Personal Statement: All advice, critiques welcome and encouraged

[brian7]

This is my personal statement so far. I'd appreciate any opinions on in. I know that right now it is too long and needs to have some stuff cut out, but I just wanted to get everything down and then worry about making it more concise. I also am struggling with finding a balance between explaining my upward trend in grades and trying to to paint a negative picture of myself. Thank you all in advance!

 

 

One popular definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.  This phrase is often attributed to Albert Einstein although its origin is unknown.  Any psychologist will tell you this is not the real definition of insanity, but this is how I felt at the beginning my academic career.  Entering college, I was unsure of what I wanted to study or if I even wanted to be in school.  I felt I was just taking classes and declaring a major because it was expected of me.  This lack of interest led to bad study habits, which ultimately lead to a sub par academic performance. Unfortunately I kept repeating these habits thinking things would change, hoping something would spark my interest.  This spark occurred unexpectedly while registering for the next semester. I needed to find a class to fill a science requirement. Not putting much thought into the selection, I chose a basic biology class that would work best with my schedule. This class was finally the change that I had been so desperately hoping for. For the first time in my academic career I began going home and actively reading the textbook, wanting to learn more about these topics that I had never been exposed to. The human body became so fascinating to me that I started to take more classes geared towards understanding it. This newfound interest began to trickle into my other classes as well. I was determined to begin a new path toward success. I started to go to the tutor center every day when I had free time, polishing my study skills and habits. It was a great joy to see the hard work put into school reflected in my grades and attitude.

 

Once I saw myself turning the corner, I chose to declare a physiology major at the University of Arizona because I felt that the list of classes offered built on the subjects that I was most interested in such as organic chemistry, cardiovascular physiology, biochemistry, and immunology. These classes were key to furthering my understanding of the human body. I continued to earn good grades, but felt that I could be doing more with my time. I wanted to use my struggles and experiences to help others who may have also been at a crucial point in their educational career. I became a course preceptor for one of my physiology classes and took a job as a science tutor and mentor at the university. This allowed me the opportunity to connect with and mentor students in situations similar to the one I had once been in. It is difficult to explain the satisfaction felt knowing you made a positive impact in one’s academic performance.

 

For the first time, I was looking towards the future and hoping I could find a way to transition my passion for physiology and the human body into a career. My first encounter with a Physician Assistant happened by chance. I had to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist. When I got there, a woman with a commanding presence walked into the room and introduced herself as the PA. I don’t think I gave her introduction a second thought as I just assumed she was the doctor. She performed my exam, took my history, and wrote a prescription. She was very personable and took an interest when I told her what I was studying in school. Later that night I was researching medical careers and came across the title physician assistant (PA). It then dawned on me that the woman that I had just seen wasn’t the doctor. Through my research, I learned that PA’s work along side doctors as an intricate part of the medical team. They work to provide healthcare to underserved populations utilizing excellent training in a variety of specialties. Being from a city close to the Mexican border, I am well aware of the demand for these services. I was able to observe this firsthand after I got into contact with two PA’s at my local hospital and began to shadow them. One specializes in cardiology and the other works in bariatric surgery. While shadowing, I am able to observe their interactions with patients in a variety of settings. I have been present during stress tests, multiple bariatric surgeries, pre and post op visits, etc. The most intriguing part of this shadowing process has been observing how the PA’s interact with the doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers. I appreciate the responsibility and workload that these PA’s are expected to shoulder.

 

As I continued to improve my grades I began volunteering at a free healthcare clinic.  It was in this clinic, that I was able to experience how desperate some areas are for skilled healthcare professionals. I mastered skills such as interviewing patients about their medical history, recording vitals, taking blood sugar readings, and observing the doctor’s interaction with the patient in the exam room. I was also exposed to the teamwork in medicine. At a free clinic where medical supplies and personnel are scarce, teamwork is vital. The dire need for healthcare in low-income areas was truly evident. A diabetic man with a partial foot amputation came in to the clinic. He couldn’t afford strips for his glucometer, thus he hadn’t been able to test his blood sugar. When I tested it, he was extremely hyperglycemic. We changed his bandage and cleaned his foot. He was given a supply of glucometer strips so he could test his blood sugar at home. While continuing my volunteer experience, I was also able to receive my CNA certification and secure a job at an assisted care facility. While working in the rehabilitation wing, I continue to refine skills such as taking vitals, charting observations, measuring inputs/outputs, emptying catheter bags, and providing any other assistance to meet the residents’ needs.

 

All of these experiences have solidified my desire to become a PA. Through my struggles, I have picked up valuable communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills to help with my journey. I know that my attention to detail, perseverance, organization and communication skills along with my empathetic nature toward others will assist me greatly in my continued journey to become a proud Physician

Assistant.

[NathanLe]

You've got some good pieces to work with here. I like the personal experiences you worked in - personal and specific is good. Some constructive thoughts: I think you dwell on your rough academic start for too long. You could sum that up in a sentence or two and move on to what makes you a good candidate ("I went from being a student without direction to a tutor helping others...) . There are a few spots where it seems like you've listed things you've done or seen without  a "and this is what I learned" thought to really bring it home. 

 

Good luck!

[brian7]

Thank you, and I agree about the rough academic start. I just felt the need to explain it, but got a little carried away. Anybody else?

[Imhameed]

I agree with Nathanle about dwelling on your bumpy academic start, otherwise it is a well written essay and your passion about being a PA really shines through :)

[brian7]

Here is my revised copy. I decided to take out the introductory sentences as I was having trouble getting it under the 5000 character limit. Again all critiques are welcomed. Thank you in advanced!

 

Beginning my college career.  I took classes and declared a major because it was expected of me.  A lack of focus led to less than stellar study habits, which predictably led to a sub par academic performance. I realized I needed something that would spark my interest.  This “something” occurred unexpectedly the next semester. Needing a class to fill a science requirement, I enrolled in a basic biology class. This class was the impetus I had been hoping for.  I began actively reading the textbook, wanting to learn more about topics to which I had never been exposed. I subsequently took classes geared toward understanding the human body and began a determined path toward developing academic success. Attending the tutor center daily to polish my study skills and habits became routine. My hard work

Was soon reflected in my grades and attitude.

 

With my newfound interest, I declared a major in physiology at the University of Arizona.  The required classes further stimulated my interest.  Organic chemistry, cardiovascular physiology, biochemistry, and immunology were crucial in furthering my understanding of the human body. I continued to do well in school, but felt I could do more with my free time. I became a course preceptor for one of my physiology classes and took a job as a science tutor and mentor at the University. This allowed me to connect with students who were in situations similar to mine. It was rewarding and stimulating to experience the satisfaction I gained from making a positive impact in another student’s academic performance.  For the first time, I looked forward to the future and hoped I could find a way to transition my passion for physiology and the human body into a career. After meeting with some advisors, I began to do my own research on careers in medicine and healthcare.

 

My first encounter with a Physician Assistant happened when I went to consult a dermatologist. A woman with a commanding presence walked into the room and introduced herself as the PA. I don’t think I gave her introduction a second thought as I just assumed she was the doctor. She performed my exam, took my history, and wrote a prescription. She was very personable and took an interest when I told her what I was studying in school. Later that night, I was researching medical careers and came across the title Physician Assistant (PA). It then dawned on me that the woman that I had seen wasn’t the doctor. Through my research, I learned that PA’s work alongside doctors as an intricate part of the medical team. They work to provide healthcare to underserved populations utilizing excellent training in a variety of specialties. Being from a city close to the Mexican border, I am well aware of the demand for these services.

 

I contacted two PA’s at a local hospital and have been fortunate to be able to shadow them. One specializes in cardiology and the other works in bariatric surgery. While shadowing them, I am able to observe their interactions with patients in a variety of settings and have been present during stress tests, multiple bariatric surgeries, pre and post op visits, etc. The most intriguing part of this shadowing experience has been observing how PA’s interact with the doctors and other healthcare providers. I respect and appreciate the responsibility and workload that these PA’s shoulder.

 

As I continued to gain more experiences in a medical setting, I began volunteering at a free healthcare clinic. I currently take patients’ medical histories, record vitals, take blood sugar readings etc. I also observe the doctor’s interaction with the patient in the exam room. At a free clinic where medical supplies and personnel are scarce, teamwork is vital and the need for healthcare in low-income areas is critical.  One case stands out in my mind. A diabetic man with a partial foot amputation came in to the clinic. He couldn’t afford strips for his glucometer, thus he hadn’t been able to test his blood sugar. When I tested it, he was extremely hyperglycemic. We immediately gave him insulin, changed his bandage, and cleaned his foot. He was given a supply of glucometer strips to take home.

 

While continuing the above experience, I was able to receive my CNA certification and secure a job at an assisted care facility. While working in the rehabilitation wing, I continue to refine skills such as taking vitals, charting observations, measuring inputs/outputs, emptying catheter bags, and providing any other assistance to meet the residents’ needs. I am exposed to patients with many different medical challenges.

 

All of these experiences have solidified my desire to become a PA. Through my struggles, I have picked up valuable communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills. I know that my attention to detail, perseverance, organization, and communication skills along with my empathetic nature will assist me in my journey to become a competent, effective, and humane Physician Assistant.