My Motivation to Be a Physician Assistant

The moment I entered college, I became a part of several medical organizations that gave me the opportunity to volunteer and interact with individuals heading toward the same field. As my interest in the medical field began to grow, I applied to a summer program and was accepted to a six-week medical career diversity program at UTMB at Galveston, where I met and shadowed multiple physicians, residents, PAs and nurses. It was here at UTMB where I found out about the PA career. For an entire day I was placed with a primary care PA who showed compassion and communicated well with his patients. I witnessed so many personal and emotional cases that day, and my observation of the PA caring for his patients was inspiring to me. A major focus of this clinic is the prevention and control of chronic illnesses. Seeing the PA take the extra time to explain the purpose of the medication and its use and assure the patient that there was no drug interaction, was something I admired about him and his profession.

It was not until I started shadowing a cardiologist, who worked with a PA, that I learned more about the role of a PA. Under their supervision I had the privilege to observe how both have very similar responsibilities and core privileges to patient care. The typical patients were either routine or hospital follow-ups who came in with issues such as chest pain, hypertensive urgency, or other congestive symptoms. During this shadowing experience, I witnessed the PA spending more time educating the patient, counseling patients and family members and often reviewing tests with patients in detail. I think that because I’ve always had an appreciation for serving people who needed more, forming a close relationship with patients, especially with those who need it the most would be very gratifying for me. Through my life experiences, and after shadowing multiple physicians in different specialties, I struggled with the idea of eventually choosing one area of medicine as a life-long career. Learning about the flexibility of the PA profession continued to spark my interest in it as a career, and I have been pursuing it ever since.

In the past two years, I have grown and learned immensely in my current position as a certified medical scribe in the general surgery specialty. One of the main priorities of my job is to take a very detailed description of the patient’s chief complaint and treatment plan. Doing this has allowed to gain an extensive amount of knowledge on the gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and integumentary system. It has been a fulfilling experience to see returning patients and observe how treatment impacted their symptoms and overall quality of life. I’ve also started scribing at DHR vein institute. I’ve always liked the fast pace of surgical trauma center but I also enjoy the quieter vibe of a private clinic. Having the opportunity to work in a fast- paced setting has helped me work under pressure, and more importantly on my time management skills. I’ve learned how to develop a collaborative relationship with physicians and coworkers that have helped me better understand the patient’s needs. Though I have enjoyed working as a medical scribe, working side-by-side with the physician, I hope to help patients in a greater capacity and play a larger role in their care. I highly admire the profession of a physician but after understanding the role of a PA, I found that the role of a PA has the balance of autonomy and collaboration that I am looking for.

Medicine is always changing and there is always something new to learn. Becoming a physician assistant is a passion of mine because I would have the knowledge and skills needed to diagnose, treat and provide the care needed for my patients. I’ve always liked being able to interact with patients on daily basis. I am driven, honest, friendly, compassionate and a responsible person, and through my growth and experience as a PA, I will aspire to be a role model to someone aspiring this same dream. As a PA I know that I will have a career that continuously challenges me, and that will push me to learn more from the people with whom I work.