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PS Final Draft….any advice is greatly appreciated


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Hello! Thank you so much for taking time to read this. I am super nervous about trying to get my application submitted this week. Any advice you might have will be greatly appreciated. This is generally my final draft. I just still have to sit down with the writing center and go over it for typos and such. 
 
Thank You!

 

I am an attachment parenting, juicing, bike riding, kayaking, peaceful protesting, caregiving, hippy intellectual! I’m having a real hard time writing this without being cheesy, because that is just how I am. I love to sing to my children in the mornings on the way to school as my teenager rolls his eyes and my little ones light up with smiles. I believe that being a great healthcare provider requires intellect, compassion, integrity, and joy, and I know I have what it takes.

Volunteering at the free clinic was an experience that I will always cherish. During patient intake I chatted with patients and through their stories I began to understand more about health disparities and discover my own strength.  I realized that I have a unique ability to identify with these people, because I am one. I came from a poor family from small town Oklahoma and at the time I was a struggling single parent college student.  I have faced many of the same struggles. I remember one woman who was particularly anxious waiting for the doctor. I talked to her about my own experience and how I have taught myself to cope with anxiety. She relaxed and engaged in the conversation. By the time the doctor was available the patient was calm and better able to communicate her health concerns. When I can understand the pain in a patient’s eyes and help in some way I feel I am truly serving my purpose.

While my true passion came alive at the free clinic, my understanding of clinical practice transpired during my employment at an urgent care facility. As a medical assistant I assisted with many procedures from suturing to pap smears. I noticed a sense of confidence that emerged when a PA was able to consult with a physician; a mutually beneficial relationship develops. I was also able to assess my own diagnostic skills by guessing what the provider might conclude in my head, and was almost always right.  On multiple occasions I was confronted with a situation that was beyond our scope, and I was quickly and accurately able to recognize the issue and work toward a solution. I know I will thrive in a clinic with a mentor by my side.

The reason I am pursuing a career as a physician assistant is both practical and soulful. I was originally on track for Medical school.  My path was interrupted by my beautiful children. I realize now that becoming a PA is much more appealing to me. The freedom PAs have to work in various fields is a great benefit.  I am interested in women’s health, geriatrics, neurology, and endocrinology, so the fact that I don’t have to choose just one is perfect. Even now I can’t help but think about what I might do in the future to improve my skills. My true drive comes from personal life experience.

I was raised by my single mother, who was one of two women to earn a master’s degree in engineering the same year I graduated high school, and my grandparents who lived a life of ministry in the Methodist church. Hard work and service to others were core themes that developed my character as a child. Now as a mother I am teaching the same things to my children. I volunteer at my children’s school, in our community and church. The last ten years have been the most transforming years of my life. My grandmother suffered from Parkinson’s disease and dementia, my sister was diagnosed with carcinoid tumors at age 28, my grandfather died of pancreatic cancer. My interest in medicine began with my first pregnancy and a desire to understand life, now it has evolved into a desire to help others navigate their path through health, disease and death. I have seen firsthand the difference that can be made by a skillful compassionate provider and the effects of health disparities.  

My families’ resistance to accept the role that nutrition plays in their health has been enlightening. Poor people think they don’t have the time or money to think about nutrition and many elderly think it is nonsense. Individual guidance may work for some, but others need initiatives to promote access and health education to change the construction of health in our culture.  When I think about the impact that public health initiatives have had in my lifetime, I am hopeful.While working with Apple Seeds I saw how community health projects can affect the future. We teach kids about nutrition in public schools. We have been able to reach and empower children that thought fruits and vegetables came from a can. Public health efforts being made through the Healthy People 2020 initiative are impressive, and I want to be a part of it both as a practitioner and public health advocate.  

In sum, my desire to become a physician assistant is rooted in my life experiences and a strong desire to impact my community in a health conscious way. My experiences at the free clinic, the urgent care clinic, as a public health advocate in the community, and my experiences as a mother have provided me with the skill sets to be a compassionate and efficient Physician’s Assistant.



 

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