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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 (2nd May 2024): Accepting New Submissions
(Photo: Me circa 1987, just thinking about my future PA School Essay)
- Are you struggling to write your physician assistant personal statement?
- Are you out of ideas, or just need a second opinion?
- Do you want an essay that expresses who you truly are and grabs the reader's attention in the required 5,000-character limit?
We are here to help perfect your PA school essay
I have written countless times on this blog about the importance of your personal statement in the PA school application process. Beyond the well-established metrics (GPA, HCE/PCE hours, requisite coursework, etc.), the personal statement is the most crucial aspect of your application.
This is your time to express yourself, show your creativity, skills, and background, and make a memorable impression in seconds. This will be your only chance, so you must get it right the first time.
For some time, I had been dreaming about starting a physician assistant personal statement collaborative.
A place where PA school applicants like yourself can post their PA school essays and receive honest, constructive feedback followed by an acceptance letter to the PA school of your choice!
I have been reviewing a ton of essays recently, so many in fact that I can no longer do this on my own.
To solve this problem, I have assembled a team of professional writers, editors, and PA school admissions specialists who worked to revise and perfect my PA school application essay.
Beth Eakman has taught college writing and worked as a professional writer and editor since the late 1990s. Her projects have involved a wide range of disciplines and media, from editing technical reports to scriptwriting for the PBS Kids show Super Why! Her writing has appeared in publications including Brain, Child Magazine, New York Family Magazine, and Austin Family Magazine. Beth lives with her family just outside Austin, Texas. She is driven to help each client tell the best version of their story and achieve their dream of becoming a physician assistant.
Deanna Matzen is an author with articles featured in Earth Letter, Health Beats, Northwest Science & Technology, and the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. With an early career in environmental science, she developed a solid foundation in technical writing. Her communication skills were further honed by producing and editing content for a non-profit website, blog, and quarterly journal. Inspired to extend her craft, she obtained a certificate in literary fiction, which she draws on to build vibrant scenes that bring stories to life. Deanna loves working with pre-PAs who are on the cusp of new beginnings to find their unique story and tell it confidently.
Carly Hallman is a professional writer and editor with a B.A. in English Writing and Rhetoric (summa cum laude) from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. She has worked as a curriculum developer, English teacher, and study abroad coordinator in Beijing, China, where she moved in 2011. In college, she was a Gilman Scholar and worked as a staff editor for her university's academic journal. Her first novel, Year of the Goose, was published in 2015, and her first memoir is forthcoming from Little A Books. Her essays and creative writing have appeared in The L.A. Review of Books, The Guardian, LitHub, and Identity Theory, among other publications.
Read more client testimonials or purchase a revision
We Work as a Team
Our team of professional editors is wonderful at cutting out the "fluff" that makes an essay lose focus and sets people over the 5,000-character limit. Their advice is always spot-on.
Sue, Sarah, and Carly are amazingly creative writers who will take your "ordinary" and turn it into entirely extraordinary.
I mean it when I say this service is one-of-a-kind! We have spent countless hours interviewing PA School admissions directors and faculty from across the country to find out exactly what it is they are looking for in your personal statement.
We even wrote a book about it.
To collaborate, we use Google Drive. Google Drive is free, has an intuitive interface with integrated live comments in the sidebar, the ability to have a real-time chat, to collaborate effortlessly, and to compare, revise, or restore revisions on the fly. Google Drive also has an excellent mobile app that will allow you to make edits on the go!
Our team has worked with hundreds of PA school applicants within the Google Drive environment, and we have had enormous success.
The Physician Assistant Essay and Personal Statement Collaborative
I have set up two options that I hope will offer everyone a chance to participate:
- One-of-a-kind, confidential, paid personal statement review service
- A collaborative, free one (in the comments section)
Private, One-On-One Personal Statement Review Service
If you are interested in the paid service, you may choose your plan below.
The Personal Statement Review Service is:
- Behind closed doors within a private, secure network using Google Drive.
- It is completely interactive, meaning we will be able to provide real-time comments and corrections using the Google Drive interface.
- Telephone consultations are included with all edits above the single edit level. It’s often hard to communicate exactly what you want hundreds of miles away; for this reason, we offer the option to edit right along with us over the telephone while sharing in real-time over Google Drive. This is an option available to all our paid clients who purchase above the single edit level.
- We provide both revision and editing of all essays. What’s the difference? See below
- We will provide feedback, advice, and help with brainstorming and topic creation if you would like.
- We will help with a “final touch-up” before the big day, just in case your essay needs a few minor changes.
Why Choose Our Service?
- It’s not our opinion that matters. We have gone the extra step and personally interviewed PA school administrators from across the US to find out exactly what they think makes a personal statement exceptional.
- We are a team of PAs and professional writers, having worked over ten years with PA school applicants like yourself, providing countless hours of one-on-one editing and revision.
- Our clients receive interviews, and many go on to receive acceptance into their PA School of choice.
Because we always give 100%, we will open the essay collaborative for a limited number of applicants each month and then close this depending on the amount of editing that needs to be done and the time that is available.
Our goal is not quantity but quality. We want only serious applicants who are serious about getting into PA school.
Writing is not a tool like a piece of software but more like how a photograph can capture your mood. It’s more like art. The process of developing a unique, memorable personal statement is time-intensive, and it takes hours to compose, edit, finalize, and personalize an essay.
As Antoinette Bosco once said:
And this is why I am charging for this service. We love helping people find stories that define their lives, and we love helping individuals who have the passion to achieve their dreams. It’s hard to describe the feeling I get when an applicant writes back to tell me they were accepted into PA school.
There is no price tag I can place on this; it’s the feeling we get when we help another human being. It’s just like providing health care. But this takes time.
Interested? Choose your plan below.
Read more client testimonials.
Free Personal Statement Review
Post your essay in the comments section for a free critique
We want to make this opportunity available to everyone who would like help with their essay, and that is why we are offering free, limited feedback on the blog.
You post your essay in the comments section, and you will get our critique. It is that easy. We will try to give feedback to every single person who posts their COMPLETE essay here on this blog post in the comments section.
Also, by posting your comment, we reserve the right to use your essay.
We will provide feedback on essays that are complete and fit the CASPA requirements (View CASPA requirements here). We will not provide feedback on partial essays or review opening or closing statements. Your essay will be on a public platform, which has both its benefits and some obvious drawbacks. The feedback is limited, but we will try to help in any way we can.
Note: Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That’s how we’re gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, I will delete your stuff. Otherwise, have fun, and thanks for adding to the conversation! And this should go without saying: if you feel the need to plagiarize someone else’s content, you do not deserve to go to PA school.
* Also, depending on the time of year, it may take me several weeks to reply!
We love working with PA school applicants, but don't just take our word for it!
How to submit your essay for the paid service
If you are serious and would like to have real, focused, and personalized help writing your personal statement, please choose your level of service and submit your payment below.
After you have submitted your payment, you will be redirected to the submissions page, where you can send us your essay as well as any special instructions. We will contact you immediately upon receipt of your payment and essay so we may begin work right away.
Pricing is as follows:
Choose your plan, then click "Buy Now" to submit your essay, and we will get started right away!
Every purchase includes a FREE digital copy of our new 100-page eBook, How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement, Our 101 PA School Admission Essays e-book, the expert panel audiobook, and companion workbook. This is a $65 value included for free with your purchase.
All credit card payments are processed via PayPal over a secure HTTPS server. Once your payment is processed, you will be immediately redirected back to the essay submission page. There, you will submit your essay along with some biographical info and all suggestions or comments you choose to provide. You will receive immediate confirmation that your essay has been securely transmitted as well as your personal copy of "How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement." Contact [email protected] if you have any questions, comments, or problems - I am available 24/7.
The hourly service includes your original edit and one-on-one time over Google Drive. It is simple to add more time if necessary, but you may be surprised at what a difference just a single edit can make. We find our four-hour service to be the most effective in terms of time for follow-up and full collaboration. We are open to reduced-rate add-ons to suit your individual needs.
Writing and Revision
All writing benefits from rewriting when done well.
When you are in the process of writing a draft of an essay, you should be thinking first about revision, not editing.
What’s the difference?
Revision refers to the substantial changing of text. For example, it may include re-organizing ideas and paragraphs, providing additional examples or information, and rewriting a conclusion for clarity.
Editing, on the other hand, refers to correcting mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
On all submissions, we perform both revision and editing.
How to submit your PA school essay for the FREE editing service
Follow the rules above and get to work below in the comments section. I look forward to reading all your essay submissions.
- Stephen Pasquini PA-C
View all posts in this series
- How to Write the Perfect Physician Assistant School Application Essay
- The Physician Assistant Essay and Personal Statement Collaborative
- Do You Recognize These 7 Common Mistakes in Your Personal Statement?
- 7 Essays in 7 Days: PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 1, “A PA Changed My Life”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 2, “I Want to Move Towards the Forefront of Patient Care”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 3, “She Smiled, Said “Gracias!” and Gave me a Big Hug”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 4, “I Have Gained so Much Experience by Working With Patients”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 5, “Then Reach, my Son, and Lift Your People up With You”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 6, “That First Day in Surgery was the First Day of the Rest of my Life”
- PA Personal Statement Workshop: Essay 7, “I Want to Take People From Dying to Living, I Want to Get Them Down From the Cliff.”
- Physician Assistant Personal Statement Workshop: “To say I was an accident-prone child is an understatement”
- 9 Simple Steps to Avoid Silly Spelling and Grammar Goofs in Your PA School Personel Statement
- 5 Tips to Get you Started on Your Personal Essay (and why you should do it now)
- How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement The Book!
- How to Write “Physician Assistant” The Definitive PA Grammar Guide
- 101 PA School Admissions Essays: The Book!
- 5 Things I’ve Learned Going Into My Fourth Physician Assistant Application Cycle
- 7 Tips for Addressing Shortcomings in Your PA School Personal Statement
- The #1 Mistake PRE-PAs Make on Their Personal Statement
- The Ultimate PA School Personal Statement Starter Kit
- The Ultimate Guide to CASPA Character and Space Limits
- 10 Questions Every PA School Personal Statement Must Answer
- 5 PA School Essays That Got These Pre-PAs Accepted Into PA School
- 7 Questions to Ask Yourself While Writing Your PA School Personal Statement
- 101 PA School Applicants Answer: What’s Your Greatest Strength?
- 12 Secrets to Writing an Irresistible PA School Personal Statement
- 7 Rules You Must Follow While Writing Your PA School Essay
- You Have 625 Words and 2.5 Minutes to Get Into PA School: Use Them Wisely
- What’s Your #1 Personal Statement Struggle?
- 31 (NEW) CASPA PA School Personal Statement Examples
- How to Prepare for Your PA School Interview Day Essay
- Should You Write Physician Associate or Physician Assistant on Your PA School Essay?
- Meet the World’s Sexiest PA School Applicants
- PA School Reapplicants: How to Rewrite Your PA School Essay for Guaranteed Success
- How to Write a Personal Statement Intro that Readers Want to Read
- PA School Reapplicant Personal Statement Checklist
- How to Deal with Bad News in Your Personal Statement
- Inside Out: How to use Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling to Improve your PA Personal Statement
- Ratatouille: A Pixar Recipe for PA School Personal Statement Success
- Personal Statement Panel Review (Replay)
- Mind Mapping: A Tool for Personal Statements, Supplemental Essays, and Interviews
- Start at the End: Advice for your PA School Personal Statement
Mariah says
“I am going to build my house from bricks,” said the third little pig. “It will be strong and sturdy.” When I was younger, The Three Little Pigs was a fable I remember being read to me multiple times. Until recently, I have always deemed it to be just another children’s story. Upon further speculation, I have now given it a new meaning, that being – hard work and dedication create a firm foundation that will ultimately pay off. Throughout my pursuit of the PA profession, I have learned the true meaning of dedicating hard work to something that requires a firm foundation in order to truly pay off. Candidly, no single experience encouraged me to pursue the PA profession, but rather a blending of my volunteer, clinical, and lifestyle experiences.
The gym was packed with elderly adults eager to begin the fun filled day they had ahead. Volunteering with the Senior Games hosted by the Kinesiology Department at East Carolina University awarded me the opportunity to work with a special population: geriatrics. Upon volunteering, one elderly man stood out to me in particular, Mr. Earl. “I just don’t understand what is going on with this game,” he muttered. I reread the rules to him, but although nothing was said, confusion masked his face. Immediately, I knew I had to find a way to simplify the rules for him so that he would understand and feel like a part of the game. Effective communication is a characteristic that one must possess as a PA. When working with patients, the provider must be able to clearly communicate diagnoses, treatment, and care plans to the patient, family, and friends. Through this encounter, my ability to communicate effectively helped strengthen the foundation that I was building to pursue the PA profession.
While working as an administrative assistant at the Mood Treatment Center, I was the main point of contact between the patient and their provider. While I was working one day, a patient came in with a specific question about her diagnosis, but her particular provider was meeting with another patient and she was forced to wait. Due to the shadowing I had done, I was familiar with the answer to her question but was unable to provide an answer because my scope of practice as an administrative assistant did not allow me to discuss diagnosis with patients. At this moment I was introduced to a feeling that I did not like, which was being limited. I chose to quit that job and move back to my hometown to devote a year to building my foundation academically. After building and strengthening my foundation in that area, right before COVID19, I obtained a job as a medical assistant with the Lifestyle Medical Centers. This was a weightloss clinic which afforded me the opportunity to work with a more sensitive population. My job was to obtain vitals, which normally included a weigh in to track their overall progress. Although my time here was short, I left with the skill to make the uncomfortable, comfortable. As a PA, I must be able to control and deliver the tough conversations with each patient. Obtaining and perfecting this skill has convinced me to continue to work hard and persevere onto the path of the PA profession.
A lifestyle experience I am very familiar with is basketball. I have played basketball for over 15 years and it has taught me things that can be directly related to the PA profession. One of those lessons being how to work as a cohesive unit. On the court, a team can only succeed if each player understands their role and plays the game accordingly. This relates uniquely to the roles of medical providers. A team can only collaborate effectively if each person on the medical team understands their role ultimately giving the patient the best care possible. Playing basketball has also taught me how to readjust the game plan. When playing the game, it was important not to continue running a play that was not effective. When providing care, a smart provider knows when to readjust the plan of action in a way that is most beneficial to the patient. Although this has always been a hobby of mine, it has also inadvertently taught me transferable skills that will assist me throughout my PA career. Basketball has always been a major part of my life and has helped strengthen my foundation.
In conclusion, the combination of volunteer, clinical, and lifestyle experiences have helped to mold my foundation in pursuing PA. Volunteering at the Senior Games afforded me the skills to communicate effectively even when working with a specific population. Working as both an administrative assistant and a medical assistant revealed how eager I was to grow within the field of medicine. Lastly, basketball helped me understand the importance of working as a cohesive unit as well as knowing when to readjust the game plan. All of these enriching experiences have helped frame my strong and sturdy foundation thus far and now I am eager to build upon it.
Adam says
The last thing I remembered was the rush and exhilaration as I flew down the hill at over twenty miles per hour. My skateboard began to wobble and I remember only flashes of awareness after that. I do remember hearing Dad ask, “Do you need to go to the hospital?”
The date was 12 February 2010, and I was out skateboarding with friends. Faster and faster down the hill I went, and then it happened. I smacked my skull, and my mind went out like a light. In and out of incremental consciousness, I was briefly able to see hazy figures around me but was not able to respond to them. Truthfully, my memories halted on the asphalt and resumed with a tube down my throat and countless machines hooked up to my body. My family cried out in joy that I was awake once again. Dr. Shen, my neurosurgeon, came into the ICU and was most pleased that I was all right. He proceeded to shake my hand and tell me how truly lucky I was to be on this earth without any brain damage, considering that the rapidly expanding pool of blood that had accumulated in my skull was the size of a doughnut.
One week later, I was released from the ICU and began my rehabilitation journey. During my first follow-up appointment, I met PA Al. I did not know what a PA was at the time, but throughout my visits, I envisioned Al simply as another doctor that was an integral part of Dr. Shen’s team. Al was soft-spoken, compassionate, and brilliant. As a 15-year-old who had just undergone brain surgery, I was at my most vulnerable both physically and emotionally. For the next three months, Al became my bi-weekly support system. He conducted all of my neurologic exams, answered all of my burning questions, and laid out my path to recovery. I was inspired by Al’s knowledge, expertise, and bedside manner, which was always conducted with empathy and poise.
Following my recovery, I became fascinated with the human body and its resiliency during times of immense stress. I had a new outlook and a much deeper appreciation for life. I am unimaginably grateful for Dr. Shen and Al, two people I look up to most. I know this experience is the reason I planned to pursue a medical career going into college, hoping that one day, I could assist in giving someone back his or her life. I wanted to be part of a life-saving team like Dr. Shen’s. I wanted to be like Al.
As a first-generation college student, I struggled to develop quality study habits and my intentions met a crisis of confidence in my first year at UC Santa Barbara. I became discouraged by the intense competition and while all of us struggled through General Chemistry, I internalized thoughts of failure and made the rash decision to switch to a major that seemed more manageable. Feeling unfulfilled and uninspired, however, I could not help but wonder what had happened to that boy who had been so filled with awe while shaking Dr. Shen’s hand. I refocused and graduated with an upward trending GPA and valuable lessons in perseverance.
After graduation, with a renewed vigor to pursue my aspiration, I regrouped. I moved home and re-enrolled in school. No longer was I intimidated by the tough competition. No longer was I going to be defeated by the difficult subject matter and intense course load. The lessons I learned during undergraduate school allowed me to thrive and succeed throughout my post-baccalaureate education. At the same time, I accepted a position as a medical scribe in the same emergency department I knew all too well. While walking through the front doors of the ER on my first day, I felt a sense of familiarity creep inside me. My faint memories—along with the stories, conveyed by my sobbing family, of that frightful night in 2010—came reeling back: the lobby where I had uncontrollably vomited, the nurses who held my hand and comforted my parents, and the physicians who initiated the plan to ensure my survival. Many of the same faces from that night were there, surprised and delighted to see me again.
Toward the end of my first shift, an elderly man arrived at the ER with reports of an unwitnessed fall and a history of blood thinners. His family was frantic, his eyes were frightened, and his words failed him. The treatment team had its suspicions—a traumatic subdural bleed—but when the CT scan results confirmed it, my hair stood on end. Questions flooded my mind: “Will this man be alright? What can I do to help?” As I finished the patient’s chart, surrounded by his family in his hospital room, a figure approached from behind the curtain and stepped inside. It was Dr. Shen, the neurosurgeon who had saved my life six years before and along with Al, had inspired a young boy to become part of a life-saving team like his. In that moment, on that team, I knew I was where I belonged. With a pause, a smile, and a nod of recognition toward me, Dr. Shen approached the patient and touched his hand. The old man’s eyes no longer looked so frightened, and I thought, “Yes, you’re going to be all right.”
Melissa C says
(*resubmission-fits CASPA requirements*)
Skull fracture, Hematoma, Hemorrhage and so many other possibilities running through my mind as I review the lecture from pathophysiology class contemplating, “could this have actually been it?” Looking back at a specific time in my younger years, I was just a little girl, lost, confused, terrified in the emergency room waiting for an answer. I was worried sick about my mother who raised me as a single mom working multiple jobs after getting divorced with my father who spent long days working as an NYPD police officer. She would take me to the city on the train on the weekends where we would forget about the chaos and relax with each other. It was always relaxed until one day she was walking down a busy city street when the last rusted bolt lost its thread on an old street sign coincidentally falling directly into her path. At the time, I had never been in an ambulance or have ever seen an injury so gruesome. I was terrified for my mother. We rushed to the closest hospital that I had never been to, in a big city, surrounded by strangers. I can still see their faces. I waited with the doctors, nurses, physician assistants (PA’s), and other healthcare workers while my mother was getting treatment. I had so many questions running through my young mind and prayed she was going to be okay. The healthcare providers were all so comforting, held my hand for hours and helped distract me from all the worries. For my very vivid experience as a child, I would say it was a truly life changing one because now, at age 24, I still remember it all like it was yesterday. What made it so memorable was the warmth I felt through the horrific experience. It did shine a light on the medical providers who made sure my mother was okay and that I was safe.
Being the first generation of the family to attend college, graduating on the Dean’s List with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences Pre-clinical, I have learned a lot. From the start I knew I wanted to pursue the medical field with a high level of interest but I struggled my early years of college. I didn’t have too much guidance since both my parents never went to college and so I had to figure things out on my own. Being enrolled full-time in lecture halls with 300 plus students sitting on the ground if they did not get there on time was an intimidating experience. In addition to tedious curriculum, having trouble getting answers, adjusting my schedule to meet office hours for professor’s help and also working full time to pay for school and textbooks, I learned to self discipline and be organized if I wanted to succeed in the fast paced environment.
As I researched different career paths, an advisor mentioned the PA route to me so I searched for opportunities such as shadowing a PA to be able to observe the career first hand. As I shadowed the physician assistants, I’ve learned how much of an impact they really have on their patients. During this time I also applied for direct patient care opportunities and furthermore, was offered a medical assistant job. This gave me the chance to work in a fast-paced, busy, hands-on clinical setting and has groomed me to handle stressful situations. While being a lead medical assistant for over two years at an OB/GYN office, working with over 20 physicians, I have grown a love for the specialty and also being able to care for patients.
In addition, working each day during the COVID-19 crisis has truly exposed me to a different side of the medical field, showing me the importance of my role and all healthcare workers. Not only am I grateful to be able to contribute to the care of those desperate for help during this hard time, but also, it is rewarding to be a source of knowledge, comfort and to be able to be there emotionally for patients who are scared during difficult times. The memorable moments such as when patients come in and request me for blood draws because I was gentle with them make all the difference. I especially try to stay positive and resourceful to the pregnant patients who are facing a vital step in their life during one of the most threatening pandemics of all time. Being able to have a tremendous and positive affect on patients has helped fuel my desire to become a physician’s assistant. Although I work at an OB/GYN office, all types of healthcare come in to play such as mental health, general health, endocrinology, hematology, oncology, urology and more. To be able to answer patients concerns and help them whether if it is through a miscarriage, suspicious breast cancer finding, cervical cancer result, or having a baby with anencephaly and having to cope, is a special opportunity.
It only took one time when I was so young for me to be so inspired by a PA’s consolation. My life experiences mentioned have driven me to want to become the PA that is there to hold the hand of that little girl, lost, confused, terrified in the emergency room waiting for an answer, assuring her everything is going to be okay.
VICTORIA RODGERS says
I have always had a love for science which can be traced back to my penchant for puzzles. Whether it was manipulating a tendon in anatomy lab to decipher which muscle would be affected or deciding where to strategically place a pawn in a family chess game, I have always loved finding an answer. It was when my cousin suffered a spinal cord injury on a family ski trip that I was again faced with a problem requiring a solution. Having the desire to be of assistance but not possessing the medical knowledge to do so in that moment was similar to trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. As I further navigated the healthcare community, I discovered pursuing a career as a physician assistant would lend me the pieces I needed to ultimately solve this puzzle.
In order to obtain the knowledge, I began studying cellular and molecular neuroscience. Fascination grew as I learned how intricately a neurotransmitter fits in a synapse and how firmly a vertebra shields the spinal cord. The passion I had for this field and the persistence I had to keep learning more, led to my involvement in undergraduate neurosurgical research. I treasured collaborating with a team of physicians, nurses and other research personnel to explore a brain chip that enabled individuals to regain function of paralyzed limbs. I imagined every surgical case as a puzzle, each piece of imaging and neuronal feedback interlocking to reveal the correct location to place the brain chip implant. However, through this experience I saw that the roles and responsibilities of the physician assistant (PA) aligned more with my personal and professional goals. The way the physician assistant had the ability to collaborate with the physician to suture a patient’s surgical wound, yet act autonomously when rounding on a patient post-operation was intriguing. This hands-on nature of surgery and the direct patient connection experienced while rounding were pieces of the puzzle that I could not obtain as a researcher, only as a physician assistant.
In order to experience more patient connection and perform tasks more analogous to those of a PA, I began working a second job as a nurse’s aid. This job allowed me to connect with individuals from all different walks of life with all different types of diagnoses and disorders. In more than two years working as a nurse’s aid and over four thousand hours later, one patient sticks out. This patient was a male in his early 50’s who presented with a fever and confusion who was very combative. These qualities made it challenging to perform tasks like obtaining blood draws and taking vitals which were necessary to form a diagnosis and come up with a treatment plan. After talking to his wife extensively about his history as a pitcher and his previous love of baseball I came up with an idea. I found a baseball and allowed him to hold it which immediately calmed him down. With baseball in hand, this patient let the physician obtain a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample that revealed bacterial meningitis. Obtaining that CSF sample was the final piece of the puzzle that medical providers needed to complete his diagnosis and they were able to do that with the use of a little creativity. Becoming a PA will require me to use inquisitiveness and creativity to overcome challenges and find ways to deliver optimal care to patients which I know are qualities I possess. This experience taught me that taking the time to get to know a patient’s background and learning more about a patient leads to better patient outcomes which will guide my actions as a physician assistant and lead me closer to finding solutions to patient’s problems.
Working as a researcher taught me teamwork and effective communication skills while working as a nurse’s aid taught me interpersonal skills and the importance of compassion in medicine. As I shadowed many physician assistants in fields including critical care, neurology and family medicine, I realized that every physician assistant embodied these same qualities. This was confirmation that I have what it takes to become a great PA like the ones I have observed. This profession also seemed to be a perfect fit for me for the ability to change specialties without having to complete another residency. As a person who wants to constantly be challenged and learn more about medicine, I appreciate the leverage this profession gives individuals to explore so many diverse fields of medicine. This profession is also unique in that they teach in a medical model similar to a physician but also emphasize that patient connection and bedside manner similar to a nurse. The physician assistant role harmoniously integrates the greatest qualities of other professions into one which is so appealing. I look forward to using the qualities I have obtained through various research, healthcare and shadowing opportunities to solve the problems that patients will present to me.
Like a puzzle, each facet of my background interlocks to confirm my desire to become a physician assistant. My interest in finding solutions to problems and devising ways to overcome challenges will allow me to succeed in tasks like diagnosing and formulating treatment plans. I am drawn to the emphasis placed on teamwork interprofessional collaboration of physician assistants and other medical professionals. I have discerned various medical roles and established that the physician assistant role best aligns with my personal and professional goals. As a physician assistant, I look forward to using my love of finding solutions to solve a patient’s diagnostic puzzle while acting with empathy and compassion.
Zhane Rice says
A fourteen-year-old boy is rushed into shock trauma as doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and techs swiftly prepare to aid. “Starting CPR” a nurse yells out. Blood pools fill the floor, supplies scattered amongst the bay, and the intubation tray cracks open. “5 gunshots wounds” echoed out from the secretary. The cries of his mother shook the hallway. What seemed like a normal Friday turned into one of the most exciting and life-changing days in my career.
That fourteen-year-old boy lived through a miracle. Chest completely cracked and a bullet fragment piercing his lung, he survived that horrific day. How could one so quickly go from casually riding a bike to end up on a shock trauma table; one could only imagine. I was fascinated and inspired by the teamwork portrayed. The dedication and all hands on deck attitude that was illustrated sent chills through my body. The PA operating autonomously, while assisting the doctors is what helped save that young boy’s life. I loved the feeling of adrenaline rushing through my body and I told myself “I want to be apart of this. I want to change the lives of those in pain.”
Growing up in Baltimore City I am surrounded by crime and violence daily. I was honored to work at The Nation’s First and Only Integrated Trauma Hospital, the University of Maryland Downtown Baltimore because of the high ratings of its Shock Trauma center. Day in and day out new cases arrived that varied from horseback runovers to gunshot victims. It wasn’t until I worked in the Neurological department that I deeply understood the interactions between PAs and patients. The PAs would spend numerous hours and extensive time in patient’s rooms analyzing them, especially the stoke and seizure patients to help further understand their particular conditions and give diagnoses.
After further researching, I realized that the physician assistant path was the career for me. I wanted to be on the frontline, saving lives and helping people. Why not become a doctor they say? The flexibility and diversity of the PA profession are profound. The overall time that is spent understanding and communicating with a patient compared to an MD or DO is extensive. The business and money aspect of the healthcare system didn’t excite me, better yet the prolonged interactions getting the patients to be comfortable enough with you is what makes it all worthwhile. Lastly, the option to work collaboratively with peers or autonomously practicing amongst the profession gives room for growth. The PA profession is a specialty that is quickly growing to help to improve our healthcare system and making healthcare more accessible in underserved and rural areas, one of which I currently reside.
Growth is a huge aspect of life and I am a walking testimony. I have grown in so many areas in my life especially when it came to my education. Many will say that your life should be planned out from your freshman year of college and I would disagree. entering freshman year I was a bioengineering major and found myself struggling during the engineering courses, while also trying to manage a social life as an incoming freshman. Some will say it’s because I didn’t have the passion for it. I switched my major, attended my professor’s office hours, studied more, and as the semesters went by my grades gradually made a 360, and I began to excel. During my senior semesters of college, I received all A’s and B’s with a major in Public Health Science. I knew that in order for me to pursue my career in healthcare I needed to focus more on academia than my social life and I was forever determined. I joined my university pre-PA club so that I could be exposed to an environment surrounded by those with passion and similar career goals as me.
Currently, working in the PACU my experiences have led to me grow in all aspects. The teamwork amongst the doctors, PAs, nurses, techs, anesthesiologists,t etc is immaculate,e and learning new skills from the various cases that emerge each day excites me. Every interaction with a patient is different and getting acquainted with each and every one betters you each day, grasping something new. Providing the highest quality of care for all patients is the mission.
I hope that the admissions committee will be able to overlook my mediocre and unsatisfactory GPA deeming that I am a woman of growth and perseverance. The comparison of my senior year of college to my freshman year is outstanding and I have proven to be capable of overcoming my shortcomings. In my 3 years of providing patient care, I have shown distinguished amounts of integrity and have discovered my strengths and weaknesses. Albert Einstein once said, ” the only source of knowledge is experience.”
haleigh says
Regret. It’s one of those words that people hate to use. It voices those inner struggles of making a decision and wishing it had gone the other way. I had regret.
During my senior year of college, my roommate, Megan, at the time was applying to physician assistant school. Being the curious roommate that I was, I constantly asked her why this profession, why now, why not x, y, or z. She gave me answers that I myself had given when discussing with friends what I had hoped for in my future career. She introduced me to a profession that I would later realize aligned with everything I wanted.
I began researching the profession, learning what it would take in order to be an excellent candidate. I had previous volunteer experience at Piedmont Athens Regional hospital where I worked on both the Orthopedic and Progressive Care units. I learned how to be a compassionate caregiver without contact by learning good bedside manners, being an engaged listener, and a respectful volunteer to the nurses ensuring that I helped in any way I could. Following this, I began volunteering at Athens Heart Center where I worked educating patients on assistance programs. In addition, I learned how to navigate electronic medical records, contact patients in a professional manner, and assist the front office staff in everyday tasks. It gave me exposure to the structure of a medical office, and to the time and effort “behind the scenes” healthcare providers take to ensure the best healthcare possible.
In addition to healthcare experiences, I took on leadership roles on campus. I knew that being a physician assistant required leadership qualities. I worked as a Peer Learning Assistant in the Biochemistry department where I worked with 9 students three times a week on understanding biochemistry concepts. I explained difficult concepts to students while working under the supervision and guidance of the professor. This experience gave me insight into what it means to guide someone as they enlist trust in my efforts.
I continued leading others as I took on the role of a College Mentor. I was able to expand my skills of compassion and empathy as I worked with 2 students on guiding them through their collegiate journey. Whether it was advice on course work or relating to tough times, I become a respectful listener, a compassionate friend, and a mentor. I worked hard to ensure that these two students were able to transition to college and find their home. Working one on one with these students enabled me to gain their trust and ensure them that the advice and guidance provided was some of careful consideration.
From being a mentor to working in the doctor’s office, I was gaining experience in leadership, guidance, and active listening all of which was needed to be a physician assistant. But one thing was missing. I lacked confidence. I have struggled with being confident in my abilities, qualities, and attributes from a very young age. I began to doubt myself and my experiences. As a result, I pressed pause on my future endeavors as a physician assistant my senior year. I never gave up the dream but instead I spent time working on myself. I have taken the last handful of months ensuring that physician assistant school is for me and that I am confident in myself and my decision. From talking with career advisors to friends in physician assistant school to furthering my healthcare experiences, I have been taking the necessary actions to become confident in my skills and education.
I currently work at Athens Heart Center as a medical assistant. I have gained hands on experience working with some amazing patients. I knew I wanted to attend physician assistant school before this experience but after getting to be a part of these patient’s journey as a healthcare provider, sealed the deal. I have learned what it means to have a hands on, direct effect on a patient’s life. I have gained an enormous amount of respect for other healthcare workers as I was now officially a part of their community. I had begun to experience what it meant to stress about a patient’s well-being, be concerned for someone’s health other than my own, and value the hard work that physician assistants and other healthcare workers go through.
Initially, I regretted not taking that leap of faith. I regretted not trusting my education and my experience to enable me to succeed. But that regret was the best thing that ever happened to me. It enabled me to grow as a caregiver, a leader, and a motivator. I learned how to push myself into unknown scenarios and to thrive. I have now put myself in a situation where I am able to succeed due to my ample amounts of experience and natural abilities to lead, be dedicated, and be confident. I know that pausing my dreams to ensure that I would be the best physician assistant was the best decision for me and my future patients.
Terilyn says
The air was thick with chalk from eager gymnasts preparing for a new season of competition. The hot summer air came with new obstacles and triumphs as these athletes attempted dangerous skills with courage. While correcting one athlete’s technique I hear a scream from across the gym, “Teri!” Little Sam, her arm bent in the wrong direction, was lying on the floor crying in pain. I rush to her aid, giving calm direction to coaches standing by, yearning to help with no clue how. “Sam, look at me. I’m here to help. Can you breathe with me? Good. Nice and slow.” I attempt to focus her attention anywhere but her arm. As a certified athletic trainer (ATC), I quickly recognized her injury as a dislocated elbow with a possible fracture and treated her accordingly.
A few months later, Sam was cleared to return to her sport, but still could not straighten her arm. After a thorough assessment, I knew that something was wrong, but my ability to care for her was limited. I referred her to an orthopedic specialist who later determined she would need surgery to correct her misaligned elbow. Sam was pulled from her sport for over a year, far longer than her injury would normally require. Frustrated with her situation, I felt that there was more for me to do, more for me to learn, and more that I could give.
For years I was the athlete whose injuries were often misdiagnosed, keeping me out of my sport. My injuries failed to present themselves as normally expected: no bruising or swelling for multiple fractures in my ankle, no limited mobility for bulging discs, no progressive healing after months on crutches. The pieces never seemed to fit together until I saw my physician’s PA. She, like all PAs, received diverse training in a variety of fields throughout her educational career, which gave her the knowledge and experience needed to find that missing piece that would eventually lead to my recovery. Her empathetic nature, patient listening and dedication to my care was inspiring. It was that experience that led me to pursue a career as a PA.
Throughout my undergraduate degree I had multiple opportunities to work with physicians, nurse practitioners, PTs and PAs. My desire to see the big picture regarding each patient’s health has deferred me from pursing a career as a physician, nurse or any other medical professional because they specialize during their didactic education, unlike PAs. Since continuing my career as an ATC beyond football fields and into an orthopedic clinic, I have had experience working one-on-one with PAs, watching them solve complex problems, partnered with their physicians and working autonomously. A stark difference in the effectiveness of a medical team was evident while shadowing in Portugal; I witnessed overworked physicians running from patient to patient attempting to fulfill all medical needs alone – PAs do not exist in Portugal. Many patients would limp back to the hospital just weeks after surgery due to complications, often a result of rushed patient care due to hectic schedules. A PAs efficiency is a crucial contribution to such care.
As part of a medical team for athletes, I have had the privilege to work in a variety of settings and gain experience with multiple different team members. From implementing injury prevention programs to volunteering at marathons, my contribution has been unique, but with more training I know I will offer more. I have seen numerous injuries that I could diagnose and treat myself, but many injuries or illnesses, just like Sam’s, increased my desire for more knowledge, experience, and training to provide better care for my patients. Those patients led me to reflect on my limitations as an ATC and confirmed my desire to pursue a career in Physician Assistant Studies. As a PA, I would receive the education necessary to find obscured answers and assist my patients in achieving a healthy, fulfilling life.
I will forever cherish the lessons I have learned from each patient, as well as the experience I have gained working with a variety of physicians and PAs. There have been many more “Sams” walking into the clinic who do not always fit the mold of their diagnosis, individuals who have seen every specialist they could imagine, patients who simply needed someone to listen to their entire story rather than just the injury. I have felt their frustrations, prolonged pain, and desperation to find answers. They are the patients I long to find solutions for, alleviate their suffering and complete their puzzle. With my current experiences and passionate desire to expand my knowledge, I will become the PA that another was for me.
Terilyn says
I have edited this essay a bit already, but would like any feedback possible. Thank you!
Tammy says
I would like to introduce you to Travis, diagnosed with brain cancer at three years old. In 2016, I was given the opportunity to connect with Travis through a non-profit organization called Love Your Melon. Our small crew was filled with anticipation as we pulled up to a small suburban house dressed in superhero costumes. Our hearts were pounding as we approached Travis’ front door with arts and crafts and bearing gifts. We were filled with joy to have a chance to brighten this child’s day. I quickly knocked on the door and heard footsteps approaching. As his front door opened, we were greeted by Travis’ mother. She appeared as joyful as us, however her bright blue eyes were hiding her weariness and loss of hope. Upon arrival, his mother warned us Travis was recovering from his first month of chemotherapy. As we glanced to the living room, we saw Travis lying on the couch appearing lethargic, sullen and unresponsive. Suddenly, his innocent brown eyes peered to the side. I approached him slowly, “Who is your favorite superhero, Travis?” I asked. He remained silent on the couch, but one of his siblings blurted out, “Spider-Man!” I continued to break the ice by telling him we had a surprise. “Travis, we have a surprise for you. Do you want to be a superhero?” I asked. He finally came out of his shell and exclaimed, “Yes!” His brown eyes brightened as I pulled out a superhero mask and cape. My heart was filled with warmth and happiness to see this little boy transform in front of my eyes. Immediately, he jumped off the couch and asked for help. I assisted him in becoming a superhero just like us. However, he was already a superhero in my eyes. Travis bolted towards his front door and we chased after him. He was running around his front yard at lightning speed and was indestructible. Travis is the epitome of a superhero, regardless of his circumstances. Travis has taught me an important life lesson: No matter what is thrown at you in life to never give up. It is important to persevere through faith, positivity and to never let fear win. Travis did not allow cancer to win and today he is three years cancer-free. He continues to fight fear every day. I may have never known Travis without the story of Love Your Melon.
Travis is only one example of thousands of children, who are diagnosed with cancer every year. The mission of Love Your Melon is to distribute a beanie to every child, who is battling cancer in the United States. This mission led my heart to contribute my time, compassion and efforts to spread awareness of Love Your Melon to the surrounding community. For example, I would post flyers on-campus, at restaurants and common study areas such as: coffee shops, libraries and bars. In early 2015, I initiated a campus crew at the University of North Texas. The role of a campus ambassador brought pain, suffering and hardships. The implementation of a new organization on campus was a daunting task, which consisted of developing a constitution and following guidelines within the policies of the university. The application was rejected time and time again. There were moments I wanted to give up, but I persevered with the thought of helping children like Travis. The hardships began to evaporate and rewarding experiences began to surface, regardless if we were an official organization or not. The experiences with Love Your Melon taught me to never give up and to persevere through fear. However, the opportunity to shadow physician assistants led me closer to my future dream.
My primary shadowing experience of physician assistants have been under high-stress environments. The emergency department is constantly moving second by second, but with efficiency and precision. I quickly followed Cameron towards the fast-track area to see our first patient of the day, who was a four-year old boy with complaints of a laceration. We entered the room to see a young mother attempting to soothe her tearful child on the hospital bed. The mother calmly explained the patient’s history as Cameron examined the child’s forehead. I listened intently in the corner of the room. The child was peering at Cameron’s stethoscope, which had a LEGO Darth Vader attached. Cameron discussed the exam findings and plan of treatment with the mother, who appeared to be pleased with the plan. As we left the room, Cameron discussed in detail the difference between using Dermabond and sutures for a laceration. I opened my journal and began taking notes. After the technician and nurse prepped for the procedure, our team was equipped with everything needed to take care of the little boy. The technician assisted by wrapping the child in a cocoon to avoid the flailing of extremities. Cameron was already at the head of the bed with the necessary materials on a metal tray. In this moment, the child became fearful and began crying for his mother. The mother was kneeling beside the bed and soothing her son. Cameron began the procedure by irrigating the wound and glanced a smile at the child to soothe him. After five minutes, the laceration repair was complete, and Cameron handled the situation professionally with calm and ease. Even though the child was fearful and screaming bloody murder; Cameron persevered with positivity and did not give up on the child. Shadowing experiences such as this have motivated me to pursue a career as a physician assistant. I have learned the importance to remain calm in high-stress environments, to to ensure an excellent patient-provider interaction by effectively communicating with patients, and to work as a team with a common goal to improve a patient’s health.
The shadowing experiences with physician assistants and physicians have prepared me for my next step towards physician assistant school. I have learned valuable lessons of fluidly communicating with patients and working as a team in order to achieve a successful health outcome. I am thankful for my volunteer opportunities through Love Your Melon, which introduced me to the superhero, Travis. Travis gives me purpose to never give up; no matter your situation. He has taught me to stay positive, remain faithful and persevere past fear to achieve my future goal; to become a physician assistant.
Caitlin says
Determination. Each day I wake up with the determination to make myself better and to be better than I was yesterday. If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be where you’ve always been. Moving forward, striving to overcome new challenges, and choosing who you want to be for the rest of your life. What you believe is what you can achieve. I believe given the opportunity I can achieve my dream of becoming a PA.
Growing up I had a strong interest in science and the human body. After high school, I enrolled in a respiratory therapy program at a local community college. Throughout the respiratory program I became to know the PA profession. During my clinical rotations I worked alongside several PA’s each specialized in different fields of medicine. After graduating respiratory school, I became a fulltime respiratory therapist at a major level I trauma hospital. Intubations and ventilators became my life, but I still wanted more. After working with PA’s on a daily basis and learning their functions and scope of practice, I knew that’s exactly what I’ve been longing for.
While working fulltime as a respiratory therapist I started taking pre-requisites for PA school along with enrolling in a Bachelor of Respiratory Therapy program. Shortly after starting school my mother suffered from a type B aortic dissection and spent four months in the hospital. She passed away at the age of 60 leaving behind myself and my 9-year-old son. My mother always motivated me to push harder to accomplish my dreams. Before she passed away, she told me that I could make my dreams my reality if I worked hard enough. She believed I would make a phenomenal physician assistant and I intend on making her proud.
Working directly with critically ill patients has taught me to have patience and to listen to concerns not just from other medical professionals but the patients and their families as well. I feel being a patient advocate is vital and if given the opportunity I will be the PA who stands up for their patients. I strongly believe in teamwork and realize that becoming a PA is becoming a part of an organization of well-learned medical professionals. Being a part of that team is my dream and hopefully will be my biggest accomplishment.
All of my clinical experiences have led me to the conclusion that I am meant to be a PA. To be able to study and practice medicine as a PA in all specialties is my ultimate goal. I was once told to either modify my dream or magnify my skills, I choose to magnify my skills and become a physician assistant.
Adam says
Thank you for the advice!
Whitney Prosperi says
You’re very welcome!
Adam says
It didn’t hit me until the drive home from my last day as a physical therapy (PT) intern. After a grueling semester, I should have felt liberated to finish the final capstone internship required for my degree. Instead, feelings of doubt, insecurity, and regret swirled around my head. Had I chosen the wrong professional path?
Three years earlier I enrolled in the Kinesiology program at Arizona State University. After suffering a pectoral tear the following summer, I was referred to a PT clinic to rehabilitate my injury. Within months I had gone from hanging my arm in a sling to slowly beginning pushups again. I had a rooted desire to help people heal the same way my therapist had helped me. Every semester that passed only strengthened and re-affirmed this more. As my GPA progressively increased, so did my confidence. Despite working full-time, I began to challenge myself even more; attempting to shorten the time remaining until I had a career that I loved. In addition to steadily increasing my course load each semester, I began to seek extracurricular activities like participating in research labs or enrolling in graduate level courses with university approval.
During the final week of my internship, I witnessed an interaction between a therapist and a patient named Jim that I had grown close with while working there. After stating he wished more could have been done about the numbness in his fingertips, the therapist explained that this was a neurological issue and there was nothing more they could do for him. Unknowingly, this experience planted a seed in my head that slowly began to sprout. Now that I had completed my bachelor’s program, it was time to begin the application process for doctorate of physical therapy programs. The flames of motivation that had lit the fire underneath me for the last three years began to slowly dwindle. After searching for an explanation of my new-found flat affect, the answer came from a place I’d least expect it.
Upon opening my email, there was a message from my internship director. Attached was the final piece of the puzzle; my internship evaluation. She had given me the highest possible marks, stating that one day I would be an outstanding therapist myself. After writing back to explain my recent skepticism surrounding my choice of career, she gave me the most helpful piece of professional advice I had ever received. Her reply wrote “The hardest part isn’t wanting to help people. The hardest part is figuring out how.” She suggested that I look into PA as a possible alternative, calling them “Swiss-army knives of medicine”. That message had given me more emotional clarity and clairvoyance than I had felt in weeks. They say that knowledge is power, and I knew in that moment I wanted more power to help patients like Jim. The more I learned about becoming a PA, the more I began realizing that those feelings of doubt, insecurity, and regret were actually just an unidentified longing to do more.
PA programs have much more rigorous requirements than the degree I had already obtained. Microbiology, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry were just a few of the courses I would need to complete before applying to any programs. The idea of becoming a PA felt so promising, but I needed to know for sure before sacrificing the next couple years completing the required coursework. To confirm this newly kindled motivation, I turned to medical scribing. To gain exposure to a wide variety of medicine, I picked an environment that would allow me to see them all; the emergency department. Working alongside a healthcare provider was so much more enlightening than attending therapy as a patient. During my first solo shift, my provider picked up a patient complaining of abdominal pain.
As we entered the room, it was apparent the patient was homeless. He was stranded in Phoenix with no food, shelter, or money to get home. As we walked out of the room, the patient asked for something to eat. After placing orders for lab work and imaging of the patient’s abdomen, the PA requested that the nursing staff bring the patient a blanket, juice, and some crackers with his medication. While the patient rested, my provider spoke with the social worker on shift to arrange getting him a bus ticket home.
When it was time to discharge the patient, he couldn’t help but break into tears as the provider handed him his bus ticket. In that exact moment, I could see all of the elements that healthcare encompasses coming together. A compilation of empathy, compassion, wisdom, and experience, patient treatment requires a dynamic approach tailored to each individual and their specific needs. After working in the third busiest ER in the state of Arizona, I am now ready to obtain the tools I need to provide any patient with a level of care that I know I am capable of providing. I am ready to become a Swiss-army knife.
Whitney Prosperi says
Adam,
I think you do a good job of showing your motivation to become a PA.
Your story of deciding to pursue the PA path is compelling. I do think you will need to condense where you can to leave some space to add in a description of any shadowing experience you may have had. Describe interactions between PA and patients and PA and physician. What about your observations confirmed your decision?
Also, I would add a brief patient care story. Show yourself in action providing some kind of care while connecting with a patient on a personal level.
You may also want to mention your desire for and ability to collaborate with a team of providers.
The story about the homeless patient and PA is very compelling!
You are off to a good start. Good luck to you!
Diamond says
Hi I read you personal statement and I just have one recommendation, instead of using the word sacrifice in paragraph 5 I would suggest to use the word invest.
“before investing the next couple years completing the required coursework.”
Just a thought!
Liz says
Thank you so very much!!!
The wind blew lightly, as the sun shone bright. Blossoms filled the spring trees and birds sang from their branches. Outside, the world lies in a stage of rebirth, while in the familiarity of my parent’s bedroom tears fall. My father lay silent. Hand in hand with him, I watched his chest fall as he took his final breath. My dad, who I absolutely idolized, had succumbed to the cancer that he so valiantly fought against.
Losing my father to cancer was a life-altering experience that helped renew my desire to become a physician assistant. This may sound strange, but I feel my father urging me forward on this path. He is my inspiration and my motivation. My dad’s cancer journey was filled with many medical professionals. However, one stands out in my mind. Dad’s physician assistant was the first provider who suspected cancer. She conferred with the doctor she worked under and he agreed. Dad’s physician assistant used her influence to fast-track an appointment with a specialist so the cancer could be diagnosed quickly, and appropriately.
The additional time and concern she was able to take with my dad certainly added years to his prognosis. I want to be a physician assistant so I can help sustain the lives of others. I want to provide services for those who suffer, who need medical guidance and assistance, who need a caring, sensitive provider. I want to be a physician assistant so I can follow through with patients, and practice preventative medicine and critical care.
I want to be a physician assistant so I can provide the level of care that was given to my dad. I want to take time and consideration with each patient I have the blessing to know. I look forward to being the provider who can offer a shoulder to cry on when needed, and a positive environment of respect, empathy and dignity. I saw how vital that type of care was to my dad in his cancer journey and I long to supply that comfort and support to others in a way I can do in a greater capacity, with the PA-C behind my name.
One way I’m working on becoming this type of provider is In my current work as a full-time patient care technician (PCT). At work, my home base is Labor, Delivery and Newborn care, but I also work in the ER, and the medical/surgical in-patient floor. I work with medical professionals of every level and the ideal practitioner, in my opinion, is the physician assistant. I love the level of interaction they have with their patients. In my estimation, physician assistants have more one-to-one time with their patients.
Personal interaction with patients is what I love most about my job. As a PCT I intimately interact with people as I take vital signs, perform baby lab draws, provide peri care for adult patients, administer catheter care, and spend time visiting with each of my patients. I regret that once my patients discharge I lose contact with them. I will never know if the baby we transferred to NICU is doing well. If the patient who left after the surgical repair of a complicated fracture will ever ski again. I want to be a physician assistant so I can provide a continuum of care, and be present in the lives of my patients for years to come. I know I can do this as a physician assistant, I witnessed it first hand in my shadow hours.
My experience shadowing Wes Webster, a family practice physician assistant, was invaluable. Wes is a great example of providing lifetime care for his patients. Before we would enter a patient’s room, Wes would turn to me and share something like the following, “You are going to love Jim. He is a great guy who loves riding horses.” Wes never rushed the patient. He always asked about their loved ones, and inquired about the patient’s interests. When it came to treatment, Wes caringly listened and offered suggestions, always allowing the patient to decide on their plan of care. I observed that Wes is both a caregiver and a friend. I want to be a physician assistant so I can provide the same level of care and compassion I witnessed by shadowing Wes, and to provide a continuum of care, and to give the talents I have to people who are in their most vulnerable state. I cannot wait to be a physician assistant
Whitney Prosperi says
Liz,
I am sorry about the loss of your father.
I trust that you will honor his legacy as you provide compassionate care to your own patients.
I think you do a wonderful job of showing your motivation to become a PA. You also reveal the PA who was the catalyst for your decision.
I would describe a patient care experience you have had. Show yourself providing care of some kind while connecting with the patient on a personal level. Here, you want to show what traits you have that will make you a compassionate, effective provider.
I would also mention your desire to collaborate with a healthcare team somewhere in your essay.
Also, for your conclusion, I would tie back in some way to the incredible story about your father and his legacy propelling your forward.
I wish you luck on your journey!
Ellie says
As a child, I remember sitting in my closet with my hands forced over my ears, struggling to block out all the noise. My sisters screaming voice echoed around every corner of our small townhome as well as the sound of objects shattering against walls. I was a confused kid, constantly asking myself questions like “why my sister was so mean to my parents” or “why she was constantly running away from home”. It wasn’t until I got a little older that my parents explained to me that my sister has bipolar disorder, which was the reason for her roller-coaster behavior. Although growing up with my sister was trying, I am very thankful for the experiences I endured growing up with. Seeing first hand how a disease can affect an individual, as well as everyone around them, has always been the driving factor pushing me to pursue a career in health care.
During my junior year of high school, I was faced once again with the hardship that comes with disease. Three of my fellow classmates had passed away within a 2-month time frame. The death that affected me the most was that of my friend Ryan, who passed away in his sleep from a heart condition. I vividly remember wishing that there was some way to be there to help prevent events like this from occurring. This event coincided with my first human biology course. For the first time in my high school education, I felt truly fascinated about the subject I was learning. I recall talking with my mother about opportunities in terms of college and career and discussed with her the tragedy that our town had recently suffered. We spoke about how I wanted to be apart of those situations to aid in some way. She brought up becoming a physician assistant like my aunt and since then I have never aspired to do anything else.
Fast forward 3 years, I am beginning my junior of college. I have been studying kinesiology still with the goal of becoming a PA. It is a Saturday morning and I wake up to realized that my phone was dead. Once charged, my phone buzzed with around 40 missed calls and text messages from family. I had picked up my phone and called my mother back right away. “It actually happened. Your sister tried to kill herself last night” were my mothers exacts words that I will never forget. Sitting in the hospital with her I found myself again wishing that there was something more I could be doing in these tragic situations. My sister, mercifully, got a second chance at life, which is something I will forever be grateful for. During this time the realization became even clearer of what I wanted my future to look like. What I went through during this time has taught me to treat every day like a new opportunity to grow closer to my goals. You can’t take anything for granted, especially the opportunity to reach your goals. My sister’s suicide attempt forced me to take evaluate my life and the areas that I needed to improve. I made serious changes in my school work, my health care experiences, and my overall outlook on everything. I began constantly asking myself “is what I am doing today getting me closer to my goals?”
Over the last 2 years I have been working as a medical assistant in an urgent care which has only bolstered the fact that PA is the correct path for me. I am able to learn first hand what being a PA entails. One day we had a 13-year-old boy come in with difficult motor function and tachycardia. This patient was in the ER the night before due to a reaction to his psychiatric medications. This boy was unable to hold his head up straight, to walk properly, and was complaining of shortness of breath. It was clear from the beginning that this was a very emergent situation. As the PA was performing an exam on the patient I set up the EKG as well as placed an IV. Meanwhile I can hear the mother crying in the hallway and the patient pleading to not have to receive another needle stick. After the patient had left I felt an amazing rush of gratitude that I was able to be there for the boy and his mother. For the first time that desire I had in the past to be helping and doing more in these types of situations was fulfilled. My desire in becoming a physician assistant and passion for helping others was justified in that moment.
I feel so lucky that I have found something in life that I feel immense passion for. So many students struggle to feel confident in their purpose and career. I have seen first hand how much disease can affect a person, family, and community. I have seen the tragic side of medicine and it has only driven me more to reach my goal of becoming a physician assistant. Between working full time and going to school full time this last year I feel fully prepared to take on the responsibility that comes with becoming a physician assistant. I want to become a physician assistant because I want to continue to live a life that I am proud of. I know as a PA I will go to work every day passionate about what I do and proud of the work and services I am providing.
Kelsey says
Hi! Thank you in advance for your help. Any suggestions are appreciated greatly. Please be honest!
Balloons colored red, gold, and white filled the sky in a sea of light as we walked that crisp November evening to celebrate how much we had raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The balloons identified their owners as survivors, supporters, or those walking in memory of a life lost. My balloon was gold; in memory. Images of my dad and I filled my head as I remembered him, bald and smiling, with his arms wrapped around me years ago. The little girl he held close looked pensive, somber almost. Like the weighted feeling draping the air before a storm, she felt the gravity of illness even then. I was five when my dad lost his battle with cancer, and although it was impossible for me to understand at the time, the experience molded me into the person I am today.
Seeking the light that could arise from the darkness cancer left behind, I developed a sense of empathy that inspired me from a young age. As I grew older, I was fueled by a passion for science in the spirit of bettering humanity. I took as many advanced courses as I could, even enrolling in a night class during my senior year. When I saw how much promise the field of Biomedical Engineering held, I immediately chose it as my major. I immersed myself in every possible experience, from an internship creating pluripotent stem cells for future patient treatments to 3-D printing an eye mold model to predict glaucoma development. The more avenues I explored, the more I wanted to continue my journey in medicine. At first, I tried and failed to achieve the grades I had hoped for, finding success especially difficult as I transferred schools. As I learned of the physician assistant profession, I adjusted my study habits and improved steadily towards my new goal. With perseverance and determination, I pulled my grades up, made Dean’s List, and was accepted to a competitive internship at the university hospital that would change everything.
Excitedly, I donned my scrubs in the locker room, shimmying into them quickly and snatching a mask and shoe covers from the supply room outside. The doctor briefly greeted us and gave an overview of the surgery scheduled that morning – a left ventricular assist device removal on a 17-year-old boy. She waved for us to follow down the hall, and I immediately hurried after her, waddling like an awkward duckling. I scrubbed excitedly at the OR sink, tied my surgical gown tight, and sterilely pulled on my gloves with a snap. Watching the surgical team in awe that day, I longed to be on the frontlines of patient care, as part of a team as cohesive and fluid as the one before me. As a physician assistant, I realized I could apply the science I had loved directly to the lives of the people I loved. The boy on the table left that day with a heart miraculously restored and a new chance at life, but I left feeling like I was just as lucky.
I watched as the doctor exited the patient’s pre-op screening appointment. That was my cue. Anxiously, I tapped on the door. “Come in,” a feminine Spanish voice replied, shaking slightly with old age and nerves. I nudged it open and careened my head into the room, introducing myself as “Kelsey, clinical research coordinator.” It was my first patient consent, the words still sounding crisp and new as they came rolling off my tongue. I explained the biobank study to the woman sitting intently in front of me. How she could donate her excess tumor, a recurrent glioblastoma, to future cancer research. At first mention of this, she immediately nodded her head enthusiastically. Despite her frailness, she was now sure and strong, going on to explain her desire for positivity to come from her grim diagnosis. She longed for a ray of light, of hope, and in that moment, I wished there was more I could do for her.
As I continue on my journey in medicine, I value every opportunity to grow as a person and as a future healthcare provider. I have taken on roles where I see myself contributing most as a physician assistant, in my beloved island and military communities, the global community, and innovative research. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, I was quick to answer the call to serve alongside frontline healthcare workers. As part of the response team, I have learned to quickly adapt my skills to any situation in ways I had never imagined. As a leader in coordinating these urgent clinical studies, I have again witnessed the integral part each member of the healthcare team plays and how my service as a physician assistant can ripple down to the global community. Inspired by the woman grateful to use her own illness in hopes of one day healing another’s, by the boy starting his second chance at normal life with a newly-restored heart, by my dad who unknowingly guided me towards my passion, and by countless others in my life, I will strive to bring light to each life I am lucky enough to impact through medicine.
Monica Bekhete says
Hello everyone, this is my very first draft for my PS. I am over the limit by around 200 characters. Please let me know what can be fixed, removed altogether, or re-worded.
I performed my first dissection at the age of 7, using a kids’ beginner microscope kit. I had found a cockroach near our kitchen, which my father very willingly helped me kill without crushing. I remember being so excited to dissect the little creature for my scientific observations in my bedroom. I very carefully carried the roach and placed it in the container provided with the microscope kit. I then followed this by taking it out of the container and placing it onto the plastic dissection pan to cut a piece of its wings. I was fascinated with the vein-like structures on the fragile translucent wing, and I started wondering what else I can observe under the microscope. And so, I started experimenting with my own body, by pulling a hair off my head, puncturing a tiny hole on my arm for a drop of blood, and cutting my nails to examine their structures under the microscope.
These often resulted in failure, and I could not see much under the microscope, but I did not care, as I felt like a true scientist. My endeavors at becoming a scientist did not stop there; I watched The Magic School Bus everyday and could not stop thinking about how I too wanted to travel through blood, because I thought red blood cells looked like strawberry gummy rings. I also started becoming interested in chemistry and attempted multiple chemical reactions at home by mixing bubble solution, crushed pills, and food dye, hoping for a magical explosion.
Growing up in Egypt, my options to pursue a “reputable” career were limited. In Egypt, and the Middle East in general, you are either an engineer or a doctor, and I did not want to be either. I knew I had an interest in science and I wanted to work in the healthcare field, and so I decided to pursue my education in pharmacy school upon my high school graduation. This decision was made purely out of convenience, rather than interest. Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for my country, the revolution happened in 2011, and my family and I made our big move to the United States.
Moving to the States made drastic changes in my personality; although it had not been my first time moving to a foreign country, as I lived with my family in Bahrain for 7 years, but everything was so different in America. I had to adapt to a culture that was so foreign to me, and it made me feel like an alien, a word very clearly stated on my green card.
I graduated high school with very little knowledge of what GPA, SAT’s, college essay, and major meant, and I had not a clue what I wanted to do with my life. Despite my doubts, I started my upper education at Massachusetts Bay Community College, taking general classes with science on my mind along the way. Still not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, I transferred to the University of Massachusetts Lowell to pursue an education in Biology. Many of my Egyptian friends from church were Biology majors at Umass Lowell and aspiring to go to medical school upon graduation. I thought to myself: “Maybe I should be a doctor too then.” More specifically, a psychiatrist, as I loved solving my friends’ problems and helping whenever I had the opportunity to do so, as well as attempt to understand my personality and that of others.
Pressured and swayed by other people’s opinions, I started telling everybody I was going to medical school, even though I did not know the application process nor the requirements. I had no real goal in mind and was not motivated to do my research on the field of medicine. The idea of pursuing a career in which I had to remain confined within a certain field my entire life horrified me. During the first couple of years of college, my grades were a roller coaster, and honestly, I did not seem to care since I could not imagine myself going to medical school, despite what I was telling my friends and family. Not having a clear set goal made me rather sad and unenthusiastic about my future, that is until I stumbled upon the physician assistant program.
Frankly, I had never heard of a physician assistant prior to this moment, and once I started researching the job description and different programs, I fell in love. I could not believe that a versatile career in the field of medicine even existed. The fact that I could easily shift between fields of medicine within a single profession lured me in furthermore. I quickly came to the realization, that my love of helping others did not have to be restricted to a career I had no interest in. Suddenly, my grades started improving and I made it to Dean’s List two years in a row, and finally found hope again.
Oftentimes at hospitals and clinics, the patient is presented to a physician assistant before seeing a doctor, and I would love to be that face. Being the one to greet the patients, diagnose them, and come up with a treatment plan for them, it is a physician assistant’s responsibility to make them feel safe and in good hands. Luckily, with my Psychology minor which helped me understand different individuals, working as a CNA at a nursing home which helped me develop empathy, and my cultural background as an Egyptian, I believe I can help increase diversity in the field of medicine, as well as provide patients with professional and hospitable healthcare under the supervision of a physician.
Amber says
To say that life is not easy is an understatement. Some people may have been blessed with an easy life, but I am not one of them and I’m happy about that. I have become a much stronger person because of the battles I have won and lost. I am an enhanced and well-rounded caregiver because of the obstacles I have maneuvered through. Most importantly, I have developed a sense of empathy for those around me that I previously did not have. Life may not be easy, but it is a challenge and I am always up to that challenge.
I am a first generation college student. My mother never made it past eighth grade and my father ninth. My parents divorced when I was only three years old. I was raised on government assistance. I remember seeing my mother struggle to get bills paid. I remember wondering why she wasn’t wearing any shoes while she walked me to school in the winter. My mother worked hard to pull us out from poverty. She started to work towards getting her GED when I was in fifth grade. I remember asking the teacher for extra fraction homework for my mom to work on. She studied and worked at it for many years between working and taking care of my sister and finally attained her GED the same year my sister graduated from high school. She showed me that if you put your mind to it you can absolutely achieve anything.
I’ve known I wanted to go into the medical field since I was in sixth grade. I broke a lot of bones as a kid and spent a lot of time in radiology. I wanted to be an x-ray tech and that’s what I set out to do when I graduated. I was accepted almost right away, upon completion of my prerequisites, into the Lorain County Community College radiologic technologist program. I struggled in the program emotionally and my grades often demonstrated that. This was my first experience in a medical setting. It was hard for me to see my patients struggling. It was difficult to leave my own life struggles at the door while I cared for them. I had to learn how to be compassionate. It wasn’t long before I realized that that was the real challenge in healthcare. I loved Radiology and all of the different aspects of the field, but there were many times that I witnessed a definite lack of compassion in the medical professionals around me. This was often true for the providers that I’ve worked with. As I progressed into the field I really began to focus on just that. It is cliché, but I strove to treat all of my patients as I would my own family.
I’ve been working in a medical setting for nearly sixteen years. I have worked in almost all aspects of a hospital setting through my work in radiology. Working in the hospital taught me how to handle the critically ill. However, for the last five years I have worked in a primary care office. Now I am seeing how to treat the chronically ill. It has truly been eye opening. It is also what started me on the path to becoming a physician assistant. I began to feel restricted in my capacity as a radiologic technologist. I want the ability to further help my patients. I want to be able to diagnose them and give them medical advice. I want to have some authority in helping my patients. I also want the ability to practice in different aspects of medicine. One of the best things about working in radiology is the variety. I want to be able to treat both the critical and chronically ill.
Life, as it often does, continued to teach me through experience during this time. Empathy is only taught through life experiences. I’ve gotten married and now have five children. My third son was born with a spontaneous genetic mutation and has had twenty surgeries to date. I’ve played the role of worried parent in a waiting room. I can recognize those that need a hug and those that need cold hard facts. I’ve been through a number of medical obstacles myself. I know what it is like to not be listened to when I feel awful and I’ve experienced the fear of the unknown that not only the patient faces, but also their child or spouse. I recently lost my mother to cardiovascular disease. That was, and continues to be, a pain I cannot describe. Now, however, I can understand the heartbreak that is on my patient’s face that is in a similar situation and I can give them the comfort that they so desperately need and guide them to get the help they need. I also can understand the loneliness that some people feel and love to be someone they can talk to. I know now that while patients need a diagnosis, treatment, and care, it is compassion that they often need more than anything else and that is what I strive for.
I chose to go back to school because I wanted something more. I wanted to make a better impact and to have my opinions respected. That’s why I chose to work towards becoming a physician assistant. I would like to be able to really get to know my patients and help solve their medical problems. It hasn’t been easy. My grades have sometimes been reflective of that as I worked to first get my bachelor’s degree. I first began seeking out a biology degree, but found that traveling on campus while working full time and having children was a challenge. Once I changed to a bachelors in allied health, though, my grades vastly improved. Work, school, life balance is something I have finally achieved. However, I have also prepared for when I do get into a physician assistant program and work will no longer be an option. I am ready to work hard and achieve my goals. I like to think of my mom walking me to school in the winter in bare feet. She did what she had to do to get me where I am today. I am doing the same. I’m not only doing it for my kids, though; I am doing it for each one of my patients.
Whitney Prosperi says
Amber,
I can sense your determination and compassion throughout your essay.
I know you must be so proud of your family’s accomplishments and perseverance. Your mother must be so proud of you, and you must be so proud of her!
I would suggest that you condense your essay throughout. Eliminate excess words and try to combine where you can to leave some room to tell more about why you want to become a PA.
I would include more information about why the PA profession is right for you. What aspects of it really speak to you? (more time with patients, collaboration with a healthcare team, the balance of autonomous responsibility for patients and working with a team?)
I would also include a paragraph that details any shadowing experiences you have had. What did you admire watching the PAs interact with patients or the supervising physician? How did this affirm your decision to become a PA?
Also, include a story that shows you interacting with a patient who motivated you to do more. Show yourself providing care of some kind while connecting with a patient on a personal level. (calming an anxious patient, for example) This will show what you have to offer patients in your interactions with them as a future PA.
Remember, that if you need further help, we are taking submissions for our essay revision service.
Good luck to you on your journey!
Kristen D says
Thank you in advance for your help!
A career as a registered dietitian (RD) offers many opportunities in healthcare—from managing a foodservice operation, to working directly with patients in the acute care setting. I knew from the minute I began my training in clinical nutrition that this was the field I wanted to work in. I love the challenge of complex critically ill patients as well as the time I get to spend one-on-one with my patients to help them meet their nutrition needs. I have spent the last few years as a dietitian in the field that I love, however I realized that I want to expand my knowledge and scope of practice to provide more comprehensive care to my patients. Allow me to share with you my transition from an RD to a physician assistant (PA).
My favorite part of my job is attending multidisciplinary intensive care unit rounds where I communicate directly with physicians, advanced care practitioners, and other departments to provide the best care for our patients. I love being a part of the team and have learned how important various specialties are to provide exceptional all-around care. Some days, I feel like I am really making a difference as a dietitian—from managing enteral and parenteral nutrition orders to completing nutrition focused physical exams to query for malnutrition. However, other days I feel there is more to my calling. I then began to consider the idea of pursuing an alternate career in healthcare that will allow me to develop and manage entire treatment plans for patients, rather than just play a supporting role in their care.
It was at my current job that I had my first encounter with a PA. I was so impressed with the responsibility he has for his patients, and the relationship he has with the physicians he works with. I realized that his job duties, including diagnosing diseases, prescribing medications, and performing technical procedures, are things that I feel are missing from my current career. As a dietitian, my scope of practice limits my ability to comprehensively treat patients and answer their medical questions—from nutrition-related topics like appetite stimulant prescriptions, to patients asking me what a bump on their back is during a physical exam. I realized my passion to help people spans further than nutrition. I want to be the one my patients go to not only for not only for nutrition, but also for the bumps on their backs. Wishing I had the same ability and knowledge as the PA I looked up to, I began to research the profession.
To gain a better understanding of the PA profession, I spent time shadowing a family medicine PA. Her ability to make her patients comfortable—from the single dad whose son was sick for the first time, to the girl getting her first well woman exam—was impressive. It was interesting to watch her work independently to care for her patients, while also collaborating with a physician when needed. I was able to witness this teamwork when she asked for a second opinion on an EKG she read, and I realized how much I like the relationship a PA has with a physician. I am often more comfortable when I can work independently, but also have a team I can work through problems with. These qualities that I witnessed while shadowing are ones I see myself embracing as a PA one day.
I believe my nutrition education and background as an RD has prepared me for the demands of PA school and the career itself. In-depth classes such as metabolism and medical nutrition therapy helped me to understand different disease processes, how the body responds to them, and why we have an increased need for certain nutrients during these times. Evidence-based practice classes taught me how to wade through the wealth of information on the internet to find credible research and interpret it properly. I am comfortable juggling multiple responsibilities at once, as I earned my undergraduate degree with honors in just three years while working and obtaining relevant experience. My dietetic internship consisted of completing 1200 hours of supervised practice while earning my master’s degree concurrently. Therefore, I am certain I am capable of handling the challenging schooling and training that it takes to become a PA.
My long-term goal as a PA would be fulfilled in a role where I can combine my knowledge of nutrition with medicine to treat patients. Working in a specialty such as gastroenterology, endocrinology, or women’s health would allow me to do this. Flexibility is yet another beneficial trait of the PA profession as it would allow me to explore my interests in medicine rather than pick a specialty from the beginning. I am grateful for my experience as an RD, and am excited to build on my background to provide more comprehensive care to my patients by incorporating nutrition with medicine as a PA.
Whitney Prosperi says
Kristen,
You do a good job of explaining your journey to pursuing the PA profession.
I also think your paragraph on what you observed through your shadowing experience is especially strong.
I would condense where you can throughout your essay. This will allow room for you to include an example of how you interact with patients. I would also include a story that shows you in action caring for or advising a patient while connecting on a personal level.
I think you’re off to a good start.
I am not saying you need this, but we are taking essay submissions for our revision service if you need further help.
Good luck to you!
Juli Patel says
Thank you for looking at my essay in advance!! I appreciate any feedback I can get!
My traditional Indian parents always wanted me to go down the medical path. They always made sure my focus never wavered from my academics. Medicine was seen as the best career path, so it was initially the reason I admired the physician assistant (PA) profession. As a new student and natural pursuer of opportunity, I decided to volunteer at a hospital near my school. Little did I know that my experiences at Carle Hospital would allow me to discover my passion for helping others. I was not expecting this hospital to allow me to truly figure out that PA is the path that I want to follow, rather than it being the path my parents wanted me to follow.
At Carle Hospital, I began volunteering in the OB/GYN department. Wanting to see other experiences, I decided to transition to the ED the next semester, which gave me new, thrilling experiences. My third semester was spent in the NICU where the endless number of babies fascinated me. The change in departments gave me a glimpse into my future as a PA; being trained as a generalist and having the opportunity to work in multiple specialties. I didn’t like one department the best over the others; I enjoyed my time in each department equally.
An exciting experience that I had in the ED was when I was stocking a room. A patient with a big tear in his leg with blood gushing everywhere was rolled into the ED. I was shocked to see so much blood coming out of his leg and slowly made my way closer to the patient to see if I could help. However, I realized that as a volunteer I would not be able to assist in any way. Although I had a great experience as a volunteer, I felt restricted in my role and wished I could play a greater part in the patients’ care. This feeling resulted in obtaining my CNA license, allowing me to be promoted to a healthcare technician at Carle on the CVICU floor. Through this job, my drive for becoming a PA was strengthened. The transition from a volunteer where I got minimal patient contact to CNA where I got to help the patient perform activities of daily living is what hooked my heart to be a healthcare provider. I enjoyed helping the patients get dressed or ambulate in the halls. This resulted in being thanked for helping the patients perform tasks that we would normally consider to be so simple. Seeing the patients smile and the change in their eyes as they went from being on bed rest to walking in the halls brought a smile to my face just as it did to theirs. This was the highlight of my shifts; it is such a rewarding feeling as I was able to use my learned skills of compassion, cooperation, and being organized to see the healing process of the patients.
Going to work was something I looked forward to, especially when I would float to other floors. These shifts were usually my favorite as it gave me the opportunity to learn something outside of my usual work. After my first shift as a float, I was happy I got floated. I felt myself getting ahead of myself predicting the next floor I would float to. It may be easy to stick with what you are used to, but moving out of your comfort zone excites me. The floor that I floated to was a rehab floor in which most patients were independent and needed minimal assistance. Compared to my usual floor, where most patients require the assistance of a tech or a nurse to use the restroom, it was an entirely different experience. Stepping out of the CVICU gave me a new point of view and allowed me to strengthen my teamwork and communication skills by working alongside a new staff. This is one of the reasons why I want to be a PA. I want to be able to switch specialties and step out of one comfort zone into another. Volunteering and floating helped me realize that my love for healthcare is so broad that I would appreciate being able to practice medicine in different specialties. Knowing that I have the option to switch specialties and work alongside patients that have conditions that I may not be used to gives me pleasure and brings excitement.
My friends always tell me that I am awesome for working with patients that can’t do simple tasks themselves. They say they wouldn’t be able to do what I do because they lack communication and patience. I tell them that this is what I was meant to do. A tough patient is treated the same way as the sweetest patient. They both are given respect and treated with a smile. A patient on the rehab floor or the pediatric floor is treated the same way as someone on the CVICU floor. Being able to interact with all these types of patients is what draws me to become a PA. I enjoy the versatility and adaptability that comes along with the PA profession.
Whitney Prosperi says
Juli,
You are off to a good start.
I would condense where you can, word by word, to allow more room to discuss your healthcare journey.
If you have shadowing experience, describe the interactions you witnessed. What did you admire about the interactions between PA and patients? PA and supervising physician? How did these experiences confirm your decision to become a PA?
I would also elaborate some on the story with the patient who you encountered with the tear in his leg. How did you direct him to find the care he needed? Did you offer him reassuring words? If so, describe that interaction. You want to show what you have to offer as a future PA and how you perform your duties.
You may want to add a sentence in your conclusion that ties back to your introduction.
Good luck to you.
Madison Siegrist says
Rain. It fell from the sky and hit the window next to me where I was sitting beside my client. Her hand shook as she brought her spoon closer to her mouth. Her legs trembled as she lifted herself up to stand. Her words stumbled as they came out of her mouth. She turned to me with a wistful look on her face, yearning for her multiple sclerosis to give her a break. Still, she smiled through it all. “Hopeful,” she said, because she has me as her caregiver to assist with her showers, to support her through her morning leg stretches, and to remind her about her nightly medications. Yet, I still wish there was more I could do.
This experience and others like it serve as snapshots of times in my life where I wish I could do more to help my patients medically. Through volunteering in the emergency department, and working as a caregiver to patients, I have been taught inherent concepts like empathy, compassion, and determination. Putting these skills to use in my current roles has allowed me the opportunity to increase my patient’s quality of care and life through my actions and words. Being able to interact with patients with different diseases, from all ages and ethnicities has fueled my passion to want to do more and has driven me through my education to pursue physician assistant school.
In the last two summers that I have spent volunteering in the emergency department I have been fortunate enough to work alongside many medical professionals. The physician assistants immediately stood out to me because they were flexible and adaptable, while providing a wide spectrum of patient care. With the fast pace of the emergency room, the physician assistants always made time to effectively communicate with their patients, no matter how busy or packed the E.R was.
During my last week volunteering in the E.R before going back to college I was restocking gloves in a patient’s room as a physician assistant was prepping to put a splint on her patient’s ankle. As she was about to start, she asked me if I would like to observe her. Step by step she educated me through the process, while also educating her patient in a comprehensive and understandable manner. She not only provided quality care, but also took the time to educate myself and the patient. This experience further reinforced my desire to be a physician assistant because I want to be able to provide quality care for my patient while also educating them to take a proactive role in their own health care just as the physician assistant did that day.
As I worked my way through college, I gained time management skills by balancing academics, work, and volunteering. As these skills increased, so did my GPA, creating an upward trend with each semester and even ending my last semester before applying to physician assistant school with a 4.0 GPA. Utilizing my time management skills will help me as a student and a physician assistant because I will know how to prioritize and triage pressing matters. Employing my strong work ethic will increase my punctuality, professionalism, and overall attitude to be able to succeed as a student in physician assistant school and beyond as a medical professional.
Every opportunity I have encountered in my two years and over two thousand hours of direct patient care has guided me to my decision. The countless moments I have spent with my patients has made me more passionate about this profession. Through my love for learning, commitment to my patients, and desire to broaden my knowledge, I am confident I have the tools needed to become a future physician assistant and a valued member of a larger care team. I am ready to make a change through the health care system with every patient I encounter. I look forward to a fulfilling career as a physician assistant where I will no longer have the perpetual feeling of wishing I could do more.
Whitney Prosperi says
Madison,
I enjoyed reading your essay.
I would elaborate some in your opening story. Tell a little bit more about how you cared for this patient while also connecting on a personal level. You want to show yourself in action while revealing what you have to offer patients as a future PA.
I think the section about what you’ve learned from working with PAs is strong.
I would also include a paragraph that details any shadowing experience. What did you learn from observing interactions between the PA and patients? The PA and supervising physician? How did this experience confirm your decision to become a PA?
I think you do a good job with your conclusion.
I’m not saying you need this, but remember we are taking submissions for our revision service should you need further help.
Good luck!!
Madison Siegrist says
Thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated!
Rain. It fell from the sky and hit the window next to me where I was sitting beside my client. Her hand shook as she brought her spoon closer to her mouth. Her legs trembled as she lifted herself up to stand. Her words stumbled as they came out of her mouth. She turned to me with a wistful look on her face, yearning for her multiple sclerosis to give her a break. Still, she smiled through it all. “Hopeful,” she said, because she has me as her caregiver to assist with her showers, to support her through her morning leg stretches, and to remind her about her nightly medications. Yet, I still wish there was more I could do.
This experience and others like it serve as snapshots of times in my life where I wish I could do more to help my patients medically. Through volunteering in the emergency department, and working as a caregiver to patients, I have been taught inherent concepts like empathy, compassion, and determination. Putting these skills to use in my current roles has allowed me the opportunity to increase my patient’s quality of care and life through my actions and words. Being able to interact with patients with different diseases, from all ages and ethnicities has fueled my passion to want to do more and has driven me through my education to pursue physician assistant school.
In the last two summers that I have spent volunteering in the emergency department I have been fortunate enough to work alongside many medical professionals. The physician assistants immediately stood out to me because they were flexible and adaptable, while providing a wide spectrum of patient care. With the fast pace of the emergency room, the physician assistants always made time to effectively communicate with their patients, no matter how busy or packed the E.R was.
During my last week volunteering in the E.R before going back to college I was restocking gloves in a patient’s room as a physician assistant was prepping to put a splint on her patient’s ankle. As she was about to start, she asked me if I would like to observe her. Step by step she educated me through the process, while also educating her patient in a comprehensive and understandable manner. She not only provided quality care, but also took the time to educate myself and the patient. This experience further reinforced my desire to be a physician assistant because I want to be able to provide quality care for my patient while also educating them to take a proactive role in their own health care just as the physician assistant did that day.
As I worked my way through college, I gained time management skills by balancing academics, work, and volunteering. As these skills increased, so did my GPA, creating an upward trend with each semester and even ending my last semester before applying to physician assistant school with a 4.0 GPA. Utilizing my time management skills will help me as a student and a physician assistant because I will know how to prioritize and triage pressing matters. Employing my strong work ethic will increase my punctuality, professionalism, and overall attitude to be able to succeed as a student in physician assistant school and beyond as a medical professional.
Every opportunity I have encountered in my two years and over two thousand hours of direct patient care has guided me to my decision. The countless moments I have spent with my patients has made me more passionate about this profession. Through my love for learning, commitment to my patients, and desire to broaden my knowledge, I am confident I have the tools needed to become a future physician assistant and a valued member of a larger care team. I am ready to make a change through the health care system with every patient I encounter. I look forward to a fulfilling career as a physician assistant where I will no longer have the perpetual feeling of wishing I could do more.