SouthDakotaKid Posted June 24, 2016 During my undergraduate studies, a professor presented me with a quote I’ve remembered over the years. He defined vocation as, “the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” This quote has challenged me to find a vocation where these two points meet. I’ve come to realize providing quality healthcare to those in need fulfills my deep gladness. I believe my desire to provide that care, coupled with my skills and academic achievements have led me to pursue this career path. I am confident I possess the passion, drive to learn, and abilities needed to provide quality care and meet the challenges faced as a physician assistant (PA). While working at Avera McKennan Hospital I learned the everyday tasks needed to be completed by a patient care technician (PCT). It took time to adjust to some facets of the job, but many came very naturally to me. One aspect was conversing with patients, and demonstrating respectful bedside manner was never a challenge. Over time, I’ve tried to put myself in situations to develop a professional yet personable style of communication. As a PCT, I was able to effectively employ that communication style in carrying out the more challenging tasks involving patients. For example, giving a bed bath can be an uncomfortable and vulnerable situation for some patients. Being personable allowed me to alleviate some of the patients’ anxieties about the situation while also staying within the confines expected of a medical professional. From my experience, it’s even more clear how important those interactions are to providing quality healthcare. My involvement with Avera confirmed my passion for working as a part of a successful health team and has motivated me to pursue a career as a PA. A couple weeks later, I was presented with a different challenge. One morning, I arrived at work and received a report from the night nurse about a patient named “Maria.” During the report, the nurse informed me that Maria only spoke Spanish. I have a minor in Spanish and studied abroad in Spain, but I had never spoken Spanish in a medical setting. I walked into her room, greeted her in Spanish, and asked her if I could bring her anything. Her face lit up with a smile as she asked for a cup of Jell-O. Never in my life had I seen someone so grateful to receive a cup of Jell-O. Everyday I would stop in Maria’s room and check up on her. Each day we would converse in Spanish and she would laugh at me when I made mistakes, but I could tell she appreciated my willingness to try. Maria stayed on our unit for about two months. We built a relationship over those two months and I was there on the day she was discharged. Before she left, she looked at me with a tear in her eye and she gave me a hug. She thanked me for everything the hospital had done for her and with a big smile on her face, she waved goodbye. Maria didn’t care if I wasn’t fluent and I didn’t care that she would laugh at me when I made mistakes because I could tell how greatly she appreciated my efforts to show I cared. As a PA, I will build many relationships similar to the one I built with Maria, and these relationships will all have expiration dates. Despite this fact, I understand the challenges I will face in making a patient’s visit to the hospital the best experience possible. My ability to relate to Maria during my time as a PCT makes me confident I can handle similar situations I will face in a career as a PA. To ensure my passion in becoming a PA, I began shadowing and working alongside John, a PA at Avera. I observed as he went from being a good listener, to a supportive educator, to an effective communicator. John worked autonomously, but also consulted with his attending physician often. He prescribed medications, provided treatment options for his patients and educated them on preventative care. He also ensured that he was leaving detailed notes for his attending physician so they were always working collaboratively to provide the best care possible. One thing that stood out most to me during this experience was that John remained compassionate and benevolent in caring for his patients. John effectively wore many hats as a PA, and my experience shadowing him confirmed my desire to become a PA. After shadowing John and my experience at Avera, I know I want to be there for patients when they need someone to listen, when they need someone to prescribe medications or even if they just need a cup of Jell-O. I’ve had wonderful experiences that have led me up to this point, but I desire to continue to grow as a medical provider. I believe I’m prepared to tackle the various challenges faced by a PA. I am confident I can provide personable yet professional care to patients. I’m confident I have the passion, skill, and desire to learn that is needed in this profession. Lastly, I’m confident I will meet the world’s hunger for quality health care and that I will achieve deep gladness as a PA.
UGoLong Posted June 24, 2016 Nice job! You have a great mix of how you got your HCE with some slices that tell me "who" you are. Best wishes.
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