Here is my personal statement for PA school, any feedback/editing would be much appreciated!
In the space provided write a brief statement expressing your motivation or desire to become a physician assistant:
Early in 2011 my grandmother underwent emergency surgery due to a subdural hematoma, resulting in significant speech, motor and cognitive deficits. In the months following the surgery it was unclear whether she would ever again be able to ambulate independently, communicate coherently or perform simple activities of daily living. My grandmother has always been a beacon of love, inspiration, and encouragement for me; it was so hard to helplessly watch her become frustrated to the point of anger and tears in attempts to express herself and adjust to the changes. A large part of what made this difficult period a bit more tolerable for my family and I were the numerous outstanding medical professionals who worked synergistically and uncompromisingly to save my grandmother and help her regain much of what was lost. It was out of this rough time that came my inspiration and desire to dedicate my life's work to the cause of serving others as a competent, compassionate and ethical Physician Assistant and to be a proud professional in the miraculous business of healthcare.
I discovered the PA profession through a family friend who was in PA school at the time; I bumped into him by happenstance at a social gathering during a visit home while my grandmother was in the hospital. As we caught up, he briefly educated me on what a PA was and what they did. I was excited by the idea of a mid-level practitioner, with quite a high degree of autonomy and scope working under a physician, educated in a generalist model, allowing for the freedom to both explore the various fields of medicine and ability to adapt to changes in the demand of healthcare.
After graduating from college I chose to take a brief hiatus from my career-oriented endeavors and from being a full time student before diving headfirst if you will, into healthcare. All at once, I acquired a job as a Home Care Aide for a quadriplegic patient, began volunteering in the ER at Alvarado Hospital and enrolled in an EMT course. I knew right away that I was headed in the right direction; interacting with and serving patients came naturally to me and I truly enjoyed it. Additionally, I was loving the exciting, high energy and dynamic environment of the ER where I observed how a group of medical professionals work synergistically to provide quality patient care and was able to practice assessment skills I was learning in my EMT course.
The past year and a half I have spent working as an EMT; the experience has tried my capacity to efficiently perform under pressure, at times in the face of chaos and tragedy, and has provided me with numerous invaluable lessons and experiences that I feel will directly translate into a career as a PA. The past four months, I have been working as a bridged EMT on an ALS unit with a paramedic partner in the Imperial Valley, California, which is where I was raised; it has been a great experience to serve my community. Much of the Imperial County is rural; we often respond to emergency calls in quite literally the middle of nowhere and must make critical decisions such as activating life-flight resources due to extended transport times and the absence of a full trauma center in the county. It is crucial that my partner and I work synergistically to maximize our efficiency during critical runs; this has greatly sharpened my critical thinking, cooperation and communication skills.
I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to shadow Autumn Fornasero, a PA in the emergency department at Pioneers Hospital in Brawley, CA; the experience has given me great insight into the profession and proved very helpful in my quest to determine that this is the right path for me. Ms. Fornasero is exceptional at educating her patients and being investigative in order to make the most accurate diagnoses possible as opposed to merely treating superficial symptoms of illness and injury. I have experienced the latter approach both as a patient and as a student of medicine, and I feel that is the antithesis of quality healthcare. A large percentage Imperial Valley's population is Spanish speaking and I would assist Ms. Fornasero by translating when communicating with her Hispanic and Latino patients. Observing her with patients would evoke the same inspiration I received while observing the great nurses, doctors, PA's and various therapists during visits with my grandmother.
Admittedly, there have been periods of my life where I lost focus and my motivation fluctuated with changing goals and circumstances, which unfortunately resulted in poor academic performance at times. I have since matured, become more responsible and have strengthened my ability to persevere despite external influences. Since I first experienced the joy and passion of serving others through healthcare, I possess a true sense of purpose and am more driven than ever to achieve my goal so that I may continue to serve that purpose in a rich, rewarding and long career as a PA.
In the months following the surgery it was unclearwasn't sure whether she would ever again be able to ambulate independently, communicate coherently or perform simple activities of daily living.routine. My grandmother has always beenbeing a beacon of love, inspiration, and encouragement for me; it was so hard for me to helplessly watch her becomebecoming frustrated to the point of anger and tears in attempts to express herself and adjust to the changes.
