First draft-comments please :)

[lehman20]

Cerebral palsy, countless 7-8 hour long seizures, and a left hemispherectomy all before the age of 5. These are just a few of the challenges faced by the child I cared for. Seeing this child struggle on a daily basis to do simple things I do with ease everyday, such as walking and eating, has given me a unique perspective on what it really means to be a health-care provider. Not only does he completely lack all verbal communication skills, but he also comes from a primarily Arabic-speaking family from Israel. This family had never had an in-home care provider before so it was important that I build their trust and confidence. While improving my skills as a care provider, I developed my verbal and non-verbal communication skills and was able to develop a lasting relationship with the family. I feel that the experiences I have had taking care of this child will benefit me tremendously in my future career as a Physician Assistant (PA).

 

 

To gain a deeper understanding of the role of the PA, I shadowed PAs in both emergency medicine and cardiology. I was able to observe the PA interact with the physician and other health care providers to ensure the best possible care for the patient. I learned the importance of having good communication skills to make sure the patient was knowledgeable and satisfied with their health care plan. During one specific instance I was observing the cardiology PA, an elderly patient and his wife had just received news from the doctor that he was displaying abnormal heart patterns and would need a pacemaker put in immediately. I saw the look of fear and panic immediately come across their faces. After explaining the procedure thoroughly and answering all of their questions, the PA was able to put their minds at ease and have them leave with minimal worry. I admired the relationship he was able to form with them and ease their worries about a potentially very frightening and unusual experience. This stood out to me and I knew I was on the right career path.

 

 

In my experience as a Kinesiology/Exercise Science undergraduate at Michigan State University, I was able to gain a unique perspective on the human body and how exercise can be used as a preventative measure to promote wellness. I have always been involved in sports and exercise so I enjoyed the balance between my exercise science classes and the core science classes that build the foundation of my medical knowledge. In one of my courses, I gained experience in basic medical skills such as blood pressure, pulse, respirations, and even writing an exercise prescription. I feel my education in Exercise Science has made me a well-rounded individual with a unique perspective on health and wellness.

 

 

My personal philosophy in life has always been to do whatever you can each day to make yourself a better person. I am constantly working on ways to improve myself in all aspects of life and I believe a career as a PA would allow me to do this. Through the continuing education requirements, it is clear that the PA profession prides itself on knowledge and learning throughout life. Furthermore, the PA profession provides a good balance between a career in medicine and a personal life outside of work as well. Building relationships and having time with family and friends outside of work is equally important and essential to a rounded life. This is an idea that I plan to use in the future when treating and working with patients. They are more than just their condition; they have many other aspects to their life and that needs to always be remembered. Because of these reasons, I believe the PA profession would provide me with a satisfying career and a well-balanced life.

[jtracy]

I really liked this one.