Alfrid Posted July 2, 2016 Hi all! Looking for some feedback on my statement along with everyone else! I'll be happy to try to read anyone else's although I can't really vouch for my own proof-reading skills. Thank you in advance. I have gone through life searching for a sense of purpose in the form of material things and concrete ideas, only to be left feeling unfulfilled and lost about my place in the world. It took me a long time to realize that my passion lies in using my knowledge to help others where they cannot help themselves. As a child, my parents typically only gave me two career options: law or medicine. I rebelled against these preset paths and joined the ranks of other children who, like me, had dazzling dreams of becoming astronauts or rock stars. Age and life experience set me on a new path in college to becoming a psychologist or a marriage counselor who could help those who felt that they were at wit’s end. During this time, my older brother was in the middle of a demanding neurosurgery residency and our weekly chats piqued my interest in a medical career. Tentative ideas of medical school started to take shape, but I still had some doubts after doing my own research. Four years with an additional residency sounded like an awfully long time to wait before beginning to practice medicine as a licensed provider and I wanted a career that would grant me the flexibility to shift my help and expertise in areas or specialties that have a greater need. I expressed these concerns with my brother, who encouraged me to do some research about physician assistants and also advised me to shadow some PAs at Texas Children’s Hospital to see what it was like. Shadowing in orthopedics at TCH was like having front row tickets to a sold-out concert. I was able to stand feet away from the PAs and surgeons as they performed various surgeries: spinal fusions, fracture repairs, titanium rod removals, and countless others. Within the relaxed, yet orderly atmosphere of the operating room, I was able to ask the PAs and surgeons questions during each step of the operation as if I was attending a sit-down Q&A session. It was a truly enchanting experience that cemented my decision to pursue a career as a PA. After that, I shadowed more PAs in the emergency department and orthopedics to gain a more sound understanding of what life as a PA would be like both on and off the job. Even after my shadowing experiences, I knew that there were still steps that needed to be taken to ensure that I was ready to take on the demands that are required in PA school. Unfortunately, high school had not furnished me with the skills needed to succeed during my first year at college. I found myself struggling in my freshman year, unable to cultivate successful study habits. However, after receiving dismal grades in my first semester, I was determined to make a change. I went out of my way to make sure that I attended every study session that I could or hosted my own with fellow students if I needed to. I cannot count how many unorthodox stories I have created in order to help me memorize complex concepts, my favorite one being a riveting story about two rival families within the Italian mafia to represent muscles in the hands. If that was not enough to help me excel, I exhausted all of my other resources, whether it was my professors, textbooks, or classmates. After college, I became a scribe at a clinic that has a focus on geriatrics. I have been fortunate enough to work with a PA almost daily, as well as other doctors, all of who have been essential in helping me grow as a hopeful PA. I find myself learning something new every day, whether it is clinical information or even just something as simple as bedside manners. More importantly, my experience as a scribe has illuminated the field of medicine for me so that I can better understand a PA’s role within healthcare, as well their daily responsibilities and difficulties on the job. In addition to my duties as a scribe, I am also responsible for ensuring that each clinic is adequately staffed with scribes, as well as communicating with providers and other staff members to make sure that things run smoothly. Although I am now able to predict the diagnoses and treatments that a patient will receive, my current role as a silent partner is what drives me to someday be the PA who gets to diagnose and treat on my own. My discussions with PAs, physicians, and fellow pre-PA students have only made me increasingly more excited and determined to pursue a career as a PA with a zeal that I have never had before. Despite the challenges that PA school will hold, I am more than willing to endure the difficulties with the goal of learning from every failure and success. The opportunity to join the ranks of other practitioners in order to improve the lives of others is a privilege that I have only dreamed of, but with every passing day I can see it becoming a reality.
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