This is my personal narrative to be included into my CASPA application. I am still over the character limit and I know there is some stuff I should cut, but I have been revising and editing this for the past 2 weeks and feel that I may be numb to my errors now since I have looked at it so long. This is the first personal narrative I have written for an application to a school and I hope I have conveyed adequately why I should be accepted, why I would like to become a PA, and other uniqueness to set me apart from others. Thank you in advance for your review, again this is still a rough draft and I know I have some transition issues still. But I was just hoping for a little input, thank you!
My friend and I were just posing for a picture when the kitchen door to the cabin slammed open and a group of our friends entered carrying something between them. Their incoherent shouting and crying immediately called us to them. As I approached them to see what was going on my breath froze in my chest. Lying in the middle of a blanket was our friend Jason with blood running down his face and seeping out of his mouth. We were trying to figure out how we could help him, but I froze. I was terrified, I felt helpless...useless. I had never been in a situation like this before and I had no knowledge on which I could rely to guide me. We called 911 and attempted chest compressions, but we didn't know what we were doing and he remained without a pulse. That night, eight years ago, at a cabin in rural Wyoming our friend Jason passed away. He was driving an ATV at night and crashed headlong into a fence post. The quick response EMT that showed up said that he was most likely dead on or shortly after impact, but many of us wondered if there was anything that we could have done to help him survive had we the medical knowledge.
Years later, when I was deciding between pursuing radiation therapy as a career and becoming a physician assistant, it was my memory of that night that set my path. I love everything about both careers, but I feel that nothing, short of medical school, compares to the excellent education I would receive as a PA which might make a difference in any emergency situation I may come upon. For clarification, this is not the only reason I want to become a PA, it was simply the deciding factor.
Before serving my LDS mission I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life and, as evidenced by my random poor grades, I was not very interested in a few of my courses. After returning from Slovenia I was still hesitant to commit to a career path because I wanted to carefully decide on something that I was passionate about. After much searching around, and meeting with school advisors I discovered the PA profession and radiation therapy. I was fascinated by both at the time. Fortunately as I advanced further in my schooling and after working with PAs on a regular basis in radiology I became more convinced that becoming a PA is what I desired for my career. I saw so many aspects of the PA profession that I loved, such as being able to practice in a wide variety of specialties. PA's are also more capable of treating low income populations due to lower medical costs to the patient. This is important to me because I have a strong desire and motivation to dedicate my career to serving in clinic or ER settings in rural areas. I respect the personal level on which the PA is involved with his/her patients, and I desire to emulate it. I love the freedom in practice allowed to a PA, but also the ability to consult with the supervising physician should questions arise. I love the discovery and challenge in diagnosing. I love that I will be in a field that is fluid and constantly changing due to advances in medicine. I am thrilled to be in a field in which I will continue learning my entire life.
On a different note, I was raised in a very service-oriented family, but it wasn't until I was serving an LDS mission that I finally realized the rewards of helping others. In my two years of service to the communities in that small country I discovered for myself that the saying by John C. Maxwell is unquestionably true, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". It took me some time, but when I finally learned to actively listen and respond to what people were saying and feeling, I discovered trust and meaningful friendships in return. I have lived by this principle ever since I discovered it for myself and have been rewarded with many worthwhile relationships both personally and professionally.
While working as a radiologic technologist assistant I would be the person the patient would talk to both before and after their exam. It was my goal to make sure that every patient knew that I cared and as a result they felt comfortable and safe. Many times I would be in the emergency room to transport a patient to radiology and the doctor would be preparing to suture a laceration on that patient. I would always ask if I could sit in and while the doctor was working I would talk with the patient to help them forget about the pain and discomfort. I was taught by a PA early on as a radiologic technologist student to change my thought process from "I'm going to do the chest x-ray" to "I will do Mr. Doe's chest x-ray", this led to a realization that every patient is an individual who is deserving of unique care and personal attention.
Over the past few years my initial interest in becoming a PA has developed into a passion for the profession. I know that I will be a wonderful PA because I am careful, confident, honest, and comfortable working with a team. Because of my experience as an MA I have learned to recognize my limits, and I am comfortable asking the physician for advice or clarification. I love that I have spent so much time already with patients and I sincerely understand that what I learned about service on my mission is just as true in the medical profession. I have often witnessed that a patient just wants their health provider to listen to them and understand them, and then they will feel safe and confident in their provider. I feel that once a patient trusts their health care provider then diagnosis and treatment can be most effective because the patient will be cooperative and assured that the health provider only has the patient's health and physical well-being in mind. I will continue living by this principle of service, and I will make it a part of the patient and care provider relationships I will form as a PA.
