Hey Beautiful People!
Becoming a Physician Assistant (PA) is more complex than some think. I had to push through so many obstacles before being a P.A. I initially wanted to go to med school like everyone else to become a physician, and that did not work out.
I attempted the MCAT 3 times and did not have the scores needed to get into med school. I had good grades and work experience, but my test-taking skills SUCKED on standardized testing.
I knew I wanted to work in the medical field, but at that time, it was either becoming a nurse or a doctor, and I wanted to be a doctor. Since I didn’t pass the MCAT, I had to determine if I would take this exam for the 4th time and write a letter saying why I should be allowed to sit for the exam or give up.
Fortunately, my best friend Patricia, who is P.A., told me about P.A. School. In 2006 I had NO CLUE what a Physician Assistant was or what they did. I looked it up and thought, “Oh damn, I need to do this.”
Fortunately, she connected me with Jannet, a P.A. she shadowed before enrolling in P.A. School. At that time, I worked full-time in a pharmaceutical company in New Jersey doing project management, and Jannet worked at Bronx Lebanon in Bronx, New York.
I wanted this so bad that I would leave work to drive in rush hour to the Bronx to shadow for 3-4 hours two times per week and occasionally on a Saturday. I wouldn’t get home until 10 or 11 pm at night.
After shadowing Jannet for the 1st time, I was hooked and loved every moment of it. I saw that she could see the patients independently, do procedures, make an assessment and plan, and prescribe medications. She was doing what a doctor does.
I applied to a few schools and was initially accepted into PACE University. However, I declined the acceptance because my grandmother became sick. I decided to take that time to help my mom care for my grandmother and grandfather. Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away, but I was able to spend time with her that I could not get back.
Honestly, everything worked out for a reason. PACE is a great school, but the amount of debt I would have accrued would have been redonkulous! I reapplied while shadowing and was accepted to the City College University of New York, Jannet’s alma mater. The school was less expensive with the same education, and I would work in my own community, helping to decrease the health disparities I saw in the Bronx.
I am not gonna lie that essay writing and prepping for interviews was nerve-racking, and I had no clue what I was doing. Thank GOD for Jannet and Patricia. Without them, I would have been lost in preparing for the medical scenarios and questions they would ask. At that time, we did not have all these YouTube videos at our fingertips (2006).
In my Pre-PA School posts, I will give more information on prepping for P.A. school.
Once I was accepted, I never in a million years would have thought that P.A. school would be so INTENSE. The amount of studying I did was CRAZY.
I literally disappeared from my friends and family for 2.5 years because in the 1st year, I was studying all the time and 2nd year was clinical. The 1st year was the hardest, and it is not like college. I will fill you in more on my During PA School posts.
After I graduated, I worked in Bone Marrow Transplant, Oncology – Gastroenterology and Breast, Primary Care, and now Urgent Care. I have worked in many specialties and learned a lot.
I learned to negotiate salaries, find good companies to work for, work with difficult physicians and patients, and find a work-life balance. In this career, you can make an excellent salary, but having a great quality of life and a great working environment are the key factors to longevity and happiness.
I will give some essential tips in Post PA School posts.
In addition to working full-time, I had the opportunity to return to my alma mater at CCNY to assist with teaching Physical Diagnosis to students. I took this seriously because I wanted to impact the students and show them that they could make it through this intense program no matter their obstacles.
I was candid with them about the work they need to put in, the experiences they will encounter, and the emotional roller coaster they will endure. I could see it firsthand with my best friend Patricia and her friends. Still, I didn’t understand it until I experienced it myself.
P.A. school is not for the faint of heart!
My PA career has allowed me many opportunities that I would not take back. Most people ask, why didn’t t I become a doctor? I could have gone back to pursue an M.D. after graduating from P.A. school.
I am happy and thankful to be a P.A.
I do not regret any decisions or experiences on my journey to becoming a Physician Associate. This career has allowed me to help patients and their families through tough times while allowing me to live my own life.
I have been fortunate to help others pursue their dream of becoming a P.A. as Jannet and Patricia did for me.
