Hi guys, this is my first draft at it and I'm also new to this forum. Please let me know how my essay is looking and any corrections that could be made. Thank you very much!
My motivation to pursue a career in the medical profession stemmed from the time my grandparents passed away with terminal illnesses. When both my paternal grandparents were diagnosed of cancer, it was so discerning to me that doctors were not able to save them. As a young child, I would always tell my parents, "When I grow up I want to save people and find cures to all sicknesses." This ambition followed me ever since and ultimately, led me to pursue a career as a physician assistant (PA).
My first exposure to a PA was volunteering in the Emergency Room at the ______ Medical Center. I had the opportunity to observe what the PAs did and how they performed their specific roles. Most of the times, the PA did the actual physical exam and sometimes took the lead in deciding the treatment for the patient. They often spoke with the PAs about their problems and PAs were left to explain the process of their treatments. Seeing the responsibilities of a PA, I was certain that this was the right path for me to take. This was the beginning to my new found interest and motivation of becoming a PA.
However, I did not immediately go into this field because of my lack of experience. Instead, after graduating with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, I pursued a M.S. in Comparative Pathology. My research was to detect biomarkers for renal cell carcinoma and polycystic kidney disease. The goal of my research was to diagnose the disease at an early stage, so they could still be treatable. Being in the field of research allowed me to understand how different diseases are treated, whether a need to inhibit a particular enzyme to alter the pathway of a certain disease or understanding how genetic mutations causes disease. Although, I came to truly value the importance of research, it was not exactly the route I envisioned myself going for my career. I did not get any of the personal connection with patients that I wanted and the access to provide treatments.
I wanted to be familiar with the roles and responsibilities of a PA, so I had the pleasure of shadowing a wonderful PA at a clinic. The clinic was aimed for the low-income and uninsured population. Shadowing the PA, I understood a PA's scope of practice. During the physical exam, the PA would explain and show me what he was doing, what he was looking for, and the drugs he prescribed. Often he would let me take their blood pressure by auscultation to confirm a reading that needed high attention. As I became more familiar with the issues that patients come to the PA for, I would sometimes see myself, quietly, come up with a diagnosis for them. One important lesson I learned, which I will always keep with me, is to respect the patients. Show them that you understand what they are going through and keep them comfortable so that they know what is going on. Nothing could be worse than overwhelming patients with medical terms. I would not want them to assume I am correct on a diagnosis only because I have more knowledge in this field than they do. My passion towards becoming a PA not only grew more from this experience, but it has motivated me to work towards underserved populations.
To truly expose myself to the world of patient care, I worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Working in this field, I developed a sense of urgency working under pressure. It is one thing when a patient comes into a clinic with a problem, but it is another thing when a patient needs immediate care in a 911 situation. Working as an EMT, making quick and smart decisions were imperative. For example, we had a patient who sustained a head injury from falling two stories into a lake and hit his head on a rock underwater. He was walking fine after the injury and explained to us that he had no intention in going to the hospital. All he wanted was for us to treat his minor scrapes from his fall. However, knowing he fell and hit his head, we knew we had to stabilize his cervical spine to prevent any further injuries to his spinal cord. As we did our initial assessment we discovered a bigger problem, he had unequal pupils. We knew this was serious because it was a sign that he may have suffered a brain injury. We immediately made the call and sent him straight to the ER. Being able to deal with that type of situation is rewarding and it has given me more motivation to follow my dream of becoming a PA. It has been an excellent stepping stone for me and I hope the experience will come to be useful when I become a PA.
As a PA, in the future, I wish to enlighten those who are culturally diverse about the issues of hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. It struck me to see many individuals suffer from these issues that could be easily preventable. I believe my passion, self-motivation, experience, and independent thinking will guide me to one day become an exceptional PA and make a difference in the world of medicine.
As a young child I would always tell my parents when I grow up. I want to save people and find cures to all sicknesses.
If you write the statement which I am gonna write below I think that would b much fine.
As a young child I used to tell my parents when I will grow up. I will save people and find treatment of all diseases
Perhaps you should work on the chronological order of events (i.e., paragraphs 2 through 5).
My path to becoming a PA
Can someone offer some suggestions please? Thank you!
Prompt: What is your motivation in becoming a PA?
I became motivated to pursue a career in the medical profession during the time my grandparents passed as a result of terminal illnesses. As I was visiting the hospital, I watched the medical staff do the best they could, despite the language barrier, to aid my grandparents. After seeing the medical staffs provide treatment, give physical exams, and diagnose patients, I became interested in becoming a health care provider. I wanted to directly treat patients and provide explanations to their illnesses. It was a career I imagined myself performing well in.
As my first step towards pursuing a career in medicine, I volunteered in the Emergency Room at the _____ Medical Center, where I observed head-to-toe physical exams and IV insertions. The medical staff position that attracted my attention was the role of the physician assistant (PA). The PAs did not only provide extensive care for the patients; they were also there to comfort patients and give explanations about the medical procedures being done, such as performing a urine test to check for adequate renal functions or getting an x-ray to confirm a positive PPD test. These responsibilities were exactly what I hoped to take on in the future. This path towards becoming a PA seemed right for me.
I did not immediately follow this path after obtaining my undergraduate degree because my parents insisted that I pursue a career in research. As a result, after graduating with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, I pursued a M.S. in Comparative Pathology. My research project involved finding biomarkers for polycystic kidney disease (PKD), so that this disease may be detected at an early stage. I learned that an early diagnosis to PKD is vital if one were to rid of this disease. My research experience has taught me the various ways different diseases are caused and the treatments used for a particular disease. For example, I learned that a mutation in the p53 tumor suppressor protein is the cause of most cancers and that a way to stop tumors from proliferating could be to halt angiogenesis. Although I came to truly value the role of research, this was not the route I envisioned myself following for my career. I wanted to directly care for patients and be a part of the medical staff team to come up with treatment plans for patients.
To expand my knowledge about the roles and responsibilities of a PA, I shadowed a PA at a clinic serving low-income and uninsured populations. Among all the patients who were seen, about 75% of them were diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes. I learned how to treat and detect these diseases, such as taking lisinopril to help with hypertension or doing an A1C hemoglobin test to see whether a patient is pre-diabetic. The PA always emphasized the value of prevention of these diseases, which was an invaluable lesson I learned. The experience that I have gained from shadowing, such as looking for signs of diabetes or how to perform a regular physical exam, has broadened my knowledge of medical care and influenced me to seek work assisting underserved populations.
Finally, to gain hands on experience with patient care, I worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). I learned to work well under pressure, learning tasks such as assessing an unconscious patient, while a crowd of people was watching me. I also came to realize the different aspects of dealing with a patient who came into the clinic because he was experiencing migraines, or dealing with a patient who needed immediate care because he had just had the tip of his finger bitten off. Working as an EMT, I needed to make quick and smart decisions, which were imperative to the job. For example, we were on a scene with a patient who sustained a head injury from a long fall. Although the patient said he was fine and had no intentions in going to the hospital, we still wisely assessed him for hidden injuries. In less than a minute, we discovered he was exhibiting unequal pupils, which was a sign of possible brain injury. Immediately, we made the call to have him transported to the hospital for further care. That incident will always remind me how crucial it is to stay calm and follow protocol, especially in emergency situations.
I always feel great admiration for the medical health profession because the work that is put in by medical personnel truly makes a difference in an individual's life. As a PA, in the future, I would like to enlighten culturally diverse populations about issues such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. It pains me to see many individuals suffering from problems that are easily preventable. I believe my passion, self-motivation, experience, and independent thinking will guide me to one day become an exceptional PA and contribute to the world of medicine.
