyes were filling with tears. Her mother tended to pass out at the sight of needles, so she was unable to comfort her daughter. With Betty in mind, I saw the opportunity to take my role to another level. I quickly left the room and returned with a stress ball and some Oreo’s to calm her down. I held her hand while I calmly explained what the procedure was and that she was in good hands. I instantly felt her grip relax. After numbing the area, I told her how tough she was and that I had seen burley, grown men cry more than her. She smiled and laughed for the first time since arriving in our office.
These patients and many others have sculpted my passion for becoming a physician’s assistant. Having an active role in bettering someone’s life has always been my goal. However, I used to think this meant studying hard in school and practicing my skillset to meet all their medical needs. Through my shadowing and work experiences I have learned though those factors are extremely important, they are only the first ingredients to making an exceptional physician’s assistant. Compassion, empathy, initiative, communication and a lot of passion are what transitions a good physician’s assistant into someone who can not only better a life, but change a life. I am confident and excited to get the opportunity to do just that.
Victoria Thompson says
It was a hot Georgia morning on the Sunday of my first tournament as the captain of the Georgia State Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team. We had a long day ahead of us and we were only halfway through our first game. The frisbee went up and one of my teammates was headed towards the end zone for the catch. She was so focused on making the catch that she did not notice the defender in her way. Before we could warn her, the two girls collided and fell to the ground. I rushed over to my teammate to make sure she was okay. She was delirious. I could tell something was not right. I called a timeout and helped her to the sideline. We did not have a coach, so I was in charge. She told me she was fine, but that she had a bad headache. As the timeout ended, she insisted she was okay and tried to get back on the field, but I knew better. I refused to let her play and suggested that she let me take her to the medical tent. Sure enough, the trainer confirmed that she had a concussion and should not play for the rest of the tournament. That experience helped confirm what I had been considering: I wanted to go into the medical field and help more people like my teammate. I researched my options and decided my strong leadership abilities and collaborative nature would best fit into a physician assistant role.
With over four thousand hours of providing patient care, I have developed a wide range of skills that will transfer into my practice as a physician assistant. Over the course of four years, I have taken time to work in different fields to better my knowledge of the skills needed to be a part of a physician assistant team and to ensure my dedication to the practice. During my undergraduate career at Georgia State University (GSU), I worked closely with an Exercise Physiologist in Northside Hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit. At this time, I assisted with the creation and monitoring of exercise plans to ensure safe and healthy re-entry into daily life.
After graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science I was employed as a Certified Medical Assistant at WellStar Medical Group. When I was brought on to the WellStar team, I was given the opportunity to design the first Chiropractic patient care program that is used statewide today. Once I showed my ability to execute this task I continued to develop similar programs for other fields under the WellStar umbrella. The most intensive program I developed for patient care was for interventional pain management which included medication monitoring to ensure overall patient health.
One of the aspects that draw me to becoming a physician assistant is the ability to have lateral movement across a wide range of fields. During my time at WellStar, I conducted this type of lateral movement to better understand multiple medical fields. Along with the fields already mentioned, I have experience in the WellStar Spine Center assisting neurosurgery patients with post-operative care, such as suture and staple removal. I am currently working as a medical assistant in an obstetrics and gynecology practice where I work hands-on with medical procedures. Taking time to experience multiple fields has given me a way to better prepare for physician assistant school.
Outside of my work I am very involved with the up and coming sport of Ultimate Frisbee. This new age, highly competitive sport has paved the way for me to polish my leadership skills while taking care of my personal health. I was the captain of the GSU Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Club for three years. During this time, I found an important balance between leadership and teamwork. The Women’s team did not exist when I arrived at GSU and after playing for a year on the men’s team I stepped up to start a women’s team. Although recruitment was challenging I persevered and by the end of my second year at GSU we had a full team of twenty women. The women’s team is still thriving today.
Alongside my sports hobbies, education, and my career as a medical assistant, I take time once a week to give back to my community. For over a year, I have been volunteering at the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Atlanta Humane Society on a weekly basis. Time management and organization are big factors in my ability to be involved with these activities. These two attributes are important skills to master in the healthcare field and I feel confident in my ability to do so.
My education and life experiences have lead me to the clear objective of pursuing a career as a physician assistant. I believe that my strong academic records and ability to pursue well-rounded interests demonstrate my commitment and ability to succeed in a physician assistant program. Furthermore, I have spent the past few years in a professional role that has proven my ability, confirmed my desire, and fueled my passion. I hope for the opportunity to positively contribute to a physician assistant program reputation, and commit that I will be a representative that will make the program proud.
Geoffrey Miller says
Choosing to work in underserved areas has given me many unique experiences working with the people that occupy those areas. One such individual, who was a severe alcoholic and a chronic smoker, was constantly battling his unstable blood sugar. My fellow station members and I responded to his residence at least twice a week for months on end. We all dealt with the violent mood swings, the falls, and the calls from his two children when he was unresponsive in his room. One day, my partner and I responded to the patient’s house because he locked his kids in their rooms and passed out. When we arrived, his cigarette had fallen out of his hand and started a small fire. We were able to put it out while reviving him with IV dextrose. Soon after he refused transport again which was his standard practice, I filed yet another report to child services. The agency would never finish their investigation because the patient died shortly after due to diabetic complications. To me, being a paramedic was a great career, but there was something missing.
This response has always stuck with me and was a culmination of other events like this during the course of my career. As the months and years passed, I started to feel empty inside. Having witnessed so many emergencies, I was never able to see most of them through to the final outcome. I would treat and transport to the hospital without ever being able to have an impact on the patient’s long-term care. A friend of mine that was preparing for PA school at the time I was going through medic school was always trying to get me into her profession. As fate would have it she contacted me and gave me her speech, except this time, I was ready for the change.
She talked me into attending a PA information session and said that if I did not like what I heard, she would stop bringing it up. Needless to say, I was sold. However, taking this new career path would mean a complete transformation of my academics. In my youth, I was immature, lost, and had a run of bad luck when it came to school. I was assaulted at work which caused me to drop a semester due to surgery. Additionally, the tumultuous relationship I had with my father caused me to drop even more classes causing me to earn even worse grades. Lastly, not taking school seriously was not helping my situation either. I did not take the time to understand the ramifications poor academics would have on my future self.
Leadership in EMS is standard issue. Taking control of a scene and a single patient or multiple patients requires quick thinking, multitasking, and the ability to communicate well with crewmembers and other agencies. But with all of this, showing leadership in academics is where I needed to really prove myself. When I returned to school, I spoke to a counselor and we figured out which classes I could repeat and started from there. This allowed me to demonstrate the mature and strong student I truly am and not who I was in the past. Earning strong grades and maintaining a competitive GPA continues to motivate me. Going even further, I got involved with the student community as well as my local community. I started a couple of PA organizations along the way to help others get involved in the PA career path. Moreover, these organizations gave students a vehicle to get involved in the local community. From preparing meals at homeless shelters, volunteering at food banks, and to starting the Physician Assistant Expo now in its third year, my members and I over the years have impacted hundreds of people in our local and surrounding communities while exposing those same individuals to the PA profession and what it truly means to be a physician assistant.
Returning to school meant that I could not continue working full time on a paramedic ambulance. This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make. Just getting my paramedic license was a difficult challenge. I was told by several schools that I was guaranteed to fail. The last school I applied to told me the same thing. As I walked out of the door, I happened to run into a nurse that knew me from the field. She was an instructor at the school and told me to wait. She was able to convince the director to give me a chance. Because the odds of me passing were so slim, I had to sign a document stating that I would not be refunded my tuition if I failed. In short, working full time while going through an accelerated program was not easy, but I passed. Even now, I am currently attending school while working part-time in an ER alongside several physician assistants.
What I bring to any program is someone that has lived an adult life. I have had plenty of ups as well as downs. More importantly, most of that time has been spent in the medical field treating patients in their own environments from all walks of life. This is what keeps me in medicine. Not only do I want to continue to learn about people, I want to do more for them. I want to do more for them as a physician assistant.
Justine DiPasquale says
July 24th, 1995 a 2lbs 11oz, eleven week early baby girl was born. During my childhood I visited many doctors due to getting sinus infections and pneumonia multiple times a year. The answer we received was, I have a mutation in my 77T gene making me more susceptible to infection which tends to reside in my sinuses. This was the answer I thought I had been searching for the past 18 years. Now it was just a matter of staying on top of things and maintaining my health.
It was a normal day for me at work at St. Peters Hospital. I had a heavy load of patients and I found myself constantly running back and forth with barely any time to sit from 7am until 1pm. When I finally sat down the nurse I was working with took notice that I was having trouble breating, my lips a bit cyanotic and after taking my temperature had a 103 fever. I was brought down the the Emergency Department and admitted to the hospital once again. Two weeks prior to this I had a four day stay at the hospital due to having pneumonia and a pleural effusion. This time was different this was not good. It had appeared that the fluid was still present in my chest x-ray. When the thoracic surgeon came on board to my case he had concluded that I had a empyema and surgery was required. Me? 21 years old and I need to have lung surgery? This was not the news that I wanted to hear.
Twenty hours after surgery there I was lying in a bed. Where was I? Why does my throat hurt? How many chest tubes do I have? I’m thirsty. What procedure did they perform? I want my mom. These were all of the first things I had wrote on a piece of paper that the ICU nurse had given me to write on due to the fact that I was on a ventilator. I was not supposed to wake up for 48 hours after surgery and there I was awake while still having the ventilator and nasogastric tube in. This was very frightening and very eye opening. Here I was awake a bit out of it but aware of where I was and what was going on. Being stuck with needles, turned in bed without warning, asking questions that weren’t answered, these were the moments I first remember after surgery.
As a patient care technician, one of the most important aspects of your job is to provide care to the patient and enhance their overall experience. It is very important that you communicate with a patient while providing them care. Communication is a very important not only in the healthcare field but in relationships with others in general. When I was admitted to the hospital and had lung surgery this was during the final month of my last semester of my senior year of college. Thankfully I was discharged from the hospital about a week before graduation and had been emailing with professors prior to surgery. I was able to complete some assignments while in the hospital, make up all of my assignments and finals, and teach myself the material missed so I could and graduate on time with the rest of my class. This was not easy to do but I made it through my final semester even given the circumstances.
I know that to become a physician assistant academic excellence is imperative. My first at college I was a member of the cheerleading team at the University at Albany. While at nationals in Florida I tore my deltoid ligament in my ankle and was told I needed surgery and could not participate in cheerleading anymore. As devastating as this seemed, looking back it was one of the best things to have happened to me. After this I decided to involve myself in other ways on campus. I became certified as a NYS EMT-basic and volunteered with Five Quad Ambulance Service a student run organization at the University of Albany State University of New York. I became a hotline assistant and a member of Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program. I also became a founding member and later President of the UAlbany Pre-Physician Assistant club. My senior year I started working as a patient care technician at St. Peters Hospital. Working as a patient care technician was very rewarding. I had a full schedule on my hands. But by being kept busy I was able to prioritize and work towards my future. My Sophomore, Junior and senior years are a reflection of me as an engaged student.
I will continue to broaden my experience and strive to achieve my terminal goal of becoming a physician assistant. I have experienced the pre-hospital side of care, working in emergency department, and working on the floor with patients admitted to the hospital. This has helped me come to realize that there are many aspects of healthcare that I enjoy. What entices me about a physician assistant is that the option to experience nearly any specialty. I look forward to being able to provide patients with compassionate care. The hardships I have gone through serve as a motivator for future obstacles and will aid me as I endeavor the journey to becoming a PA.
Molly Bascio says
Growing up, everyone always told me how special my mother is. Hearing this as a child was always funny to me because I thought, “Isn’t everyone’s mom special?” As I grew older, I finally figured out what all those people meant. At the age of sixteen my mother was hit by a sixteen wheel tractor-trailer while riding her bicycle. Miraculously breaking no bones or suffering more life-threatening injuries, her entire right leg was severely burned. While doctors were able to save her leg, it would never look the same or have all function restored. My mom’s leg always intrigued me; the different bumps and textures and the way I could see her muscles move under her thin skin. I quickly became comfortable in hospitals and doctor’s offices after accompanying my mom on many visits and procedures later down the road. My mom often reminds me that if it weren’t for the medical team that aided in her recovery, she would never have had the positive mindset or the physical strength to do all she is able to do today.
In my current role as a physical therapy aide, I am constantly interacting with patients who have suffered injuries that affect their daily lives. Whether these are minor injuries or life-threatening traumatic injuries, they are in physical rehabilitation to get themselves back on their feet and enjoying the activities and hobbies that once kept them going. I am constantly reminded about how a person can impact another one’s care and outlook in this position. My main responsibility is to ensure each patient’s exercise routine is being done correctly and safely, so I find myself learning about each patient’s attitude and when they may need a little extra boost of motivation. I have discovered that once patients become confident and comfortable in their surroundings and working with me, their recovery becomes more enjoyable. It is always rewarding seeing patients leave our clinic after months of rehabilitation smiling and thanking both physical therapists and aides for our role in their recovery. This feeling drives my desire to become a physician assistant and become part of an interdisciplinary team with the same goals and motive towards delivering patient care.
As an emergency medical technician in my community, I have been exposed to medical complaints and emergency traumas. In each situation, we are there to do our job on the worst day of this person’s life. I maintain this mindset on each complaint we are called to, because I believe psychologic first aid plays a huge role in treatment. One call that resonates with me was a teenage boy who was found on the side of the road shaking and hyperventilating. We began to assess to get an idea of the cause of these symptoms. All he could say was that he took a pre-workout supplement and suddenly could not control his shaking. While we believed this may have just been a caffeine overdose, this boy was alone, crying and had no familiar faces around him. I decided to hold his hand and let him know that deep breaths would help slow his breathing, and that we were on our way to the hospital. As his breathing slowed his heart rate slowed as well, and he visibly started to calm down. I knew that he felt a sense in comfort in me, and I strongly believe this helped calm his physical symptoms. A physician assistant would be able to both confidently diagnose and recognize when a patient is in need of comforting words to aid in their treatment. I believe that physician assistants have more ability to spend time and communicate with their patients to gain relationships in order to better help them treat and diagnose.
This past year my mom had to have a round of surgeries that required a lot of wound care, dressing changes, and assistance with every day functions. With my knowledge as an EMT and experience in a few different clinical settings, I felt like I was able to contribute positively to her medical care. Reminding her to take medications, changing her bandages daily and applying wound care dressing, I truly felt a sense of responsibility and commitment to ensuring I would be part of my mom’s recovery this time around. I can only say that this experience has encouraged my aspirations to become a physician assistant, feel full responsibility for the long-term treatment and care of a patient, and accept the rewarding satisfaction of changing someone else’s life for the better.
**I am currently shadowing a PA and want to include my experience doing that when I am finished in a few weeks** but just wanted to get some feedback for what I have currently. Thank you!
rachel says
When I was a sophomore in high school, I broke my finger playing softball. I know, a broken finger doesn’t sound like a lot, but this was supposed to be my season, I was supposed to solidify my position for the next three years. The season had barely started, we weren’t even playing games yet, and only about a week into practicing. I’m at third base and my coach is hitting us all grounders. The ball is coming towards me pretty fast and hard, but nothing too difficult. I had it timed perfectly in my head. It was right there at the tip of my glove so I start bringing my other hand down to secure it and be able to get the throw off quick. At the last second, the ball jumped up a little and hit my index finger right at the tip, bending it backwards. It hurt, but I continued to make the throw and just shook it off afterwards. I didn’t tell anyone, even as I watched it swell up immediately. My coach noticed the next day and by then most of my hand was bruised as well. A few days later I finally went to have it checked out.
At this point in my life I didn’t have a primary care provider; I always went to the same clinic, but would just visit whoever was available at a convenient time for me. This visit was no different, I called in and had them set me up with whoever was available. This time I ended up getting a physician assistant (PA). At this point I had still convinced myself that it was just a sprain even though my finger was three times its normal size and the majority of my hand was bruised. He took one look and knew my finger was broken but was concerned that it was maybe more of my hand as well. He took me to get an x-ray and explained it was an avulsion fracture. The ball hit me just the right way so that the tendon pulled away and pulled a piece of the bone off with it. He then sent me to an orthopedic center so they could make a mold for it and give me a more specific care plan. I ended up going back to see him a few months later and he explained to me what no one else did. He told me that fingers are one of the most difficult things to heal and that it usually takes about a year for them to heal fully. He also told me to be careful with it and that it would likely cause some pain for a long time. This really stuck with me, because although I was there for something new, he still cared enough to tell me what no one else had.
From then on, he became my primary and I would always see him. I didn’t really need to go to the clinic all that often, but when I did I would make sure it was with him. He always took the time to get to know me beyond the reason I was in. He would ask about school, about sports, about my family, everything. When I got to college, I really didn’t see him often, but when I did he would want to know everything that happened since the last time. The second semester of my second year, I went in to follow up with something that happened while I was at school. During one of my classes, I fainted. When I went to the emergency room after the event, they diagnosed it as vasovagal syncope. I wanted to go in and see him so he knew and I also wanted to see what he thought about it. Between the fainting and my drop in grades upon going to college, he thought it could maybe be anxiety. I took the test and ended up having severe anxiety. When I thought about it, it seemed to make sense. When it came to school, I knew the information and would even help my friends understand it, but when I got to the test, my mind went blank. My third year I spent a lot of time researching anxiety and while I still struggled when I got overwhelmed, I saw my grades improving little by little. This final year, I still struggled again my first semester, but my second semester I think I have it figured out. I have really found out what works for me and have gotten back to getting the grades I actually deserve.
I spent some time shadowing over my four years, and the most memorable experiences I had were with my primary. I knew what he was like with me, but it was incredible to see the way he knew everyone so well and cared so much. He made connections with everyone that came in to see him, just like he had with me. Seeing the way he was with patients made him become even more of a role model for me. I know that in my future career as a PA, I want to be just like him. Not only is he my primary and my role model, but also my friend. He has always been someone I can count on and so much more. He has encouraged me to continue in this path even when times were rough. He spent countless extra hours trying to figure out the best way possible to help me and get me through any issues. He asks about me even when other family members are in as his patients. He has provided me with motivation and inspiration through every step of this process. I had always felt drawn to the medical field, but through him I knew that being a PA was the best possible choice for me. All thanks to my mentor, role model, primary care provider, and friend.
Megan Frantz says
When I was little, I was always curious about the world around me. In kindergarten, I was the kid asking the teachers how things work and why. Then one day I discovered a subject that put my inquistive nature to use: science. I loved science because it was fascinating, constantly changing, and allowed me to expand my mind further than my imagination. Each science class brought a new world of knowledge, excitement, and change.
It wasn’t until high school that I was finally able to unite my interests in science and nature. Unlike most people who turned away from the sight of exposed organs or pinched their nose from the stench of formaldehyde, I persued the advanced biology courses offered. I performed my first dissection on a fetal pig, and was able to identify the internal organs. From that day on, I was hooked; I left knowing that one day I would pursue a career in medicine.
As a medical technologist at Grand view hospital, I interact with individuals of all ages and walks of life. This experience has reinforced my studies and fuels my desire to continue my education as a physician assistant. Diseases are no longer a list of diagnostic criteria in a textbook; they take on faces and names with tangible symptoms and lab results. These experiences have opened my eyes to a level of suffering too compelling to dismiss. Working with these patients, I feel restrained by my knowledge and skill level. The more I learn the more I realize how vast the study of medicine is, and my ardor to continue my education grows. Becoming a physician assistant is my opportunity to break these restraints and continue onward in a life dedicated to learning and service to the ill and injured.
Another experience that has helped motivate me to become a PA has been the opportunity to shadow an ER Physician. I was able to observe the doctor interact with his patients and perform examinations. I have gained a lot from that experience. I learned how to interact with patients and I noticed that it takes a lot more than being knowledgeable in medicine to be an effective health provider. Apart from the typical roles of a PA, I learned from my shadowing experience that a PA needs to be attentive, amicable, and possess interpersonal skills.
Throughout my career as a student and a caregiver, I have learned that along with my alacrity for medicine, I possess qualities that would enhance my role as a Physician Assistant. Most importantly I am a good listener, a quality that is significant in any health profession. I am compassionate for others, and possess a lot of patience. I am prepared to work hard to be the best Physician Assistant I can be, and I look forward for the opportunity to begin the next chapter of my life.
Victoria Ball says
There have been many experiences in my life that have lead me to pursue a career in becoming a physician assistant, but four stand out the most. Anna, a physician assistant I was a scribe under, the summer in Peru, becoming a medical assistant, and the death of my father.
My interest in becoming a PA started with working as a scribe in the emergency room under Anna, a physician assistant whose actions and words calmed and healed each and every patient that came in contact with her. “I am here to take care of you” is what she expressed to each patient while examining them. This made the patient feel safe and secure in the decision to come to the ER for help. Prior to this experience I knew I wanted help people, but I did not know how. From suturing head lacerations and calming a patient who is hyperventilating to placing central lines, Anna showed me how to help patients physically and emotionally.
Furthering my excitement in the health profession, I had an amazing opportunity to travel to Cusco, Peru with a medical team called Medlife. We set up mobile clinics in the poorest of poor areas in the mountains of Peru to help underprivileged individuals get the help they needed. Each day we would move to a different location and set up multiple tents, each housing a different specialty, from general medicine, to gynecology, to dentistry. Volunteers like me would work alongside local physicians to provide intricate care to patients. Even though our job was to take heart rates, blood pressure, and oxygen levels, it was different from any other clinical experience I have ever had. I learned the importance of patience, compassion, listening, and understanding during this trip then I could have ever imagined.
Part of my job at each site was to play with the children and teach them how to brush their teeth and wash their hands while the parents spoke with the physicians. The children did not know what personal hygiene was and it showed. The place where their hair met their foreheads had a line of black dirt, their fingernails were transparent and mud showed through, and their feet were disguised by mounds of brown clay. I realized that the communities we were helping needed much more than teeth cleaning or an antibiotic, but a new way to live. While I was there, I did all that I could to help them “live” better. We not only cleaned their teeth, but cleaned their homes. We not only introduced self-hygiene to the women, but informed them how protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections. This experience informed me that medicine is much more than treating the disease, it is treating the person. One lasting memory from the trip was a young boy repeating “Por favor no vayas”, please don’t go. We, medical volunteers and physicians, change people’s lives.
Another experience that influenced me to become a PA took place while I was completing my undergraduate degree. An experience that effected not only my emotions, but my education. My father was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain tumor. Within 8 months he had passed. Within those few months, grades suffered but my desire to pursue medicine grew stronger. There is no excuse for the disconnect between the two. I knew if I wanted to become a physician assistant, grades and education cannot lack. Even though I thought my life was changing for the worse, the disheartening experience made my drive even stronger.
My father passing and my grades diminishing made me realize that on top of the education that I had received, I wanted to gain hands- on, clinical experience prior to applying for PA school. Since my job as a scribe working under Anna, I knew I wanted to become a PA, but I knew I was not ready. Becoming a PA is not just another job, it is not just a step in my path, it is my life goal. For I know, to obtain my goal, preparation and hard work must be met, it is not handed to you. For these reasons, I am now a medical assistant at a urology clinic.
I have been working as a medical assistant for about one year now and I have been able to heighten my skills and gain more knowledge then I could have ever thought possible prior to PA school. Each day I learn something new and I am challenged in many different ways. Whether I am calming an upset patient, figuring out prior authorizations required for an immediate surgery, or placing a suprapubic tube, I am constantly on my toes and I love it. As soon as eight o’clock in the morning hits, it is not stop until five that evening. Patients overflowing the waiting room, doctors ordering for tasks to be completed, and phones are ringing off the hook. The clinic may be crazy, but working there invigorates me. It is hard not to become quick thinking and resilient when so many important things are happening all at one time. When things are hectic, I have learned to prioritize knowing that the patient is the reason why we are here, they are the most important thing.
While I enjoy my job as a medical assistant, I want to be able to provide a higher level of care and be an integral part of a medical team. I will dedicate my self to patient care and to serve every patient with care and respect that I have learned from each experience I have had. These four experiences are the reason I chose to be a physician assistant.
Renata Penafiel says
There is something glamorous, yet daunting about walking into a home where a death has occurred. Even in the flaming heat of a summer day, the coldness and darkness of the room can be felt as police officers escort me inside. I can hear the cries of those who loved the person that has now left their world. A dog is heard barking in the yard, frightened by all the strangers invading their home. With a camera hanging around my neck, my scene kit hanging from my shoulder and my coroner investigator badge on display attached to my belt, I feel like I could be the protagonist of a popular television show.
Leaving all my feelings aside, I investigate the death and try my best to find closure for the grieving family. I am the person they look up to for answers which sadly I am not always able to give. In the heat of the moment, radiating emotions such as sadness, guilt, shock, despair and anger are flying through the room and I am able to feel a glimpse of what is being felt by those involved. As red and blue lights flash through the windows, I am brought back to reality from my television star persona and I think. I think about the actions that could have been taken for this individual in order to prevent their death. I think about the family and if there would have been any way that they could have been guarded from all the pain they are feeling. I think about the future that this person could have had and I think about why in some cases, no one was able to save their lives.
These feelings hunted me but also gave me the desire to pursue a career in the medical field. Roughly six years after my first scene response, I decided I wanted to be a part of prevention of death rather than being there in the aftermath. After working more that forty hours a week and going to school full time to fulfill my prerequisites, I now find myself working as a patient care assistant, making febrile children smile as I listen to their small hearts beat. I am at bedside keeping company with a child that has had suicidal ideations. I am doing chest compressions on the children that may not make it one more day. I am checking in on patients and completing orders as nurses and doctors frantically run around the emergency department of a Level One Trauma children’s hospital.
Now my feelings of helplessness after a life lost have turned into feelings of fulfillment after a twelve hour shift of helping children and families get answers and cope with their circumstances. Although my responsibilities are limited now as a patient care assistant, I am excited for my future involvement in patient care.
To expand my knowledge of the medical field, I have volunteered in different hospitals; I have been part of a mission trip to an underdeveloped community; I have been trained as a medical Spanish interpreter and have I kept my involvement with my previous career path as a volunteer with a suicide survival and prevention group. After all my experiences, I believe that my future is to be a physician assistant.
Indira Sookdeo says
When I was younger, I used to always look for inspiration and encouragement by searching for quotes. Finding quotes that resonated with how I felt or what I was going through made me feel at peace and understood. I’ve constantly felt compelled to do something bigger than myself, to impact the world, and to give back to underserved populations. Muhammad Ali once said “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” This quote. This quote spoke volumes to me and since I’ve read it, has set the tone for the way I want to live my life.
One of the greatest experiences of my life has been traveling abroad with fourteen other like-minded students from my university. We were a part of VCU’s chapter of Global Medical Training. Over winter break of my junior year, we traveled to Panama to provide medical care in rural and medically underserved areas of the country. Over the course of one week we traveled to various provinces from each end of Panama. While in these provinces, we provided education, basic treatment, blood pressure monitoring, and breast cancer screening for women, under the supervision of local physicians.
On our fourth day we traveled to Chiriqui to set up a clinic as we had been doing on the previous days. On this day in particular, though, once we finished clinic we traveled a short distance to a community for house calls. Our first stop was at a home where we met two young men who were about the same age as all of us students. However, they were wheel chair bound. We found out that they had X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. We were there to assist with a routine checkup, learn about their disease, and provide therapeutic support. They shared their experience which seemed harrowing to most of us, but they exuded resiliency and appreciation that we were there.
They had two younger siblings in the home with them who were running around without a care in the world. They had a childlike and infectious gratefulness. They did, however, know that they too would most likely be diagnosed with the same condition and eventually have to live like their brothers. That day we were able to give to the family. We gave them toys, supplies we had collected before our travels, and support, which seemed like the world to them. But, they gave me so much more. They gave me a life changing experience and a new perspective.
I want to be a PA because I want to give back. I want to help others in a way that other professions won’t allow me to do. I want to treat my patients, but I also want the opportunity to form a relationship with them, listen to them, and learn from them. There is something special that we learn when we serve others who could never repay us. The capacity in which I want to serve is not limited.
I appreciate the fact that I could serve in the emergency room where time is of the essence and I can experience the true value of every moment. I could also serve in the field of primary care where I can build trust and be a part of the ever so important provider-patient relationship. I could even serve in oncology where I could encourage, support, and provide a listening ear. I want to be a PA because I want to be involved in the cutting edge science of medicine, to have the flexibility to work in more than one specialty, but most importantly to serve others and make a lasting impact.
Victoria says
The cheerful look on my aunt’s face quickly transformed into one of seriousness as she relayed to my sister and I how important our safety was in the Nigerian village of Umwumum; we were not to participate in anything dangerous as it would be difficult to find transportation to a hospital and the nearest medical center was miles away. Any trepidation felt was clouded by our anticipation in meeting a family we had only known through stories and pictures. Upon returning home, the excitement felt with the knowledge that our new aunt was pregnant, disappeared when we learned that the baby girl had died shortly after birth. A wave of shock washed over me as I realized that I would never be able to form a relationship with the newest addition to my family; the opportunity of watching my cousin grow up and being involved in her life was taken from me. Upon hearing the cause of death, I felt helpless and unable to support my family. It saddened me to find that Nigeria has one of the largest mortality rates of expecting women and children under five and that the proper attention is simply not being given to women and children in this area, with only 30% of deliveries being aided by skilled birth attendants. This loss provided meaning to my aunt’s warning and opened my eyes to the fact that this nation, with its distinct culture, traditions and hospitality, was plagued with inadequate medical attention.
It is this moment which prompted a desire to become a physician assistant and work to increase medical availability in underserved areas. This learning model educates students as medical generalists, allowing for great flexibility within their specialty and a greater ability to tend to a variety of patients’ needs. Whether there is a greater need for a P.A. in emergency medicine, gynecology or pediatrics in different areas of Nigeria, I can adapt and change my practice. Training as a physician assistant would also increase my impact on the overall health of each patient: no one condition forms in isolation as there are many contributing factors elsewhere throughout the body; therefore, having a broad medical knowledge as a generalist would allow me to treat my patients as a whole individual. These benefits are useful when considering a location which has very few specialists.
While rounding with surgical PAs in a hospital setting, I have been inspired by the level of attention and care given to each patient. There was once an instance where a patient, John, was to have a midline incision. Although this is a common procedure, the uneasy look on his face relayed his fears. Witnessing John’s demeanor become calm as Daniel, the head surgical PA, explained the procedure, I understood the empathetic side of the profession. Throughout John’s treatment, Daniel was able to develop a strong rapport with John, ensuring that he was well informed and comfortable with his plan of care. Developing a good rapport is a necessary skill which I was able to develop through a Patient Care internship where I discussed with each patient the level of care they were receiving and relayed any uncertainty to medical staff. There was another instance during rounds in which a patient, Diane, had a pressure injury ulcer on her labia. Aware that this was an unusual location for a pressure injury ulcer, I curious about its etiology until I noticed that she had breast cancer. With compassion, I was not afraid to question if the chemotherapy used as treatment was causing the pressure injuries as a side effect and saw that I had the right thinking. As a shadower, I was unable to provide direct care for the patients; once again feeling a sense of helplessness, this increased my desire to work as a PA. A career as a PA would allow me the ability to conduct histories, use this knowledge to make inferences about a patient’s condition and make use of critical thinking skills to determine the proper plan of care and educate the patient.
I have faced some difficulty in reaching my goal of becoming a physician assistant. Coming from a single income household supporting six individuals, I took on two part-time jobs while in school to supplement my scholarship. This resulted in substandard grades in my first two undergraduate years. The disappointment felt concerning my grades in the beginning of my academic career made me hesitant about my career as a physician assistant, however the upward trend in my GPA paints me as a determined, engaged student who has gained the time management skills necessary to succeed in the challenging role of a PA. The experiences which I have gained outweigh my lower GPA, and have made me confident in my decision to become a PA and should afford me the opportunity to move forward in my goal.
Stephanie says
Hello! This will be my first time posting here, but my second time applying to PA school. Thank you for any suggestions/advice!
“Donde esta el dolor?” I asked a young 7-year-old Latino boy, Hector, as he pointed to his stomach. Possible stomach pain. Groans, snoring, cries, laughter from young children, and other combination of noises can be heard from the waiting room. First day here at the Mission Arlington, a free medical clinic in my hometown, and I am already overwhelmed. I finished writing down the rest of the questionnaire all volunteers were required to ask of patients, and directed Hector to the weight scale. Ninety-six pounds. Am I reading this scale correctly? I stared at the scale momentarily in disbelief, and had an unexpected welt of emotions for Hector, for his parents, for the kids in the waiting room, and for my future kids. I had finally seen with my own eyes the childhood obesity trend that continues to be seen in America today. My thoughts were interrupted as Hector exclaimed “Can I eat McDonald’s later?”, hoping to look forward to something after a dreadful Monday visit to see the doctor.
After I lead Hector and his parents to a patient room, I looked around for a doctor to hand the questionnaire and let them know room #3 is ready. I turned around and faced a man smiling at me. Doug Blake, PA-C. Prior to volunteering here, the manager of the clinic told me I would be working with doctors and physician assistants. PAs? What do they do? Even after searching on Google what the occupation entails, it was not until I watched Doug that I had a look of a PA at work. I watched him ask questions, explained a treatment plan for Hector, wrote down some medications to relieve his stomach pain, and showed him and his parents out to check-out. At that moment I felt a surge of questions forming in my head, like guitar riffs being played throughout a song. When Doug was not busy I would unload these questions. One after another. It may seem dramatic, but after each of my questions were answered I felt I was getting one step closer to understanding an occupation that may be the one for me. Stephanie Pham, PA-C. I like the sound of that.
I am sorry to inform you…Getting rejected the first time I applied stung a bit, but I knew better than to just sit idly, and do nothing about it. I was fortunate to receive feedback from the schools I applied on what part of my application did not meet their expectations. In result, I retook some science classes that increased my GPA, hold a couple jobs involving patient care and health care experience, and shadowed a pediatrician to expand my qualifications.
As a medical assistant at Allergy & Immunology Medical Center, I provide efficient care for my patients, ranging from kids to senior citizens. Although this particular clinic is small, it has tested my versatility on different duties that need to be done from answering phone calls, administering allergy shots, perform skin tests, schedule appointments, filling out superbills, scribing for the allergist, chart patients, and much more. I have learned to develop in a fast-paced environment that requires me to be quick but thorough with my work. I collaborate with other medical assistants to make sure we are all on the same page in order to provide the patient continuous care as if we are all one person.
On the other hand, some people say the working environment in a nursing facility is “slow-paced” but the attention to detail and ensuring optimal care is all the same. Working for Halcyon Home, a home health care company, has given me insight and experience on the day-to-day care our clients need, including medication reminders, transferring and repositioning, and toileting assistance. I work with nurses, CNAs, and medication aides to make sure care plans are carried out and improved to ensure a comfortable life for our clients. There are times Amy Sweet, a PA and owner of Halcyon Home, would visit my client Mrs. L to check up on her. To know that a PA can build and grow their own practice, and emit such high compassion to our clients shows the impact a PA can put on their community.
I got the chance to shadow Dr. Worrel, a pediatrician who reaffirmed my desire to specialize in pediatrics time and time again. One day, I went inside an exam room with Dr. Worrel to see a 10-year-old girl for her annual check-up. In a routine check-up, Dr. Worrel would always show the growth curves to the parents to see how she is progressing throughout the years. Her weight-to-age percentile was 95%. I paused, wondering how he would address to her mother that she is classified as “obese”. “So your daughter is on the 95th percentile on this growth curve, but here are some things she can do to get down to this percentile here”. No words of obese, overweight, heavy, or large were used by Dr. Worrel. He used neutral words and proceeded with not criticizing or lecturing the mother, but encouraged healthy lifestyle behaviors that can be obtained by achieving small changes day by day. The young girl sitting on the exam table reminded me of the young boy Hector in my past, facing the same hardships. By being a PA in the pediatrics field, I can be that person who helps kids and their parents understand the importance of and actually implement healthy lifestyle behaviors. Through education, effective communication, and my emotional connections with the children and their parents, they can get the push they need to take on steps towards a longer life. I want to make their visits to a PA as worthwhile for them as it will be for me to see their kids leave the clinic with a happy face.
In these past couple of years, I have taken advantage of every opportunity to maximize my time and efforts in preparing myself to be the best health care provider I can be. When I tell people I work two jobs, they gape with astonishment and worrisome that I am working too much but I do not feel overworked at all. My two jobs plus shadowing have provided me countless experiences, skills, and lessons that I can never replace. I am confident that I will be able to complete any program’s curriculum with tenacity and hard work to become the PA I am meant to be.
Stephanie Pham, PA-C. It still has a ring to it!
Katrina says
For me, it started in an OR. I was 17 and shadowing an orthopedic surgeon for the afternoon as part of an after-school program for students interested in pursuing medicine. A woman brought me to the surgeon as he was scrubbing in for an emergency surgery. “Well you’re in for an exciting day. This guy was just hit by a bus.” At that moment, my eyes widened and where most people might feel fear or anxiety, I felt excitement and thrill. Scrubbed into the OR, surrounded by sterile drapes, drills, a surgeon, a PA and nurses, I knew this is where I needed to be for the rest of my life. “Get as close as you want just don’t touch the blue drapes,” the surgeon shouted to me over the hum of his bone drill. Watching how this team worked in perfect sync to repair this patient’s horrific injuries gave me insight into how integral each of them were to the process. Everyone had a job to do and they had working together down to a science.
I always thought I would go to medical school. It was not until my last semester of college when I realized all that physician assistants do. Once I discovered how they work autonomously and collaboratively within a team of healthcare professionals to treat patients, I was intrigued and knew that this was the path for me. I could never decide on a single specialty of medicine that I wanted to pursue, and the fact that PAs have the flexibility to practice almost any specialty is particularly enticing. During an internship at a health clinic my last semester of college, I had the opportunity to work alongside nurse practitioners and was like a medical assistant to them. It was here that I realized how important patient interaction was to me. I really enjoyed talking to the patients while taking their vitals and histories. Also, I often found myself trying to diagnose them in my head before I talked to the NP about their reason for visit so I could give them my idea of what could be wrong with the patient. I realized how much I longed to be able to figure out these “puzzles” on a daily basis. The ability to diagnose and treat patients while also spending more time with the patient is what drew me in to the PA profession. While physicians spend much of the time with paperwork and other duties, PAs are in a room with a patient treating them while remaining calm and improving the patient care experience.
From my internship experience I learned a great deal about patient care. The clinic I worked with saw free clinic patients as well as tenured professors from my university. I was able to experience a very diverse set of patients on a daily basis, which provided me with the skills of how to deal with any patient that walked through the door. I created a myriad of resources for women that the clinic uses at free clinics across the state of South Carolina. Working with such a community oriented group of practitioners provided me with insight into the importance of giving back to those in need and providing medical care to everyone who needs it. I learned a lot about community, teamwork, health literacy, cultural sensitivity, and how to treat everyone with equal respect no matter their circumstances. Even though this was my first experience with hands on patient care, the unique setting and opportunities presented to me at this clinic gave me a wide array of experiences within a few months.
As a PA I know I will have endless opportunities to experience that same feeling of excitement and thrill I felt that first day I stood in an OR. I know I will be able to focus on each patient that comes into my care and give him or her the best experience possible. I know I will be able to help those in my community who cannot help themselves. Becoming a PA to me is a dream that I must fulfill to quench my thirst for a life full of meaning, challenges, and knowledge. Working with people from all different walks of life and aspects of medicine will provide me with constant learning experiences to make myself a better person, and a better PA.
Hannah says
When I was 9 years old, I watched as my mother’s best friend had a seizure at the mosque on a Thursday night. No one knew how to help. When I was 12 years old, my brother cut his arm after accidently punching his hand through a glass window. No one knew how to help. When I was 16 years old, I witnessed a young man bleed to death in his car after driving off the road while I visited Iraq. No one knew how to help. When I think about wanting to be a physician assistant (PA), life experiences like these come to mind. Yes, watching someone I knew or loved undergo pain was difficult, but the feeling of powerlessness and helplessness was far more upsetting. It was not a surprise then, that when I looked for my first job, I was seeking an establishment that would make me feel powerful and provided me with an opportunity to help others. After a week of searching, I found a volunteer position as an optometric technician in a small optometry clinic. I was unsure about the job because it was unpaid but the job description stated, “a great way to help and give back to the low-income community.” I decided to take it.
At first I started this position with only measuring the pressure of patient’s eyes and conducting a pretest before their eye examination. Not too long afterward, the supervising doctor gave me more responsibility such as performing dilation, patient education, taking patient history, and more because she saw my passion and excitement around the patients. This served me well because I soon realized this was the perfect field for me. Sure, I was not dramatically changing the lives of the patients but I was part of a team that was making their lives just a little bit better. One day, near the end of an exhausting shift, a 5-year-old boy came into the office to pick up his first-ever pair of glasses with his mother. Once I placed them on his ears, the biggest smile spread across his face and he started running around the office saying “I can see! I can see!” It made everything worth it.
It was not long after this job that I heard of the PA profession from a friend who was interested in the field as well. I soon immersed myself in research about the field and general responsibilities and knew this was my calling. The road to PA has proven to be tough however, as I am the first in my family to apply to graduate school and pursue a degree in medicine. My mother and father escaped Iraq in 1991 during the Gulf war and never obtained a college degree. We spent a majority of my childhood moving from states like Iowa and Michigan until we finally settled into a small city called Sunnyvale in California. With a family of seven living in Silicon Valley, we only survived with the assistance of welfare and community organizations.
During all of this, it felt almost impossible to focus on school work and I felt as if I did not have the guidance or resources to do well.
It is for this reason that I believe I placed in remedial math in my freshmen year of college. I did not understand the importance of the placement test and always lacked assistance in this particular topic. My parents did not have the time to help me with this struggle, so my school work was affected. However, I soon learned that the only way I could feel powerful and help during hardship was by getting a medical degree and working in a job similar to an optometric technician. So, I buried my head in school work and spent the rest of my college career working endlessly to become a PA.
Being a PA is the best profession for me because I will gain the skills to treat a helpless individual. I would know how to help my mother’s best friend during one of her episodes or assist my brother when he cut his hand. Maybe, I would have been able to save the man in Iraq. Moreover, other medical professions like doctors or nurses do not appeal to me because they do not have the opportunity to treat patients while forming a personal connection. When I was an optometric technician, the supervising doctor asked why I did not just become a doctor since I wanted to work in medicine and the answer is clear. I am not concerned with money or title. I am not concerned with boasting about my accomplishments. I am concerned about having a career that will give me the means to take control and give care to the best of my ability. Being a physician assistant will give allow me to help the less fortunate. It will allow me to give back to the community. It will even allow me to put a smile on a five-year-olds face and send them running around the room in good health!
SKyler says
When Marcus (name has been changed) went to bed that night he didn’t imagine that the next morning he would wake up and not be able to move his left leg or left arm. Marcus suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on his left side. He told me when I was with him that he felt like all hope was lost. He said he was in his room at the rehab center and would just cry and cry wondering how this could have happened to him. He didn’t know what he was going to go. He told me that this was one of the lowest moments in his life. He said the only thing that got him though this time was another patient at that care facility named John (name changed). He said each day John would come into his room and check on Marcus. He would ask him how his day was and talked about their hobbies and share stories from their past. Marcus said these visits from his new found friend are what kept him going while he was there at the care facility. I met Marcus a few months after he suffered his stroke when he became a client of mine while I was a CNA. I would go to his house multiple times a week to help him shower, dress, eat and also go there to help him regain his strength. Marcus was determined to walk and I was determined o help him. We would walk around his block every time I went. First it was with a walker and only a few steps with a brace. The first few times it took awhile to get around the block but soon he was doing it in half the time. He loved seeing his progression and how happy it made him feel. He was defying the odds and I felt very special to be apart of that. It has been moments like these and countless others that have helped me realize that one of the best rewards in life is seeing someone progress whether that be physically, mentally or spiritually and knowing you have played a small part in it.
This is one aspect that has drawn me to healthcare and especially a physician assistant. It is a profession where each day you can come home and feel like you did something to better someone’s life. Ever since I have been working as a C.N.A I have loved going to work each day. Whether that be early in the morning or late in the evening I love going to work. I love seeing the smile on my clients faces when I walk into their room knowing that I am going to be their caregiver for that day or coming back from vacation to receive a hug from a client who calls me his number one bath guy. One of the most important lessons that I have learned while being a C.N.A is that human beings are still human beings and need to be treated that way no matter what their race, financial status, mental ability or physical ability. They deserve quality professional care. This is something that I have made sure I exemplify with all my interactions with patients and clients. I have loved all of the people I have worked with and most of the time I walk out of their room or home a better person because of my interaction with them. This is an aspect that has drawn me to become a physician assistant. I know that as a physician assistant I will have countless opportunities to help and serve those who need it and those who can not help themselves.
Through my college career I have worked hard in my classes and studies to become the best that I can be so I can receive further training and knowledge to help those who are in need. It has definitely not been an easy road with a lot of ups and downs with schooling but what I am proud of is that I am progressing and with each class and close of a semester I can see myself improving and getting one step closer to becoming a physician assistant. Advice that I heard from a mentor who is a physician is; “don’t just learn it to get the grade but learn with the intent that you could help someone. This has become a mission statement of mine throughout my education and it has flowed over into my carrier choice because I want to have the intention of learning so I can help others.
Being a physician assistant is appealing to me because you are a part of a team. I have been apart of a lot of teams in my life through sports and extra circular activities but being on a team where scoring points and wining is represented by bettering someone else’s life through improving their health can be the best trophy. The aspect of being on a team and consulting with others and being a team player has been something that I have always enjoyed and have felt the most success come from. As a PA I would be able to be apart of a team where I can be a significant team player working towards bettering someone else’s life.
Through out my college carrier I thought I wanted to be a PA because I loved helping people but I have come to learn it goes much deeper than that. I want to become a PA because I love people. I love seeing people succeed, I love seeing people improve. I love seeing people smile. I love seeing people receive the care they deserve. As a PA I know that I would be able to see these things everyday. I find it a blessing that there are professions where all our focus is on serving people. I know that becoming a PA is not my end point but it’s a starting point of a life long journey of service through healthcare. A profession where I get to help those who can’t help themselves.
When Marcus went back to the original care center a year after he had his stroke he was walking up to the front doors when he heard a familiar voice coming from one of the facilities vans. While being lowered down to the ground in his wheel chair with blankets covering the stubs of his knees John called out to Marcus and said; “Is that you Marcus? I knew you could do it!” Being a physician assistant allows me to be like John to countless others. It allows me to help those who desperately need help and allows me the opportunity to help make their life better.
Dorie Faber says
From the time when other girls were impressed by what their bodies could look like, I was impressed by what my body could do. I grew up a Cross Country and Track athlete and competed collegiately for the University of Georgia. During my time spent as a competing athlete, I was forced me to prioritize the health of my body and pay attention to my training; I was enamored when I saw what I put into my body was what I got out of it. However, all I could fathom were the effects of food, workouts, and sickness on the human body until I observed it from the inside.
I first caught a glimpse into the true functioning of the body when I observed a spinal cord tumor removal surgery with Dr. Walpert at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, GA. After this firsthand experience, my perspective of human health was forever changed. Buzzing with electricity and reacting to pressure, it was the first moment that I realized how intricate, complex, and beautiful the functions of the body are. Though, merely observing the interworking of the human body wasn’t sufficient for me; I needed to be at the center of it. I immediately changed my career goals to reflect my newfound passion and after careful research in healthcare professions, I knew I wanted to be a physician assistant.
I continued to shadow in the OR and gained exposure to different neurosurgical procedures, but my passion quickly shifted over from the OR to other facets for learning in the classroom. My major in Health Promotion helped me accumulate research skills by writing literature reviews, developing intervention plans, and synthesizing peer-reviewed data. From learning these skills, I understand healthcare through the public health perspective, and I consider the health determinants, risk factors and health behaviors that contribute to the etiology of a disease. My favorite classroom experience was in the cadaver lab for my Medical Anatomy Lab. The incredible opportunity to dissect a cadaver was one of the most inspiring experiences I’ve ever had. The unmatched hands-on experience I received from this lab served as an epiphany moment for me in my career, confirming my desire to serve people as a PA.
It was clear to me that I needed to get my hands dirty outside of the classroom. I began shadowing at an urgent care office where PAs are the sole providers. At this office, three different PAs rotate each day, and have complete autonomy over their patients. The independence these PAs exuded in the office confirmed that my career choice as a PA is aligned with the goals I want to achieve as a healthcare provider. I believe in the freedom of treating patients without the obligation of supervision and the efficiency of practicing with fewer years in school. The PA profession is perfect for a streamlined path to caring for and treating patients using your own knowledge and skills.
Through an exposure to a wide range of cases, I’ve discovered my knack for adapting to a new cases and situations everyday. In order to begin working part-time as soon as possible, I started on the job training on the weekends, gaining skills in versatility and adaptability in order to begin working part time. After I passing my certification, my job as a Medical Assistant became the most fulfilling learning experience I’ve had the privilege of receiving. I learned so many skills including: EKG testing, injections, ear irrigations, along with helping with sutures, joint injections, ultrasounds, and stem cell PRP procedures, but the one skill that still daunted me was venipuncture. I was nervous about attempting this for the first time, but after my supervisor talked me through the procedure I performed my first venipuncture on a patient. On my first try, I hit a vein, but to my relief the patient said she didn’t feel a thing. It was after facing my fear with a new skill in the workplace that I was reassured of my passion for this career. Each day at work, I feel more and more confident that this is the right path for me.
As I approach the end to my undergraduate studies, I feel fortunate to know exactly what I want to do with the knowledge and skills I’ve gained thus far. I believe becoming a PA is what I was made to do and I intend to pursue this career with the utmost passion and zeal. While my job as a medical assistant is fulfilling for me, it won’t satiate my drive to care for patients based on my own knowledge. I am eager to translate my background and knowledge in public health, cadaver dissection, shadowing in surgery and being a medical assistant into my practice as a PA.
Erin Griffin says
I heard the loud wailing ambulance sirens approaching. Turning my head, I saw my sister, Brianna, rounding the corner into my sister Caitlin’s bedroom. “There has been an accident,” Brianna informed us. Mr. Teddy got into a head-on collision with the Barbie car. His right leg suffered severe trauma. In my white coat at six years old, I evaluated Mr. Teddy, confirming that he needed immediate surgery to save his leg. We then rushed him to my sister Caitlin, who was the general surgeon of our hospital at the time. I assisted her in surgery, and Brianna took care of Mr. Teddy in post-op. Medicine has been an infatuation of mine since I was six years old. My sisters and I would request medical gauze and tape for Christmas to bolster the efficacy of our hospital operated within of my sister’s room. The mechanics of the human body was enthralling to me. Secluded in my room, I would employ hours researching microbes and diseases. Finally awaiting my felicitous opportunity at the dinner table, I would present my dissertation, edifying why neurons were the preeminent cell. At six years old, I assumed there was a supernatural pill for all ailments, and medical professionals were akin to magicians. The summer of 2015 reformed my perspective.
I had graduated Mercer University with a Bachelors in Psychology and a minor in Chemistry and English. After conducting a research study, devoting days alone in a rat lab, I knew I desired a synergistic career that permitted diurnal interactions with various people. Though, I did not know if I wanted to be a psychologist or a medical professional. That summer, I was sitting out on the deck in the middle of June waiting for my sisters to finish getting ready. We were to attend a friend’s birthday party that afternoon. As we were about to leave, the phone rang, and my mother answered. My mother informed us that the party was canceled. Our friend’s name was Chris, and he had epilepsy. He was nineteen. That Friday we were at his funeral. The paramedic, who was my mother’s close friend, go the call. He told me, he did everything he could, and I tried to believe him.
In August of 2015, I began working for Starbucks, where I stayed for approximately a year. Though I enjoyed my interactions with the customers, I missed talking about the microbes and nuanced mechanisms of molecules that interested me so when I was young. I found myself back in the medical field when I began working as a Scribe in the Emergency Department of Spalding Regional Hospital. This hospital, located in Griffin Georgia, is a poor area. Growing up in a privileged area south of Atlanta, I was uninformed about the complexities of American healthcare. At the Emergency Department, people would come in with a blood pressure of 200/120. This person lacked insurance and the money to buy the antihypertensive medication. Some people I saw also did not understand what numbers indicated a normal blood pressure. Some could not even read the information print out that we gave them when they were discharged home.
As the each of the patients left, I felt there was a simple information that, if conveyed during treatment, could change that person’s life. I began shadowing a Physician Assistant at that hospital. I was struck by the amount of compassion and aptitude for patient education she displayed. After shadowing, I learned that Physician Assistants are in a pivotal position to create change in an under-served community. The extra time spent by a PA builds a strong report with the patients by addressing patient questions may have a significant impact on that person’s relationship with healthcare. This nuanced use of the patient interaction could impact that person’s life long term. This position of Physician Assistant revitalizes the patient-centered care model in the fast-paced environment of the Emergency Department, allowing for personalized compassionate yet exceedingly competent healthcare in a community that is disadvantaged in so many other ways.
The last cycle I applied to be a Physician Assistant not understanding why. This year, I can say, I would be honored to become a Physician Assistant to better assist people in the poor, under-served community in which I already work. Through this program, I would learn how to build a report and convey medical information in a compassionate and understandable manner. This training would prepare me to improve the lives of the people in these under-served areas.