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WHy do YOU want to be a PA?


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Hello,

 

i have several interviews in the coming weeks and the one question I'm not sure how to answer is "Why do you want to be a PA?"

 

I know the moment I wanted to become a PA but that doesn't answer the question. I know the reasons I want to be a PA but I'm not sure how to articulate it.

 

I want to make an impact in patients lives. I want the flexibility that the profession allows in changing of specialties. I love that it follows the medical model.

 

Does that answer suffice? Why do YOU want to be a PA?

 

Thank you for your thoughts.

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This is one of those questions you can use to showcase your knowledge about the differences between providers. That's how I approached it when I was asked.

 

In a nutshell just said "after spending time shadowing and working in healthcare I've come to determine that I needed to have a scope of practice that gave me more autonomy. I want to do more than just take orders. After researching and comparing physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants I felt that becoming a PA is exactly what I wanted to do. The length of time in schooling, the cost of schooling, the level of autonomy, the ability to change specialties, respect amongst staff / peers, annual salary, and training under the medical model are just a few reasons why becoming a PA is the most appealing to me compared to the other provider roles and allied health fields."

 

My answer was more in depth and personalized but you get the jist of it.

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This is one of those questions you can use to showcase your knowledge about the differences between providers. That's how I approached it when I was asked.

 

In a nutshell just said "after spending time shadowing and working in healthcare I've come to determine that I needed to have a scope of practice that gave me more autonomy. I want to do more than just take orders. After researching and comparing physicians, nurse practitioners, and physicians assistants I felt that becoming a PA is exactly what I wanted to do. The length of time in schooling, the cost of schooling, the level of autonomy, the ability to change specialties, respect amongst staff / peers, annual salary, and training under the medical model are just a few reasons why becoming a PA is the most appealing to me compared to the other provider roles and allied health fields."

 

My answer was more in depth and personalized but you get the jist of it.

I think this is a great response, though I might use EMEDPA's in a pinch.

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  • Moderator
Don't forget "So I can work less hours and have lots of babies and still spend time with them"

and " because PAs have better hours than doctors, never have to work nights,weekends, or holidays and magically get more time to spend with each pt. they also never have to make serious decisions and there is ALWAYS a supersmart doctor around to bail them out if they have a probem".

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I just asked the question right back to the interviewer..."Why do I want be a PA? Why did YOU want to be a PA!?" Then I flipped a chair, yelled "VICTORY!" and walked out. Okay not really. I actually was never specifically asked this question in my interview (gasp!). I made sure that they knew already from my application, experience, etc of why I wanted to be a PA. This allowed them to ask deeper questions and not get some cookie-cutter response from me that they've heard over and over again. We all have different reasons. End of story. "And we still have to move these refrigerators...still have to move these color TV's..."

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