PA 22 Flashcards
What extracurricular activity will help you be successful in PA school?
Crewing for the Anthony Robbins Foundation taught me the importance of fostering a positive mindset and collaborating under pressure. That experience will help me stay focused during long study sessions and demanding clinical rotations.
Describe a leadership role you have held.
Serving as a Sergeant was a significant leadership role. I was responsible for mentoring and supervising officers, ensuring everyone stayed focused on our mission and looked out for each other’s safety. That role helped me develop strong communication skills, quick decision-making abilities, and empathy—all of which will translate well to coordinating patient care as a PA.
Do you plan on continuing to volunteer while in PA school or as a PA?
As a PA I would love to. I like to serve others. Even if it’s just a few hours a week or month, I hope to stay involved in community projects that align with my passion for helping people.
Is there a specific specialty or ideal job you envision for yourself as a PA?
I’m drawn to both family care and emergency medicine. In family care, I’d get to see patients over the long term and build trusting relationships with people of all ages. On the other hand, emergency medicine fits well with my background in law enforcement, where I thrived in high-pressure, fast-paced situations. I enjoy the fast pace, the variety of cases, and the collaborative teamwork required to manage critical situations. In the ER, no two shifts are ever the same, and I love that challenge. I also appreciate how emergency medicine provides an opportunity to make an immediate impact on patients—sometimes at the most vulnerable moments of their lives. My plan is to explore both fields and see which one I connect with most as I go through clinical rotations.
Would you feel limited by any of the state or national regulations on PAs?
I’m aware that each state has its own rules for supervision and prescribing. New Hampshire, in particular, has a collaborative approach that still gives PAs considerable autonomy. I don’t feel restricted by these regulations. Instead, I view them as a structured way to ensure patient safety. I’m comfortable working under a supervising physician, especially if it means I can focus on delivering the best possible care while still having a dependable support system in place.
What do you know about the history of the PA profession?
The PA profession started in the mid-1960s as a response to a shortage of primary care doctors. Eugene Stead, MD, at Duke University launched the first PA program in 1965, enrolling four former Navy Corpsmen. By 1967, those students graduated, proving that experienced medical personnel could quickly transition into providing quality patient care. Throughout the 1970s, the profession expanded rapidly, and formal accreditation and certification processes were established. In 2017, the PA community celebrated its 50th anniversary, marking over 100,000 practitioners in the field. More recently, the AAPA voted to change the title from “physician assistant” to “physician associate,” reflecting the evolving role and increasing autonomy of PAs within the healthcare team.
