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Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone would be able to give me some feedback on my personal statement. This is the google doc link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WzHXUUlMxPUMcp_eOcx4ZKpaPwo5IRe1dOQSg6Xfixg/edit Thank you very much!

To help you write your own personal statements, I have decided to post my own essay as an example. It is not my best writing, but it got the job done. I was offered interviews at four competitive schools and was accepted at three (I turned down the other interview). My CASPA personal statement is reproduced in its entirety on my blog, linked below. Enjoy! http://pajourney.com/2015/03/13/my-caspa-personal-statement-as-an-example/

Hello! I am extremely nervous about my personal essay and was looking into paying a revision service. The two companies I am looking at are myparesource.com and the PA life. Has anyone used these and have they helped? Thank you!

Hey everyone, thanks for taking the time to review my essay.

Hello all. This is my very first draft of my personal statement for PA school. I touched on a few things that are important to me, such as my mission trip, but I feel like it may have gotten jumbled. I really wanted to focus on my desire to help people before they develop chronic conditions. Please critique and let me know which parts I should stress more and which I could do without. Also, I'm still working on a stronger conclusion. Right now it's 4341 characters with spaces. Thank you. “Can I listen to your heart?” Kayla, the physician assistant (PA), asked the toddler crawling under the examination table. His mother had brought him to the emergency room (ER) for a fever and persistent cough. As a shadow, I was able to witness the patience that Kayla had for this restless child. She squatted to his level to make him feel comfortable and took the time to explain to his mother what she was looking for in terms of signs and symptoms of any serious illness. This pattern continued as she attended to patients with sprains, pregnancy complications, lacerations, etc. When she needed to examine an x-ray or test result, there was always the option to consult with the doctor for a second opinion. During my time as a shadow, I have met nurse practitioners, doctors, and other physician assistants who all work independently, yet as a team, to provide care for the ER patients. Mike, another PA I shadowed at that ER, has worked in several different specialties over the past 20 years, but enjoys emergency medicine because he can apply all of his skills. This ability to care for people in such a versatile, independent, caring manner is what attracted me to the PA profession. As a child, I actually wanted to become a veterinarian because I loved caring for my pets. Whenever my dog got sick, I always volunteered to give him his medicine. However, after my senior year of high school, I became part of a team to go on a short-term mission trip to the Dominican Republic. During this trip, we played with children in dirt streets, encouraged women in a jail, and sang with a youth group. Despite how I felt about animals, I could not forget the deep sense of fulfillment that comes with bringing a smile to a person’s face. From then on, I decided to modify my career goals from one that cares for pets to one that directly impacts a person’s life. During my undergraduate studies, I applied this goal as a math tutor. I enjoyed spending extra time with my students to ensure they were confident in their understanding of a certain topic. All of my students were unique; therefore I initially assessed them to determine what kind of problems they had and which approach I should take when explaining a topic. Until my last years of undergraduate studies, I did not know about the versatile profession of PAs. Prior to this discovery, my eagerness to help people and learn human biology led me to consider going to medical school. The more I researched, the more I learned about the similarities of PAs to doctors, particularly the ability to assess patients, prescribe medications, and even perform surgery. Once I recognized that PAs lack the stress of owning a practice, while gaining the flexibility to practice different specialties, I was swayed away from medical school and towards becoming a PA. In order to gain more exposure to the healthcare field, I became an emergency medical technician (EMT). Over the past year, I have gained valuable experience in assessing patients and learning about various medical conditions. I treat each of my patients with the utmost respect, knowing that I may be in any of their positions one day. Most of my patients are from convalescent homes in medically underserved areas and have a list of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and renal disease. There are no definitive cures for these conditions, but there are preventions. A few years ago, both of my parents went through a detox program run by a PA at our local family and urgent care center. She ordered blood tests to determine their levels of cholesterol, vitamins, and nutrients and met with them regularly to help them through the program. As people become more concerned with their health, the need for health professionals to assess and treat them will escalate. As a tutor, I taught students about math concepts they did not understand. As a PA, I would like to teach patients about their health to help them thrive and live a sustaining life. Through tutoring, volunteering, and healthcare experience, I have learned compassion that I can apply to my future patients. The beauty of PAs is that I can specialize as I feel the desire to do so, while still being able to return to other fields. They are more affordable for the general population and more available for the increasing number of patients.

As a child I had moments when I would stare off into space as if my brain was not connected to the rest of my body. My parents were worried so they took me to a pediatric neurologist. The diagnosis was Juvenile Absence Epilepsy and it began a journey of blood tests, EEGs, MRIs and checkups for the next six years of my life. For a child, it was a bit unnerving, but when I began to see the same person at every visit I became more comfortable. I called the woman “Dr. Theresa” and she became the calming presence, someone who monitored my medication and assured me everything was fine. When I learned “Dr. Theresa” was actually a Physician Assistant, I was surprised. She did everything I imagined a doctor would do, she explained my treatment plan, wrote prescriptions, and always took the time to ask about my life and concerns. I was intrigued by this woman who had many similar responsibilities of a doctor. What would have normally been a traumatic childhood experience actually became a blessing. This unique opportunity allowed me to be exposed to a PA at a young age and prompted my decision to become a healthcare provider. I began to volunteer in my community and take every opportunity to learn about this career path. I wanted to be around people who helped others. I volunteered at food drives for homeless veterans, collected clothes for orphanages and foster children and fundraised for the families who lost their homes in the 2003 Cedar Fire in Alpine, CA. I also had the opportunity to work with young children through the 4-H Equine Group within the Helen Woodward Animal Shelter. Most of the children I worked with were Autistic, which allowed me to learn effective ways to communicate in nonconventional ways. For example, one boy used only lyrics from songs by The Beatles to commutate to me, so I had to brush up on Beatles! The sad songs meant he was in pain or a bad mood and the more upbeat songs meant he was feeling excited and happy. This experience became the catalyst for focusing my efforts to become a PA. In college, my most rewarding volunteer experience was working at The Challenge Center, a physical therapy rehabilitation center for patients who suffered from brain and spinal cord injuries, congenital defects or chronic debilitating diseases. Having obtained my Assisted Fitness Trainer certification, I was able to work with patients one-on-one. It was a true test for me to see whether or not I could handle a full patient load while attending school full time. I tracked the progress and charted the stats for each of my patients. I felt like a true healthcare provider during my time at The Challenge Center because I was able to change or “prescribe” the patient’s workout regimen. The workouts made a difference, not only on the patient’s physical abilities, but also on their attitudes and outlook on life. While working in the physical therapy field taught me a great deal about patient care, I felt more passionate about the role a PA plays in healthcare. Wanting to learn more about the profession, I shadowed a Physician Assistant named Alison. I observed her patients’ conditions and how she determined the course of treatment for each situation. She displayed the patience, kindness and professionalism that it takes to be a successful PA. I remember an instance with an elderly woman who was nervous about her biopsy results. Alison explained the outcome to her in a manner that put her at ease. Alison’s dedication to her patients reminded me of the care I received as a child with JAE and reinforced my decision to become a PA. On the academic front, my early academic transcripts show a lack of focus. Freshman year of college was a difficult transition for me. I was exposed to the dual pressures of prioritizing my schoolwork and enjoying the freedom of living on my own. I was not mature enough to know that my early decisions would negatively affect my future chances of getting into PA school. I began taking courses to work toward my undergraduate degree in kinesiology, but knew PA school was the ultimate goal. My grades steadily improved and I ended up with nearly straight A’s during my final two years, even repeating some courses to make my application more competitive. I believe my freshman year struggles allowed me to become more mature, more focused and more determined to achieve my goal of becoming a PA. My dream is now within reach. There will be an extreme need for primary care providers as a result of the restructuring of health care in this country and Physician Assistants will be at the forefront of the movement toward more affordable, accessible, and reliable healthcare. PAs will be the gatekeepers of the health care industry and will positively affect countless lives. I look forward to helping contribute to improving the health of patients in need.

edit- submitted already

I have written a post on my blog about a strategy that you can use when writing the personal statement. It is probably my best piece of advice on how to craft an interview-winning essay. Check out the link below! http://pajourney.com/2015/03/13/writing-the-personal-statement/

I am Incognito but not first-time poster......logging in under another name. I need advice. My contract comes up for renewal in 2 months and I will be having a meeting with the (fairly new) clinic administrator (CA) soon. Since this administrator was hired a lot has changed and the culture of the clinic has become quite dysfunctional (more-so than before). The Issues: We only communicate by email now and that is what the CA expects. No more discussion between the clinic staff and no more meetings with staff to discuss clinic issues. Initially we had an email from the CA of when monthly meetings would be held, what time (lunch hour) and that we were expected to be there. The first month the CA never showed up to several meetings and the scheduled meetings lasted for two months and now none for the last 9. Apparently the schedule she developed has gone by the wayside although she has never emailed us or informed us of the change in schedule. New phone system installed in early August and we found out we could not call our local EMS. The CA knew this but did not inform the staff who matters (the nurses, PA and MD). I had an emergent patient last Thursday and because we DID NOT KNOW about the 911 issue there was a delay in care for the patient. The CA was contacted about the problem and she says "I know that you can't call 911 and I guess we will have to get the lawyers involved." We call 911 now on our cell phones. The other system calls a central system in Colorado and we are 1,000s of miles away. The MD does not notify me when he is going to be gone and neither does the CA. He is gone alot...about 50% of the time developing his side business and is allowed to travel to CA, IL and to a local medical entity in his effort to sell his and his partners genetic testing kit. I do not know if he continues to get salary on the days he is gone. He never works Fri per his contract but is supposed to work M-Th. The last time he was gone I confronted him about why I was not notified and asked him to let me know verbally when he will not be at the clinic. He, however when I am gone, will have a retired NP come in to work because he "can't work alone..he has too much work to do." I on the other hand handled the clinic by myself and some of those days were killers.... One day with 25 pts. in a 7 hour day....frankly quite unsafe. I requested my contracted CME off to attend a national conference starting next week. I requested it 2 months ago and also requested to go to a state PA chapter CME in October. I also reminded him in Aug. I needed to know. It was not approved as of last Thursday but the NP was working for him that day and she said she was asked to work during the time I will be at the conferences in Sept and Oct. I was shocked and told her I did not have approval to go, had not registered, no plane tickets, etc.. She mentioned this to the MDs nurse at the end of the day. The following day the nurse came and told me that the MD verbally approved me going to the conference. I told her I did not have written approval and still can't make any plans per our accounting dep't and protocol. Today the MD was back in office and both of us were busy. He made no effort to talk to me. I made an effort to talk to him...there's a long story behind this. Still no written approval. Over the last 6 months or so there have been staff changes. The CA has recruited people to come work at the clinic and some did not have interviews. She hired them out from the previous clinic she worked at. One hiree is an RN who came for an interview and was hired immediately on the spot and the following day an announcement went out for us to welcome her to the clinic. The Rad Tech had no interview. The clinic had a grant funded position for an LPN who worked with the pregnant women and families and managed all of our immunizations and the state Vaccines for Children program. She was the backup clinic nurse and worked when the other nurses were on vacation or sick. She is also an EMT and breastfeeding educator and Doula. She is highly qualified and an excellent nurse. She was told in my presence and in the presence of the other clinical staff that she would be my nurse when the NP retired (I had no dedicated nurse until June 1) and the NPs nurse was going to triage and case management. Her grant ended May 31st. Lo and behold! When June 1st arrived the CA came to the MD and told him the LPN was out of a job and would have to re-apply for the position when it was posted. This apparently was on order of the Board who wanted the position opened up rather than a lateral transfer since they had some family members they thought might like the job. The MD comes to me to tell my my LPN was out of a job at that moment (she had already left for the day). I blew a cork and sternly (I did not yell) told him that was unacceptable to tell her one thing and then turn around and let her go. I stood up for her and he ran back to the CA and they decided she could stay until the announcement came out and then could apply. She stayed and the CA promised her she would notify her when the job would be posted. She did not notify her and the LPN found it out by default at an EMS meeting 2 days after it was posted. She applied anyway and interviews were 8/28. She was told the following day at the end of the day she did not get the position. A lesser qualified LPN was hired because of Board preference . I was livid. DId I tell you I have not been asked to interview any of the nurses or MDs that have been in for interviews? I confronted the MD about that too and feel I should be included in the interviews because these are staff that I work with. Shouldn't I have the opportunity to interview a nurse or physician who might get hired? In the last 6 months the atmosphere at the clinic has become one of staff being afraid they will lose their jobs. We have all learned to tiptoe. I had 2 other discussions with the MD....one he called me into his office and said I was adversarial. I think he does not like it when I challenge him. He is medical director. Shouldn't he be the one to make decisions? Yet he can't even sign off on our clinic policy manual to approve policies and we HAVE NO MANUAL because he won't sign the policies. No policies for the 18 years he has been there. I have been at the clinic nearly 3 years. I have been told that I am the only one who has challenged him. His nurse told me I was hard to work with the last couple of months. She does not like it when I refuse to write scripts for patients of the MD for patients I have NEVER met and there are NO CHARTS on file for them. They are his golf buddies and the people who call him at home for refills. He asked me why I refuse to write scripts for his patients and why I would only give a 3 days supply of lipitor for one of his patients (huh, I really don't know what he is talking about) and I told him I won't for those with controlled substances or for certain meds for certain patients BUT I have renewed scripts for the basic meds like HTN, Lipid meds, etc. In May I finished up with a project of supervising two nurses (one Rn, one LPN) of that same grant funded position and the supervision was to make sure the project goals were completed. Any nursing issues went to the MD since I cannot "supervise" an RN by state law. THe RN has a sketchy background and was teaching the LPN the wrong way to give immunizations, wrong needle sizes, told her keeping the inventory wasn't all that important, told her to dispose of live vaccine in the waste basket, and several episodes of insubordination to me and going directly to Tribal president to get approval for travel, and a bunch more junk too lengthy to describe. The management team at the time asked me to supervise her specifically as there were many complaints. I did my job and the outcome was for her to be let go. THE MD had no balls to let her go and then decided to put her on a 30 day probation...never happened because he delayed talking to her and then the new CA was hired. He deferred it to her and she decided a 90 day probation was appropriate but then changed her mind and transferred her out to the child care center as a parent educator under a different grant. She did not have to apply for the position. After all of this I now feel it is time to leave. Am I being petty and small thinking this way? I love the patients and have a wide SOP and work up lots of sick and complicated patients. That is what I love. I have applied to a new job much closer to home and should have an upcoming interview in the next 2 weeks or so. At one of the meetings with the MD he kept asking me "Do you want to leave? If you do you need to tell me now! I need to know if you are going to leave??? I could not answer him and was taken aback. My only thought was "If I leave he will have to work M-F" and might have to work alone and that is the only reason he doesn't want me to leave suddenly. Should I just put my head down and go to work and ignore the CA/MD and try to work within the dysfunction? I may not get hired at the other job. He may not give me a good reference. I feel like "The Help". Sorry this is so long. Thanks for any insights. I am very confused and of course this is my one-sided perception of things.

Hello! I'm looking for advice on how to strengthen my personal narrative. I've always considered myself somewhat of a weak writer and I'm honestly not sure what to write about. A little about myself: I'm 30, married, I have a 6 year old son, finishing up my BA in Natural Sciences/Mathematics, working as a CNA in oncology at a local hospital.... Any suggestions on how to spiffy this up? Thanks! I wasn’t the most studious high school student. I had terrible grades. It isn’t that I wasn’t capable, but I had lost interest. I did very well up until high school but for some reason I began to lose enthusiasm for learning. I didn’t see the importance of a good education. I eventually graduated and went on to receive my associate’s degree in Information and Network Technology. I still felt that something was missing. There was a certain curiosity that I had growing up but lost touch with as I got older. It wasn’t until I struggled with my own health that I became inspired to learn again, not only about human physiology but about the world around me. I was 24 years old and obese. I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and couldn’t spend much time on my feet without getting out of breath. I was depressed and I isolated myself from my friends, family, and my wife. My wife and I began talking about having children and I was scared at the idea of not being healthy enough to keep up with them. I also wanted to set a good example. I started reading books by various nutritionists and dieticians and signed up for classes at a local group workout gym. I was afraid of what the other people in the gym would think of me, but I was more afraid of what would happen if I didn’t begin to take control of my health. In about a year and a half, I lost over 100 pounds, reduced my blood pressure and my blood cholesterol levels. I had even gotten to a point to where my doctor and I felt that I no longer needed medication. I felt like I was on top of the world. This experience inspired me to go back to school for a health related career. Soon after looking into various career paths, a friend of mine told me about physician assistants and how one helped him take control of his health. I knew that I wanted to help empower others to take control of their own health. I was fascinated by human physiology. I began taking science and math courses and realized early on that I did well in these subjects. Volunteering in the hospital solidified my desire to be in medicine by giving me the opportunity to interact with patients and connect on a personal level. For me, medicine is a perfect blend of two important things that I value and that inspire me on a daily basis: science and compassion. As a physician assistant, I would get the best of both worlds. I would get to continually learn new things while caring for those who are often at a vulnerable time in life. While my interest lies mainly in primary care, I am someone who is interested in all aspects of medicine and being a physician assistant gives me the flexibility to work in other specialties. I value independence and autonomy, but I also like the idea of not necessarily being the final answer. The inherent collaborative nature of being a physician assistant affords me the opportunity to work with physicians to come up with a plan that works best for the patient. In addition to my healthcare experience, I worked in IT for several years and I believe this experience will make me a better physician assistant. Humans are immensely more complex than computers, but my experience troubleshooting and solving complex network and computer issues gives me the tools to be able to think critically and analytically as is needed in a physician assistant. As a physician assistant my enthusiasm for medicine would be apparent in the work that I do. I know that I would care for my patients in a way that we all deserve to be treated; with respect, dignity, and compassion. I sincerely want to thank you for your time and consideration.

I have always known that I wanted to have a job in the medical field. From very early on I was interested in the sciences and medicine. Throughout high school Anatomy and Physiology was the class I couldn’t wait to go to and when it was over I didn’t want to leave. Midway through college I had an experience that really solidified my decision. I was sitting on the couch with my boyfriend and some of his friends one day when he suddenly began to seize violently. I immediately knew what was happening and tried to get him on his side. One of his friends dialed 911 while we moved the furniture away from him so he wouldn’t injure himself. I have a true calling to medicine, and especially becoming a physician assistant. I first learned about the physician assistant profession when I began researching careers in the medical field during my freshman year of college. There were so many positives about the PA profession that I was instantly interested. Not only could I diagnose and treat patients, but I could also change specialties if I ever decided to. Also, by working as a team with a doctor, tough diagnoses could be discussed to give the patient the best form of treatment. While shadowing at Faith Family Medical, I really saw the positive relationships between nurse practitioners, PA’s, and physicians. They would perform their daily duties independently, but if a question arose, there was no hesitation to ask others for advice. After shadowing a PA and working in a healthcare environment, the PA profession is the right choice for me. The length of time in school, the cost of schooling, and the level of autonomy of a PA have only reinforced my decision. This is why becoming a PA is more appealing that any of the other provider roles. I believe that my education and other life experiences have prepared me for a life as a PA. Working at a pediatric clinic has provided me with invaluable knowledge of the patient-provider relationship. The clinic also provided me with a good foundation in symptom presentation, treatments, and diagnoses. Having physicians and nurse practitioners that were willing to explain diagnoses and treatments has enabled me to learn even more. Working at the clinic has also allowed me to improve my communication skills with patients. Communication is key to providing good care. My job consists of calling the patient back, recording their chief complaint, and then recording their vitals. All of this requires excellent communication between myself and the patient. I have to make sure I’m writing down the information the patient is giving me correctly. This allows the provider to get a preliminary idea of why the patient is being seen. My education, while tough at times, was very rewarding. My second year of college is where I struggled the most. I had just transferred and I hadn’t fully realized the impact that my grades would make later on. I think this was an important learning lesson for me as I had to work even harder to get my GPA back on track. As the courses got increasingly difficult, I learned better study methods and was generally able to gradually increase my GPA. I managed to graduate with honors despite a few rough semesters. With the new healthcare reform being put in place, more patients that ever will be seeing providers. It is important to me that the provider-patient relationship remain intact. When there is trust between a patient and a provider, care is more accurate and meaningful. As a PA, it would be important to create a healthy and caring environment for patients because this is what keeps the relationship going. While I was shadowing one day, there was a patient who was following up after seeing her cardiologist. She insisted on hearing the results from the PA even though the cardiologist had already explained everything to her. She told me it was because she trusted her provider. To the patient, the PA was the only person who could adequately provide care for her because she was seeing the whole picture, not just one part of her body. After seeing how a PA functions on a daily basis, I know this is something that I want to do.

Any critique welcome and appreciated, thank you for your time! Word count: 4,409 Ga-ga is an Israeli variant of dodgeball in which you are enclosed in an octagonal pit with the goal of hitting your opponent below the knee with a ball while trying to remain untouched yourself. The first time I played this game I was not in Israel, but at a Christian camp in Michigan and landed myself in the emergency room with a broken nose and slight concussion. I found it ironic at that point, that after being a competitive athlete for ten years in a sport that crumbles if one member of the team cannot participate to their full potential, I had sustained my greatest injury after just one round of an individualistic game. My ten years spent on that team had taught me to calculate my actions based on the well being of the entire team, not just of myself. We grew together as a family and functioned similarly to a beating heart; my coach being the SA node that always kept us in pace with each other. Playing ga-ga reminded me that I thrive in the setting of a team that relies on each other. It was by chance that my doctor that day would actually be a physician assistant (PA) and change my perspective on that profession and ultimately my future. Up until that point I had no doubt I wanted to follow my fathers’ footsteps and become a doctor; but up until that point I also had no idea physician assistants functioned in alignment with them. The occupation they carry out reminded me fondly of the team I used to be a part of and made me want to become part of the physician assistant practice. As I sat on the hospital bed with my college minister, we talked about the highs and lows of my past year of college and how they had impacted the way I feel about my future. Between boiling points in my mother’s long-term battle with alcoholism, my best friend’s attempted suicide, and being sexually assaulted I was entirely overwhelmed and it was difficult to keep my focus on school and off the feeling that my life was unmanageable. Although only a few of my classes had faltering grades, I know that I could have done better if the circumstances were different. Through that year and a half I longed for answers to questions that haunted me and I felt incredibly alone, as I’m sure many patients that face difficult diagnoses do. The opportunity to relate to a patient and support them through what they are experiencing inspires me and sparked the still-blazing desire to become a physician assistant. Sophomore and junior year were incredibly trying for me in my personal life but I came to the conclusion that the events that took place, along with key shadowing experiences, drove me toward my passion to become a physician assistant. While shadowing in the ER as an EMT-B, a plane crash survivor was rushed in with broken ribs, legs, and severe lacerations to his head. In a small town like Bloomington, IN cases such as these are rare and the frenzy in his room was palpable. I was instructed to sit with the patient while professionals tended to his injuries. For hours, I sat, watched procedures, and talked to the patient while healthcare providers rushed in and out, paying attention to only the medical problem and not the distressed man that lied before them. When his family finally arrived they were hysterical and often brushed aside by the nurses and doctors in order for them to better focus on the patient. I understand the urgency of treating a patient in such critical conditions yet I couldn’t rationalize why the emotional state of the patient and his family were compromised. As a PA, I would be there for my patients in a medical and emotional stance. Although my amount of clinical experience is not as extensive as I would like it to be, I believe it is my personal experiences that have equipped me with the spirit, drive, and passion needed to be successful as a physician assistant. It may be argued that intellect is the most important qualification of a PA, but I believe intellect can be learned. The most important thing, to me, is a heart of service toward your patients. Being able to relate to your patients and be in stride with their journey is something I believe to be crucial in this profession. My experiences and ability to overcome trials I have faced has given me a strength and passion that is married with my love for medicine and I believe it is the perfect combination to become a successful physician assistant.

I could really use some critique on my personal statement. I am a first time applicant who would love your feedback! A defining characteristic of human beings is the ability to express themselves through speech and writing. We can access the things we want in life easily when ideas are logical and coherent. However, observation is best for understanding other forms of expression and often it is essential for delivering quality care. While working for Homelife Inc., interplay of my keen observational-skills and understanding of the resident’s medical history allowed me to provide the best care. The resident’s mental stability varied often, but from that, I gained patience. Even when I found myself in challenging situations, like restraining one resident for the safety of another or having a resident refuse medications, my patience allowed me to react with respect. Amongst my diverse experiences, I am sadly reminded how quickly life can change at the expense of one’s health conditions. Learning the story of a man who suffered from brain damage as a result of a heart attack illustrates my motivation for becoming a physician assistant (PA) . Helping him perform the actions he once did without much thought, strengthened for me the importance of PA’s. Although many conditions are often unpredictable, my passion is to be able to promote health and give people the best chance for a quality life that does not have to be dictated by poor health. Consistent with my desire to enhance others life through my knowledge and resources, I served four years as Volunteer Coordinator for Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD), a national honors society. I formed new connections with local organizations that now remain as primary resources for providing ALD’s community service events. One of the service events I enjoyed was Harvest Festival, in which we brought together families from near-by neighborhoods to enjoy a mini-carnival, free for local residents. Implementing volunteer events gives me a great sense of fulfillment because it allows me to promote what I believe in most, bringing happiness to people’s lives. Being a part of ALD also showed me the significance of working as a team. When I first joined the ALD board, my excitement to deliver events overshadowed my ability to manage my time efficiently. Over-committing myself, not only to ALD but also in other aspects of my life, I sacrificed my studies. Determined to find a balance, I developed a planning committee and it made me realize I became more of an attribute to the board. Allowing other members to take part in planning, I shared the importance of our events and we increased our volunteer numbers. Now more engaged in my studies, I needed to figure out what I wanted for the future. I conducted research with Dr. Cindy Linn because my Human Physiology course with her really excited me and solidified that I wanted to have a career in medicine. The research I did was for Glaucoma, using an animal-model. I found performing the excision of the retina as thrilling, however, I wanted to have direct impact on people’s lives. Talking with the other research-assistant who was pre-PA I was excited to learn more, so I explored by shadowing a Cardiac PA, and her supervising Physician. Every aspect of the PA profession was explained, and I saw in her the great amount of satisfaction the PA profession would give me. While talking with her Physician I saw the respect he has for PA’s, being a pertinent part of his team. She was able to ask not only her supervising Physician for input but other Physicians because the ultimate goal is to treat the patient. Similarly, her Physician could rely on her knowledge for the benefit of the patient. When the PA would enter a patient’s room, she would perform her technical tasks then ask if the family or the patient had questions, and no matter how mundane she always gave the utmost respect. I want to give that same clarity so that people can have the tools to take an active-role in their health. In addition to shadowing, being a member of the Pre-Physician Assistant Society strengthen my ambition for becoming a PA. PA’s and PA students showed me the importance of the role of a PA in society, providing access to care. I want to be a part of the movement for better health because good health is not a characteristic I can attribute to my family, bad genes and poor decisions make for a difficult life. The struggles with health really are what primed my motivation for medicine. As a PA, I can help change individual’s dispositions but also the future of health care. In the future, I aim to reduce the presence of bad health that exists in so many people’s lives. I want to help people live longer with managing or preventing health conditions so that they can lead happy lives. As a PA I can use the knowledge of medicine and my compassion to give the best care.

This is 2nd draft. Thanks for reviewing my essay and offering your opinions! I appreciate it!!! Everyone has a story and mine is a huge factor in my pursuit to become a physician assistant. Growing up, trips to the hospital were a regular part of my daily life because the two most important men in my life were hospitalized for extended periods of time. My father suffered a life altering stroke and to this day requires around the clock care and my grandpa suffered from Cancer. For this reason, the hospital has always been a place of comfort and for me. I was not the kid afraid of going to the doctor. I was the kid that secretly played with the instruments and marveled at it all. My personal experiences compel me to help others and knowing first-hand the effect that medical professionals have on peoples’ lives compels me to do this in the medical field. In high school I recognized my enjoyment for the systematic approach of science and how applicable it is to everyday life. This fostered my interest in the medical field, as it is a good balance of science and the human aspect. I was introduced to the Physician Assistant field by my primary care physician, Dr. Duran MD, and was instantly intrigued. As I began to learn more about the Physician Assistant field from other health students and professionals, I learned of the amount of hard work and dedication it takes. I was determined to have a career in the medical field so I began searching for colleges that would allow me to achieve my goal. My undergraduate education at Cornell College has provided me with the skill necessary for the demands of Physician Assistant School. Cornell College academics are rigorous, fast paced, and challenging. I was first and foremost a student but athletics allowed me to become a better leader, stay involved in the community, be an ambassador for Cornell, and learn how to work well with others to accomplish a common goal. Playing volleyball, softball, working, and pursuing a degree in Biochemistry and Psychology made student life more challenging at times and my struggle in Organic chemistry II is a testimony to this. I learned just how quickly you can go downhill in a class at Cornell. Within a six day period I went from passing to failing. I felt defeated but more determined than ever to overcome this challenge. After taking the class again and receive an above average grade, I felt a sense of accomplishment. From this experience, I learned how to better prioritize and stay on task, the value of good studying habits, and what you can achieve with hard work. Although I have stumbled a bit, I haven’t let it stop me from pursuing my goal of become a Physician Assistant. There are some key experiences that have helped solidify my interest in becoming a Physician Assistant. In the Anatomy and Physiology class I took at Cornell College, we acted as medical investigators on hypothetical cases. We had to diagnosis and devise a treatment plan. Following extensive research, we presented our case to the class. Specifically, this experience advanced my skills to decipher medical jargon and present information to the average person. Because this is what medical professionals are constantly doing, having an early experience like this will help in a PA program, especially during clinical rotations. My interest in science, however, extends beyond this. During my senior research project, I worked with two other students examining intragenomic DNA variation within the coral genome. We developed a new protocol and decided what experiments we wanted to perform. I take pleasure in the more research side of the field while closely working with others to solve a problem. The Physician Assistant field is similar in that way. During my job shadowing opportunity at the family clinic in Mount Vernon, IA, I got a glimpse into what I aim to be. I especially liked the team atmosphere, the range of patients the PAs were able to care for, and how personable the job allows one to be. This is definitely an environment I foresee in my future. The more I learn about the field from professionals and PA students, the more I know that I am a good. I’m analytical, hard working, self-less, determined, and passionate, some of the qualities an aspiring PA should possess. I understand that the path to becoming a Physician Assistant will be challenging, but my past experiences, my studies in Biochemistry and Psychology, as well as my passion and commitment to my future have prepared me for the intense academics I expect to experience in a Physician Assistant program. This is my dream and I will continue to strive after it. I’m ready for this, am confident in my abilities, and could not image a career in anything else.