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You are here: Home / International Physician Assistant / The Tsum Valley Nepal Medical Mission: A Search for Clarity in the Valley

The Tsum Valley Nepal Medical Mission: A Search for Clarity in the Valley

May 21, 2018 By Stephen Pasquini PA-C Leave a Comment

Written by Rabindra Adhikary, Nepali optometrist, and edited by Maria Ontiveros, team member. The essay originally appeared in Setopati, a Nepali digital newspaper. The Tsum Valley Medical Mission is recruiting physician assistants for its October 2018 fall effort.

"These Himalayas are proof that God is real and that he loves us," a delightful Canadian woman told us just as we began to tire from the day’s exertions on the challenging trail to Tsum Valley.

The Tsum, located on the northern side of Gorkha district in Nepal and neighboring Tibet, is a valley carved by the Shear River that flows from a gorge between 21,000-plus foot Ganesh Himal and Shringi Himal, the sacred, prohibited Buddha Himal towering beyond. The word Tsum is derived from the Tibetan word ‘Tsombo’, which means ”clear.”

This meaning resonated with the Western doctors and nurses who chose to embark on the month-long medical mission trip to clear up the ailments and diseases of the Tsumpas, as the people call themselves, but also to help clear the confusing emotions that arise from the loss of a loved one.

We were a group of 15 medical professionals on a trip of fact-finding, capacity-building and care provision. The organizer, Rachel Frazin, a family nurse practitioner from Minnesota, had lost her daughter to suicide by overdose, a story which attracted several of our volunteers who hoped to mend their hearts while mending others' wounds. The rest of us found ourselves empathizing with their losses as we walked in the shadows of the Himalaya during the one-year anniversary of the Gorkha earthquakes.

We started out on the busy Manaslu circuit where tourists of all ages trek, breathing heavily through smiles. The Nepali among us wondered why these fair-complexioned people from other parts of the planet flock here to embark on a trek in which a misstep cliff side could spell serious injury or even death. We imagined that these first worlders accustomed to the luxuries of running hot water and pillow-top mattresses hoped to discover happiness through the Himalayan sublimity.

Tibetan woman spinning as she walks between villages along our route
Tibetan woman spinning as she walks between villages along our route.

They likely long for simpler times, for primitive dwellings and farm fields with a view of the snow-capped giants. It was all a palaver for a Himalayan native like me.

These mountains may captivate but inconvenience accompanies life in the mountains, like the week-long walk to obtain professional medical care. For foreigners, though, a week without engine-driven vehicles had a profound impact on peace of mind.

A minibus traveling from Kathmandu bumped its way through rutted road to reach the district town of Arughat late afternoon on the 4th of April, unloading our weary group at the guesthouse front gate. Mr. Tanzin Lama, our energetic young trekking guide, assigned each volunteer a bed in shared rooms and set a time for dinner.

The non-vegetarians enjoyed one of the last meat-based meals before entering the 'no-kill' zone of the Tsum Valley, a region that has honored an oath of nonviolence since 1921 when it is said that the honorable Lama Serap Dorje requested the villagers to do so.

The villagers have renewed the oath time and time again. The Manaslu Conservation Area also prohibits bonfires, hunting wild game and taking honey from natural beehives. The Tsum is perhaps one of the most untouched Tibetan Buddhist cultures in the world, including Tibet, which has been culturally ravaged by the Chinese government.

Dentist Phurbu teaching villagers how to brush their teeth
Dentist Phurbu teaching villagers how to brush their teeth

The 5th of April began with a three-hour warm-up hike along the motorable road to Sotikhola where we stopped for lunch. The afternoon revealed the true trail, full of bumps and stones, and mule poo and piss.

Having never trekked before, I couldn’t imagine my olfactory system would grow accustomed to that heavy aroma. Days later, mule poo became the litmus test that kept us from losing the trail when we raced ahead or trailed too far behind our guide.

The first full trek day, we barely made it to our accommodation in Lhapubesi before the sun had set. Lhapu is perched high up the mountain. A barren and vertically land-slipped hill faced us from across the river, green maize shoots skirting the riverfront.

The foreigners experienced profound gratitude knowing that every man-made object in sight was at some point carried in by donkey, mule, man, woman or child on the same rugged trail we had traversed. Every sip of beer and roll of toilet paper was given a moment of appreciative pause.

The next day, two hours before reaching Machhikhola, we encountered a man carrying an older gentleman in the traditional bamboo doko, a multi-purpose basket that serves as an ambulance in the roadless mountains. Oblivious of our medical expertise, the wounded man's wife and neighbor worked their way down the pebble-strewn beach. When we inquired, they reluctantly told us that the old man had broken his right leg. They were carrying him to the nearest hospital, a four-day journey.

Our team physician from Australia offered to help, using a portable ultrasound device to evaluate his ankle, which appeared to be sprained, not fractured. With the help of another team member, he applied a plaster splint alongside the banks of the Kali Gandaki River.

The stream running alongside the village of Machhikhola, our destination for the day, was handy for cooling bottles of beer and dipping trail-weary feet. Several team members practiced yoga on the sandy beach.

The following day we passed, Patopani, a hot spring that flows down massive rocks. Its tingling hot water washed away perspiration and trail dust, leaving us refreshed. Locals walk for days to reach the hot spring in the belief that a single bath can eliminate their skin diseases for good.

Our next destination, Jagat, a popular overnight, is a clean town with neatly laid stones along its paths. A few volunteers stayed up to watch movies on their laptops but most of us hit the hay.

We noted the landslides that have reshaped the landscape, intermittently resculpting the path so that timber must be felled for the occasional bridge to cross streams.

The gushing river, which at first had inspired fear and awe, became a comforting feature in the landscape as we gradually ascended toward Lokpa, our first foray into Tsum itself. Trains of load-bearing mules and donkeys driven by their yipping herders became less frequent once we turned off the busy Manaslu trail for Tsum, which is a spur trail that dead ends in the wilderness near the Tibetan border crossing. Our curiosity about what lay behind each curve energized us to keep on trekking despite our weary muscles.

In fear of twisting ankles out of distraction, some of the Westerners decided not to talk with anyone else in order to concentrate on their footing. We Nepali, who were raised to be rugged trail runners, not mere walkers, found their silence uncomfortable.

The further we ascended, the higher the prices. The price of a bottle of water started at 20 rupees (cents) and increased by ten rupees with each new settlement due to the transportation cost. Team members employed a variety of methods for water purification other than plastic bottled water including chlorine tablets, Sawyer filtration systems, and Steri-pens with UV-lights.

Even with precautions, most of the foreigners contracted traveler’s diarrhea, which lasted only a day or tw. One exception was a clinician who hadn’t hydrated well enough and required intravenous fluids and electrolytes in order to quickly bounce back for the trek. The First Aid pack we carry saved the day.

Health camp Chumling Lower Tsum
Health camp Chumling Lower Tsum

After five days of trekking, we reached Chumling, where we conducted a four-day comprehensive camp for the villagers of the Lower Tsum. Gopal Dai, the village leader, and a hard-working man, hosted us, providing accommodations and space on his property for three large tents that served as a makeshift clinic.

The houses in the Tsum are made from stones trundled from the hills. The 2015 earthquakes destroyed 90% of the houses and farming structures in the valley. The Tsumpas are rebuilding in the traditional but precarious way, without mortar. In anticipation of the next quake, many families have compromised centuries-old custom by roofing with tin sheets rather than flat stones.

Each patient underwent a comprehensive medical evaluation with appropriate interventions according to diagnoses made. In the triage tent, vital signs and a vision screen were done, and each patient was given a toothbrush and medication to treat worms from impure drinking water. We also conducted group educational sessions on alcohol and tobacco misuse, family planning and nutrition.

Eager villagers practicing their toothbrushing lessons
Eager villagers practicing their toothbrushing lessons.

People in the Lower Tsum are generally illiterate and live self-sufficient lives. They gather wood for their hearths, herd ox and yak, and farm potatoes, corn and other grains. Some families depend on the income of young people who work as porters or guides in the trekking business or take jobs in cities or abroad. A few individuals understood Nepali. All the clinicians depended on our team translators to provide one-to-one Tibetan-English interpretation with their patients.

Cleanliness is not a priority due to the difficulty obtaining water and by custom. Dirt was caked onto patient’s skin, and flies buzzed around their shoes. Modernity’s shame surrounding poor hygiene hasn’t encroached upon the Tsumpas yet. Their hair has a milky fragrance from yak butter, a Tibetan version of moisturizing hair gel. Females are clad in the traditional woolen Tibetan dress, which was similarly unwashed.

Dhido (a typical Nepali cuisine prepared with water and any type of flour including barley, wheat or corn) is a dietary staple. Rats often steal up to half of the stored corn, the principal grain. Poisoning the rats is not an option in the "no kill" valley so cats are kept to reduce their numbers. Langurs also dip into reserves, and for this reason, most households keep a dog to chase them away.

Alcohol consumption is prevalent. What surprised the team most was the habit of soothing infants and children with spoonfuls of home brew. A few patients showed up intoxicated from their barley-based brew, which they claimed has healthful properties. At day’s end, though, team members indulged in a bit of hypocrisy with their own post-exertional libation.

After four days of patient care in Chumling, we headed up and up to the village of Chhekampar at 9300 feet. Our guides informed us that the unstable slopes towering beside the usual trail were still tossing pebbles and rocks so we would have to reroute through dense forest on an old and mostly unused path.

Each of us carried a packed lunch that was doled out by Gopal Dai that morning, as there were no stops on the day’s route. A flatter clearing served as our dining hall. Our spirits still high after lunch, our detour sent us uphill through a coniferous forest on an endlessly precipitous trail. The bluebell flowers on the verdant floor and blooming rhododendrons diversified our climb. When hours passed with no hillcrest in sight, group morale plummeted.

Pharmacy Lower Tsum Valley
Pharmacy Lower Tsum Valley

Several team members became winded from the increase in altitude, which slowed down the pack. We began to wonder if we’d make it before sundown. Our guides carried our day packs to help speed our progress, murmuring words of encouragement. We shared food, meds, and water. One of the foreigners claimed that my fellow Nepali optometrist’s encouraging words, "Only your own legs will carry you," had carried her through the remainder of the trek.

We encountered traces of stone sheds from nomads of the past. As we descended down to cross the river, the forest canopy cleared, and we spotted our team cook, Devi, who had reached Chhekampar by taking the faster more dangerous route. He had in hand a thermos of hot Nepali tea to fuel us for the final climb. Ten hours after we'd left Chumling, we arrived at our newly renovated tea house. We celebrated with a round of raksi, a traditional distilled spirit.

Chhekampar, an idyllic village that heralds the entrance to Upper Tsum, is situated on a flat stretch of land atop a cliff. A stream flows from the melting glaciers through the town to join with the river below. The landscape is thick with wheat and grass saplings. The town had been almost completely rebuilt from the earthquake.

We immediately noticed a difference between the people of the Upper and Lower Tsum, including their more cleanly appearance and the ability of many to speak Nepali. We wondered if it wasn’t the wealth of flat, fertile, and therefore, easily cultivable land of the Upper Tsum as well as the cooler climate that enabled food storage over the winter months. People in the Lower Tsum must eat field-to-mouth.

We reached Lama Gaun, the 'village of Lamas,' in less than two hours. The way to Lama Gaun was replete with enthralling panoramas of snow-capped mountains. Midway through our leisurely level stroll, our local translators emerged from their hiding places behind shrubs and stone mani walls to welcome us to the Upper Tsum. One young woman wore the traditional woolen dress woven by her mother and decorated with a silver spoon handed down through generations. The translators gifted us with bouquets of pink rhododendrons and draped white blessing scarves called khatas around our necks. We toasted each other with barley brew, and washed down homemade biscuits with tea; then filled our cameras with photos.

Tsum Valley Medical Mission

Compassion Health Center, a clinic with basic amenities built by Lama Gaun's head lama and his two brothers now living in Canada, served as our base in Upper Tsum. We separated the spacious clinic into six “exam rooms” using curtains.

We Nepali team members camped in a tent which leaked rainwater over our sleeping bags. The Westerners had dibs on the limited monastery rooms because their payment subsidized our trek, whose cost is prohibitive, equivalent to a year’s salary for a Nepali optometrist like me. Lama Pasang, the head lama, and village leader, was ecstatic about the care we provided his community. Word in the villages was our care was better than any they’d ever received, even for the few who have made it to Kathmandu.

By the end of our six days providing care in Upper Tsum, we’d treated nearly 700 patients. Based on my participation in numerous health camps in Nepal, the number is not impressive but the quality of the care was singular.

Our final destination before turning back to Kathmandu was Mu Gompa, a small monastery perched at 11,400 feet not far from the Tibetan border. Five monks live there in isolation except for the tourists who visit to experience its splendor.

On our way back, we stopped at the cave where Boudha Guru Milarepa meditated a thousand years ago. Once a murderer, he‘d achieved enlightenment. We stood in awe before his footprints in the grotto.

Tsum Valley Medical Mission Group Photo

We wondered if it wasn’t the beauty and power of the mountains that had brought us closer to accepting death, the way the Tsumpas do in their acceptance of destiny. We had the feeling that if we were to slip off the path, our bodies would become part of that land. In consideration of those who had come to the Himalayas to heal others while grieving their own losses, I can say with certainty that we completed our mission.

Join The Tsum Valley Medical Mission

TSUM VALLEY MEDICAL MISSION is recruiting physician assistants for its October 2018 effort. We provide comprehensive primary care and public health education in this Himalayan valley described by veteran hikers as the “Shangri-La of Nepal.” The Tsumbas, as they call themselves, are gracious and grateful, a reflection of their Tibetan Buddhist culture and remote locale.

The trek is 25 days with ten days of care provision along the way. Our trek company manages all the details from airport pickup to departure for the flight home. Porters carry our belongings. We need only carry our day pack.

The Tsum River Valley Medical Mission Team

Mission leader and veteran family nurse practitioner, Rachel Frazin, divides her time between St Paul, Minnesota and  Alaska, where she provides medical care as a locum tenens.

For mission details including contact information, visit the website at tsumvalleymedicalmission.com – select the “Volunteer” tab at the top of the home page for details.

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Very detail-oriented and took the time to explain the process, so our expectations were on the same page. Excellent editing and feedback on the content. Helpful comments on how I could maximize limited character count to make the most impact on the reader. I very much would recommend this service!

Esmeralda, Pre-PA

Susan did a fantastic job of editing my essay! She guided me and gave me suggestions for strengthening certain sections and equally took out weak parts. After I followed her recommendations, I really felt like I had an essay where every sentence mattered and reflected who I was. Thank you so much Susan for your help. I feel that I have a stronger essay because of your honest feedback and your help!

Amanda, Pre-PA

I just wanted to let you know that I was accepted into PA school.  I start at Albany Medical College in January!  Thank you again for doing such an amazing job helping me with my essay…I think in the end it really carried my application.

Lindsey Porubcan PA-S

Beth Eakman is my hero! She literally took my writing and brought it to life!! I really feel like the essay she edited with me will get me into a PA program. Beth is an awesome editor, and I highly recommend her and The PA Life editing service!

Hapuruchi Avugara, Pre-PA

I have been accepted to my first-choice program!! UC Denver, I don’t have to move! I have also received three other interviews so far. Thank you so much for your help with my personal statement. You eloquently helped me state my desires and strengths for the career. I am beyond thrilled and thankful.

Nika (Future PA)

I wanted you to know about my acceptance into Elizabethtown College’s PA program. I am incredibly excited – I loved the school, the program and thought the staff was incredible, especially the director. I know my personal statement was a key component of getting an interview with them, and I am so thankful for your help in getting my statement polished!

Steve, PA-S

I had a great experience with The PA Life essay revision service. They were very professional and made revisions in a timely manner. My editor was very understanding about my schedule and when it would take me longer to reply to emails. I would recommend this service to any new grad PAs!

Sandy, Pre-PA

Sarah from The PA Life was an incredible resource for editing my personal statement. Her edits took into account the big picture of the message of the statement and helped guide me when writing additional content my statement was lacking. Her edits and responses were both prompt and thorough, and I truly feel that she made a huge positive impact on my personal statement.

Travis, Pre-PA

I can’t begin to explain how thrilled I am to have stumbled on this service. Like many other PA applicants, I was unsure of whether I was on the right track with my personal narrative. Reading Stephen’s two different PA school application essays showed me how to come up with something unique and creative, but the private personal statement review really made my essay shine.

Duke was so kind and helpful in helping me understand what admissions committees look for in a strong essay. Our phone conversations were so thorough, as we read through and discussed every word in my essay. Sue’s guidance helped me cut out the fluff to reach the character limit.

Melissa T. Pre-PA

This service was very helpful. My essay was edited and returned to me within a few days of me submitting it. The feedback was thorough and detailed. I am already planning on sending my essay for a second edit!

Sabrina, Pre-PA

Having my essay edited proved extremely helpful. I was having trouble connecting my thoughts, and the edit helped so much. I haven’t found out about acceptance yet. I’m just now about to submit my application!

Amber, Pre-PA

I really needed help with my personal statement. I wrote many copies and finally sent my favorite to the PA life to get some assistance editing. I thought I would have a hard time with the constructive criticism because I spent so much time already on my writing, but the editors were great in suggesting edits and why as well as complimenting appropriately. I’m very proud of my end product and am excited to send it to PA schools. I haven’t finalized my application yet but will definitely let the PA life know if and when I get an interview (or hopefully 2)! 🙂

Bailey B. Pre-PA

I am so glad I did this! Sarah was absolutely amazing, and she did such a great job of helping put my words together in a way that sounded professional and made the most sense! She was a true hero and made me feel so much more confident in my personal statement!

Kalley, Pre-PA

I’ve had several people look at my essay in an effort to gauge whether the content was strong and to help clean it up and cut characters – none were as helpful as Carly. Carly’s editing truly helped make a difference in the quality of the essay, and while there’s still quite a bit of character cutting I have to do, I am more prepared now than I was before. I am so happy I chose to work with The PA Life.

Kristen, Pre-PA

Even at the busiest time of the year for applications, they got me my edit in a matter of days. They did a great job with grammar, punctuation and suggestions. I am very satisfied with the draft I got back from Sue.

Andrew, Pre-PA

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping me with my personal statement. I have been accepted at Cornell, and will most likely be entering their program in March 2017. I have also received interview offers from Wake Forest, Duke, Pitt, Quinnipiac, Oregon Health Sciences, and Chatham so far. I am happy to share my success up to this point, because I would not be in this position without your guidance, wisdom, and talent.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with you, and I am profoundly grateful for your help. I wish you all the best in the future.

Stephanie Dwyer, PA-S

This was an extremely helpful process! I still have work to do on my essay but Sue was very helpful by giving me criticism I needed to hear from an unbiased source as well as being very fast responding! I think this will help me moving forward and having a strong application!

Morgan Rial, Pre-PA

My editor was Beth, and she blew my expectations out of the water. She got back to me within 24 hours of submitting my request for edits and helped me so much with the edits she made. If I receive an interview, I am excited to use PA Life to help me with mock interviews.

Haley, Pre-PA

My reviewer was Deanna Matzen who was incredible. I reached out to The PA Life’s editing service after being disappointed by myparesource, whom I was referred to initially. Deanna composed two alternate ways to structure my journey and allowed me to find a novel way to present my personal statement. After revision, I was able to flip my lens, utilize my introduction as my conclusion, and the rest of the paper began to fall into place. Very satisfied with the quality of her work, thank you so much, Deanna!

Steven, Pre-PA

Sarah is an amazing writer. She helped clarify my thoughts and encouraged me on this journey. When/ if I get an interview, it will be because of her amazing writing skills.

Araceli, Pre-PA

I submitted my application this morning so I am not able to answer if I received an interview yet but I am THRILLED that I found this service. Sarah has been such a blessing working on my personal statement with me. She took my ideas and mediocre paper and turned it into a beautifully written story about my life. She helped me write exactly what I wanted to say and guided me with how to say it. I would recommend, without reservation, this service to anyone who is applying to PA school. I am one hundred times more confident about applying knowing my personal statement is exactly where it needs to be. Instead of feeling stressed and overwhelmed when I submitted my application this morning, I had complete peace. Thank you, for being a shining light full of kindness to applicants like myself.

Savannah, Pre-PA

My editor knew exactly what kind of edits I was looking for and addressed all of my questions/concerns I had about my essay. I will definitely be recommending this service to my club members and friends.

Stephanie, Pre-PA

I just wanted to let you know that the majority of my interviews have gone really well! So far, I’ve received six interview invites and have interviewed for five schools. Midwestern (AZ) just got back to me a bit ago, and they sent me an acceptance email! I am beyond thrilled! I just wanted to thank you so much for your help! Your mock interview gave me a lot of confidence that I was able to carry into my interviews! I appreciated having the opportunity to practice my interview skills with you. I wanted to let you know just how much you’ve helped me with my application process (with my interviews, personal statement, and just my confidence in general)! Thank you so much for all of the advice over the past few months!

Sneh, PA-S

I absolutely loved working with Sarah! I could not be any happier with how my personal statement turned out. She was incredibly encouraging, sensitive to my needs, and insightful. There is not enough praise that I could give her for the amazing work she did for me.

Vanessa, Pre-PA

You helped me revise my personal statement for PA school admissions earlier this year, and I wanted to let you know how much you helped me. I got eight interviews and five admissions this cycle! I’ll be attending Pacific University this May. Multiple interviewers commented on how much they liked my personal statement. They described it as “eloquent” and “genuine.” I cannot thank you enough for your help earlier this year; I feel that it was a big part of my success this cycle.

Monica Harris, PA-S

I just want to let you know I received multiple interview invitations and got my first acceptance a few weeks ago! I am still preparing for more interviews, but at this point, I am pretty certain I will be going to Midwestern University, and I think so much of my success with applications is because of your help with my personal statement. Because of this, I wanted to reach out and say THANK YOU! I really appreciate your support and I would definitely recommend this service to anyone applying to PA school 🙂

Alli Cowan, Pre-PA

I had an overall great experience working with Duke. He was open to my suggestions and provided great feedback on my essay. So far I haven’t gotten any interviews yet, but it is still early in the process. I will keep you updated when I get interviews. Steve

Steve Koehler, PA-S

About a year ago you helped edit my personal statement to get into PA school! I just wanted to let you know that I got interviews and was accepted to all the schools I applied to! I have decided to attend UAB in the fall! Thank you again for all your help!

Lauren Smith, PA-S

I am very pleased with the services provided! I received an email almost immediately upon submitting my essay for review, and within 24 hours my essay review was completed. I would definitely recommend this service to any PA school applicant before they submit their essay to CASPA! Thank you for your help!

Hannah Watson, Pre-PA

I owe you a lot! Thank you so much for helping me in this important process. God bless you.

Catalina, Pre-PA

Sue did a wonderful job. I know this is an extremely busy time of year as CASPA is accepting applications and Sue was great about responding to my initial submission and getting back to me. She provided thoughtful feedback and quality editing. Fingers crossed for an acceptance to PA school!

Jo Lynn, Pre-PA

Really helpful! Makes me feel confident.

Qui T. Pre-PA

Sarah was fantastic to work with. She is excellent at her crafted skill and can help any thought or sentence come to life, fast!

Jessica D. PRE-PA

I really felt the person who edited my essay, Sue Edmondson, took the time to get to know me as a person because she wanted my essay to reflect exactly who I am. I couldn’t have been more impressed with the edits and revisions she has given me along with the reasoning behind each revision.

Nicala, Pre-PA

I wanted to update you and say I’ve been accepted into two programs (waiting for two more responses) with Jefferson University (my program of choice) being one of them. Thank you for all your help and your tips and for making this a genuinely joyful 2022!

Yejin (Future PA)

I was so happy with the consultation and personal statement editing support I received from your team! I got into my first choice program at Duke, and I’m so excited to be starting in August.

Ellie, PA-S

Sue was very quick to edit my essay and give feedback. Any questions were answered very promptly. I am very pleased with the service provided.

Brandon, Pre-PA

I loved this service! Not only did my editor transform my essay, she helped me feel more confident in my application moving forward. She was extremely personable and efficient. I love my essay and now I’m even more excited about applying for school because of the help I received from The PA Life! Highly recommend!!

Aubrey, Pre-PA

I absolutely loved working with Sarah! She provided the best feedback to my personal statement, while also being sensitive to the details regarding personal family trauma. At the end of our sessions, I always felt confident in the statement and knew that Sarah would help me best articulate into words what I wanted to say. My statement now is something I can be completely confident in, and know that Sarah has been able to help me achieve a statement that prospective schools will pay attention to. Thank you, Sarah (and The PA Life) for everything!

Elizabeth, Pre-PA

Beth did great at editing my personal statement. I feel that she corrected a lot of my grammar and made my personal statement very well-spoken while not changing what I wanted to convey. She gave me additional thoughts to consider if I wanted to edit the essay again afterward, but I feel quite content! Thank you, PA Life!

Audrey, Pre-PA

Carly blew away all my expectations. She not only suggested edits to refine the content, but she also made grammatical and structural changes that fine-tuned my essay and allowed it to flow. I came into the editing process feeling hopeless about my personal statement, but with her edits, I feel confident that it will stand out. On top of all that, Carly was very timely in editing and returning my essay – I got it back within a few days! I’m very pleased with her service and recommend it to anyone out there who needs a fresh, professional set of eyes on their personal statement.

Stephanie, Pre-PA

This experience was great. They took my essay and gave great constructive comments that made it an even better essay. Very fast and efficient process.

Gabby, Pre-PA

Kelly M. provided an exceptional experience with detailed recommendations. I am upset that I did not find The PA Life editing service sooner! I will be referring anyone I know applying to pa school to this platform!

Manny, Pre-PA

Sue did a wonderful job. I know this is an extremely busy time of year as CASPA is accepting applications and Sue was great about responding to my initial submission and getting back to me. She provided thoughtful feedback and quality editing. Fingers crossed for an acceptance to PA school!

Jo Lynn, Pre-PA

I am so pleased with the review Carly provided me. Her responses were thoughtful and edits helped me in a lot of places where I felt totally stuck. So excited to be so close to a final draft with my personal statement. Thank you! TBD on the interview (fingers crossed)

Georgia Flynn, Pre-PA

Sue Edmondson was instrumental to my understanding of the entrance essay I was trying to write as well as very honest and positive. I loved her writing technique and her instructive points were very easy to understand. Most definitely will recommend as well as keep her in my contacts for possible future essay revision/help. Thank you.

Vladimira, Pre-PA

Carly Hallman did an amazing job helping me with my personal statement! I was feeling conflicted and uncertain about my own personal statement, but she helped set my mind at ease! I now have peace of mind regarding my personal statement. She was so helpful in correcting any grammar errors and also informed me of what I could add to my essay. I knew I was missing something in my essay, but could not quite put my finger on it. Carly identified what was missing so I could make those changes to my essay. I’m so thankful for her help because I do not think I could have figured out that “missing piece” had it not been for her. I now feel confident about my essay and I am extremely happy with it! 🙂 Thank you so much!!!

Ramsha, Pre-PA

I received an early acceptance! I just wanted to thank you so much for all your help. You are a pro and I’m so thankful for you! You helped me more than you’ll ever know! I’m so excited! You saved me!!!!

Shelly K. Pre-PA

Oh my gosh thank you SOO much!!! I have been so busy with school so I haven’t been able to edit my personal statement, but I want to thank you soo much for making my statement look a heck of a lot better!!! I will be editing it over my spring break since that is the only free time I have, and I most likely will do a re-edit if I can (its $35 ish right?). Anyways thank you so much again!! Sorry for the late reply but I will get back to you again during my spring break if I need a second edit, thank you so much again for all your help!! I can already see how much of a difference you’ve made! Totally worth my money!

Melat Ashagre, Pre-PA

My editor with The PA Life was a grammar goddess! She provided amazing feedback and was quick with responding back to any emails, questions, and concerns!

Saniha, Pre-PA

Sue did an amazing job editing my personal statement. She included all the aspects that I wanted in the statement and made it flow so much better. Thank You! Thank You!

Kendra Perkey, Pre-PA

I really appreciated Carly’s attentiveness to my writing style and working to keep my message and content but working it in a way that reads easier. I appreciate her turnaround time, as well as priority deadlines for programs, are quickly approaching!

Jacob, Pre-PA

I just wanted to share some amazing news with you! I have been accepted into the MEDEX PA program in Seattle!!! I can’t thank you enough for all your help!! I am beyond excited and still can’t believe it is actually happening! Thank you again from the bottom of my heart!!!!! 😀

Pavitra, PA-S

Deanna gave me excellent feedback on my personal statement, and I couldn’t be more grateful. She was very articulate and gave examples for me to work with on the rewrite. What I struggled with most was the organization of my writing, and Deanna helped me structure my paper so that it was easy to read. I would 100% recommend this service to a friend applying to PA school. Thank you so much!

Daniela, Pre-PA

I had an excellent experience with this service. Deanna was thorough, attentive to my essay, and very easy to contact. She did a great job and I would highly recommend this service to anyone.

Grant, Pre-PA

I just wanted to let you know I got accepted to Yale!!!! I’m so pumped. I can’t wait to talk more in-depth with you about my experience. For now I just wanted to say thank you!!!! You really were SO helpful.

James Hennessy, PA-S

Thank you so much for your assistance with perfecting my personal statement. This service is truly helpful. They were able to easily edit and help to convey exactly what was in my heart onto paper. I was accepted to my first choice PA program this week!!

Vincent, PA-S

I LOVED the suggestions Carly made for my essay. Not only was she thorough with her edits, but she also provided a lot of quality feedback that really made my essay shine. Carly took my unedited, messy essay and helped me better convey what I was trying to say. I have nothing but positive things to say about this experience and feel this service was worth every penny.

Rachel, Pre-PA

I am not sure if you remembered me, but you helped me exactly a year ago with my PA essay. Well, I got accepted into Barry’s PA program! I start this Monday. You were part of my journey and I wanted to say THANK YOU!

Catalina Bulla, PA-S

I wanted to share exciting news with you – I got accepted to UT Health San Antonio’s Physician Assistant program!!! I am so thankful for ALL of your work and talent that was put into my personal statement and supplemental essays. I could not have gotten through this process without you. I extend a thank you from my mother, Tammy, as well. We were so blessed to be paired with you. Your hard work and dedication to helping me as a Pre-PA student-led to success during the application process. I hope 2021 is treating you well and you have a blessed year!

Aubrey, PA-S

Your services have eased the stress and anxiety that results from guessing whether or not your essay contains the content that many PA programs are looking for. Your services were prompt and genuine. It is clear that you have the applicant’s success at heart. Thank you!

Madison Pre-PA

I am so thankful that this editing service exists. The personal statement is incredibly important which is why I was so nervous about it. It took me two weeks to even get started because I was so nervous about writing the wrong thing. After Carly helped me with my essay, I am now so much more confident in it. Her edits were very thorough and showed that she had a really good understanding of what is important for a PA personal statement. Her email detailing her overall impression of my essay also showed she understood every single point I was trying to make and what kind of feeling I was trying to give to people reading my essay. This has been the most reassuring thing.

Angela, Pre-PA

I just wanted to update you that I got waitlisted for Drexel but accept to Dominican University of California. I still have other interviews coming up. Thank you for your help!

Karmen Wu, Pre-PA

Sue Edmonson has been a great help in ensuring my personal statement made sense and fit what information I was trying to convey. Her ability to find the pertinent parts in an essay and gain more information about me to make the essay seem relative to my pursuits was truly a Godsend. Would recommend her and your company to others. Thanks!

Christopher Ohsie, Pre-PA

Duke went above and beyond to help me. I so appreciate his help and would recommend this service to anyone!

Jessica H. Pre-PA

This is Tyler. I hope you remember helping me with my essay back in May. As promised, I wanted to update you with news of my PA school journey and I am excited to tell you that I was accepted to Stony Brook’s PA program!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH for helping me write an essay that was truly reflective of who I am as a candidate and as a person! It played a pivotal role in this whole nerve-racking process and has helped me achieve a major life goal. You are a godsend to Pre-PA students.

Tyler, PA-S

Thank you so much for editing my essay and for your kind words. Your edits have definitely made it a stronger PS and I am proud to have it as a part of my application. Thank you for alleviating my stress on arguably the most nerve-wracking part of the CASPA app. You are incredibly talented and well-spoken, and any person that has you edit their essays is incredibly lucky! I will let you know if I have any questions, but I think each one of your edits are meaningful and super clear. I appreciate you shortening it and making it flow better. Thank you again!!!

Karina Kapani, Pre-PA

Carly was so helpful and encouraging! I truly felt like I was in good hands, and I know my personal statement is much stronger now because of her!

Chloe, Pre-PA

I wanted to give you an update and thank you. I just received my first acceptance and at the interview, they commented on how well written my personal statement was. I appreciate your hard work and working with me to create such an awesome piece! Hopefully, this won’t be the last time we talk- maybe our paths will cross again one day!

Janne Kim, Pre-PA

I wanted to reach out and thank you for your help in editing my personal statement this application cycle. I have been accepted to the University of Utah and I was lucky enough to get a number of interviews! I know that your help with my statement definitely made a difference and I am so thankful! Thank you so much!

Nicole, Pre-PA

The edit that I received from Sue was exactly what I was hoping for. She was able to tighten up my draft beyond my personal skill level and made edits that I was would have never thought to make. She has definitely made my personal statement stronger. Thank you, Sue!

Ethan, Pre-PA

This was a very quick service and the attention to detail and response time was amazing. I thank you for having a service like this and am so happy I decided to go with the PA Life!!

Rachel, Pre-PA

Sue Edmondson was VERY thorough in her editing of my essay, as well as the promptness of her responses to me. She not only took the time to edit the grammar of my essay but helped me remove a large portion of it to focus on the important aspects of it and draw in more details. Overall, a fantastic service!

Megan Hunstad, Pre-PA

I wanted to reach out and thank you for your help with my personal statement. I received compliments about my essay at every interview I had. I also wanted to let you know that I will be attending Duke’s PA Program – my top choice. Your help was amazing! Thank you so much again!

Kelli Tseng, PA-S

This review is long overdue, but my gratitude for how much The PA Life has helped me will never fade. Ms. Schultz went above and beyond to help me tailor my personal statement to my unique stories and qualities. She was open to my suggestions and often thought from my perspective instead of imposing her thoughts on my essay. I appreciate the time she took to help me create a personal statement that expressed my thoughts clearly and concisely. I am happy to report that I have been invited to interviews, and I’m on the waitlist for one of my top schools. If I don’t get in this cycle, I will be using the editing services again. Big shout out to Ms. Schultz!! Thank you for all your encouragement, patience, and support! I am honored to have the chance to work with you. 🙂

Amy, Pre-PA

I used the personal statement editing service with Deanna Matzen (April/May 2021) and the mock interview service with Mary Jones (June 2021). Both were exceptional to work with and helped me to achieve my goal. I applied to three schools and received interview invites from all three (I’m a first-time applicant). I was waitlisted at one in June and later accepted in November, received early acceptance to my top choice in November (UTSW), and I chose to decline my third interview scheduled in December. Thank you for your services!

Rachelle, Pre-PA

Awesome editing service! Everything was detailed, and I could tell that my editor really cared about helping me produce a great personal statement.

Ashanna, Pre-PA

This was the most amazing experience! I felt so confident about my topic and essay after our meeting. Duke got back to me quickly and worked around my crazy schedule. The editing of the essay was professional and gave me insight I could not have received any other way. I only applied to one school because it is really the one I would like to go to the most and I got an interview!!! Thank you so much for all of your help!

Kathryn R, PA-S

I have never used an editing service before, but after working with The PA Life, I am so glad I did. I feel my essay flows better and is polished and precise. I am now signed up for supplemental essay editing as well.

Nicole, Pre-PA

Very helpful. I needed help figuring out what to cut and Sue was great at showing me what could go without sacrificing what I was trying to convey.

Dave, Pre-PA

I just wanted to reach out an let you that I actually got into PA school this year! Out of the 10 programs I applied to, 4 offered me interviews. The first interview wound up being my top choice and they offered me a spot. I accept and declined all my other interviews. So I am absolutely overjoyed!! I wanted to let you know though. Your editing and help, no doubt, helped me get through the initial phase. Thank you so much! I am truly grateful.

Deanna, Pre-PA

Very prompt response and turnaround time. While I did not speak with Duke over the phone, his team’s edits were thorough, clear and very helpful. Highly recommended.

Dave H. Pre-PA

101 PA School Admission Essays

Admissions Directors Know What They Want. Shouldn't You? You’re slaving away at your personal statement, but can’t help wondering if anyone will read past the first line. A troubling thought, isn’t…

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How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement

What Makes This Book Unique? We have worked with 1000’s of applicants through our Personal Statement and Essay Collaborative and have interviewed PA school faculty and Admissions Directors from 12…

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