I am applying to PA school in the next few weeks and I need some help with my narrative. All criticism is welcome as long as it is helpful. Thanks!
"Please describe your motivation towards becoming a PA."
I still remember the look in everyone's eyes as we sat there hooked up to our IV's with our own individual chemotherapy drugs. There is emptiness and fear in all of these eyes including mine. At 24 years old I never thought that I would have to endure bi-monthly chemo treatments, CT scans, PET scans, the loss of my hair, and possibly the loss of my life. I could only hope my stage II Hodgkin's Lymphoma would be put in remission by these drugs that made me feel worse than the cancer itself.
Chemotherapy twice a month is scary, but the once a month check up was even more frightening. At any time you could hear the words, "The treatment isn't working" or "The cancer is back". Each visit with the doctor was preceded by seeing the physician assistant. Both of these women that worked with my oncologist were professional caring people that had the knowledge and skills necessary to treat cancer patients. They did quick physical assessments of each patient, went over medications, and pulled up the test results for the doctor. It was during one of these monthly checkups that my oncologist confessed that he could never get everything done if it weren't for his physician assistants. This admission brought my attention to the profession, and how important physician assistants are to patient care.
As I thought about how important physician assistants are in a variety of settings I found a local San Angelo physician assistant that would allow me to shadow him in a pediatrics practice. While shadowing I learned many important lessons that are now the driving force behind my choice to pursue becoming a physician assistant. Mr. Stevens had his own patients that would request to see him. He provided ongoing care for children, and developed trusting relationships with the children's parents so that they felt comfortable with him treating their children. This experience coupled with my rural upbringing made me realized that physician assistants play an invaluable role in rural and underserved healthcare. Some of these parents would drive an hour for their child to see the physician assistant because he was their primary healthcare provider.
Growing up in rural west Texas my family was always treated by a physician assistant at the local hospital and clinic. The PA was an important addition to the two local doctors because the wait time for a doctor visit was usually two weeks. The PA was a primary health care provider for many people in the community and was a well respected part of the medical team. As the primary health care provider the physician assistant had the freedom to do patient assessments, order tests, and treat the patients based on his assessments. If he had a question the doctor was always there to assist or lead him to the correct answer. The physician assistant doesn't need to know all of the answers in a rural or underserved setting. He or she is there to serve as an extension of the physician. Someone that can help in any way possible so that the healthcare needs of the community can be met. While shadowing Mr. Stevens and thinking about rural medicine I realized that building relationships with people is an important part of the job as a physician assistant. There needs to be trust between the PA and the patient and this has to be gained by having the knowledge to adequately treat patients' symptoms.
My experience as a cancer patient, shadowing a physician assistant, and witnessing first hand rural healthcare I realize that being a physician assistant is also about learning. A physician assistant does not have to know everything about medicine or a certain specialty. Physician assistants have the opportunity to meet with their supervising doctor or doctors to ask questions, observe procedures, and learn more about areas in which they are interested. As someone who uses every opportunity to learn something new I enjoy the ability the physician assistant has to continuously learn from other professionals in healthcare.
My life motto is, "Never Give Up". Life experiences have taught me to confront challenges, take responsibility, build relationships with others, have compassion, and never stop learning. I believe my life motto, along with life experiences have lead me to the point that I can meet the challenges of becoming a physician assistant if given the chance.
I still remember---I took out the word 'still', because it is more dramatic without it.--- the look in everyone's eyes as we sat there hooked up to our IV's with our own individual chemotherapy drugs.
At 24 years old, I never thought that I would have to endure bi-monthly chemo...
Both of these women who worked with my oncologist were professional...
As I thought about how important physician assistants are in a variety of settings, I found a local San Angelo physician assistant who would allow me to shadow him in a pediatrics practice.
While shadowing, I learned many important lessons that are now...
This experience, coupled with my rural upbringing, made me realized that physician assistants...
Growing up in rural west Texas, my family was always treated by a physician assistant...
If he had a question, the doctor was always there to assist...
While shadowing Mr. Stevens and thinking about rural medicine, I realized that building relationships with...
As someone who uses every opportunity to learn something new, I enjoy the ability the physician...
Good luck with school!
:)
