Graduate /
My motivation towards becomming a physician assistant - CASPA narritive [3]
Here is my draft of my essay for PA school. CASPA instructs to "describe your motivation towards becoming a PA." I would really appreciate some feedback! The character limit is 5000 which is approximately 625 words. Thanks everyone!
I had no intention of falling in love that summer. The summer I worked in New Hampshire was going to be my last adventure before continuing my education in Iceland, my home. As it turned out, the summer I spent in New Hampshire was just the beginning of the greatest adventure yet.
Instead of returning to Iceland, I attended college in the United States, and majored in health science. This was a difficult decision to make; I was leaving my family, friends and everything I knew in Iceland to be with the one I love. It was the right decision for me; the opportunities I have encountered have been amazing. I would graduate sooner, which meant I would become a part of health care much sooner than I anticipated. I have always felt that health care is my personal calling in life. From a young age I found myself caring for others, if my brother was sick, no worries, I was on bucket duty! I was and still am the comforter in the family, I realize when people aren't feeling well and I will do whatever I possibly can to ease that. After my grandfather passed, my grandmother became ill. I stayed with her for weeks, making sure she ate and took her medications. I think the fact that I was simply just there, made the greatest difference in her recovery. Sometimes, that is all you can do.
The physician assistant profession does not exist in Iceland, sometime during my first semester I heard people talking about PAs and I had no exposure to this PA profession. After doing some research, I discovered this wonderful profession where you can work interdependently with physicians and provide patient care. I immediately fell in love, just like I did that summer. This profession has heart, originally founded to increase access to health care by extending the time and skills of the physician; it is something I want to be a part of. I have chosen the PA path so that I can be directly involved in helping others and improving lives. I was fortunate enough to have shadowed two outstanding physician assistants where I saw firsthand how dedicated, compassionate, empathetic and hardworking PAs are. There are never too many questions and never inadequate time to answer them, they are always willing to go the extra mile for their patients and this is the philosophy I wish to carry on. I have been exposed to the health care culture and language. I now know that I am ready to enter the field. Another thing assuring me that the PA path is the correct one for me is seeing how much PAs love their job. Career satisfaction is immensely important, the PAs I shadowed had been PAs for 10 and 15 years and they still love it. It's not just a job and that is very important to me. As an individual in health care, the learning never ends. I have the avid ambition to succeed, not only within the MCPHS program but also in enthusiastically pursuing lifelong learning as a physician assistant. Creating partnerships with patients to promote their health is my goal.
Yet again I find myself at the beginning of an adventure, this time pursuing my dreams of becoming a physician assistant. Although I have not known of the PA profession for very long, I have come to love it. It offers personalized and effective health care. The career options are phenomenal and career satisfaction is high. I have found my calling; I doubt this adventure will ever end.