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I was lucky if I only had to take control of the wheel once, to avoid her swerving off the road. It was as if her mind began to disconnect from her body, but my mom would just glance at me and smile as if each episode were only an accident. At the time, I was just a kid being raised in single parent household, tagging along with my mother to an assortment of blue-collar jobs and sitting through many of her college classes.  Over and over I caught her bracing herself on walls and stumbling over nothing. The sound of her coffee mug slipping through her fingers and crashing to the floor remains buried in my memory. I was always excited to read all of the MRI and CT reports she brought home, just so I could memorize all of the big medical terms. At first, the results were just “cool” words on paper, until one unforgettable day of my freshmen year, I walked into my mother's bedroom and saw her walking towards me with a cane in her hand.

 

"They think I have Multiple Sclerosis", she said. I can vividly recall that night and the way I endlessly researched about MS. We were finally at a time without homeless shelters and trips to the food stamp office. My mom worked so hard to get us out of poverty, and now she was preparing me to take care of her in a wheelchair. The MS scare continued for years, but fortunately, it stayed only a scare and never progressed. Today, at 53 years old, she is completing her doctorate degree and running 26-mile marathons. The afflictions that consumed our family over the years and the courage my mother had to surmount our troubles, resonates in my compassion for life. The resolution over her illness and destitution has spiked my inspiration for using medicine to make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate.   

 

College became my first priority and after weighing out the divergent positions in healthcare, I began the track to PA school. However, my enthusiasm plummeted as I was handed the envelope enclosing my first tuition bill. But, I loved that bill. That bill cost a few homeless nights and a growling stomach. It gave me a gift of determination. I was highly passionate about education, but at times I struggled to support myself and considered turning to nursing as a faster career option. After becoming a CNA during my first year of college, I was hired at a physician's office where I relentlessly dived into medicine. I found out that no matter how much I was struggling, nursing was not for me. I worked my way up from a receptionist to a medical assistant where I was taken on as a mentee by the father/son team of primary care physicians at the practice- Dr. Rahim Gul and Dr. Afaq Gul.

 

The team also employed another MD, two PA-C's, and a NP-C, all of whom I was able to work alongside. As I expressed my interest to them in becoming a PA, they noticed my talent, and eagerly began passing their knowledge on to me. I loved working in sync with all of the providers and having the ability to gain such raw experience. With each venipuncture and child vaccine I performed, I achieved a new level of patient understanding. Every patient’s case gave provided a new opportunity to learn the role of a PA.  The providers were hard on me and diligent about my preparation to becoming a healthcare provider, but I absolutely thrived off of it. Working there has truly given me the drive to succeed as a PA. Each day became one step closer toward my career in medicine.

 

There are over five different languages spoken by our office staff, which allows for a large migrant pool of patients. Eighty percent of the patients at the clinic are either uninsured or insured through Medicaid and have few health care resources available. On the drive to my evening classes after work, my heart would weep just thinking about the number of patients who have migrated to the U. S. with the desire for the American dream, but struggling to receive quality healthcare because of language barriers, income, and prejudice. The intrinsic reward I have earned from helping these patients was often the perfect fuel to feed any sleepless night of studying after my 8-hour workday. Of course it was tough, and may have kept me shy of a 4.0, but it was the only way I could achieve my goal of becoming a PA, while independently supporting myself.

 

My hands-on experience has made it possible for me to understand the balance between science and humanity that is required of a healthcare provider. I was able to encounter the patient-to-provider relationship and learn many aspects of practicing medicine; from the first step into the patient's room, to the last sentence written in the progress note. This medical exposure, as well as my mother’s health scare, has given me endless inspiration and motivation to work towards becoming a PA. As a Physician Assistant, I can fulfill my aspiration to treat patients in all medical specialties, while remaining fearless to practice without the letters "MD" on my white coat.  

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I promise you will not be loving that bill in the future... The beginning is confusing; I would either talk more about almost getting into an accident or come up with another opening line.  It sounds like you've come a long way from where you started.  Best of luck!

Thank you for your feedback, I editing it again, I would really appreciate if you wouldn't mind giving it a second look!!

 

Her lips were trembling and her eyes holding back tears. "They think I have Multiple Sclerosis", she said. At the time, I was just a kid being raised in a single-parent household, completely bewildered by what my mother just told me. We were finally at a time without homeless shelters and trips to the food stamp office. My mom worked so hard to get us out poverty, and now she was preparing me to take care of her in a wheelchair. I can vividly recall that night and the way I endlessly researched about MS. I was shaken with fear after seeing my mother’s prognosis, but the light of medical science somehow calmed me. The MS scare continued for years, and fortunately, it stayed only a scare and never progressed. Today, at 53 years old, she is completing her doctorate degree and running 26-mile marathons. The afflictions that consumed our family over the years and the courage my mother had to surmount our troubles, resonates in my compassion for life and medicine. The resolution over her illness and destitution has ignited my inspiration for using healthcare to make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate.   

 

In pursuit of my dream, college became my first priority, but I was on my own and had to stick with whatever programs were within my budget-- which was not much. I bopped around from X-Ray Tech to Ultrasound Tech and even Dental Hygiene, but they barely scratched the surface of my desires in healthcare. I finally settled with nursing and eagerly enrolled to start the prerequisite courses. However, my enthusiasm plummeted when I was handed the envelope enclosing my first tuition bill. But, I loved that bill. That bill cost a few homeless nights and a growling stomach. It gave me a gift of determination. Flipping pizzas at Papa Johns was barley getting me by, so I applied to every healthcare facility in town. Yes, I could make a mean pepperoni pizza, but it apparently was not making my resume stand out amongst the rest.  I was desperate to get my foot in the door, and worked hard to become a CNA during my first year of college. Right away, I was hired at a physician's office and relentlessly dived into medicine. With a new job, came new opportunities, and I gladly left nursing behind me. After working my way up from a receptionist to a medical assistant, I was taken on as a mentee by the father/son team of primary care physicians at the practice, who introduced me to the occupation of a Physician Assistant.

 

The team also employed another MD, two PA-C's, and a NP-C, all of whom I was able to work alongside. As I expressed my interest to them in becoming a PA, they noticed my talent, and eagerly began passing their knowledge down to me. I loved working in sync with all of the providers and having the ability to gain such raw experience. I went from scheduling appointments, to running back and forth between triages rooms.  With each venipuncture and child vaccine I performed, I achieved a new level of patient understanding. The providers were hard on me and diligent about my preparation to becoming a healthcare provider, but I absolutely thrived off of it.  Working there has undoubtedly given me the drive to succeed as a PA. I enjoyed all of the hands-on procedures, but desired to have the knowledge to order the test, rather than just perform it.

 

 

 

Working in family medicine has given me the chance to care for patients with type II diabetes, hypertension, osteopathic injuries, stoke victims, opiate addiction, thyroid disorders and everything in between.  The experience was great, but the reward was greater. Many of our patients migrated to the U. S., with the desire for the American dream, but were struggling to receive quality healthcare because of language barriers, income, and prejudice. The intrinsic reward I have earned from helping these patients was often the perfect fuel to feed any sleepless night of studying after my 8-hour workday. The long days were tough, and may have kept me shy of a 4.0, but it was the only way I could become educated as a future PA, while independently supporting myself.

  

The experience I have gained made it possible for me to understand the balance between medical science and humanity, as well as the important relationship between patient and provider. I was able to learn many aspects of practicing medicine, from the first step into the patient's room, to the last sentence written in the progress note. This medical exposure, as well as my mother’s health scare, has given me endless inspiration and motivation to work towards becoming a PA. As a Physician Assistant, I can fulfill my aspiration to treat patients in all medical specialties, while having the ability to use my life experiences as a healthcare advocate for the underserved community. 

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