Medically Musical

[zoecarroll16]

Ok, it seems like most of the personal statements I've read directly relate how an interest in becoming a physician assistant developed and/or consists of a specific story about patient care. I have worked as a nursing assistant for nearly four years on the organ transplant/digestive disease unit at the Cleveland Clinic, but I did not write about any specific experience. Originally I was excited, and thought it a good idea, to try to write a unique personal statement, but now that it's submitted to CASPA and I'm reading all of these other personal statements, I am worried and doubting myself. In my statement, I wrote a comparison between learning to play cello (I've been playing since I was 11 and I am now 30) to my determination to become a physician assistant and how, in general, the spirits of my chronically ill patients constantly inspire me... Also, I now realize that there are two words spelled wrong, despite having proof read it a million times and having others read it... I was tired and stressed, and I missed the errors because I was in a hurry. Lesson learned, but between the content and errors, I am a little freaked. What do you think?

[IdahoPA]

Hi, Zoe! I, too, have noticed that many of the PSs I've read seem to have a similar structure. I didn't discover this site until I'd already sent my CASPA app in, so by chance, I went a different route. Personally, I feel like it was a good decision. Keep in mind that the committees read a gazillion essays. You wouldn't want yours to be in the same boat as everybody elses', would you? Nope. I would think that as long as you made a compelling statement as to who you are and why you want to join the PA field, you should be ok. I also re-wrote mine at least 13 times and I had several people read it, and I realized belatedly I made a glaring error. Just hope they won't notice. :) Not much you can do about it now, anyway. How long ago did you submit your CASPA app? If it's been a while and you haven't heard back from any of your schools, that might indicate something. If it's only been a short time, I'd relax and keep waiting. Good luck!!

[Corpsman2PA]

I think the PS is just that: Personal. Telling them about your passion to learn and play cello lets them see who you are as a person, and what is close to you. As long as it answers the CASPA PS question, I think you'll be fine. I recently had my wife read some of my statements, and she would circle words that I had used to sound more 'educated' so to speak. She circled them because she knew I would NEVER use those words. I asked her what the big deal was...she said, "Its a big deal because that's not you. You would never use that word."

Moral of the story: You portrayed who you are in your PS. Some of the PS posted on here get so far away from the individual, and become so generic and fabricated that it can be easy to lose yourself in, and may/may not actually help the person in the future.

Misspellings and errors CAN have a negative effect. If you don't get interview invites, I would venture it to be because of the spelling/and or grammar errors you speak of.

 

Like l.a.lewis said, I re-wrote mine so many times, read it so many times, critiqued it so many times...I would wake up at night just to change/add/drop a word in a sentence to make it flow better...it all comes down to being real though. Read my Ralph Waldo Emerson quote below...that could be your PS :)

[Just Steve]

I think the PS is just that: Personal. Telling them about your passion to learn and play cello lets them see who you are as a person, and what is close to you. As long as it answers the CASPA PS question, I think you'll be fine. I recently had my wife read some of my statements, and she would circle words that I had used to sound more 'educated' so to speak. She circled them because she knew I would NEVER use those words. I asked her what the big deal was...she said, "Its a big deal because that's not you. You would never use that word."

Moral of the story: You portrayed who you are in your PS. Some of the PS posted on here get so far away from the individual, and become so generic and fabricated that it can be easy to lose yourself in, and may/may not actually help the person in the future.

Misspellings and errors CAN have a negative effect. If you don't get interview invites, I would venture it to be because of the spelling/and or grammar errors you speak of.

 

Like l.a.lewis said, I re-wrote mine so many times, read it so many times, critiqued it so many times...I would wake up at night just to change/add/drop a word in a sentence to make it flow better...it all comes down to being real though. Read my Ralph Waldo Emerson quote below...that could be your PS :)

 

yeah..what he said.

 

Heaven forbid a PA applicant write something personal ;-) I didn't find this site until after I submitted as well. I didn't follow any of the "standard format" that I critique quite a bit on here...I wrote from the heart. Somehow, it worked.

 

I am learning very quickly here in PA school that programs do not want a bunch of the same cookie cutter pattern. Even here at Medex, which has a HUGE reputation of wanting former military and paramedics...the diversity in this class is quite surprising and refreshing. After being around paramedics for over a decade it's kind of fun to sit and talk with people who have a totally different outlook on things. It's refreshing.

 

You can be that refreshing drink of something new.