Why I Want to be A Physician Assistant Essay Example

My passion to be a physician assistant stemmed from an early encounter with one who was attending to my goddaughter, Elsa. Her diagnosis of lymphocytic leukemia led to regular visits to the hospital, where accompanying her with her mother allowed for interactions with the physician assistants attending to her medical needs. Their level of articulacy and commitment to better her condition and those of other patients were the defining factors in the redefinition of my passion. I found a path to channel my compassion to care through our engagements over the well-being of my goddaughter. As a result, I enhanced the realization of my passion through additional learning and participation in programs involving the duties of a physician assistant. 

I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health from the University of Houston and graduated cum laude in the spring of 2017, after appearing on the dean’s list in all my academic years. Since I considered my bachelor’s degree inadequate towards the realization of my passion, I opted to volunteer in programs that would improve my experience in the field. Notably, in November 2015, I shadowed Mr. Inyang Wilson, a physician assistant that specialized in Family medicine and Pediatrics at Fresno-Arcola clinic, where I observed his duties under a clinical setting. During that same year, I continued to shadow Mr. Wilson at a different health facility in Brazosport Family Medical Clinic, where I undertook similar responsibilities. Additionally, I volunteered at a Behavior Opportunities Uniting Nutrition, Counseling, and Exercise (BOUNCE) program. This program sought to generate funds to promote empowering families of Hispanic and African American girls, aged 9-14, to adopt healthy lifestyle choices.    

I opted to augment my observational skills with a certification in human research protection training, 2019, and an ongoing basic life support certification. I have had professional experience in the medical field through internships and volunteer programs. I volunteered as a science educator at the Museum of Health and Medical Sciences in 2016 and interned at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2017 where I engaged in research work.  I also had the opportunity to study abroad in Guatemala for 3 months, volunteering in rural clinics and immersing myself in Latin American culture.

While in Guatemala, I shadowed a gynecologist that focused his practice on treating sex workers. These patients were at a higher risk for diseases due to their lifestyle but often did not receive adequate health care because many providers were reluctant to treat them. Despite any perceived negative stigma, Dr. Javier examined, diagnosed, and treated his patients unbiasedly with unwavering compassion and care. Outside of the clinic, I learned about tribal medicine through previous discussions with my "Casa mamá Felicia y La Maestra Pia" (House Mom Felicia and Teacher Pia).

Over 3 months, we attended different conferences in Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala about the state of health care in Central America. Additionally, I learned to speak Spanish and became aware of the incredibly high demand for Spanish speaking providers, as marginalized communities struggle to navigate the health care system. Furthermore, while in Guatemala, I witnessed the reluctance of practitioners to provide medical services to specific patient populations firsthand. I have also observed the nuances of communication between a Spanish-speaking patient and an English-speaking provider.

Afterward, in 2018, I enrolled as a medical scribe at ScribeAmerica in the Prime Medical group. There, I was able to work with several physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, and gained exposure to patients with life-threatening conditions. I currently work as a Research Data Coordinator at MD Anderson Cancer Center. My responsibilities there include collaborating with cancer researchers, physicians and principal investigators in performing clinical trials such as Neostar, Genentech, imBATTLE, APOLLO, Moonshots and documentation of patient information using clinical databases such as EPIC systems, iLabs, and Power path. 

I intend to pursue an occupation as a physician assistant through the certification ranks, with the hope of becoming a fully certified practitioner and achieving a fulfilling career in medicine. I consider the physician assistant profession to be extremely rewarding since it provides practitioners with an opportunity to express their compassion through care. I aspire to have the chance of being part of a professional medical team tasked with attending to the needs of the patient.

I am eager to be part of a team that makes beneficial differences in the lives of the unwell. Simultaneously, I wish to participate in the profession as it allows an individual to exercise kindhearted care to the beneficiaries. Certainly, I consider being a physician assistant the utmost realization of my ambitions.