Nursing

FEED BACK FROM A FRIEND IN PA SCHOOL

I like that you are using your experience as a nurse to give insight into why you want to be a PA. I also like the "healing is more than just about treating a disease" part. You could rewrite this a little bit so you can provide an example from when working as a nurse you saw this happen.

Make it more personal. Add stories from work and how patients impacted you and how you impacted patients. Ex: you saw that you were limited in how you can care for a patient as a nurse and want to be a part of the provider team that helps create the patient’s treatment care plan and makes a different impact on their health and care

Add how volunteering in dominica made an impact on how little of access to healthcare they had, and you want to become a PA that bridges acces to care. That experience sparked an interest on how much you care about the unerserved communities and how you thrive to become a provider that listens and help bridge access health care. Can even talk about the interactions you had over there and how that has motivated you to do more.

I developed a passion for becoming a physician assistant (PA) because I want to be able to make a difference in people's lives by providing patient care and using my knowledge of medicine in a compassionate way. As time has gone on, I have come to recognize that healing is more than just about treating a disease; it is about listening, educating, supporting and gaining trust during times of vulnerability. I selected the PA profession because of its emphasis on teamwork, flexibility, and provider and patient relationship, and the fact that it provides providers a chance to make a difference in so many communities. Moreover, since I am currently a registered nurse, my experience has helped grow my passion for entering the PA field. I have significant knowledge on closely working with PAs which has allowed me to gain knowledge into patient care and also enhance my teamwork skills.

However, there was one thing that made me more determined to this career. A person close to me was fighting a chronic disease, and during the several visits to hospitals and clinics, I was able to observe the interaction among the providers and patients. Some people only spoke about symptoms; others spent time describing treatments, answering questions, and reassuring. A PA, however, made an impact on me because of the balance of competence and compassion on display. They spoke to my family member with dignity and patience in a difficult time and helped reduce fear. Seeing this interaction make a difference in the wellbeing of my family member, I realized the importance that both physical and emotional aspects have on a person's total well-being, and that a good experience with healthcare providers can make a positive impact on both of these.

My motivation also comes from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which suggests that people are motivated to meet higher levels of purpose having met their basic needs (Boston-Leary et al., 2024). To me, a PA career is a way to be self-actualized, serving, growing, and contributing to society. I am driven to always be learning and making a difference in helping others reach their health goals. I am continually learning and evolving with medicine, I appreciate that PA profession encourages that. I want a career that will challenge me to become a better person and a better worker, and that will help me to make a difference in my patients' lives, regardless of their background.

I have also gained knowledge from the Social Cognitive Career Theory on why this career is the right career for me. This theory is based on the idea that career interests emerge out of experiences, self-beliefs, and role models (Meng & Jafaar, 2022). The knowledge, experiences, and interactions I gained from my studies, interacting with patients in various medical contexts, and with healthcare providers have allowed me to be confident about my chances of success in a patient-based profession. I have come to know that I perform best in situations that involve communicating, collaborating, and problem-solving. PAs are experienced in these values as they engage with physicians and health care providers, and also have good interactions with the patients.

One of the other reasons why I want to become a PA is the emphasis on accessibility and community impact. There are still a lot of group access issues with quality care in healthcare and I want to do my part in limiting the gaps in care that many demographics still experience. I appreciate that PAs work in a variety of settings, including underserved areas and rural areas, where health care resources may be scarce. Also, this path is meaningful to me because it will allow me to leverage my knowledge and skills to give back to my community, which still experiences inadequate healthcare access.

Becoming a PA is a more than just a career goal, it is my pledge to life-long learning, caring, and serving others. My goals are to establish trustful relationships with patients, work as part of a health care team, and make a difference in the lives of patients and underserved communities. I feel my values, experiences, and long-term goals match so well with the PA profession that I look forward to a career in which I can be responsible for and can care for others.

References

Boston-Leary, K., Alexander, G. R., & Davis, S. (2024). Leveraging Maslow's hierarchy of needs to build Nursing's more inclusive future. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 48(1), 55-64. DOI: 10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000613

Meng, F. G., & Jaafar, W. M. W. (2024). Career Choices at A Public Higher Education Institution (IPTA): An Examination of The Social Cognitive Model of Career Self-Management. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(7). DOI:10.6007/IJARBSS/v14-i7/22210