Please take a moment to take a look at my personal satement

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On one occasion as a child I remember my maternal grandmother feeling ill one day. My grandmother was visiting the states from El Salvador and did not have health insurance; my mother unable to pay an expensive medical bill took her to a non-profit faith based clinic near our home. A team of volunteer providers and healthcare workers treated my grandmother at  minimal cost. Health intervention services was the name of this clinic, and its purpose was to serve uninsured and low income patients. This is the same clinic that I would later complete a Dental Assisting externship at, and throughout the years would continue to volunteer at as a Dental Assistant, Medical Assistant, and Translator.

 

For the past 8 years Exalta health (previously known as health intervention services) has been a part of my life in one capacity or another. It is here that my true love for medicine begin.  I have been fortunate enough to serve as a volunteer, shadow, and work with doctors, and physician assistants (PAs) who are equally committed to the underserved community as I am. Working at Exalta Health and seeing the huge impact that this clinic has on our community was a contributing factor on my decision to serve on a medical mission trip in Peru.Traveling to Peru and seeing first hand the scarcity of medical providers, clinics, and access to care reinforced in me the desire to work with underserved communities both at home and abroad. It is the coalition of all these experiences that have cemented in me the desire to become a Physician Assistant.

 

            Becoming a Physician Assistant will allow me to continue to serve those patients who need it the most in a more integral role. Thanks to the years of experience that I have in various areas of healthcare I have acquired skills that I am confident would help me excel as a PA. In particular working as a Psych Tech at a mental health institution taught me the importance of working collaboratively and communicating efficiently with other health care providers; especially during moments of crisis. As a Psych Tech I was often dealing with patients during one of the most trialing times in their lives. My role as a psych tech included responding to high stress situations, ensuring that myself, my colleagues, and other patients were safe. Working collaboratively is an imperative part of a psych techs job, as well as communicating efficiently to de-escalate situations, and request assistance from others when it is needed.

 

Additionally, working in a dental setting has taught me how to effectively communicate information to patients in a way that they can comprehend. Dental offices are often a place of distress for patients. Due to this I have learned how to talk patients through procedures, present treatment information, and help them feel at ease. Making sure that patients are aware of all of their options as well as guiding them to make a decision that is best for their overall health are  important roles of a dental assistant and a PA. Working in dental has taught me the importance of maintaining good systematic health, and it is something I hope to share with my patients in the future. As a PA I hope to continue to acquire the skills needed to make an impact on global health care needs, as well as the needs of underserved communities at home.

 

As a non-traditional student raising a child during my undergraduate education I faced many obstacles. One of the most difficult tasks was maintaining a competitive GPA while taking rigorous science courses, juggling 2 jobs, and being a mother. Although I maintained an overall good GPA, even making the Dean's list, I had shortcomings in some courses, specially during my early college career. In order to demonstrate my ability to excel academically in spite of my other commitments I retook courses that I felt did not reflect my true capacities, and significantly improved my grades. My background as a non-traditional student, and single mother has prepared me to be a better PA student than I would have been otherwise. Throughout the years I have learned better time management and prioritisation skills which have translated to better academic grades.

 

As a first generation college student I have doubted my abilities to succeed academically many times. However, my aspiration of becoming a PA has pushed me to set and reach goals that I did not think possible before embarking on this journey. I have now come to understand that through perseverance, and dedication all things are possible. As I close the chapter of my life as an undergraduate student, it is my every desire to open the door to a graduate education as a PA student. Being a PA will not only be the pinnacle to my academic career, it will pave the way for me to take medicine to those who need it the most.