Finished Purpose Statement, Any Suggestions

[Helperjon]

I applied to a bunch of PA schools to start in the fall and got rejected from them all.  I wanted to post my purpose statement to see if anyone had opinions, suggestions, comments, or thoughts on if it is bad or good and ways to make it better.  Thank you in advance for reading this.

 

 

My parents always noted that, as a child, I had a caring and compassionate nature.  I remember a time a friend of mine fell off his bicycle and broke his arm. The rest of our group dispersed, but, concerned for his well-being, I stayed and slowly walked him home to make sure he made it back all right and was not alone. I was only a kid then, but even at that young age I had the ability to keep a level head and work out a solution in a scary situation. As an adult, I am even more keenly aware of the importance these qualities of caring, compassion, and teamwork and how they apply to the medical field; because these are my strengths, I’m applying to become a Physician Assistant. I sincerely believe I will make an excellent Physician Assistant and would be honored to work toward that goal in your program.

 

Compared to other medical professions such as Nurse Practitioner or medical Doctor, the generalist model of a Physician Assistant’s education will give me a strong foundation in primary care, supplying me with the tools necessary to succeed in any area of medicine.  In addition to the generalist model of training, the interdisciplinary approach to medicine suits my strength of being a team player.  From working as a Respiratory Therapist, I have found that the best decisions are made when everyone on the team is involved.  Team cooperation not only allows for the best patient care, but also for better morale among coworkers. 

 

Another reason that I want to become a Physician Assistant is that I truly care about the people I medically serve.  During my time working at a residential treatment center for children who were the victims of physical and sexual abuse, providing sincere care was always at the forefront of my mind.  One child in particular would occasionally become more frustrated than the others.  His parents did not want custody of him, and he had been in and out of foster homes, always ending up back in the treatment center. He had been recently demoted from one of the center’s programs that provided more independence for the residents and struggled to cope by screaming and yelling obscenities at other children and employees before storming out of the room.  I would always follow him to make sure he was safe.  In moments of hostility, I found it helpful to sit outside the room and give the child time to calm down.  Then, I would walk in the room, listen to him voice his frustration, and remind him that while life was hard, I and my fellow employees cared about him and were rooting for him to pull through.  Before I left the treatment center, he told me he appreciated the honesty of my advice and the sincerity with which I delivered it.  I didn’t lecture him on his actions because he knew what he did had been wrong; I just wanted to reassure him that he always had a support system at the treatment center that cared about him. Something as simple as showing a patient you care about them can make a world of a difference.

 

With a caring, compassionate nature and the self-reliance to find solutions to problems, I want to continuously strive play a more active role in helping the children who fall off their bicycles. I am someone who will be there to provide emotional support to children going through frustrating times in their lives.  Becoming a Physician Assistant will enable me to continue my lifelong journey, from childhood through working as a respiratory therapist, of feeling the joy of helping others.   

 

The lessons that I have learned from my previous work experience combined with my caring, compassionate, and team-oriented work approach have all led me to the path of the Physician Assistant. In this capacity, I will make a more significant impact in the care of my patients and play a more active role in the resolutions to their medical problems. I would be honored to begin that journey in your program. My patients will likely have more severe problems than falling off a bike, and I am eager to take on the challenge.