mackjacks Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I'm all done with the applying process and have heard back from every school I applied to. I was invited to 6 interviews, went to 5, and was accepted to 3 schools. (One of the rejections was completely my fault as I was *horrible* in the interview). I'm posting my PS in the hopes that it will help people get an idea of where to start, as I've seen a few threads asking to see successful statements. Also, I notice some personal statements are IMHO way too poetic. I really feel that ADCOMS aren't looking for beautiful writing full of analogies and the PS should be more direct and to the point. I'm not saying mine is amazing, but at least it worked. Disclaimers, I was 22 and a recent college grad when applying. A statement would obviously be much different from someone doing PA as a second career. I also shadowed 2 other PAs and got a second job as a MA in a Psych ED, for which I e-mailed schools updates. Here ya go: **** Part caregiver, part physical trainer, and part emotional confidant. In my work as a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) in the home of a recent C5 spinal cord injury patient, I fulfill these roles and more. I see all of the challenges of living with a disability and adjusting to the changes that it brings to life. Observing my patient work so hard to do things that able-bodied people take for granted deepens my naturally compassionate and caring nature. It has helped me to better comprehend what life is like for someone with an illness or disability, and I know this ability will benefit me in my future career as a physician assistant (PA). The past few years, experiences at work, in my personal life, and volunteering have cemented my desire to become a PA. My childhood statement that I wanted to be “a doctor of exotic animals, specializing in marsupials” shows my early interest in biological sciences and healthcare, which evolved to focus on human health. I enjoy the critical thinking, understanding of the body, and the technical aspects of practicing medicine. The PA profession emerged as a perfect fit as I considered what factors in life are most important to me. I want balance between a career and personal life while practicing medicine, because my attentive nature extends beyond my work to family and friends. On a practical level, I aspire to accumulate as little debt as possible during my education and hope to be settling into a lifelong career within the next few years. Following the PA path unequivocally meshes with these goals. A serious medical condition affected my life when my mother was diagnosed with stage IIIB breast cancer the week before I moved to campus for my freshman year of college. That year, I spent nearly every weekend and a few nights each week home from college to help out however I could. This included working four nights per week waiting tables to help pay tuition since my mom was unable to work during her illness. We researched treatment options and discussed them with her oncologist, coming up with what we all agreed was the best plan. I went to chemotherapy, radiation, drove her home from surgery, and sat in on numerous physician appointments. Overall, this experience was a learning opportunity for both of us and she is now in excellent health. Unfortunately, so much time away from school and the emotions brought about by the situation made it difficult to adjust to college life, which showed in my academic performance. This plagued me into my sophomore year, but over the course of the semesters that followed I have garnered expert skills at time management, effective studying, and preventing my personal life and emotions from affecting my work. The upward trend in my grades serves as evidence that I have the ability to succeed in any class that I put my mind to. I know if I were put into a situation like that of my freshman year with the maturity and skills that I now possess, I would achieve my goals. To advance my knowledge of healthcare in a clinical setting, I have shadowed a family practice PA. I learned the workings of a modern medical practice, like filing, computer use, and taking detailed notes. This environment contrasts with the 10 days I spent volunteering as part of a medical team providing clinical care in underserved villages in Belize. We saw over 25 patients each day, taking down patient histories and vital signs in a foreign language and interacting with people whose lives are immensely different from our own. Our team practiced skills such as triaging patients based on their needs and participated in classes on injections, Pap smears, and suturing. I confirmed that I excel not only working autonomously as a home CNA but also as a member of a larger care team. While working as a CNA, I take my patient to medical appointments outside of the home. This allows me to observe dozens of care providers in different specialties. Some of these individuals take extra time to answer questions and ensure that conditions and treatments are understood, while others seem hurried and brusque. I hope to take the best qualities that I have seen among providers and incorporate them into my future practice of medicine. Exposure to so many specialties has led to my desire to be a primary care PA and serve as a link between a patient and specialists, while knowing that as a PA I could specialize in the future. A highly skilled and personable individual whom patients trust can be the difference between a condition being caught early or progressing. I hope to be a PA that patients that feel comfortable talking to about anything, no matter how trivial it may seem. This range of experiences makes me steadfast in my belief that a future as a PA is the perfect career for me. I have the ability and desire for a career in medicine, and I know that attending PA school will give me the skills to succeed and live the life I envision while having a positive impact on many others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman2PA Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I hope to be a PA that patients that feel comfortable talking to about anything, no matter how trivial it may seem. Good thing they didn't catch the extra "that" in there :) jk. Nice statement. Easy read, highlights your attributes and is to the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Good thing they didn't catch the extra "that" in there :) jk. Nice statement. Easy read, highlights your attributes and is to the point. Wow that is crazy! Excellent spotting! I wonder if that was in the CASPA-submitted version...just tried to check but it's switched over to the new cycle. I had at least 6 people read over the final draft, you'd think someone would have caught it. Ha who knows? Glad everything's said and done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kooljessie2007 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Dang, you really sold yourself! Great job and congratulations on your acceptances :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoPA Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I ended reading this thinking that you were a logical, well-rounded applicant who knew what she (he?) was about. Congrats on your acceptance! :) Also, I had somewhere between 9-12 people read mine and still found a huge error when I re-read it later. What can you do? :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgerscharm Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 thank you for sharing, congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SallyElla Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Great PS. Do you mind sharing which schools you were accepted to and interviewed at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 Interviewed at Rush, Rosalind Franklin, Northwestern, Rocky Mountain College, and University of Detroit Mercy. Invited to Mississippi College too, didn't go. Got into Rush, RMC, and UDM. Blew the RF interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 Interviewed at Rush, Rosalind Franklin, Northwestern, Rocky Mountain College, and University of Detroit Mercy. Invited to Mississippi College too, didn't go. Got into Rush, RMC, and UDM. Blew the RF interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 Interviewed at Rush, Rosalind Franklin, Northwestern, Rocky Mountain College, and University of Detroit Mercy. Invited to Mississippi College too, didn't go. Got into Rush, RMC, and UDM. Blew the RF interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardcarter Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 where did you decide to go to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardcarter Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 where did you decide to go to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardcarter Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 where did you decide to go to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pafguy77 Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Awesome stuff! You've got some options. Congratulations mackjacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pafguy77 Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Awesome stuff! You've got some options. Congratulations mackjacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pafguy77 Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Awesome stuff! You've got some options. Congratulations mackjacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmers Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 bump to the top! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drainplug87 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Wow, that's incredibly well done. Thanks for the share! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeachen Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 mackjacks, do you mind telling us your GPA overall and science? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerlily Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 @mackjacks Ha, ha! I feel that your opinion about statements being "too poetic" applies to my ps. It is my 1st draft and have only had one 2 people brave enough to critique it. I will be revising my ps tonight and hopefully have a better version by tomorrow. Glad to see you were successful, and thank you so much for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 mackjacks, do you mind telling us your GPA overall and science? 3.4ish from University of Michigan. I don't remember the specific GPAs from CASPA but I can tell you I had a few bad grades as a freshman/sophomore and straight A's the last two years. You're welcome and hope it's helped you to those who have read/said thanks! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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