It's Official

I have applied to P.A.school via the CASPA application. Everything is officially out of my hands. Phew. Scary. 

Here's my narrative.
The question was "What is your motivation for becoming a physician assistant?"

Michael Jackson influenced millions of people around the world.  Sometimes he was controversial, but almost every person in America knew at least one of his hit songs.  I’m not sure that the song “Thriller” changed any lives, but Michael Jackson had the right idea with his song “Heal the World.”  The chorus of this song says: “Heal the world, make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race. There are people dying, if you care enough for the living, make a better place for you and for me.”  Although I’m not much of a Michael Jackson fan, this song encapsulates my desire to become a physician assistant (P.A.).  As a P.A., I would live each day knowing I was helping to heal the world, making it a better place, and feeling satisfied with life. Growing up around medicine, coupled with traveling to third world countries, ignited my passion to be a P.A. and motivates me to complete the training so I can help people everywhere in need.

I grew up with a doctor in the family: my father.  My father used his knowledge to not only help the people of Central Florida, but to help people all around the world  Through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, my father was able to give his skills and resources to help destitute people.  And thankfully, he included his children in his own personal desire to help. When I was in the eighth grade, I traveled with him to Russia.  I was astonished by the poverty, lack of basic necessities and substandard healthcare in this underdeveloped nation. The shock of this impecunious country helped shape my decision to become a P.A.  My desire to help people stemmed from this trip – and has continued throughout my life.  Since that trip to Russia, I have been to Armenia, Ukraine, South Africa, and Kazakhstan with no intentions of stopping there. 

Since that fateful trip in eighth grade, medicine was bound to be a part of my life.  Like life, my desire to help people is a constant journey.  Throughout high school, I knew I had decisions to make.  I knew that medicine would be involved, but medicine is full of numerous opportunities.  The years of school involved and my desire to have a family were reason enough to not pursue becoming a physician. Believing that nursing was the next best option, I started college with that degree in mind.  But my passion for nursing was missing.  I flirted with some other majors, but to no avail.  My father, noticing my trouble, suggested I follow his P.A.  After the shadowing experience with her, I immediately knew that I was meant to become a P.A. 

Physician assistants have every attribute of an occupation that I am looking for.  It would provide me the flexibility to have a family and continue working; it would provide rigorous academic standards with a shortened time frame; and it would give the unique ability to change specialties, providing for a lifelong journey of learning in medicine.  After my first mission trip to Russia, I fell in love with medicine.  The journey to realizing my dream of becoming a P.A. took some searching, but with a bit of help, the perfect place for me in healthcare was found. Once I become a physician assistant, I will heed the advice of Michael Jackson and become one step closer to healing the world. 

Let me know what you think!! :)