Last Draft after 40+ Hours :( Last min opinions, thanks again!

[tamhle824]

Im sending this in in two days. This is just last minute opinions and critiques.

Thank you all so much for the time!

 

As a member of the Howard Payne University men's tennis team, my teammates and I refined our communication skills by training with each other, and improving our teamwork. We understood the value of hard work, but more importantly learned that we could only succeed by working as a cohesive team. I want a career that would allow me to work in a team environment, to solve problems, and to utilize my personal interest in medicine to assist people. Becoming a physician assistant (PA) will fulfill these goals and allow me to develop my compassionate nature to care for people.

 

To gain a better insight into the PA profession, I shadowed Dr. Michael Champine and his colleague, Mr. Darren Hughes, PA, and witnessed several minimally invasive knee replacements. The operating team was comprised of Dr. Champine, Mr. Hughes, an anesthesiologist, and several nurse practitioners (NP). This team was meticulous in their roles, and each paid attention to all the details, such as counting the numbers of instruments post-surgery to make sure none was unaccounted for. While studying Mr. Hughes interact with the team, I learned that the PA profession required leadership as he was directing the NPs, but also learned that it was important to be willing to serve, as he was under direct supervision of Dr. Champine. The privilege of observing Mr. Hughes and the team provided me with an opportunity to experience the important role and consistent teamwork of a range of healthcare professionals. I plan to emulate these qualities of strong unity by working well with others in the PA program as well as maintaining high-level of professionalism during my own practice as a PA.

 

While my experiences working with Mr. Hughes gave me a better understanding of the PA profession, it was the time spent working for Dr. Ishan Adhikari at The Heart Beat Clinic (THBC) that exposed me to the complexities of medicine and provided me with an opportunity to interact with patients on a personal level. The position challenged me to comprehend the varieties of autonomic disorders with a special emphasis on the symptomatology and etiology of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and taught me to be proficient in testing for its symptoms using autonomic functions tests. The direct involvement with patients trained me on how to communicate with patients on a personal level while maximizing patient care.

 

My interaction with POTS patients showed me the detrimental effects of the syndrome, which further deepened my empathy for each patient. One patient confided in me about her struggles living with POTS. She described feeling fatigued each morning, and the repercussions of the early lassitude throughout the day. It was difficult for her to do the simple, daily activities we all enjoy, such as going on walks and spending time with friends. The severity of her symptoms has even caused her to leave her career as a nurse. However, she continues to be optimistic and strives to become healthy again. Spending time with her has taught me the value of listening to patients, and caring for them beyond the clinic. She is currently undergoing External Counterpulsation (ECP) treatment. Twice a week, my responsibility is to check her vitals and monitor her ECP treatment. The purpose of ECP is to improve the circulation of her heart through the inflation and deflation of pneumatic cuffs on each leg. This particular procedure provides her body with more energy. It has been a rewarding experience to care for her needs during treatment while also learning about her life. Her vitality grows with each treatment, and it is encouraging to see that a part of my work is impacting her life, making me that much more motivated to pursue a career as a PA.

 

Throughout my experiences, whether related to the medical field or to sports, there has been a direct correlation between the successes of others and myself in a team setting. It was my involvement on the men's tennis team that helped me to first appreciate the value of teamwork, and allowed me to later recognize a similar yet varied form of teamwork in the medical field. My experiences in healthcare also exposed me to the many challenges of medicine, offered me an opportunity to personally connect with patients in a way that I would not have otherwise experienced, and allowed me to work alongside the medical staff at THBC. It has been these opportunities, along with my strong desire to experience the rewards and rigors of practicing medicine, that have helped solidify my decision to pursue a career as a PA. If given the chance, I hope to use my knowledge and motivation to become a valued PA in the medical world.

[tamhle824]

Thanks for the opinion. My first one felt as if I was listing down my qualifcations. I was told to tell a personal story and tell about my attributes and what I have learned. Any suggestions to change anything?

[tamhle824]

Wow thank you so much! It does make a huge difference and i see where you are coming from. I know you have more important things to do, but is it possible that you could help me with the rest? If not, then I could just use your example and build on it. Once again, thank you for your time and help.

[tamhle824]

As a member of the Howard Payne University men's tennis team, my teammates and I refined our communication skills and improved our teamwork by training with each other. We each understood the value of hard work, but more importantly learned that we could only succeed by working as a team. I want a career that will use my experience to work with others while also solving medical problems. Becoming a physician assistant (PA) will fulfill these goals and allow me to utilize my personal interest in medicine to help people.

 

While my involvement with the team helped me to appreciate teamwork, it was my additional activities during college that strengthen my leadership skills and compassionate nature. Serving as Vice-President of the Student Government Association carried many responsibilities and offered me the opportunity to demonstrate my leadership qualities by working with my peers to accomplish the requests made by the student body. Participating with Big Brother Big Sister boosted my compassion for the underprivileged, and through this, taught me value of giving back to the community. Volunteering at the Songbird Nursing home showed me the vulnerability of old age, and helped me to understand the need of quality healthcare for older patients. These activities have helped me to develop qualities that will benefit me in the future during my career as a PA and I plan to use these qualities throughout my career.

 

After college, I decided to explore the broad spectrum of healthcare and researched the PA profession. This led me to shadow for Dr. Michael Champine and his colleague, Mr. Darren Hughes, PA. The operating team was comprised of Dr. Champine, Mr. Hughes, an anesthesiologist and several nurse practitioners (NP). I had the privilege to witness their incredible teamwork, and responsibilities during several minimally invasive knee surgeries. The operating room showed me the surgical aspect of modern medicine, however it was my time spent with Mr. Hughes outside the clinic that helped me to understand the personality and unique qualities of a PA. I plan to emulate these qualities when interacting with patients and maintain high-level professionalism while working with my colleagues during my own practice.

 

While my externship with Mr. Hughes gave me a better understanding of the PA profession, it was the time spent working for Dr. Ishan Adhikari at The Heart Beat Clinic (THBC) that exposed me to the complexities of medicine. I learned how to research a variety of autonomic disorders, with the special emphasis on Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). This experience taught me how to search for medical journals as well as interpreting their clinical studies. I became proficient in testing for symptoms of POTS and learned how to communicate with the patients professionally, while also maximizing patient care. The position at the clinic also allowed me to work alongside the medical staff, and I learned the intricate details of working in a modern medical practice. Such details included scheduling appointments, filing insurance papers, and operating medical programs on the computer. Currently, I monitor the External Counterpulsation (ECP) treatment of patients with chronic heart failure and POTS. Each treatment last an hour, and I use that time to learn about their lives. One patient confides in me about her struggles with POTS, while I spend two sessions per week working to rehabilitate and enable her to enhance the quality of her life. She shared with me her passion for medicine and helping people, but the severity of her symptoms has caused her to leave her career as a nurse. However, she continues to be optimistic and becomes more able-bodied with each treatment. It is encouraging to know that I am helping to make an impact in her life. This experience taught me the importance of listening to and caring for patients, even beyond the clinic. Learning about her life has propelled me to mature and have further motivated me to pursue my career as a PA.

 

Throughout my experiences, there has been a direct correlation between the successes of others and myself in a team setting. It was my involvement on the tennis team that helped me to first appreciate the value of teamwork, and allowed me to later recognize a similar yet varied form of teamwork in the medical field. My college activities helped me to hone my leadership skills and offered me a way to care for others. My experiences in healthcare exposed me to the many challenges of medicine, gave me an opportunity to personally connect with patients, and allowed me to work alongside a diverse group of professionals. It has been these opportunities, along with my strong desire to experience the rewards and rigors of practicing medicine, that have helped solidify my decision to pursue a career as a PA. If given the chance, I hope to use my knowledge and motivation to become a part of a valued team and make a positive impact in the community.

 

how is this?