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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 (5th 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
Lani Rogers says
Growing up as the daughter of two educators, there was never a doubt in my mind that I would follow a different career path. I realized at a young age that I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare; however, I was unsure of which area of healthcare to choose. I acknowledged that this journey in discovering myself and my passions would become difficult, but ultimately worth it. I am envious of those who can recall the specific moment they realized they wanted to become a healthcare professional, because my decision to choose this profession did not come as simply. From high school until the first year of my undergraduate career I had chosen to follow the career path of becoming a nurse practitioner. I often found myself questioning if I was headed towards the right direction that would fulfill my aspirations; but after shadowing a physician assistant at a local urgent care, it came clearly that this new career path is the path I wanted to take. Observing things such as personal relationships with the patients, responsibilities, and the medical experiences that occurred in a typical day of a physician assistant confirmed my desire to pursue this profession.
Upon entering my undergraduate career, I didn’t anticipate the academic difficulties, personal obstacles, and lessons that I would soon learn over the next four years; however, these experiences helped shape me into the person I am today. During my most difficult semester, I developed anxiety as a result of overestimating my capabilities to balance school, work and campus ministry involvement. Although the outcome of this particular semester resulted in a slight drop in my GPA, I do not intend to make excuses for my academic shortcomings. Instead, I wish to embrace the growth and determination that have derived from it. Following this emotionally and academically demanding semester, a feeling of total defeat was replaced with the motivation to overcome, along with the introduction of a balance of academics, social life, and involvement in campus ministry that was right for me. Above all, I now prioritize my physical and mental health as the previous semester had evolved a detrimental effect in these two areas of my life.
The love and passion I have for healthcare grew most during my employment as a certified nursing assistant at the local medical center. Although most of my responsibilities were medically simple, such as monitoring vitals and checking blood sugars, the relationships built with patients were anything but. My most memorable patient experience occurred when a middle-aged man was admitted due to a traumatic motorcycle accident. Having been put on fourteen liters of oxygen along with multiple broken ribs, everyday tasks for him were difficult. Allotting time each day to properly care for him and converse with him resulted in a drastic behavior change. His attitude and motivation shifted from not even wanting to get out of bed to eventually pushing himself to walk longer distances each day. Currently, we keep in touch and have a personal relationship, encouraging one another to continually better ourselves. Experiences like these, which result in more personal relationships with patients, make the impact healthcare workers have more apparent.
In search of which healthcare career I wanted to pursue, shadowing is what confirmed my decision. Being given the opportunity to shadow a physician assistant in an urgent care setting, I knew that this journey was the right one for me. While shadowing I observed x-rays of various body parts, suturing of wounds, a case of chickenpox, administration of EKGs and a man who was rammed in the chest by a bull who miraculously had zero fractures. Besides these interesting cases, with every single case I got to observe what it is to be a physician assistant. Respectfully welcoming and addressing patient concerns, physical evaluations, answering of any questions, patient diagnosis, prescribing of medications and educating the patient is just a small portion of the role a physician assistant plays. These interactions with patients, although short and simple, drew me towards this profession.
Working at a medical center with the addition of shadowing, I have learned immensely about the physician assistant profession. Due to these experiences, I believe I have developed skills which are imperative to this career path. I have immense respect for anyone who chooses to pursue a career in healthcare, not only during times like the present in which a pandemic is occurring, but all the time. It would be an honor to become a physician assistant. Although the job can be challenging, it is comforting to know that at the end of your shift you made a difference, no matter how small.
Lani Jacquelyn Rogers says
Hello,
Would very much appreciate it if you could look at my draft! Feeling nervous that it isn’t quite right. Thank you so much in advance!
Leah says
Thank you for your revision!
One of my earliest memories is the view I had of the nurses’ station while hiding behind the unit secretary’s chair on the medical/surgical floor of the local community hospital. I imagine this occurred on one of the many nights my sister and I spent at the hospital when my parents were both called into work. My mom is a pediatrician, and my dad is a happily retired family doctor who specialized in obstetrics. As a child, their careers meant a couple of things to me: I got a lot of grape juice from the hospital breakrooms, and nearly all my friends were delivered by my dad and got their shots from my mom. As a kid, growing up with physician parents didn’t mean I thought I’d work in medicine- maybe something about the unappetizing conversations they had over dinner.
By the time I entered college, however, I’d developed a passion for health and fitness and had no trouble declaring a major in exercise science. An interest in medicine grew as I took biology classes and discovered the side of medicine that I’d missed as a kid wary of all things “icky.” I began to seek experiences that brought me closer to the medical community and started volunteering at the local free clinic. I was given a front-row seat to the impact of decreased access to care in the area, and it was severe. PA students from my university also volunteered at the clinic, and I was struck by the pronounced difference they could make in a person’s life who hadn’t received consistent healthcare in years, if ever.
That year, I spent several weeks shadowing medical providers in my hometown. I was exposed to various healthcare populations- pediatrics, primary care in a federally-funded clinic, orthopedics, and an urgent care setting. I often saw patients who were strikingly similar to those I had met at the free clinic, making it clear to me that a wide range of care is required to maintain health through the lifespan, and a lack of access to resources can have devastating consequences. I observed people seeking treatment that had been delayed far too long- a patient with a diabetic foot ulcer resulting in an amputation, another suffering from a severe case of hidradenitis suppurativa, and many others.
After college, I chose to study public health in a graduate program in Glasgow, Scotland, which presented a unique opportunity to explore and learn about the healthcare system in a new way. Although the US and the UK have very different healthcare systems, many areas in the UK are significantly underserved as well. In Glasgow, life expectancy varied by more than 15 years between neighborhoods in association with the wealthiness of the area. This disparity affected the healthcare these individuals could access, and the deleterious environmental factors they were exposed to in their lifetime. Comparisons between the state of healthcare in the UK and the US were frequent, and not always in America’s favor. It was startling to see the inequities presented this way, and impressed upon me that a convergence of public health and medicine is necessary to address the complexities of the issue. Given the appreciation I have for public health’s place in healthcare, I aspire to practice as a PA who is aware of and accounting for my patients’ social determinants of health, recognizing how important it is to see the individual as a whole.
Working as a CNA, I learned the importance of cohesive teamwork in providing quality care. Successful collaboration extends beyond the clinical staff to include caseworkers, social workers, the patients, and their families. I’ve listened as patients describe feeling unheard and confused by the process of their care, and to those voicing gratitude for providers who have taken time to explain their treatment plan and respond to their concerns. I’ve seen how vital communication is in providing the best possible care and how important every role is to the patient’s outcome. Practicing as a PA will allow me to be an integral part of this group, directly caring for patients, continuously learning from others on the medical team, and working towards the ultimate goal- making a positive difference in people’s lives.
Looking back, I didn’t realize the scope of my parents’ impact on their patients. I’m lucky to have been raised in a town where such provider/patient relationships are possible, and if I took this for granted as a child, I certainly don’t now. I now work on the same medical/surgical unit I spent so much time on as a kid, and it’s easy for me to see why my parents have loved caring for the same community for 30 years. The relationships I’ve made with patients give me a sense of social connection and community that I haven’t experienced before. I’ve had the chance to care for former teachers, parents of my childhood friends, and others who supported me as I grew up in this town. I look forward to practicing as a PA in similar communities and becoming a positive force in my patient’s lives as they do in mine.
Lauren Buell says
Do you ever have time to rest and reflect on your life? You think about all your experiences, all the prayers you have prayed, you sit there and think about the people that are in your life, and you come to a realization that God has taken you through every chapter in order to mold you into the person you are today. Turning onto Ash street I looked ahead and started to wonder if I was lost. I parked my car on the street and continued to walk towards a crowd of homeless people. I arrived at the University of California San Diego’s Student Run Free Clinic. Upon climbing the stairs to the second floor I found a line of patients (many of whom did not speak English) waiting for medical school students and attending physicians to call their name. At first it seemed overwhelming, but then my grit and determination to rise up to any challenge kicked in as I was thrown directly into the full responsibilities of the clinic. As time went on I learned how multifaceted the clinic truly was and how they were able to meet the diverse needs of its patients. If the patient did not speak English, there were several Spanish interpreters available, the patient did not qualify for insurance, we made a few phone calls to pharmaceutical companies and then we were able to obtain the life-saving medications they needed, the patient was malnourished, we had fresh produce for patients to take home. This holistic approach is how I want to model my career as part of a healthcare team. God brought me to this place to learn how I can facilitate a career in healthcare alongside the social needs of my community; to truly take care of my patients as a whole.
I had a goal of serving my community with its healthcare and social needs, but apart from the clinic that I was volunteering at how was I going to accomplish this? Which medical profession was God calling me towards? On the night of July 27th, 2018 I had a massive ischemic stroke at the age of 25. During the numerous doctor’s visits among many specialties throughout my recovery I was given the opportunity to interact with an array of healthcare professionals: Nurses, Physicians, Physician Assistants, EMTs, Neurologists, Occupational Therapists, and Nurse Practitioners to name a few. As dreadful a situation it was to be a stroke victim, it gave me the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with each of these individuals. I was able to implore what the pros and cons of their careers were and how they were able to use their skills to serve the community. I grew up only ever experiencing doctors for my primary care and realized I was unfamiliar with a Physician Assistant’s role in healthcare. Once I told them I was considering becoming a physician assistant many times I got the answer, “if I could do it over again I would have chosen to become a PA! You get the opportunity to move laterally from specialty to specialty.” Given the ability to not only learn, but to practice diverse specialties simultaneously appeals to my desire to be able to adapt as needed to meet my community’s healthcare needs. God used my stroke to teach me to rest, recharge, and plan for a future as a Physician Assistant.
God continued to guide me through the daunting process of enrolling in courses again, planning my own wedding, and making a full recovery. Through God’s grace, I became employed as a Medical Assistant for a Perinatologist at OC Maternal Fetal Medicine while continuing my prerequisites. It was during this time that I learned how to properly manage my time and know where my limits were between working full time, taking classes part time, and being a wife; something I was too naïve to understand and implement when I attended University of Hawaii at Manoa. Under OCMFM’s guidance, I am able to observe how this practice is serving its community and making it a ministry for God. My experiences have taught me how to display God’s love to all who walk through the doors by supplying patients with all the information they may need to make an informed decision in any given situation and to support them regardless of their decisions.
As a prospective PA, I want to apply all the lessons that God has taught me to create meaningful relationships with my peers and university in order to collectively collaborate on how to provide not only the healthcare, but the socio-economical, nutritional, psychological, and safety needs of our community. As a PA I want to be a part of a team that adapts as needed to learn from the community, understand their needs, and take action to fulfill those needs. I want to use my profession as a PA to create a multi-leveled network of volunteers, students and paid professionals that inspire others to truly serve and love their neighbors. I believe that I am an example of someone who has a servant’s heart and emits God’s love for all. As a PA I will contribute a voice on behalf of those who are underserved by standing up for their needs and taking the necessary actions to fulfill them.
Miri says
Hello,
Could you please help me figure out what can be cut out as I am 363 characters over the CASPA limit?
“Swish,” sounds the ball as it sails seamlessly through the net. I feel a sense of pride and satisfaction at seeing my hard work come to fruition. I have been playing basketball since my teacher told me in second grade to quit gymnastics because I was not good enough and did not have the right body for it. I came home that night shamefaced and dejected. I told my mother I wanted to quit because of what the teacher had said. She taught my seven year old self a lesson that I still heed today. She said, “What your teacher said was extremely hurtful and inappropriate, but you cannot quit just because of what she said. You need to be resilient and tenacious and see this through.” Her words at the time were hard to swallow but I recognized that she was right. However, when I had finished, I decided I wanted to try something new. I was apprehensive at first not knowing if my next instructor would be as callous as my previous one had been, nor if I would be any good at this sport. Nevertheless, I decided to try. Learning how to play basketball was not an easy process and required continuous practice, discipline, and physical exertion. There were times when my coach, due to pressure, said very hurtful criticisms. Nevertheless, I remembered my mother’s words and continued to channel the criticisms into greater motivation to become the best. I continued to play from third through eighth grade, and then throughout high school and college.
Many of the skills required for basketball are also necessary within the medical field. This past year, whilst volunteering at Columbia hospital in the Cardiology department, I saw how tenacity, discipline, and strong communication between medical staff was vital for the best patient care. In my time there, I experienced countless moments that have inspired my career choice. When spending time with patients, as a volunteer one of my main responsibilities was offering an ear not only to the patients physical complaints but also to their oftentimes neglected emotional needs. I got to hear from people from all different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. I devoted myself to being an advocate for their needs and communicating them to the P.A. who was my supervisor. I got to see the incredible communication the P.A.s used to bridge the gap between the nurses and physicians. Watching the P.A was like watching the Point Guard in basketball. He would dribble down the court with his patient’s medical history and stethoscope in hand, assess the situation, engage the patient, and prescribe the next steps, thus passing the ball onto the nurse. The nurse would then drive to the basket, fulfilling the P.A’s requests. And behind the scenes, the Physician, like a coach, would confirm and encourage the P.A or suggest an alternative approach for treatment.
Since Columbia is a teaching hospital, many of the staff I encountered encouraged me to ask questions. After recognizing my enthusiasm for learning and being of assistance, they gladly shared with me their medical knowledge and invited me to accompany them on their visits. One time when I was doing my rounds, looking to see what assistance a patient might be needing, a P.A. came in with her kit of supplies ready to remove the chest tubes that had been placed at the completion of the cardiothoracic surgery the patient had undergone. The first thing the P.A. did after realizing the patient could not speak English was to ask for a translator. She invited me to stay in order to help hand her things as she undressed the wound, and prepared a new clean sterile dressing. While trying to do all of this, the patient, possibly due to the language barrier, became more apprehensive and struggled to follow the P.A.’s instruction. I intuitively went over to the patient and asked her if I could hold her hand. Somehow despite the language barrier she understood and nodded. I grasped her hand and she squeezed tight. The P.A. then calmly and patiently repeated her instructions and the lady squeezing very tightly onto my hand followed, and I watched with awe and admiration as the P.A. swiftly and adeptly removed the chest tubes one at a time from the patient’s chest. After the P.A. had finished redressing the wound the woman gave me a gentle squeeze and said “thank you,” her first English words that we had heard. I gave her a gentle squeeze of the hand and a big smile. As I walked out of her room, I felt elated like when I had scored a “swish.” I then continued to realize that the one that had done the majority of the work, while remaining calm and pleasant despite the possible complications that could have arisen if the patient had not complied whilst she removed the tubes, was the P.A. This of course made sense as she was the Point Guard after all.
Basketball has been teaching me life lessons since I was eight years old. It has taught me about resilience, hard work, respect, and communication between a team. I believe these values in conjunction with genuine warmth and care, will aid me in treating and connecting to my patients. Watching the P.A. confidently and methodically treat this patient, advanced my deep thirst for the medical knowledge and training to be able to confidently, efficiently, and caringly treat my own patients. Playing Point Guard on the court has inspired me to continue this role on a different court.
Thanks,
Miri
Valerie says
Hello,
Can you take a look at this draft? First draft and I’m just feeling overwhelmed. Thanks for any and all suggestions/ help. 🙂
Throughout my career, first as a student and now as a caregiver, I have expanded my skills during the past eight years, working as a nuclear medicine and CT technologist. Directly engaging with multiple patients each day, I perform diagnostic SPECT (Single Photon Emission Tomography) and PET scans using radioactive tracers to assess bodily functions and to diagnose and treat disease. I work along side doctors in various specialties, physician assistants (PAs), and nurses in helping provide patient care. Each day brings more opportunities to serve and help others live healthier lives.
I interact with patients with various health conditions who often ask me questions regarding the scans and the organs involved. Sometimes it is as generic as how coronary arteries supply the heart with blood, why his doctor ordered a bone scan for his prostate cancer or how a radiotracer tagged to glucose can identify metastatic cancer within the body, but other times the questions are specific and out of my scope of practice. I am unable to assist them further.
Patients often ask me for medical advice and guidance. I tell patients to discuss their health issues with their doctors and PAs. After months, I started paying closer attention to these moments. I began educating myself more about medical diseases and what the next steps in a treatment plan would be for these various illnesses that I test for. It did not take long for me to figure out that I want to have an expanded role, as a physician’s assistant, on a healthcare team. Becoming a physician’s assistant will provide me with the training and confidence to do so.
During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, my role extended to educating my fellow healthcare professionals in various hospital departments about the proper use of personal protective equipment to prevent the transmission of disease. Also, I assisted in performing health screens on visitors and employees prior to allowing them into the hospital.
My current job has been rewarding, providing me an extensive patient care experience. It has helped me realize that I want to be more involved in the care and treatment of patients. I want to develop a closer connection to patients with a career that will offer countless opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional progress, while simultaneously helping others live happy and healthy lives.
Whitney Prosperi says
Valerie,
I’m sorry you feel overwhelmed. You will get there step by step.
For your introduction, I would elaborate some more on how you enjoy the patient interaction in your current job. I would also condense where you can throughout those first three paragraphs in order to leave room to highlight more of your healthcare journey.
I would add a paragraph that details why the PA profession is right for you. What first drew you to the profession? What aspects of it really speak to you? (the potential for more time/contact with patients? the balance between autonomous responsibility for patients and working with a physician and other members of a healthcare team? Explain why you are a good fit for the profession.
I would also add a paragraph that details your shadowing experiences. What did you learn from observing the PA? The supervising physician? What did you admire about the interactions the PA had with patients and with the supervising physician? How did this experience affect your interest in the profession?
Also, I would add a paragraph that shows you in action performing clinical care of some kind while connecting with a patient on a personal level. You want to show what you have to offer patients as a future PA.
I’m not saying you need this, but remember we are taking submissions should you want to use our essay revision service.
Good luck to you, Valerie!
Valerie says
Whitney,
Thank you very much! I appreciate all of your suggestions. This helps me out so much!
cheynya B says
Hi! my essay went from one paragraph to 9K charachter to just 400 characters over the limit. I still need to cut things out but i would like to know if i’m on the right track or making any glaring mistakes.
“10-24 man stabbed!” It had been 10 hours since the start of my volunteer shift, and just as we began to unload the ambulance this alert blared out over our radios. We were only blocks away from the scene of the crime. With this fact in mind, I immediately reloaded the ambulance and extended our shift. Knowing that this man’s life depended on it. Upon our arrival, We were the only EMT crew in sight. I was met with a pool of blood expanding its circumference over an apartment building floor. And producing that bloody bath, was a young man with, surprisingly, still enough vigor to scream for help and thrash around while holding his neck. Blood pulsed from between his fingers. It was hot and the air was dense on this august morning, but that did not account for the victims diaphoresis. Hemorrhagic shock was imminent. I took action immediately, getting on my knees and applying more pressure to the wound. My team and I controlled the hemorrhage, stabilized his neck, and transported him to the stretcher, while neighbors yelled to God, eachother, and the victim; pleading for him to survive.
I have always been able to look beyond the gore, and treat any patient with an optimistic outlook and minimal interference from anxiety. That had held true with this case as well, until I went to reassess the strength of his pulse. As I removed my hand from his wrist, he grabbed it, and through the force of his grip, communicated his will to live. Prior to him doing so, I had been focussed on treating his physical wounds and hadn’t had time to consider how traumatizing such a severe assault must have been. Now his fear was almost tangible to me. I desperately wanted him to survive; not because he was my patient, or because no decent human wants to see another perish, but because I felt his fear in the strength of his hands and he left that with me.
I let him hold my hand until it was time to unload the stretcher. We wheeled him in and transferred him to the operating room table. As quickly as the doors closed behind me, I was expected to service the next patient and be satisfied with my incapability of ensuring his survival past the hospital. I had never been so discontented with having to terminate my care for a patient at the operating room doors. It was this experience that confirmed my need for a seat at the table, my need for a role in which I could have a say in my patients’ treatment beyond the ambulance.
My experience as an EMT may have confirmed my ability to think on my feet in arduous situations; but I recognize that much more is needed to be a great PA. As a supervised visitation monitor and note taker, I would witness parents with restraining orders against them be rejected by their children, as young as two years old. I pursued this volunteer opportunity, in the field of forensic social work, to test my capacity for unbiased compassion. A PA lacking this ability may be a disservice to the community and unintentionally perpetuate inequity. Though it was heartbreaking to see a child scream and back away from their own father, whom they no longer recognised, I was still able to console both the uneasy mother with PTSD from spousal abuse, and the abuser trying to turn himself around and make amends with his children. I saw past the flaws of both parties involved and genuinely felt sympathetic towards each of them.
Observing these interactions required me to detect and take note of body language that contradicted a person’s words.The experience I had in this position may have been one of the most beneficial, as the same vigilance and approachability is required in patient assessment. I believe that is the most important skill for a great PA to master. If an ailment is not readily apparent, you end up being dependent on the information divulged by the patient, who will likely disclose only the bare minimum if they do not feel comfortable and cared for. As a PA I will be able to dedicate enough time to my patients to connect with them and use my knowledge of both medicine and human behavior to provide them with quality care.
Shadowing a PA only reassured me in my career path. Her name is Andrea, and she was the same PA that cared for my grandmother in her last weeks of life. My grandmother was not known to aggrandize anyone, so when she spoke so highly of the care provided to her, specifically by her PA, I knew considerable efforts had been made. My time with Andrea showed me how the PA profession allows her to have her hands in all aspects of her patients’ treatment. Witnessing the collaborative nature of the profession reminded me of the team work that is also necessary in the EMS. I cherished the opportunity to see patients’ faces light up when we walked in the room; knowing they had looked forward to telling the PA of their new discomfort or concerns. Andreas patients were confident that her expertise would produce the perfect plan for alleviation. She was even sought out in the halls by patients who were no longer in pain or sickness, simply because they knew she cared, and would show genuine excitement for their progress. The only dissatisfaction I felt in this experience was the fact that I was not the PA. I believe being able to make such an impact is unique to the profession, and will appreciate no longer having to rely on a news report or third party source to find out the final prognosis of my patient.
cheynya B says
edit- I just changed the ending to the following:
“I believe being able to make such an impact through teaching, treating and connecting with a patient is unique to the profession. When I left that stabbing victim in the hospital I spent days checking the local news for an update; but as a PA I will be hands on for as long as my patient needs, and can connect with them to an extent that they may return to update me themselves. ”
i don’t know if its any better
Whitney Prosperi says
Cheynya,
I think you do a great job showing your calmness in chaos, your compassion for patients and your desire to do more. I like the story you tell in your introduction for those reasons. I will say you need to condense it where you can to allow more room later in your essay to discuss more of your healthcare journey.
I also think you do a good job of explaining your shadowing experience of Andrea.
I would add some details about why the PA profession appeals to you. (autonomous responsibility for patients and working with a physician and other members of a healthcare team? increased opportunity for time/contact with patients?)
I like the second conclusion you submitted and the way you tied it back to your introduction.
I’m not saying you need this, but remember we are taking submissions for our essay revision service should you need help.
Good luck to you!
Liz says
Thank you!!!!
Step 1: Put on tourniquet and identify vein by palpation.
Step 2: Put on gloves, disinfect site.
Step 3: With venous catheter in hand, anchor vein.
Step 4: Insert gently but swiftly at about 30 degrees.
Step 5: While holding catheter secure, remove needle, fasten clamp, and affix catheter to patient.
Step 6: Attach vacutainer sleeve, collect blood.
Step 7: Flush catheter.
These were the steps I took 5-10 times a day while completing my thesis, “Chronic Curcumin Supplementation: Effects on Endothelial Function Following Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage”, at Texas Christian University. Working with over 100 participants, supplementing, consenting, collecting blood samples, performing flow mediated dilation, and inducing muscle damage was my first experience working with clinical trials. This introduction into the in-depth physiology world was like being thrown into the deep end and having to learn how to swim. I had to figure it out like a puzzle. This helped spark the fire in me to learn more about the health care field.
Next, came working as a clinical studies coordinator for phase 1 clinical trials in oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Here is where I was able to work with world renowned oncologist to help rid the world of cancer. These trials helped me see physician assistants in action and get to work with them on a daily basis. In this setting, physician assistants were the ones who would see the patient between the medical assistant taking vitals and the physician assessing the next course of treatment. They asses and spend the most time seeing how they can increase the patient’s quality of life. In dose-escalation phase 1 trials, you are working with patients that do not have a lot of hope left in life. Most of them are using these trials as a last-ditch effort to live, it is honestly heartbreaking. Physician assistants’ were able to focus more on patient care, and were the ones I would go to when one of my patients was having an adverse event. They got to know the patients on a deeper level and were able to really advocate for their patients. I am able to relate to the sympathetic and, at times, empathetic responses the physician assistants had with the patients, propelling my desire forward to become a physician assistant.
In fact, I applied to several programs while working at MD Anderson, but due to a brief stint at a mental health facility I was unable to complete some of my pre-requirements, nor was I able to retake some of the classes from my first two years of college when I was an immature young adult. Moving forward I have been able to cope and overcome my depression and hope to use my past experience with mental health in my clinical practices. In regard to my academia, my academic performance during graduate school is a more appropriate representation of my academic ability. I have been completing the rest of my pre requirements and other, less than stellar, performances on my academic transcript in the meantime.
The role of a physician assistant is like getting to solve a medical puzzle every day. One day may be figuring out the best way to connect with a patient that does not trust medical professionals. The next might be figure out if an athletes enlarged left ventricle is something to worry about or if it is due to their prolonged training. The complexity and intricate details a physician assistant has to look for and listen to while diagnosing a patient is fascinating. The physician assistant field calls to me, it allows me to combine my love of health and providing for those in need.
Whitney Prosperi says
Liz,
I can see your tenacity and passion for patient care throughout your essay.
I would add a patient care story that shows you interacting with a patient who really motivated you to increase your scope of practice so you can do more for patients. Can you add a paragraph that shows you in action performing clinical care of some kind while connecting with a patient? (calming an anxious patient while you were drawing blood, for example) You want to show how you perform your duties while supporting patients.
Also, while I think you are wise to address your grade issues, I worry about mentioning your time in the facility. I applaud your openness and bravery in sharing, but I fear some readers may harbor bias. While this is certainly unfair and I hate to say this, I would rethink it.
I do know that this experience will make you a more empathetic and thoughtful provider, and I applaud you for being an example in seeking whole health.
Good luck to you, Liz.
Scott Sanders Jr. says
Hi! I’ve done some major reduction on my previous posted rough draft to fit the character limit and have hit a stump. I was wondering if my essay portrays enough of my character or if I should delete a paragraph to focus more on my more time spent at the hospital? Thank you for all the help!
Growing up as the son of a major league baseball player, there was never a doubt that I was bound for a career outside of baseball. Throughout my childhood, my main focus was sports, but I’ve always been naturally drawn to the perplexity of the human body. This passion had grown through the years, but my hope of working in the medical field was still very superficial until my sophomore year of high school. Coming home from baseball practice, I walked into a surprisingly empty house. Calling for my mother, I came to find her passed out on the living room floor. Shaking her and screaming her name, I felt utterly helpless. While dialing 911, she finally came to, moaning of excruciating pain in her back. Unable to stand, I carried her to her bed and immediately called for our family physician. My mother always had trouble with her back, but its combination with anxiety attacks became far too much to handle. That day began a long journey of assistance for a return back to her everyday life. I spent the rest of the year helping her exercise and perform everyday tasks. My constant care and service gave her comfort and relief, along with providing me with the fulfillment of guiding her to a full recovery. This feeling has fueled my passion to give a similar recovery to other helpless individuals as a physician assistant.
Upon high school graduation, I accepted the opportunity to play baseball at Southeastern Louisiana University. My decision to be a part of this team not only set my busy schedule of practice and studying, it also molded my character and work ethic. I learned quickly that majoring in pre-medicine and playing baseball required much more hard work and sacrifice than the average college student. The combination of morning workouts, classes, meetings, practices, and studying instilled the discipline necessary to balance it all. As a student-athlete at Southeastern, I’ve had innumerable character building memories, but none surpass my work done in response to the 2016 Louisiana Flood. The flood left countless families distraught and in ruins. The baseball team and I traveled throughout Tangipahoa Parish and helped as many people as possible. Our goal was to help these families recover their homes, while attempting to lift their spirits as well. From hauling destroyed furniture to completely gutting houses, we did everything possible to make their future in the home much more foreseeable. Soaked in sweat, mud, and insulation, all of our hard work was paid off with the heartfelt gratitude from the victims. This work gave me a great desire to similarly repair people’s lives in the medical field.
Going into my senior baseball season, I knew that it was my year. A couple days before the season opener, I was called into coach’s office with hopes of being on the starting lineup. Coach began our meeting with, “I know you’re excited to end your time here with a bang, but I have a more important role for you instead”. My expected role took a turn from playing every day, to being a leader in the dugout. This left me with two options. Leave the team and finish college focusing on my studies, or accept my role and help our team win games whichever way possible. I chose the latter and spent my final season teaching and coaching my teammates off the field. Although it was one of my toughest decisions, it shed light on the importance of teamwork. No matter how large the role, every role is essential to making your team successful. This quality is essential to becoming a well-rounded physician assistant, who plays a vital role in providing great health-care with my medical team members.
After graduation, I turned my sole attention to the medical field by becoming a patient care technician (PCT). As a PCT, my responsibilities are taking vital signs, monitoring blood glucose, and working closely with nurses, physician assistants, and physicians to administer proper care for my patients. I first viewed my job solely as a source of patient care experience, but it has reaffirmed my ambition of a career in healthcare instead. The gratification of helping a patient recover back to their everyday life can’t be replicated anywhere else. The job has also aided my evolution in the realm of patient care. It has shown me the importance of taking the time to figure out each patient’s needs and expectations, which is essential to providing high quality care. My transition to this job has shifted from a PA school prerequisite to a transformation of my patient care that’s essential to becoming an effective, respected PA. All of my life experiences have led me to realize that spending my time helping others heal and live comfortably is the job for me. Instead of choosing to settle for a simple job requiring much less schooling and effort, I’ve decided to follow my passion and strive for a career in the medical field. Given the opportunity, I know that I possess all the tools necessary to become a life-changing physician assistant.
Whitney Prosperi says
Scott,
I’m sorry to say that we really are only able to offer comments one time on this platform during this busy time. With that said, I was able to look at this briefly and would suggest condensing where you can so that you can make room for a patient care story that shows you in action. This will reveal more of what you have to offer as a future PA.
Remember, we are taking submissions for our revision service should you need more help.
One last thing- in your conclusion, I would also add a sentence that ties back to your introduction in some way.
Good luck!
Peyton Cassidy says
Tinnitus – a sophisticated medical term that was fully comprehended by my eight-year-old mind. When silence, coupled with annoying ringing and screeching filled my eardrums, it occurred to me that the beeping tone that I was meant to hear was absent. As an unsuspecting third grader in a strange soundproof glass booth, I saw an audiologist glaring back at me. Why were there no beeping noises? Was I failing a simple task? It was on this momentous afternoon that I was diagnosed with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally, accompanied with instructions to wear hearing aids. Already a professional lip reader with a bad habit of asking people to repeat themselves, I was clueless that I had been working twice as hard to decipher words and sounds. Despite being aware that hearing loss is common in my family, I had remained blissfully oblivious to the inevitable journey that lied ahead.
After that fateful day, I spent many hours in and out of various doctor’s offices and hospitals, and my curiosity towards medicine began to grow. My interest was sparked even further when I was invited to join a medical club at my high school. Thanks to that organization I was given a tour of an OR, learned how to scrub in for surgery, viewed footage from knee meniscus repair, and had the opportunity to speak with a well-respected orthopedic surgeon. Unbeknownst to me at the time, my first full-time job as a college graduate would be working at that very orthopedic practice with the total joint surgeon I learned from that day. It is in this position that I spend time casting a fractured wrist, removing posterior hip staples, or applying wet to dry dressing on a post-op wound, and find myself immersed in enrapturing conversations with patients. The greatest reward to my job is the lessons I have learned through these patient interactions – they have taught me trust, patience, and how to be a better listener.
While these direct patient interactions have shaped many encouraging encounters and strengthened my passion for healthcare, I cannot overlook the value in my time as an emergency room medical scribe. This highly rewarding and eye-opening position included something I was afraid of and had not yet experienced – death. In my very first week on the job, while swiftly typing into my laptop behind a scene of nurses, EMTs, and providers administering the last efforts to resuscitate an 80 y/o patient suffering from an acute MI, I experienced this for the first time. I felt many things, but fear was not one of them. I felt admiration for the care providers who used their knowledge and swift critical thinking skills to give the patient the best chance he had at surviving. Since that experience I have witnessed many other deaths and grueling situations. I will never forget spending Christmas Day at the bedside of a 30-year-old male, listening to the provider, with tears in her eyes, tell him that he had Stage IV lung cancer. Experiences like these do not get much easier. But with each one, my desire to become a physician assistant is reaffirmed and solidified.
There was one sizable concern that almost halted my path of entering the medical field and prevented me from having any of these experiences altogether, my hearing loss. Initially plagued with fears that it would hinder my ability to fulfill my duties and responsibilities in healthcare, I have fortunately been able to tackle those doubts and defy the genetic obstacles I have been handed. In the emergency room, with just mere curtains separating many of the rooms, the plethora of sounds can be overwhelming enough to even confuse someone with perfect hearing. But with the help of my trusty hearing aids, I was able to accurately interpret the sounds to develop well-written and accurate notes for the providers. In my current position I interact with many geriatric patients that often notice my hearing aids, which frequently results in humorous conversations as we swap the comical stories that have resulted from our hearing loss. These meaningful connections have only further inspired me and fueled my need to become a healthcare provider.
I strive to be offered the opportunity to strengthen my clinical set, broaden my knowledge base, and help patients achieve an optimum state of health. Given my own life experiences, passion for health, strong work ethic, and current skills and knowledge, I do believe that I make an excellent candidate to be a Physician Assistant. My first year as a college graduate has been a challenging one with starting a new full-time 40 hour a week position, while attending college class with lab at night, studying for the GRE’s, and add a national pandemic into the mix, I am proud of what I have accomplished thus far. I am confident in my ability to fully dedicate myself to the Physician Assistant profession. Being accepted into a respectable PA program can be next step towards helping me achieve that goal.
Brieann Backes says
I will never forget that smell.
It was my first day working as a certified nursing aide (CNA) at a local assisted living and it was time to get Ms. M up for her shower. She was a lovely resident, with C.difficile and not enough ventilation in her room. In her small bathroom, the steam from the shower, the smell, I thought to myself there’s no way I’m going to be able to do this job. After a few days working the smells no longer phased me and the gratitude Ms. M had for the help was far more overpowering than any smell. I will also never forget my last day at that same job: giving Mr. O a hug and sharing tears as we were saying our goodbyes. Mr. O was a resident that reminded me a lot of my grandfather and we had developed a close friendship through our after lunch chats about our families, hobbies, and plans for the day. This was a moment that made me realize that my job was much more than just helping residents get dressed and taking vital signs. This first healthcare experience is often what I think about as what sold me on choosing healthcare as a career.
During my senior year of college, I went to listen to a bioethicist give a presentation about palliative care and he memorably stated, “In healthcare, we are called to care even when we cannot cure”. This statement perfectly summarized those feelings I had during my first CNA job and in every healthcare experience subsequent to that. I look forward to the day when I can care for my patients and try my hardest to cure them as well. I believe a good provider is one who can use their understanding of medicine, dignity, and compassion to make a person feel heard, taken care of, and respected. I want to be an advocate for my patients and their health, emotionally and physically, to help them live their lives fully and joyfully, and above all, always care, even when I cannot necessarily cure.
I hadn’t thought about becoming a physician assistant (PA) until I went to college. In the exercise science program at my school, the professors put an emphasis on all the areas that our studies are applicable and paths we can take after we graduate. I had always wanted to continue my education after undergrad but wasn’t sure about exactly where. I considered being a physical therapist, physician, chiropractor, clinical exercise physiologist, and PA. During our program we have different healthcare professionals come in and speak with us, along with getting to do clinicals in various areas; this exposure was what made me positive I want to be a PA. After hearing from a former graduate about her experience as a PA, from the ability for lateral mobility from specialty to specialty, responsibility of being in charge of patient care, and necessity of critical thinking skills to diagnose and treat medical conditions,I knew that PA was the career I wanted to pursue.
In my experience as a collegiate softball player, education, jobs, and even PA school applications there have been moments where I have thought, “there’s no way I can do this”. But despite transferring colleges, injuries, self-doubts, and rejections, I have made it through those times, and I know that there are going to be many more. I’ve started to look forward to those struggles now, though, because that is when I get to show off my best skill: perseverance. Instead of letting the obstacles set me back, I look at them as opportunities to grow and become even stronger.
As a reapplicant, I have been able to become a much more well-rounded applicant this time around. I have started a job working in the surgical department, developed better communication skills by coaching at a local high school, and been able to observe in greater detail how MDs, NPs, and PAs work in the clinical setting; all of these have only made me more passionate about becoming a PA. I see the way our PAs come to see patients and create a bond with them while simultaneously answering their questions pre- and post- operatively. Hearing first hand how one PA I shadowed was able to move cities and go from assisting in orthopedic surgery to working more independently in an orthopedic clinic to be able to free up more family time was eye opening to the unique and extraordinary ability that PAs have with lateral mobility. Shadowing and hearing patient stories has also helped me to confirm that being a PA is the right choice for me by being able to see their ability to care. From sharing pictures of classic cars that a patient has been working on, to setting and helping achieve goals for the patients that include getting back to riding on their motorcycle, staying healthy enough to play with their grandchildren, to determining the best plan of action to keep the patient as comfortable as possible while they fight advanced cancer. I feel passionately about helping people to have the highest quality of life available to them and know that being a PA will give me the skill set to help people do this.
Whitney Prosperi says
Brieann,
Good job on your introduction. You show your desire to help patients and connect with them on a personal level.
You also do a good job of showing how your interest developed in the PA profession.
I would elaborate some more on your shadowing experiences. What did you witness in the interactions between PA and patients, PA and supervising physician? How did these observations affirm your decision to pursue the PA profession?
In your conclusion, I would also tie back to your introduction in some way.
One note: You comment that your best skill is perseverance! Good for you. Perseverance will take you far in life. It’s a wonderful “best skill” to have!
Good luck to you, Brieann!
Jackson says
Think of your most cherished memory, can you remember everything? Do you remember how you felt? While the power of time can heal the deepest wounds and weaken our strongest memories, it fails to erase a vital part to our souls that often accompany our memories—feelings. While I don’t remember everything from my first memorable experience with a PA, I can still recall the distinct feelings I had as I walked out of the appointment. His sincere desire to help me was nearly palpable, I had his undivided attention while his warm smile reassured me that I would be able to make a full recovery from my meniscus tear. That patient-provider connection left a lasting mark on a 15-year-old who could only think about playing soccer. Over the years similar experiences confirmed what mattered most to me as a patient, exceptional attention from a caring provider who was willing to connect with me and give me their time. These experiences not only fueled my interest in a career as a future PA but showed me what kind of PA I wanted to be.
During my time as a PCT on an ortho-neuro unit, I was able to see experiences almost identical to my personal experience with a PA on a daily basis. These interactions illustrated the differences between a MD and PA and reinforced how their workplace relationship increased efficiency and the quality of care for patients. Apart from their sincere desire to help patients, the constant communication and appreciation of one another was almost palpable. These types of relationships are the ultimate mechanism for improving patient care, and something I look forward to experiencing as a future PA. I saw that as a PA I would be able to continue to pursue my passion of forming personal connections with patients and coworkers that provide a platform for sincere support. These experiences highlighted the importance of concise communication among all and strong teamwork within the care team. Although I was only a PCT, I truly felt like I had a vital part to play, and that each patient provided me the opportunity to make a personal connection that could last.
One particular patient provided me with something more, a lesson on how important cultural sensitivity is to effectively communicate and treat underserved populations. As the door creaked open neither Roger nor his daughter looked up, it seemed as if the air was too heavy for them to lift their weary heads. There was a tangible feeling of grief and fatigue that seemed contagious. Even though Roger had multiple wound vacs, was covered in bandages, with his leg elevated, his daughter looked to be in as much pain as him. My friendly smile did little to lighten the mood as I gathered vital signs and offered help. As I turned for the door, I heard a groan of discomfort and saw Roger’s daughter trying to reposition him as she muttered “Ay papa, necesitamos mas almohadas.” When I replied in Spanish that I could get them pillows and anything else they need a light flickered behind their eyes and their demeanor changed. 15 minutes later Roger revealed, “Actually, my name is Rogelio. I just said Roger because it was easier for the staff to pronounce and I didn’t want to cause any more trouble than I already am.” From then on everyone noticed the unmistakable difference in the room, and in Rogelio’s progress. It was no longer Roger’s room, but Rogelio’s room.
I continued to have similar experiences in other healthcare settings that provided valuable preparation for the unique role that many PA’s have in serving underserved populations. During my time as a health promotion educator with Centro Hispano in Utah County, I interacted with underserved populations who differed in race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, family structure, immigration status, and household income. This special experience enabled me to fulfill my passion helping underserved populations and connect with them. While each experience was unique, they all pointed to a reoccurring theme from my undergraduate training— social determinants of health. Where one’s zip code is more likely to determine life expectancy than one’s genetic code. Questions assessing the conditions in which one lives, learns, works and plays are often overlooked in healthcare settings. While there are various ways to address SDOH, PA’s have an immense opportunity to do so.
In addition to my experiences, my undergraduate training has also motivated me to pursue a career as PA and has provided substantial preparation to deal with the rigors of PA school. While I spent countless hours fascinated in study of the human body, I found just as much fulfillment in learning about topics such as cultural competency, motivational interviewing, coalition work, community needs health assessments and how to successfully integrate public health and primary care. I know there is much still to learn and look forward to sharing a message close to my heart—that human connections are a vital element in providing outstanding care to all.
Whitney Prosperi says
Jackson,
You are off to a great start with your essay.
Your introduction is effective at showing your initial encounter with a PA.
Also, your story about Rogelio is strong!
If you have any experience shadowing PAs, I would add some details about that. What did you witness in the interactions between PA/patients and PA/supervising physician?
For your conclusion, I would also add a sentence that ties back to your introduction.
I think you are off to strong start and wish you luck on your journey!
Cade Andrus says
April 28th and April 29th, 1990 were especially busy days for my family. Especially for my grandpa and I. I was just a kid and he was the recipient of a kidney. It all happened so fast. My grandpa was in kidney failure. On the 28th, he received a page that there was a viable kidney for transplantation. My dad, uncle, and grandpa left our sleepy little farm town in northern Utah and headed to Salt Lake City. That same day, my grandpa had received the gift that modern day transplantation had made possible just four decades earlier. A mere 24 hours later, my mom gave birth to me via C-section.
Unfortunately that kidney and a subsequent one-donated by my dad-were unsuccessful and rejected. With the help of dialysis, my grandpa was able to lead a somewhat normal life, although he was unable to work due to the amount of time the treatments took up.
In 2013, my grandpa passed away. He left me with many memories. Memories of fishing, going to the boat races in Idaho, and a fearless attitude toward life. Although his condition was oftentimes not an easy one-mostly due to the reduced mobility of having to be within close proximity to treatment-I never once heard that man complain. One phrase that always stuck with me was what he said one day as we were walking into my house. He said, “you’re an asset to society, not a detriment.” It may seem silly, I mean don’t we all suspect we’re an asset to society? Sure, but hearing those words come from someone that I respected so much, carried an incredible weight. My grandpa’s words have carried me through some of my biggest trials in life.
Many patients just like my grandpa come to the transplant floor at the University hospital where I currently work as a CNA. Modern transplantation gives many of these patients not only a second chance at life, but a better quality one.
Jose, a man in his early 50’s is one such patient. Working a night shift where I cared for him, he asked me if I believed in miracles. I said, “I suppose so, why?” He said, “Because you’re looking at one.” Jose had suddenly gone into liver failure 3 weeks previously. He wasn’t a drinker and was an otherwise healthy man. Doctors best hunch was a couple of herbal supplements he’d been taking the last year as the culprit. Jose was put on the organ list and a mere 3 days before he received a transplant. If this had happened just 48 hours later, Jose explained that he’d be dead.
Shadowing one of our transplant PAs, I realize the role that just such a mid-level provider fills. They are bit of a “jack of all trades”. Adept at diagnostics, communication, and knowledge of physiology, they act as a liaison between doctors and the patient. The respectful and digestible manner they present medical information to patients ultimately makes the patient more confident in the medical team and process as a whole. After shadowing one of our PAs, he asked me if I had any comments or questions. I said, “it seems that you explain things in a way that they truly understand and I really admire that.”
At age 22 and the first in my family to do so, I entered college as one does a party where they don’t know anyone.I was awkward, clueless,and assumed there was some advisor with something resembling the sorting hat in Harry Potter. “Cade Andrus, you will do best to pursue a career as a PA and you shall be in house Slytherin.” To my dismay, there was no sorting hat, and I didn’t get into house Slytherin. Although I enjoyed college and did quite well, I didn’t feel that I’d found what I was looking for.
With the free time after college graduation, I decided to travel to Peru. On the flight home, I made a simple, yet profound discovery: I really liked people. I realized that the only way I would be fulfilled in my career was at the service of others. In the same ways that two find that they’re in love after having known each other for many years, this realization was something I’d known all along, but had never verbalized. With one hour to land, I put in my note labeled “careers”: “I really like people!” Next to this I wrote a note with “healthcare?” next to it.
Like many people, I need impetus. On a whim, I registered for anatomy-my first class after college. I found myself engrossed. I became a TA the next semester and the semester after I took the optional dissection class. I learned about the PA profession after talking to several of my classmates. It had everything that I liked in a career: problem solving, patient interaction, and a good work life balance.
Working alongside the talented PAs at my job has only solidified this desire. I leave everyday feeling accomplished and wanting to do more. Working as a PA would be the ultimate honor and means to achieving this.
Upon reflection, it seems that my decision to pursue the PA profession is in some ways a repeat of those fateful days of April 28 and 29th, 1990. I hope through this career path I can repay the universe for allowing me to spend my childhood with my grandpa.
Ameenah says
Driving through Guatemala I began to see a line that looked as if it was never going to end. My peers and I were visiting the country to participate in free pop up health care clinics in multiple rural communities with limited access to healthcare. Our role would be similar to that of a medical assistant. We took vitals, obtained the patient’s history, and their primary concern for the visit. A physician and a physician assistant were also at the clinic to prescribe medications and give treatment. Hearing the patient’s stories about how they cannot afford to go to the doctors regularly and how they are unable to afford the medications they need I worried how we would be able to see all of the patients lined up outside. It was heartbreaking to see first hand how devastating poor access to healthcare can be but a life-changing experience knowing I was able to help people who need it most.
I went to Guatemala to gain experience in patient care and working with communities in need. I had not previously had an opportunity to work hands-on with patients and felt this would help me confirm my interest in the PA profession or I would learn it was not for me. The physician assistant working with us confirmed that I was on the right path. He talked to me about his experiences working with underserved populations as well as working in some of the best hospitals in Guatemala. His love of the profession and passion for helping vulnerable populations inspired me. As a PA myself I will also embody these characteristics.
The summer after my experience in Guatemala I became a certified nurse aide and that fall I began working in a nursing home. This was my first healthcare job and I gained valuable patient care experience. However, the nursing home did not provide me with much access to working closely with nurses, physician assistants, and physicians. I wanted to work more collaboratively and in a hospital setting.
I left the nursing home to begin a job at a nearby hospital as a patient care technician. As a technician in the physical rehabilitation unit, most patients suffer from CVA, TBI, or amputations. Many of the challenges patients face are sudden and completely change their world and abilities. Being able to see the progression of the patient’s strength through rigorous therapies is an uplifting experience and knowing that I can help their journey has been extremely rewarding. While being a technician allows me to play a great role in the patient’s care I want to have an even larger impact on helping patients recover. Becoming a physician assistant allows me to take on more responsibility and directly manage treatment for patients.
Through shadowing PAs of different specialties I have been able to see the many different roles a PA can have in medicine. From watching a PA conduct outpatient procedures in radiology to seeing a PA work with patients in physical medicine I realized that I would welcome the opportunity to be able to work across different specialties. The ability to be flexible in what specialty I would like to work in is appealing to me. Being a person that never wants to stop learning I know that I would thrive gaining in-depth knowledge across different specialties during my lifetime.
My jobs as a nurse aide and technician have allowed me to enhance my teamwork and communication skills. Working in patient care it is essential to be able to work effectively as a part of a team. During a shower, one of my patients was expressing their concern about how there was an unusual amount of swelling in her legs. After I was finished in the patient’s room I expressed the concern to the nurse who then called the on-call physician who decided to get a Doppler. The patient was confirmed to have bilateral DVT. In our unit it is common practice to have most patients wear sequential compression devices (SCD). If we did not know the patient had DVT we would have likely placed the SCD and they would be at risk for embolization. The chain of communication was crucial in diagnosing the patient and preventing the risk of a deadly condition.
During my first healthcare job, I was required to work as close to full time as possible during training and at the same time, I was also involved in research and volunteering at my university’s children’s hospital. This semester I took on more responsibilities than I should have and my grades suffered for this. In my first semester of junior year, I received a C in my anatomy class. I learned a lot about time management during this time and I am now much better at balancing school with work and other responsibilities I have.
Through working in medical settings, volunteering, and shadowing I have gained an immense amount of knowledge about the healthcare field and the PA profession. My desire to become a PA was solidified even further. These experiences have allowed me to also sharpen skills imperative to the profession.I know that there is nothing I want to do more and that I would excel in a career as a PA. I am dedicated to patient care and driven to fulfill my dream of working as a physician assistant.
Whitney Prosperi says
Ameenah,
Your introduction is effective at showing your developing interest in the PA profession and also your exposure to a PA. Good job here!
Also, you do a good job of showing your passion for direct patient care. I especially like your story of helping alert the healthcare team to the patient’s DVT. Good job here! (and good job there, as well.:))
You are effective in addressing your grades as well. It’s always best to mention it, as you did, if you have concerns.
I would recommend adding a sentence or two in your conclusion that ties back to your introduction.
You are off to a strong start, Ameenah!
Good luck to you.
Logan says
As one of the largest cohorts of the American population continues to age the need for expanded care is ever more present. My time spent working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) allowed me a glimpse into their life. Early in my work at a sub-acute rehabilitation facility, a resident came after suffering a stroke which had left him disabled. We would spend many afternoons talking about his love for the great outdoors as I helped him with his activities of daily living (ADL). I would get to know him well and serve as encouragement as he completed his exercises. His progress was slow but methodical. One afternoon while completing my rounds, I saw him sitting at the edge of the bed. I ran into his room, worried that he would topple over. He looked at me and said that he was finally strong enough to get a better view of the wildlife outside his window. He would eventually be discharged home ambulating with a two-wheeled walker. These moments leave an indelible mark on you and serve as a reminder of your work’s importance. You develop a bond with the residents that rivals on kinship. To watch him leave was bittersweet, yet I was comforted in my role to help him achieve his recovery. The bonds we develop with people are why we chose this job and being able to improve someone’s quality of life is the goal of our work.
My transition to working as a CNA seemed like a logical extension of everything I had done in my undergraduate degree. I had spent years studying different disciplines of science and reinforcing my love and curiosity for science. This passion drove me to serve as a teaching aide, helping students with an upper-level human anatomy course. Working with students to develop tailored study plans and academic goals. I filled many days in the help room, feverishly drawing the circulatory system on the whiteboard and developing mnemonics to remember the cranial nerves. In an attempt to put my knowledge to practical use I enrolled in the cadaver lab. It was an extraordinary experience being able to manipulate and study in-person all the structures I had pored over for years. My time spent working in the lab shaped my decision to become a CNA, as I wanted to apply this knowledge and help people in my community. Yet, I still yearned to learn more and provide extensive clinical knowledge to those who desperately needed it.
Thus, I jumped at the opportunity to shadow the physician assistant (pa) at our facility. I had watched him inform and educate residents with tact and charisma many times. Through my observations, I learned the importance and impact the pa has on a facility; helping to expand the need for additional care by seeing the patients more throughout the week than the physician and spending more one-on-one time than nurses. The pa and attending physician work together to solve any refractory issues and disseminate information to all clinicians in our facility in a team-oriented manner. As we made rounds, I stood in the background and observed his interactions. Each patient interaction was personal and felt like a conversation as he espoused a friendly demeanor that made the patients trust him. To him, the patients were more than their electronic health records. He was never afraid to speak openly with a patient about their goals or mutual interests, like the gentleman that he swapped old military stories with. He helped weigh options with residents struggling to manage their high blood pressure and explained palliative care to a family worried about their father. It was the style of medicine that I sought out and the type I one day hope to emulate. One fateful afternoon as we exited the building, I asked him what he most enjoyed about his job, and he remarked that the residents felt like family. This sentiment resonated with how I felt as a CNA, and I knew that this would serve me in my journey to become a pa.
Working as a CNA has opened my eyes to what makes working in healthcare so alluring. Every day leaving work knowing that you made a difference. Throughout college, I devoted my life to learning the anatomical and biological underpinnings of human beings, and I wanted to apply that knowledge to a real-world application. I had admired the personal connection the pa was able to make with the residents, and how important a role he served in expanding care to an aging population. I realized that through my experiences the model of care was something I realized I could emulate. My time spent assisting the residents as a CNA echoed the empathetic and personal bonds you develop. While my time spent working as a teaching aide mimicked the goal of educating and informing patients using all available information. Walking through the exit door that day and hearing from the pa that the residents felt like family resonated a sentiment that I already held. It reaffirmed my beliefs and propelled me further in my quest to become a pa and deliver personalized and informed care.
Whitney Prosperi says
Logan,
You are off to a good start. I can sense your passion for helping others throughout your essay.
The paragraph that discusses shadowing the PA (by the way, abbreviate PA with capital letters throughout your essay) is very effective. You do a great job here of showing the role PAs play in educating, treating, and connecting with patients.
At some point in your essay, I would reiterate your desire to collaborate with a healthcare team.
Also, I would provide the name (or a name) of the patient in your introduction. This will help personalize that great story even further. Then, at some point in your conclusion, I would specifically tie back to that patient.
Good luck to you!
Cade Andrus says
April 28th and April 29th, 1990 were especially busy days for my family. Especially for my grandpa and I. I was just a kid and he was the recipient of a kidney. It all happened so fast. My grandpa was in kidney failure. On the 28th, he received a page that there was a viable kidney for transplantation. My dad, uncle, and grandpa left our sleepy little farm town in northern Utah and headed to Salt Lake City. That same day, my grandpa had received the gift that modern day transplantation had made possible just four decades earlier. A mere 24 hours later, my mom gave birth to me via C-section.
Unfortunately that kidney and a subsequent one-donated by my dad-were unsuccessful and rejected. With the help of dialysis, my grandpa was able to lead a somewhat normal life, although he was unable to work due to the amount of time the treatments took up.
In 2013, my grandpa passed away. He left me with many memories. Memories of fishing, going to the boat races in Idaho, and a fearless attitude toward life. Although his condition was oftentimes not an easy one-mostly due to the reduced mobility of having to be within close proximity to treatment-I never once heard that man complain. One phrase that always stuck with me was what he said one day as we were walking into my house. He said, “you’re an asset to society, not a detriment.” It may seem silly, I mean don’t we all suspect we’re an asset to society? Sure, but hearing those words come from someone that I respected so much, carried an incredible weight. When I’m going through a tough time I always replay that moment.
As a first generation college student, I entered college as one does a party where they don’t know anyone.I was awkward, clueless,and assumed there was some advisor with something resembling the sorting hat in Harry Potter. “Cade Andrus, you will do best to pursue a career as a PA and you shall be in house Slytherin.” To my dismay, there was no sorting hat, and I didn’t get into house Slytherin. Although I enjoyed college and did quite well, I didn’t feel that I’d found what I was looking for.
I had a choice in the years after college. I could continue working as a machinist as my father had done- not ideal, but not a terrible career. Or, alternatively, I could continue my education in a masters or professional program.
The year after I’d graduated from USU I had something I hadn’t had in a long time: free time. Time to read, time to think, and most importantly time to reflect. With this free time, I decided to travel to Peru. On the flight home, I made a simple, yet profound discovery: I really liked people. I realized that the only way I would be fulfilled in my career was at the service of others. In the same ways that two find that they’re in love after having known each other for many years, this realization was something I’d known all along, but had never verbalized it. With one hour to land, I put in my note labeled “careers”: “I really like people!” Next to this I wrote a note with “healthcare?” next to it.
There’s infinite ways you can help people in any career, but I’m a person that needs impetus to make decisions. It started with my first class after graduating: anatomy. Now, working as a CNA on a transplant unit,I leave work everyday feeling better (albeit tired) than when I arrived.
I’ve always been a curious person. I find myself reading non-fiction and watching documentaries more than novels and sitcoms. I find myself in awe at museums. I remember the day my mom took me to the “Body Worlds” exhibit in Salt Lake. Having to drag me out of there, she said “you know you could be in the medical field.” At the time, however, the thought of people’s “parts” made this 12 year old boy want to dry heave.
The PA fills a very special role on a medical team. They’re the interpreter, the scientist, the problem solver, and the liaison between physician and patient. The personality traits this requires are all traits I’ve developed over my diverse experience as a tradesmen,educator, and currently, a CNA.
In my current position, I get to observe, interact with, and shadow many PAs. I am always impressed by how adept they are not only in diagnostics and knowledge of physiology, but how they present this information in a respectful and digestible manner to the patients. I know that when patients understand what’s happening with their own bodies they have more trust in the medical team and process overall.
As a child that had epilepsy; as a person who is innately curious about science and the human body; as a person that prides himself on being able to connect with diverse groups of people, there’s nothing I could see myself doing more.
Upon reflection, it seems that my decision to pursue the PA profession is in some ways a repeat of those faithful days of April 28 and 29th, 1990. I hope through this career path I can repay the universe for allowing me to spend my childhood with my grandpa.
Whitney Prosperi says
Cade,
Your grandfather sounds like he was an incredible man and role model for you.
Your introduction where you discuss his impact and outlook on life in the middle of health challenges is very effective.
I would condense throughout your essay so you can leave room to describe more about your healthcare journey.
You want to show that you have a good grasp of the PA profession and why you are suited for it. What appeals to you about the role? (autonomous responsibility balanced with working with a healthcare team? more time for patient interaction/relationships? ability to switch specialties?)
Also, I would include a patient care story in your essay. You want to show yourself in action performing hands-on clinical care while connecting with a patient on a personal level. This will show you how perform your duties and what you have to offer as a PA one day. (Also, I think this must be such a full-circle moment for you as a CNA on the transplant floor!)
I think the story about your grandfather is so powerful that I would make that the main thread throughout your essay, trimming down some of the other anecdotes.
Good luck to you on your journey!
Michael says
Entering into my undergraduate program ten years ago at Merrimack College, I had not quite determined what I would be making of my career. I knew what I was interested in, that I needed to do something that mattered, but it was not until the morning of August 16, 2012 that I finally had a specific direction to move in. I had just arrived to work at Taconic Golf Club around 8:00 a.m. The day started out as any other, but at 9:30 a.m. I received an unexpected phone call from my mother. I found it unusual for her to be calling me at work, especially because I had just left the house. She was sobbing on the phone as I picked up, and I knew that the news I was about to hear would not be desirable. Trying to put together the words she was saying through her weary voice and sobbing cries, I realized the unthinkable had happened. My lifelong friend who had been serving in Afghanistan was now no longer with us after being victim to an improvised explosive device.
Specialist Michael R. DeMarsico had been my friend since kindergarten. We grew up together; played sports together and eventually graduated high school together. Knowing that my good friend was over in Afghanistan on the front lines and protecting our freedom made me swollen with pride. I thought he was invincible and never thought that something like this would happen to him. However, the way he was killed was emblematic of Mike. He chose to take the lead on patrols, sweeping for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and in doing so, protecting his fellow brothers from harm. An Army Sergeant from the White House came to speak at his funeral because of the job he had done. He spoke of Mike’s courageous acts and how superior he was at his job. My friend found 15 IEDs before there was a 16th that came up undetected on the device he was using, tragically causing his death.
My father raised me to have tremendous respect for the military, past and present, and for that, I am deeply grateful. Mike’s death only deepened that respect and made me want to make an impact on the lives of soldiers. My mother would never be able to sleep at night if I joined the military as an active duty soldier, which only furthered and diverted my considerations onto other paths in which I would be able to impact the lives of military families and soldiers. This led me to the discovery of the United States Army Physician Assistant Program and the opportunity for me to give back to those who serve our country and protect our freedom. Physician assistants in the military, particularly the United States Army, provide the services to our military service members that are usually performed by a physician. They are the primary source of medical advice when the physician is absent and help to supervise combat medics.
After graduating Merrimack College with a bachelor’s degree in science, I wanted to further round myself with a medical background that would stand out to potential institutions that I would be applying to. This landed me with the decision to join the Scribe America Program at the Berkshire Medical Center Emergency Department in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. This once in a lifetime opportunity has been one of the most beneficial and influential experiences in my life to date. Working daily shifts in the Emergency Department side by side with Emergency Department Physicians has not only broadened my medical background, but it has provided me with valuable skills and assets that I will be able to take with me to PA school. The physician’s that I have worked side by side with have been the greatest teachers to a person in my current position. Whether it be challenging me to interpret my own imaging studies, challenging me to build my own different diagnoses after completing a patient assessment with them or just teaching me about anything medically I ask them a question about.
In order to become a thriving professional in this field, I need to be a part of an establishment that believes in its program just as much as I do. While I am currently in high hopes of attending a prestigious PA program, I have frequently been on multiple campuses to try and discover if these communities are where my dream of becoming a physician’s assistant in the military can start to truly unfold. When I see the determined pre-professionals that are enrolled and are currently in multiple physician’s assistant programs, I know that I, too, could persevere alongside them and exceedingly match up.
To succeed in this profession, especially in multi-terrain areas and substandard conditions, a place where I could very likely end up if I were to go into the military, I would need a background that could carry me through each aspect of the spirit, mind, and body mantra. I know that I would undeniably succeed in a physician’s assistant program if given the chance. I would be honored if a program would please grant me the opportunity to become a member of their program and prosper in the community of physician’s assistants.
Whitney Prosperi says
Michael,
What an inspiring story about your friend. He sounds like an incredible hero. I am sorry to hear about this loss for our country and you personally.
I think you are off to a good start with your essay.
I would recommend condensing where you can so that you can have room to add in some more elements to your essay.
If you have any experience shadowing PAs I would discuss your observations. What did you admire about the PA’s interactions with patients? With the supervising physician? Also, expand your discussion of what you admire about the PA profession. You want to show your understanding of what the role requires and why you are suited for it. (opportunity to switch specialties, collaborating with a healthcare team, etc?)
I would also add a story that shows you in action caring for a patient. You want to reveal how you perform your duties/what you have to offer as a future PA. Here, describe an example where you provided care while also connecting on a personal level.
Lastly, in your conclusion, tie back to your introduction in some way.
Remember, if you need further help, we are taking submissions for our essay revision service.
I wish you good luck in the process!
Araksy Naseif says
I have often questioned human motivation for acting insofar as why we do what we do. Being a part of a horrific experience when I lost both uncles a couple of months apart due to sudden heart failure solidified my decision in becoming a physician assistant. As time lapsed, I wanted to be that physician assistant who would not only offer a full complexity diagnosis of illness involving multiple systems in every patient encounter but also support the patient’s loved ones during their most fearful days. This innate desire for the personal satisfaction of being able to recognize sickest in time and prompt decisions made during stressful situations made me have the rush of adrenaline, which was what I was looking for in future career goals I chose for the rest of my life.
Eager to gain patient care experience, I applied to attend a medical mission trip to Egypt. During my time on the mission trip, I saw first-hand what a medically underserved community looks like and how they are deprived of primary healthcare. The providers working in El Miri Hospital were grossly outnumbered due to shortages of equipment and specialists. My time spent at the emergency department has shown me the challenges of a geographically isolated, poverty-stricken community and the stress this places on the area’s few Primary Care Physicians armed with limited resources. From that moment, I was briefly exposed to the world of prehospital Physician Assistant profession, and that fueled my passion for helping the underserved population.
Intrigued by medicine, I continued to gain patient care experience as a EMT. I will never forget one night, my partner and I got a call to an elderly couple’s home. The patient was experiencing pain in his upper body, has been weak and vomiting. Upon further assessment, my partner and I have determined the patient had a heart attack. He was rushed to the cardiac lab. A few days later, we received the news that the patient had sustained a rupture in his septal wall and died. The cardiologist estimated that the patient had been having a cardiac event for over a week but has missed the warnings and was treated too late. Apart from the fact that I was heartbroken by this experience, it motivated me for future obstacles. Working in EMS Has taught me the necessity of cooperation, decisiveness, and critical thinking for an optimal health care experience. This commitment to excellence is more than just a job requirement; it is a standard to which I humbly hold myself.
To this end, the Physician Assistant profession attracts me incalculably firstly because, the flexibility of the PA profession excites me; I envision building an electric repertoire of phenomenal skills and experiences in regards to medical care delivery. Secondly, and most importantly, I hope to work collaboratively and autonomously with health care professionals to quickly and efficiently to go out in the field and start serving patients. Whereas PA may be a noble profession that brings reputation and abundance, my experiences in shadowing and volunteering as well as community service hours, have shaped me to step up, develop resilience in the delivery of team-based care and lead in life-threatening situations alongside thinking critically under pressure.
While the possibilities for improvements are endless, the most considerable impact is in the dismal outcomes of patients. In conjunction with this, making strategic decisions during emergency calls is one of my strengths, but I still appreciate the team I am privileged to serve. I find it fascinating that PAs have the opportunity to treat, diagnose, and prescribe autonomously while remaining in collaboration with the rest of the healthcare team. Researching the profession and shadowing in a variety of disciplines has significantly furthered my resolve to become a PA, yet my passion really stems from my patients’ experiences, who deserve a provider who will support them, educate them, and treat them with expertise and compassion.
As an Emergency medical technician (EMT), I have only scratched the surface of these specialties; as a PA, I can deepen my practice by gaining expertise in multiple medical settings. My passion for medicine is a choice, a privilege, and a decision I hope to make every day for the rest of my life.
Linda Ayawvi says
Moving from a desire to be a lawyer to pursuing business, I never thought healthcare would be the grounds for me, but a seed for that aspiration was sown in me at a young age unknowingly. Growing up in Ghana, I have vivid memories of my ill mother and her inability to care for herself. I remember having to bathe and dress her up in the mornings before school and enduring punishments for being late but these experiences sowed seeds that have made me who I am today and uncovered my abilities and aspirations for the field of healthcare.
Coming to America after my mother’s passing changed the trajectory of my life. I started college as a chemistry major and fell in love with science. As I delved through my new found desire for science, I signed up as a volunteer at the Grady Memorial Hospital in the heart of Atlanta. I moved from working in the NICU where I fed and changed newborns as I aided the nurses to serving as a transporter. The role of the transporter allowed me the opportunity to interact with different patients recognizing their uniqueness as I got them to the various places in the hospital they needed to be. I learnt that every small moment spent with a patient is a chance to brighten up their day as they were sometimes walking through a fearful season of life. I also witnessed firsthand the delicate aspect of teamwork needed with patient care. I was never underestimated as I served as a volunteer. I was treated with respect and updated on important information as needed even though I did not have any solid expertise like the other professionals. This is another “seed” that was sown that I believe is needed in order to thrive as a healthcare professional.
I soon joined Jumpstart Corps and volunteered teaching English to underserved children in the community helping improve their reading and writing skills. I believe the ability to teach is an important skill every healthcare professional should possess to help effectively inform and aid patients to make wise decisions about their health. Jumpstart helped cultivate patience and effectiveness in teaching individuals in a way they can understand going a long way to sharpen my skill of efficient communication.
Further into my college career, I decided to get licensed as a Certified Nursing Assistant with an aim to immerse myself in the world of healthcare as a student. As I continue to serve in this space, I realized that the type of care I once gave to my ill mother in Ghana is a reflection of what I am doing today. I have been working as a CNA in home health now for the past four years and I can say that it has been very rewarding. Assisting the same patient for four years has opened my eyes to the unique relationship that is built with time and dedication. Navigating seasons of hospitalization to sharing similar interests by going sight-seeing, I have grown a deep relationship with the patient, the family and the healthcare team I partner with everyday.
The watering of all the “seeds” that have been sown in my life over the years through all my experiences have pointed me in the direction of becoming a Physician Assistant. As I have seen the PA on my healthcare team cultivate an equally strong relationship with the patient, their expertise and information runs deeper helping to improve the health goals of the patient. Being able to serve in different specialties is also a factor that drew me to this path. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted this distinct ability to navigate changing times as healthcare workers are needed to serve in different fields. I aspire to be able to do the same with the nurtured volunteering, teaching and working experiences I have acquired over the years blossoming into the ultimate Physician Assistant my community deserves.
Whitney Prosperi says
Linda,
You do a good job of showing your journey toward pursuing the healthcare field.
I would condense where you can throughout your essay.
Next, I would add a patient care example from your CNA experience. You want to relay a story that shows you in action performing a clinical skill of some kind while connecting with a patient on a personal level. (maybe one of those patients you have cared for a long time.)
Also, I would include a paragraph that details some of your shadowing experience. If you don’t have shadowing experience, discuss some of the observations you’ve made regarding the PAs you mention in your conclusion. Describe the interactions you witnessed between PAs and patients. PAs and supervising physicians. What did you admire about these interactions?
In your conclusion, I would add a line or two that ties back more directly to your introduction.
Good luck to you.
Remember, if you should need more help, we are taking submissions for our essay revision service.
Linda Ayawvi says
Thank you so much for the feedback. will revise it and use your essay revision service. Can you please tell me how to get the essay revision service. Thank you.
Kyrie says
“All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.” This quote by Tahereh Mafi perfectly embodies my journey to become a physician assistant. From a very young age I knew that I wanted a career in healthcare; however, it was my experiences as I matured that led me to my current path.
One of my earliest memories is of my mother prying me away from the Human Biology exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science. I was four years old and never in my life had I experienced anything so fascinating. Even now, 23 years later, I still remember the wonder I felt as I walked through a giant model of the human vascular system, held a real human heart in my hands, and watched videos of surgeries. My curiosity about medicine led me to check out countless library books about the human body, diseases, and disorders over the coming years and take as many science classes as I could. After I started shadowing healthcare providers in high school, everything I had read and learned about came to life.
When I graduated from Luther College with a degree in biology, I knew that I wanted to practice medicine. However, due to the multitude of choices available and my lack of real-world experience, I was unclear on my final destination. Over the next three years I worked as a research assistant: first in a pulmonary lab and then in a breast cancer lab. However, I knew from my continued shadowing experience that something was missing: hands-on patient care. The next step I took became the defining moment in my journey thus far.
For the past two years I have worked as a clinical research coordinator for patients who have metastatic breast cancer. I have learned a lot about the role that compassion and empathy play in patient care. Because my patients are dealing with the psychological stress that comes with having a terminal illness, it is especially important for me to always think about what they are going through and how anything I say or do can impact their experience, for better or for worse.
The story of one of my patients, Anna, is one example of my empathy. She was extremely young but had already reached the end of her treatment options by the time she went on my trial. We quickly developed a strong relationship; I listened as she spoke about her fears and we talked about the good parts of her life too. Because Anna’s cancer was so aggressive, she progressed and came off trial within a matter of weeks. This broke her heart. Several weeks later, she was back in the clinic for an appointment. I saw this as an opportunity to further support her in her fight and went up to check on her, even though she was not my patient anymore. Several months later, she passed away. In this experience, I learned how rewarding it is to provide compassion, comfort, and support to a person who is suffering. When I am a PA, I will continue to do this for my patients, whether they are seeing me for a routine checkup or for more serious concerns.
One of the healthcare providers that I have shadowed is a PA in oncology. She displayed incredible kindness and empathy toward her patients and a passion for her role. When her patients had concerns such as life expectancy or cancer recurrence, she offered gentle responses that clearly indicated her care about their wellbeing and feelings as well as provided them facts and evidence to help them prepare accordingly or keep themselves healthy. At one point she had a patient who had several complicated questions that she felt the physician was better equipped to address, and it was incredible to see the two of them work as a team to provide that patient the best care possible. This type of collaborative care is something that I greatly look forward to providing as a future PA.
Recently Sarah, my longest running patient, progressed and came off trial. We had been working together for over a year and were both devastated that her treatment had stopped working. We were both extremely sad that I could not be a part of her healthcare team any longer. If I had been Sarah’s PA instead of her coordinator, I could have continued working with her and her physician to provide ongoing care throughout her battle with cancer, just as I had witnessed the oncology PA do for her patients. This experience greatly enhanced my desire to become a PA so I can do just that.
When I was young, I knew that I wanted to help people, but I had not yet experienced enough to know that I could use more than my hands to help. As I grew older and spent time with healthcare providers in the clinic as well as with my own patients, the compassion and empathy that I witnessed and applied to my own situations taught me that I would also need to use my heart. As a PA, I will reach out to my patients with both my hands and my heart to provide them the best healthcare possible.
Whitney Prosperi says
Kyrie,
You are off to a great start with your essay.
Your introduction is strong and shows your early interest in medicine and helping others. I see your passion for patient care and desire to elevate others woven throughout your essay.
I also liked the story about Anna.
The paragraph that describes your shadowing experience also is especially strong.
If I were to add anything it would be some more detail about what aspects of the PA profession specifically speak to you. (balance of autonomous responsibility for patients and working with a physician and other members of a team? potential for more time/contact with patients?)
I wish you good luck!
Kyrie says
Thank you so much for your advice Whitney! I appreciate it. 🙂
Monica Bekhete says
Hello, thank you in advance for reviewing my PS. This is a very first rough draft, please let me know if the overall content is appealing and where I should cut out certain things.
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.