Hello All,
Thank you for taking a look at my personal statement. The prompt is as follows: "In the space provided write a brief statement expressing your motivation or desire to become a physician assistant. Keep your statement general as the same essay will be sent to all schools you will apply to."
I have a few specific questions:
1. What do you think of the content?
2. Can anyone help me with grammar? I am not a student and don't have a writing center to bring this to.
3. I feel fairly like a "Plain Jane"- I worked through college but thats about the extent of adversity I've had to face. Does this come off too boring? Or does it clearly state my goals?
Thank you again for any feedback!! This is very helpful!
I was first introduced to the physician assistant (PA) profession in a surgical waiting room when I was sixteen. My twin sister, Kayla, was rushed into surgery after her lung collapsed. As I sat with my family, I experienced a fear that was different from anything I'd felt before. When I was young, I was what you would call a worrywart. However, Kayla was always there to put me at ease. As I sat without her in that waiting room, I never felt more alone. Then the PA rushed in. She looked me right in the eye and said, "She's going to be just fine." She walked over, pulled up a chair, and introduced herself as Katherine. She explained to us what happened and what the next steps were. She didn't act rushed and she made us feel like an important part of Kayla's treatment and recovery. Since that day, Kayla's lung has collapsed two more times. After the second time, Katherine gave my family her personal cell phone number. The third time, Katherine met us at the emergency room on a Saturday afternoon and expedited Kayla's admission. Nearly nine years later, I look back and realize that Katherine's dedication to her patients and caring demeanor are traits that first drew me to the PA profession.
I started working in the medical field during my junior year of high school. At seventeen, I was by far the youngest optometric assistant at the small practice. Nevertheless, I learned quickly and was fascinated with my newfound responsibility. I worked hard and was able to pay for my first year of college without getting a job. However, my sophomore year I decided to start working again in an effort to leave college with as little debt as possible. I took a job as a research assistant at a smoking cessation clinic where I gained additional patient care experience and new insight into the medical field. Addiction medicine opened my eyes to the diversity of each situation. Each patient I worked with had distinct motivations to quit smoking, varying levels of support, and different hindrances. Just as illness affects a patient's life, each patient's unique life story greatly influences his or her ability to overcome illness. Through my shadowing experiences, I learned that PAs often have the time to get to know patients on the level that is necessary to take all of these factors into consideration. This is not because a typical day for a PA is less busy than a standard day for a physician. Instead, the role of a PA often includes discussing a full medical and social history and taking the time to educate patients. The PA profession complements my goal to become a healthcare provider who weighs all factors, including the non-medical, when assisting patients.
After graduating from college, I took a clinical research position at a family medicine clinic designated as a Level-3 Patient Centered Medical Home. In this unique setting, I am able to spend each day working in a collaborative healthcare model. My current areas of research are hypertension and obesity. One of my team's goals is to find ways to achieve controlled blood pressure faster and with fewer medications. If successful, this approach would translate into fewer clinic visits and a more affordable way for low-income and uninsured patients to prevent the cardiovascular damage that accompanies uncontrolled hypertension. I was first drawn to clinical research, in part, because researchers don't turn anyone away. As long as a patient meets the inclusion criteria for a given study, they are able to enroll. This stipulation allows me to work with many people without medical insurance. My uninsured patients have helped me to recognize that a string of clinic visits can put significant financial strain on a family. By providing increased access to preventative services, PAs can help to reduce the need for more costly care down the road. I strive to become part of this initiative and work as part of a team that provides exceptional and affordable care.
In addition to my clinical work, my motivation to become a PA stems from the lessons I have learned while observing medical professionals. Each specialty I shadowed shed light on a different aspect of the PA profession. Surgical PAs at a large medical center taught me that patient education is central to the duties of a PA. A primary care PA at a rural satellite clinic demonstrated the PA's role in making high-quality healthcare affordable and accessible. The field of internal medicine at a community hospital showed me that a successful healthcare team is a mixture of collaboration and autonomy.
I have always dreamed of having a career that is fulfilling and significant. My decision to pursue the PA profession is built upon a solid foundation of clinical and shadowing experiences. A career as a PA will allow me to use the strengths of my character to make a difference both on a personal level with patients and on a larger scale by aiding the effort to provide high-quality and affordable healthcare.
Thank you for taking a look at my personal statement. The prompt is as follows: "In the space provided write a brief statement expressing your motivation or desire to become a physician assistant. Keep your statement general as the same essay will be sent to all schools you will apply to."
I have a few specific questions:
1. What do you think of the content?
2. Can anyone help me with grammar? I am not a student and don't have a writing center to bring this to.
3. I feel fairly like a "Plain Jane"- I worked through college but thats about the extent of adversity I've had to face. Does this come off too boring? Or does it clearly state my goals?
Thank you again for any feedback!! This is very helpful!
I was first introduced to the physician assistant (PA) profession in a surgical waiting room when I was sixteen. My twin sister, Kayla, was rushed into surgery after her lung collapsed. As I sat with my family, I experienced a fear that was different from anything I'd felt before. When I was young, I was what you would call a worrywart. However, Kayla was always there to put me at ease. As I sat without her in that waiting room, I never felt more alone. Then the PA rushed in. She looked me right in the eye and said, "She's going to be just fine." She walked over, pulled up a chair, and introduced herself as Katherine. She explained to us what happened and what the next steps were. She didn't act rushed and she made us feel like an important part of Kayla's treatment and recovery. Since that day, Kayla's lung has collapsed two more times. After the second time, Katherine gave my family her personal cell phone number. The third time, Katherine met us at the emergency room on a Saturday afternoon and expedited Kayla's admission. Nearly nine years later, I look back and realize that Katherine's dedication to her patients and caring demeanor are traits that first drew me to the PA profession.
I started working in the medical field during my junior year of high school. At seventeen, I was by far the youngest optometric assistant at the small practice. Nevertheless, I learned quickly and was fascinated with my newfound responsibility. I worked hard and was able to pay for my first year of college without getting a job. However, my sophomore year I decided to start working again in an effort to leave college with as little debt as possible. I took a job as a research assistant at a smoking cessation clinic where I gained additional patient care experience and new insight into the medical field. Addiction medicine opened my eyes to the diversity of each situation. Each patient I worked with had distinct motivations to quit smoking, varying levels of support, and different hindrances. Just as illness affects a patient's life, each patient's unique life story greatly influences his or her ability to overcome illness. Through my shadowing experiences, I learned that PAs often have the time to get to know patients on the level that is necessary to take all of these factors into consideration. This is not because a typical day for a PA is less busy than a standard day for a physician. Instead, the role of a PA often includes discussing a full medical and social history and taking the time to educate patients. The PA profession complements my goal to become a healthcare provider who weighs all factors, including the non-medical, when assisting patients.
After graduating from college, I took a clinical research position at a family medicine clinic designated as a Level-3 Patient Centered Medical Home. In this unique setting, I am able to spend each day working in a collaborative healthcare model. My current areas of research are hypertension and obesity. One of my team's goals is to find ways to achieve controlled blood pressure faster and with fewer medications. If successful, this approach would translate into fewer clinic visits and a more affordable way for low-income and uninsured patients to prevent the cardiovascular damage that accompanies uncontrolled hypertension. I was first drawn to clinical research, in part, because researchers don't turn anyone away. As long as a patient meets the inclusion criteria for a given study, they are able to enroll. This stipulation allows me to work with many people without medical insurance. My uninsured patients have helped me to recognize that a string of clinic visits can put significant financial strain on a family. By providing increased access to preventative services, PAs can help to reduce the need for more costly care down the road. I strive to become part of this initiative and work as part of a team that provides exceptional and affordable care.
In addition to my clinical work, my motivation to become a PA stems from the lessons I have learned while observing medical professionals. Each specialty I shadowed shed light on a different aspect of the PA profession. Surgical PAs at a large medical center taught me that patient education is central to the duties of a PA. A primary care PA at a rural satellite clinic demonstrated the PA's role in making high-quality healthcare affordable and accessible. The field of internal medicine at a community hospital showed me that a successful healthcare team is a mixture of collaboration and autonomy.
I have always dreamed of having a career that is fulfilling and significant. My decision to pursue the PA profession is built upon a solid foundation of clinical and shadowing experiences. A career as a PA will allow me to use the strengths of my character to make a difference both on a personal level with patients and on a larger scale by aiding the effort to provide high-quality and affordable healthcare.