Looking for Constructive Criticism

[newton9686]

My motivation to pursue a career in healthcare is firmly solidified in my desire to serve. It is an undeniable passion of mine. It outweighs all the moments of frustration I’ve experienced as a child advocate and a nursing assistant. Because all of these moments have been followed by endless amounts of joy and purpose. Purpose that one can only experience when they gives them self to others.

 

Take for example a few months ago. I was on the receiving end of a harangue for a missing sock lost during a biweekly laundry service. Fifteen minutes later my pager goes off. And yes, I was yelled at for the entirety of those minutes, for a sock. The page was from a resident who had just returned from the hospital after a recent fall. He needed help getting out of his daughter's car, into his wheel chair, up to his room, using the bathroom, getting changed and going to bed.  So little by little, him and I made it through each and every step.  Then right before I was about to say goodbye, he looked up and thanked me as if I was his family. 

 

Healthcare like any other industry has its fair share of individuals who want to tear you down for a lost sock. However, no other industry can match the level of opportunities to serve others on such a personal basis. So for me, the difficult decision was not deciding to pursue a career in health care. No, it was choosing the proper acronym. Because as any informed individual already knows, there are amazing opportunities to serve as a MD, DO and NP as well.

 

After much thought and deliberation, I chose PA over any other acronym. The determining factor for me was my desire to access to all aspects of healthcare. And in my opinion no other license can surpass Physician Assistant in terms of flexibility.

Through this flexibility I believe I will have the greatest impact on healthcare. Both through the access it grants and the growth through diversity it bestows. Much like the growth I’ve already experienced in the diversification of my volunteer experiences.

 

My volunteer experiences have been a unique mixture of traditional and non-traditional. While I cherish my multiple mission trips, for they have sparked an interest in international volunteer work that will last a lifetime, I equally value my non-traditional experiences. These experiences included wrestling, marine research, and social work. And while I do not plan to formally pursue these subjects, I have undoubtedly grown from all of them. Coaching taught me how to be a motivator and an instructor. Marine research taught me the importance of precision and taking good notes. Social work polished my abilities engage with children and shape their actions. Although unorthodox, I believe these experiences have been just as important as my more traditional experiences in my maturation as a candidate for PA school and beyond. Additionally, these experiences have shown me the reward of taking the path less traveled. This has led me to a fuller appreciation of the diverse range of opportunities afforded to Physician Assistants.  

 

While most Pre-PA students see the benefit of diversity from a clinical perspective, I also envision the benefit from the business side. This is because I believe it is my purpose to integrate this profession’s flexibility with my entrepreneurial spirit in order to reduce healthcare costs and increase value for patients and their family across specialties. For example, why not cross train Physician Assistants in multiply specialties. Multiple doctors could then support each Physician Assistant while simultaneously supporting other Physician Assistants at other facilities through telecommunication. One could go a step further in increasing the reach of the facility for little cost by training unpaid college interns to visit patients and collect data in the comfort of their homes in between facility visits.

 

All and all, there is so much opportunity in healthcare, both on an individual patient level and on a corporate level.  And for me, no other profession is better suited to help me become a leader in meeting both the physiological and financial needs of patients and their families. It is truly an exciting time in healthcare and I am eager to embark on my career as PA. I look forward to continuing the legacy of quality care left by the Physician Assistants who came before me and continuing to advance the healthcare industry towards a more value oriented and cost efficient future.