PA Admission Paper

If you would have told me ten years ago that I would be writing this essay and planning yet for another years into the future, part of me would have been surprised. Years ago I would have never envisioned myself going into the health field. Growing up I always heard stories from my parents and grandparents of how lucky I am to be alive and how thankful they were to the doctors and nurses. After hearing these stories for so many years it then made me realize that all I wanted to do was help people.

As one embarks on the path to becoming a physician, we face many challenges along the way. For some of us, we may become exposed to the realities of medicine through shadowing and volunteering and then realizing we lack interest in dealing with patients or spending hours upon hours in a hospital. Some may come to discover that they do not possess the time and patience to go through

Observed the physician assistant while he conducted neurological and physical exams. We conversed about the role he plays. In this facility, he worked autonomously with minimal assistance from the physician. Learned various types of physicals and assessments that he conducted. Overall, I had a clear idea about the setting and the whole experience was invaluable.

One of my first experiences working with patients was during my junior year in college. I

An innate desire to help ailing patients get over their sufferings braced with a never ending yearn to learn makes me competent to pursue the Physician Assistant program. I feel fortunate to hold a graduate degree in medicine from India and have a fulfilling long term experience in patient care. Yet a never stop learning attitude with constantly updating myself in the expanding field of improvised developments in medicine is an attribute that drives me to pursue PA program.

Throughout my physician assistant education, I will gain many hands-on experiences that other medical students do not encounter until later in their educational careers. Additionally, I will continue to gain hands-on experience throughout my career. Having this experience will allow me to more readily diagnose

I wanted to get a feel for medicine so I decided to volunteer at the Palos Heights Community Hospital. I would see patients every Saturday. Whether they were lethargic or active, I was ready to start a conversation with them. The patients and I would sit in the room and talk about their childhoods and what their goals in life were. I was enthralled learning about each and every one of them and their life experiences. Even Donna Malec, who was the volunteer coordinator, was amazed with my craze of medicine. After this experience, I learned a lot more of what it takes to be a

I believe by joining the right program I will be able to learn much more with advanced training and experience. In the future, I see myself working in a community hospital where I can focus on treating patients who are at a disadvantage with an emphasis on preventive health care and I hope to expand preventive health care especially in the field of women’s health. With an education in public health along with my background of clinical medicine, I have the belief that the challenges and experience offered to me would mould me into a confident and successful health care professional in the

Over the last several years, my interest in medicine has expanded from a fascination with biochemical mechanisms to a holistic view of human health and population-wide health disparities. My views began to change when volunteering at a crisis hotline center, The Listening Ear. Many of our clients were suffering from physical ailments, economic deprivation, and mental health problems. This showed me how health factors reach beyond physiology to include psychological and social factors that are often institutional and out of the individual’s control. Ever since coming in contact with these factors my motivations for my future career have expanded to include social justice issues and combating disparities through policy change and research.

My decision to enter the field of medicine was affirmed when I had an eye-opening experience with my new pediatrician. I had just moved from Guyana to the U.S and I remember being anxious and uncomfortable as I had a good relationship with my previous pediatrician, who I had known for years. However, when I arrived at her office, she greeted me with a smile and asked me about my medical concerns that day. Throughout, the exam she explained what she was doing and why it was important. I remember being amazed, learning about my body was an incredible experience for me. When I asked her why she had explained all this to me, she said “It is great that you can come to me, but I also need to teach you how to take care of yourself so if a problem

As a result of my medical condition, I visited several pediatricians, specialists, and hospitals while I was in middle school. Although I wanted to determine the cause of my condition, as a child I was

Volunteering on a medical mission trip and organizing free health clinics for the homeless helped me appreciate the importance of caring for the individual as well as the community. I am particularly interested in serving low-income and disadvantaged patients, perhaps one day running free clinics with other providers. Engaging in student government during medical school also gave me the opportunity to grow personally and professionally. I immersed myself in leadership commitments and found fulfillment by serving my school and the student body. My experiences taught me how to effectively lead as well as ignited my passion for advocacy.

Failing to let this hinder my momentum, I persevered and prevailed. I received a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in global health and health disparities. While the coursework was beneficial and stimulating, it was deficient in illuminating the importance of culture and its effect on disease and disease transmission. Luckily, with my anthropological undergraduate education I was able to bridge that gap and it would be put to the test on my next venture — a public health volunteer with the Peace Corps in

However, I came to realize that while public health research promoted specific guidelines, in the end, it was the people on the ground, mainly physicians, who had the greatest impact on people’s lives. It was then that I began thinking about serving as a translator of information, as a physician, rather than an author of public health policies. Therefore, when applying to medical school, I specifically chose schools that promoted preventative healthcare with a strong emphasis on teaching the biopsychosocial aspect of medicine in underserved areas.

The science courses I learned about in high school are what introduced me to healthcare, but it was ultimately my undergraduate degree coupled with my experience working in a free health clinic that has solidified my decision to wholeheartedly pursue a career in healthcare management. As a GMU healthcare administration student, I have learned about the sociological, political, business, and medical components found in the healthcare system. Furthermore, by reading and learning about the positive and negative aspects that exist in the healthcare industry, I feel that my time volunteering at a hospital setting and working at a free health clinic is what has allowed me to observe, learn, prepare, and gain perspective on what healthcare is today and the potential of what it can be tomorrow.