Medical Assistant Personal Statement

For as long as I can remember, I was drawn to medicine because I wanted to save lives, but that was before I agreed to end one. Weeks before graduating high school, I got a call that my dad had been placed on life support after suffering a heart attack during withdrawal. Being eighteen then, I legally had to make his medical decisions. I knew my dad wouldn’t want to live a life dependent solely on machines, but the thought of never seeing him again was unimaginable. I knew I lacked understanding of the situation, and with the high demand for life support equipment and hospital rooms during the pandemic, my decision was pressing. I reached out to my grandpa, a physician, for medical and emotional guidance. Putting my dad’s wishes over my own

I began college at the height of the pandemic, which impacted my ability to explore the medical field. Confined to the same four walls for most of the year with online courses and activities, I began to lose motivation for my future. Over the summer I began working with patients and learned the impact simple tasks like braiding a patient’s hair could have on their well-being. My life felt purposeful again, but as the pandemic subdued reality set in. I dove into sophomore year, picking up more hours at work and setting out on a journey to find peace about my dad’s death. Working as a Patient Care Tech (PCT) in internal medicine, I saw firsthand the physiological impacts of addiction on people and finally understood my dad’s struggles from a new perspective. Unfortunately, through my personal struggles, my grades declined. Second semester I made changes and began attending study sessions, office hours, and therapy, which resulted in an upward trend in my grades. My friend introduced me to the PA profession and invited me to a Pre-PA club. Immediately interested, I set up job

When the patient left, I saw the weight lift off her shoulders as she thanked the PA for listening. In urology, I was inspired by the variety in day-to-day work as Abby independently performed small procedures some days and worked alongside the physician in the pediatrics clinic on others. Knowing I wanted a career that prioritized lifelong learning, I was excited during my shadow in gynecologic oncology when a nurse practitioner pulled me aside to praise the new perspective the PA brought to their team because she previously worked in internal medicine. Then, while shadowing Lisa in the urgent care, I grasped the extension PAs provide for the medical field, allowing more patients to be seen. I was amazed as there always seemed to be a patient waiting and admirably the team, dedicated to their jobs and patients, stayed until everyone was seen. It wasn’t long before I knew I wanted to become a PA. The idea of shorter schooling additionally appealed to me as a hands-on learner. Fully committed, I continued my jobs with direct patient experience and broadened my cultural knowledge by volunteering with underserved communities at both a free medical clinic and a homeless