Physician Associate (PA) personal statement

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Every day we face new experiences without knowing the impact any specific moment could have on our lives. However, at times, I think the greatest impact comes not from one moment but from the compilation of several of these potentially life changing events. In this respect, experience has been my greatest teacher, transforming my perceptions and motivating me to overcome challenges I otherwise would have cowered from. I believe that reminiscing about our experiences allows us to develop a thorough understanding of ourselves; who we are and where we have been and consequently allows us to see who we could become. It is for this reason that I believe that my experiences, particularly work experience, education and healthcare experience, have steered me to the path to becoming a PA. Furthermore, they have taught me invaluable lessons about caring and interacting with others which I intend to apply as a PA student in order to provide the highest quality patient care.

I did not grow up knowing I wanted to pursue a career as a PA nor did a single life changing event prompt my choice, however, this does not diminish my passion for this profession. I have thought strenuously about who I am and who I want to be. After high school, I was disheartened by my inability to have my life sketched out. I felt opposing pressure from society to become an educated, independent woman and from my mother to hastily find a suitor, get married and become a full-time house wife. Flustered, I decided to take time to discover myself and subsequently find a job. At the time I did not know this, but that was the best bad decision I ever made.

It was a bad decision since it made me miserable, albeit for a brief period of time. Initially I hated spending countless hours at Academy Sports catering to strangers, being treated as inferior due to my position. But now six years later I look back at that chapter with appreciation, since it taught me to have a strong work ethic and most importantly how to care for others. Daily interactions with customers taught me to be patient and courteous and also trained me to remember many minute details to assist them. As a PA I will use the tools I learned to listen attentively to my patients, analyze their stories to discover pertinent details, form conclusions based on evidence and ultimately form a close relationship with my patients by treating them as people not just patients.

It was the best decision because it rekindled my interest in attaining an education. Although my leadership position at Academy taught me imperative lessons about teamwork, maturity, and responsibility; I did not find the business aspect appealing. Additionally, it satisfied my desire to care for others marginally and I could not ignore its limitations. I returned to school and after taking my first biology courses my interest in science was piqued. It was during this exploratory phase that I had my first memorable encounter with a PA.

After an eighteen-year gap between pregnancies my mother gave birth to a baby. He spent his first days home incessantly crying for hours. We attempted several soothing techniques but nothing fazed the irate baby. Finally, scared and desperate we sought medical attention. Our medical provider was a PA and I was astonished at the rapport she immediately built. She was seeping compassion and made us feel comfortable and cared for. I watched enraptured as she selflessly educated us about different bottle types, methods for snuggling a baby, and she even wrote down different YouTube channels for new mothers. Her tender approach and serenity helped invoke my need to care for others. This, along with my past experiences, helped solidify my decision to pursue a career in healthcare since it perfectly unified my interest in science to caring for others.

Shadowing further fortified my decision by allowing me to attain a comprehensive understanding of the profession. I could see a reflection of my future as I observed PAs perform physical exams, order and interpret diagnostic tests and treat patients. Yearning to gain additional medical experience I attained an internship at the Yazji MD clinic. During my internship as a medical assistant I was able to take vital signs, perform EKGs and chart medical histories. I truly enjoyed the patient interaction and working in a medical setting but it intensified my desire to become a PA in order to play a larger role in their diagnosis and treatment.

Overall my unique life experiences, demanding course load and enlightening healthcare experiences have led me towards being a PA. I believe that my diverse background will make me a successful PA student. I possess essential qualities such as empathy, professionalism and strong interpersonal skills that other candidates may lack. I have an unwavering hope to continually grow and through this process will continue to challenge myself in order to build a solid foundation not only for success in PA school but also as a practicing professional.

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