abbreviate (PA) or NOT to abbreviate (physician assistant)

[camp1989]

For the sake of limited characters I have made abbreviations here and there, and interchangeably alternated between PA & physician assistant in my essay.

 

Is this abbreviation a no no? Are abbreviations for specific well known hospitals such as RWJ (robert wood johnson) or specific diseases such as MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome) looked down upon?

[DizzyJ]

Just spell out your words....I would have no idea what RWJ nor MDS stands for. The only reason to use an abbreviation is when you are using a word/condition numerous times. If you are just using Robert Wood Johnson once, then you should not be abbreviating it.

[lancer_dancer01]

I always spell out the whole word, abbreviations can confuse the reader and send a wrong message about the author.

[beattie228]

The first time I used the word physician assistant, I included the abbreviation in parenthesis. i.e. My motivation to become a physician assistant (PA) stems from my experiences as a U.S. Army combat medic. This way you introduce the abbreviation to the reader (of course your audience are all PA admissions committee members so they know what a PA stands for anyway). I agree with you that the words physician assistant eat up a lot of valuable characters. As far as your other abbreviations, I would recommend you not abbreviate diseases or hospitals unless you introduce the abbreviation as done previously for PA. Not only do you risk the chance of your reader not knowing what the abbreviation is, but you could also have your abbreviation misinterpreted. Just my two cents, though!