Graduate / "Dear Admission's Committee" - Addendum to a Personal Statement [9]

Hello everyone,

I was asked by one of the schools that I am applying to to write an addendum to my personal statement for a PA school. I need to describe my experience shadowing a Physician Assistant. I have never written an addendum before and was not sure how to organize it. I have questions like, should I title it, should I write the date, my name and ID number, should I address the Admission's committee as in a letter and etc..Also, I am not sure how long does it need to be. I assumed that all this things are most likely not too crucial but I would appreciate any tips.

Here is what I have so far:

Addendum to a PA Application Essay

Dear Admission's Committee,

This summer I had the opportunity to shadow PA M. in Emergency Medicine by following her all the way through an exciting and especially eventful day. I was astonished to directly witness her recover a patient from a severe allergic reaction while simultaneously assisting with two other emergency cases. She also got me involved by letting me help in providing first aid. Later on, she encouraged me to perform a basic eye check on a patient and introduced me to the computer system used in the clinic. Being able to see what pulmonary edema looked like on an X-ray was particularly exciting, however, most of all I was thrilled to observe a case of Lyme disease, which, as I was told, is not a common occurrence in the clinic.

While PA M. was diagnosing patients, she did not miss a chance to provide me with explanations and teach me facts about interpreting symptoms. After examining a patient with difficulty swallowing, who was quick to self-diagnose himself with strep throat, PA M. determined it was a viral infection instead. Her conclusion was based on the additional symptoms she caught by asking further questions. She pointed out that in medicine one of the most difficult parts in detecting a problem is when a patient tries to match their symptoms to a certain diagnosis. As a result of this, the doctors may not hear the entire history of symptoms, which ultimately can lead to a wrong diagnosis.

Another interesting aspect of this learning experience was witnessing how patient behavior could give rise to ethical issues. As when the daughter of a patient, without further explanation, requested that no man of color should be present in the room while her mother was being examined. She insisted the medical assistant, who was already helping her, to leave the room and somebody else to take over. Even though PA M. and Dr. S. were obviously disturbed by the accident, instead of simply reflecting anger back to the patient, they were subtle and gave the person a chance to explain the reasoning behind this request. We were informed that her mother has Alzheimer's and becomes extremely aggressive in the presence of Black and Asian people. Considering the degree of pain her mother was already experiencing, the daughter was trying to prevent additional complications. I was impressed by how professionally this matter was approached and resolved. This taught me to not only expect such patients but also to react by attempting to understand what is motivating their behaviors rather than showing personal emotions and anger back to them. Also, it gave me a different perspective on the various states of emotions a patient could be going through.

After this day I came home feeling a sense of accomplishment, confidence and better understanding of the Physician Assistant's significance to a human life. By spending time with PA M., I had a chance to openly observe the demands and rewards of the profession. Even though this opportunity reassured me in my aspiration to become a Physician Assistant, recognizing the serious dedication involved, helped me be more aware of the intensity of such work. My future plans for preparing involve starting the Premedical Volunteer Program of the Hospital of__ this September, which, will further expand my exposure to medicine and train me better for the challenges of PA school.

P.S. I am still debating if I should include the third paragraph, which starts with Initially...I am not sure it adds a lot to the experience and to what I have learned but I feel like I need a second opinion on that.

Thank you!!!

Graduate / 'Traveling back in time' - Physician Assistant -- personal statament [8]

The goal is to sound convincing and prepared for the challenging PA program.
Also, English is my second language so probably there are some awkward expressions in the text.
Here is the essay:

Traveling back in time to when I first moved to U.S. from Bulgaria, I recall the obstacles on the way and recognize that they have mirrored my own growth and achievements. Even though leaving everything I know and everyone I love was not an easy choice to make, observing myself grow from a timid girl into a self-confident individual as a consequence, helps me to differentiate the things that matter the most in my life. I believe that what brings fulfillment to one person is not necessarily what makes another happy. Just like beauty is in the eyes of the beholder the fulfillment in my eyes comes from helping and caring for people. I desire to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant in order to fully use my talents, capacities and potentials to be in service of others

Throughout my years as a student, I worked as a child caregiver for numerous families. This job not only gave me a chance to become familiar with the psychological and physical aspects of children's development but also allowed me to recognize the needs and demands of other human beings. Nonetheless, it has helped me to realize that caring for others provides the caregiver with an emotional payback in the sense of personal fulfillment and self-worth.

In my attempt to learn more about the medical field, right after I finished my bachelor's degree I began to actively devote my spare time to volunteering at the Emergency Department of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. There I have the opportunity to constantly interact with patients, work along side Child Life staff, observe the work of doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and pediatrics as well as experience emergency room settings. Prior to this, my familiarity with the health professions was based on my experience as a patient in physical therapy. At that time, I was able to examine what an important role a therapist plays in patient's physical but also emotional recovery.

The most essential fact I discover from my health care experience is how vital each health care member is to patient care, recognizing the individual commitment and dedication required for this profession. At the present, I have a deeper comprehension about how challenging the physician assistant profession is but having a better insight on what it feels like to be a patient makes me confident that I will strive to listen, take care and seek a specific solution for each patient. I am specifically interested in current trends in medicine that incorporate a holistic approach to traditional medication, therefore, providing each patient with more options for success in the pursuit of personal health. I hope one day to work as a physician assistant in multi-racial, multi-cultural and socially diverse urban settings, as I believe that as a minority myself, coming from an economically disadvantaged family, I will be able to relate to a variety of different backgrounds. Moreover, my knowledge of foreign languages will be tremendously beneficial in such environment. Based on my experience at CHOP, I consider medical practice within economically and racially diverse populations as extremely rewarding and fulfilling.

I am prepared to work hard and accomplish my ambition as I am in no doubt this is the most suitable academic path for me. Dedicating my life to the study of the human body in order to help others would be not only an exciting honor but also an opportunity to touch the life of others.