Why I want to be a Physician Assistant (Admission Essay Sample)

Why I want to be a Physician Assistant Name Institution Why I want to be a Physician Assistant I have had a deep seated passion to assist people with their impairments from a young age. Denzel Washington said that “at the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or what you have accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better, it’s what you’ve given back” My desire to be a physician assistant (PA) is deeply rooted in this philosophy of making others better by pursuing values and interests which are beyond personal well-being and satisfaction. I was exposed to the health care field at the early age of 13 years in rural Alabama. I was the only girl with two older brothers. My sick grandfather, a war veteran, had lost both legs while serving the country. My mother was an employee in the healthcare sector and she gave me the task of taking care of him. I was responsible for turning him frequently to prevent bedsores, changing his wounds, transferring his bedpan, administering a strict meal plan, transporting him and providing lots of love and laughs to alleviate his depression and loneliness. As my grandfather’s health improved, I realized that I had a passion for assisting the underprivileged, neglected and those who needed love, comfort and affection for their medical problems. Determined to acquire more skills as a physician assistant, I began my journey as a pharmacy technician in a poverty stricken area in Alabama. My responsibilities often went beyond the ordinary tasks of giving prescriptions, compounding medications, and preparing ointments for babies. I tried to help the patients solve other personal problems that were limiting their access to healthcare services, such as failed insurance claims or declined appointments with a physician. Later, I became a phlebotomist, which taught me how to be more cognizant about observing patients’ moods and appearances in identifying life-threatening symptoms (Grivett, 2012). For example, one day a teenager came into the clinic for a routine blood draw, however, after observing his eye color and skin complexion, I suspected something was wrong, and I notified a nurse, which resulted in his immediate admission. If the blood draw was run in his condition, there is a likelihood that it could have led to death. Thus, these two tasks taught me the importance of being detail oriented and critically observant when dealing with patients. To gain access to more...