PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT MOTIVATION ESSAY
Eight pounds! When I started my shift at six am on Saturday morning, I could not believe my chronic heart failure patient had gained eight pounds over the course of five days, and no one noticed. After being persistent and spending most of my shift on and off the phone with my supervisor and in and out of my patient's room, I felt confident in the treatment plan the weekend provider had prescribed. I arrived Sunday morning to find that my patient had gained two more pounds. After questioning our on-call provider over whether to send my full-code patient in to the emergency room, I went with the final decision of the provider to medicate and monitor him at our facility. Unfortunately, that patient died soon after I followed instructions. While my ultimate goal has always been to be a physician's assistant, it was further sparked by this moment. Just like with my patient I was going to be persistent. I am extremely passionate about my job, my patients, and medicine. The intense medical background, knowledge and education of physician's assistant would help me to better understand disease processes and allow me to continue to advocate for my patients on a grandeur scale. The eventual death of my patient was a career-changing moment for me as I cared deeply about his condition but was limited by my education. This moment reinforced my desire to enhance my education. I am so attracted to this profession because it allows me to study medicine and the human body in great depth, while still allotting sufficient time to spend at the bedside with my patients. Although I have primarily worked with geriatric mental health patients- a population that I love, I have also spent time volunteering as a nurse in an outpatient clinic in Grenada, West Indies. The time I spent in Grenada gave me access to a completely different health care system and culture. I was also able to see a wide range of patient populations. Through my experience working and volunteering, I realized even more how much I want to pursue a career that would allow me to study all areas of medicine.
Persistence is a characteristic that has carried me far in my life. When my father lost his job while I was in high school and we had to foreclose on the house, I feared I would never be able to go to college. However, seeing everyone around me go off to school, I was determined to overcome the life that was set up for me, and pursue my career goals. With minimal support from my family, I worked full time while attending nursing school full time. The years I spent working my way through school were the hardest years of my life; balancing work, school, and life at barely twenty years old was incredibly taxing, yet I would not give that up for an easier route. I learned that when I am dedicated and persistent, I could accomplish my goals. I grew profoundly in confidence, assertiveness and my ability to communicate with others. As a registered nurse, these attributes have transpired well into my professional life. Most importantly it is the way I have grown in my communication skills and ability to work with others to provide quality care I am most proud of. Over the past 7 years, I have learned a great deal about myself and my abilities and that if I try hard, I have the ability to truly influence and better another person's life. These are all characteristics that will influence my excellence as a physician's assistant and make sure that I continue to give persistence to my patients.
My life experiences combined with my passion for medicine and current work experience as a registered nurse, has further compelled me to becoming a physician's assistant, and I believe, has prepared me for the rigorous training and demanding work it entails. My persistent and determined attitude will continue to supplement me in this next stage of my education.
Eight pounds! When I started my shift at six am on Saturday morning, I could not believe my chronic heart failure patient had gained eight pounds over the course of five days, and no one noticed. After being persistent and spending most of my shift on and off the phone with my supervisor and in and out of my patient's room, I felt confident in the treatment plan the weekend provider had prescribed. I arrived Sunday morning to find that my patient had gained two more pounds. After questioning our on-call provider over whether to send my full-code patient in to the emergency room, I went with the final decision of the provider to medicate and monitor him at our facility. Unfortunately, that patient died soon after I followed instructions. While my ultimate goal has always been to be a physician's assistant, it was further sparked by this moment. Just like with my patient I was going to be persistent. I am extremely passionate about my job, my patients, and medicine. The intense medical background, knowledge and education of physician's assistant would help me to better understand disease processes and allow me to continue to advocate for my patients on a grandeur scale. The eventual death of my patient was a career-changing moment for me as I cared deeply about his condition but was limited by my education. This moment reinforced my desire to enhance my education. I am so attracted to this profession because it allows me to study medicine and the human body in great depth, while still allotting sufficient time to spend at the bedside with my patients. Although I have primarily worked with geriatric mental health patients- a population that I love, I have also spent time volunteering as a nurse in an outpatient clinic in Grenada, West Indies. The time I spent in Grenada gave me access to a completely different health care system and culture. I was also able to see a wide range of patient populations. Through my experience working and volunteering, I realized even more how much I want to pursue a career that would allow me to study all areas of medicine.
Persistence is a characteristic that has carried me far in my life. When my father lost his job while I was in high school and we had to foreclose on the house, I feared I would never be able to go to college. However, seeing everyone around me go off to school, I was determined to overcome the life that was set up for me, and pursue my career goals. With minimal support from my family, I worked full time while attending nursing school full time. The years I spent working my way through school were the hardest years of my life; balancing work, school, and life at barely twenty years old was incredibly taxing, yet I would not give that up for an easier route. I learned that when I am dedicated and persistent, I could accomplish my goals. I grew profoundly in confidence, assertiveness and my ability to communicate with others. As a registered nurse, these attributes have transpired well into my professional life. Most importantly it is the way I have grown in my communication skills and ability to work with others to provide quality care I am most proud of. Over the past 7 years, I have learned a great deal about myself and my abilities and that if I try hard, I have the ability to truly influence and better another person's life. These are all characteristics that will influence my excellence as a physician's assistant and make sure that I continue to give persistence to my patients.
My life experiences combined with my passion for medicine and current work experience as a registered nurse, has further compelled me to becoming a physician's assistant, and I believe, has prepared me for the rigorous training and demanding work it entails. My persistent and determined attitude will continue to supplement me in this next stage of my education.
