A few years between applications, need opinions on PS

[ktlynn90]

My goal was to relate a patient story that not only reflects my experience but shows why I want to be a PA. I also tried to address my shortcomings of inconsistent grades during undergrad and my lack of volunteer experience. 

 

While backing in the ambulance at hour eighteen of a non-stop twenty-four hour shift the only thought on my mind was sleep. Standing in the bedroom a few minutes later I heard the sound of a person screaming in pain loud enough to permeate the concrete walls. Unbeknownst to me, my partner had gone outside and witnessed a vehicle turning into the station parking lot. A woman got out of the vehicle, obviously panicked, exclaiming her husband was experiencing severe chest pain. We met our patient, Chris, as we helped him onto the stretcher and into the ambulance. Beneath the bright lights we saw that Chris was pale, diaphoretic, and could not sit still due to his chest pain. An EKG revealed Chris was experiencing a myocardial infarction and needed a cardiac catheterization. Less than ten minutes later our ambulance ventured back out into the early morning with rapid red and white lights bouncing off the surroundings. The STEMI team met us in the emergency room and after a quick report we brought Chris to the catheterization lab. After assisting the team in transferring Chris we walked back to the emergency department, unsure of his fate.

Working as part of team was initially ingrained during years of playing soccer. My hard work earned a permanent goalkeeper position and the subsequent responsibility. As the goalkeeper my job was to keep a bird’s eye view of the field which allowed me to work with my teammates to ensure they were in the best position during the game. My teammates knew their responsibilities, but understood I had a different view of the game. Such in the same way members of the health care team work together, know their role, and respect the perspectives of other specialties.

The transition from the soccer team to the healthcare team was not without difficulty. In college I found myself challenged academically and it took a long time for that realization to dawn on me. High school academics were not as challenging to me and I believed things were going well the first two years of college, averaging a GPA of 3.28. The fall 2010 semester ended with my lowest semester GPA of 2.72 along with the first grade of D in my academic career. That was a wake-up call. I improved my GPA, averaging 3.54 my last two years of college; I retook the class I failed, improving my grade; and I excelled in high level classes, such as biochemistry.  

My undergraduate career continues to hamper me in that I was saddled with student loans. I am the first in my immediate family to receive a bachelor’s degree and my family could not afford to contribute to my college costs. In an effort to pay off as much student loan debt as possible before returning to school I have prioritized working in lieu of volunteer and shadowing experiences. However this means my patient care hours are constantly increasing and providing invaluable experience.

This summer begins my sixth year working EMS in a system that runs over one hundred thousand calls a year using progressive patient care protocols. While each patient encounter is equally as important as the next, collectively my patients have cemented the reasons why physician assistant is the career that has monopolized my interest. Treating emergency situations of patients with chronic diseases, such as CHF or diabetes, only allows a glimpse into patient management. I want to become a physician assistant to help patients manage their medical conditions and to prevent emergencies from happening. The ability to change specialties will allow me to practice in a field that best suits the needs of both me and my patients as healthcare evolves. My field experiences have drawn me towards family practice, cardiology, and emergency medicine. These specialties would benefit patients, such as Chris, who required immediate intervention followed by lifelong management care. The PAs in these specialties that I have encountered during calls have shown nothing but intelligence, respect, and thoughtfulness towards their patients’ needs and healthcare management.

The following shift my partner and I had an opportunity to visit Chris in the cardiac ICU before he was discharged. He was in high spirits and shared a laugh with us as we apologized for how tired we were that morning. He told us he was determined to take better care of himself and realized that he was a fortunate man. Chris benefited from a proficient healthcare team that regarded his care above all else. He will continue to find success with the guiding help of his cardiologist and primary care. As a physician assistant I can help patients, like Chris, by taking a role as a lead member of a health care team to provide a higher level of care than what I am currently capable.