How to Write the Perfect PA School Personal Statement

The Six Hundred Words (or less) that Changed my Life Forever

I applied to five PA schools in 2001. This was in the “prehistoric days of the internet” before the advent of the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA), affordable broadband, and ubiquitous WIFI.

The worst part of not having a central application service (along with a 56k, 8000 baud, dial-up modem) was that you were required to submit your entire application (along with your personal statement) via snail mail to each PA school you were applying to.

This decentralized application process, although tedious, presented an opportunity. If you failed to receive an interview offer, you could request feedback and use this feedback to go back to the drawing board, revise your application (and your personal essay) in your next application attempt.

In my first four application attempts, I used just one version of my essay. It was an essay I felt gave the admissions committee everything they would need to see that I was a stellar applicant. It showed my strengths, brown nosed a bit, and proved that I had the pedigree to be a wonderful healthcare provider.

But, as you will see, it lacked heart, honesty, passion, and most of all. . . grit.

I received my fourth PA school rejection letter as I was completing my application for the University of Medicine and Dentistry (UMDNJ). I was demoralized.

Discouraged and dejected, I sat down at my computer and composed what would become the six hundred words that changed my life forever. I had not read them for over eleven years. . . until this morning.

Two vastly different PA school essays

Until today, I had never taken the time to go back and compare my two PA school application essays. What made the essay I sent to Rutgers (the school I was accepted into) different from my previous four flops?

I will share with you both essays: the one that worked and the one that didn’t. I want you to guess the winner.

Avoid the urge to reveal the answer until you have read both essays. This will help you as you sit down to write your PA school personal statement.

When I applied to the Rutgers PA program in 2001, my cumulative GPA was 0.1 points below the minimum GPA requirement. The fact that they opened my application and offered me an interview was a miracle. Yet, I was admitted just one week after my trip to New Jersey.

During my interview, I met with dozens of 4.0 Ivy leaguers who I assumed all had a leg up on me. Yet, many of them were placed on the waiting list.

I am not trying to gloat, but I want to point out that the essay may be the single most important part of your PA school application. Without a doubt, it is the reason I was accepted to PA school.

My Two PA School Applications Essays: Why Do You Want to Be a PA-C?

Prompt: “In your own words, write a brief statement expressing your motivation or desire to become a physician assistant. Keep your statement general as it is shared with all programs you apply to. Your essay cannot exceed 5,000 characters.”

My PA School Essay #1: Why Do You Want to Be a Physician Assistant?

Every day is a gift to be embraced wholeheartedly. It is our job to fill that day with a hopeful and meaningful purpose. It has been said that “the most important thing in life is to live your life for something more important than your life” William James. It is deeply rooted in this philosophy that I desire to become a physician assistant (PA). I hope to provide quality healthcare to the underprivileged, an area of medicine, which I have noted to be dramatically underserved.

I became involved in health care four years ago to help finance my college education. I worked as a medical record’s clerk in the University of Washington health clinic. In addition to delivering medical records, I assisted the hospital staff in a variety of activities. I loved working with the staff and admired how well they operated as a team. I desired more direct patient care and in January 1998, when a student position opened in the lab, I jumped at the opportunity. In a few weeks, I was drawing blood, interacting with patients, and helping with a variety of technical procedures. I loved what I was doing. The patients were often uneasy when facing a needle for the first time. I was able to comfort them, help them to smile, and ease their nervous tensions. My job required that I work throughout the various University hospitals. This provided an opportunity to work within a variety of settings, and with people of all ages. Whether it was doing morning rounds in labor and delivery or working in the campus health clinic, one thing always remained the same; I found great satisfaction in caring for patients and learning about their needs. I felt a career in medicine was truly for me.

While working at the clinic I discovered the PA profession. I have always enjoyed the complexities of science and have been fascinated by a career in medicine. In pursuit of this goal, I decided to speak with one of the resident doctors in the clinic. She introduced me to the role of Physician Assistant. After that, I immersed myself in research. I was surprised to learn that many people with whom I worked were Physician Assistants. I met with hospital staff, nurse practitioners, Physician Assistants, and physical therapists. I regularly visited the PA at the clinic and admired his significant level of patient interaction and his ability to work both autonomously and alongside other physicians and nurses. I admired the PA program’s flexibility and versatility, which would allow a change of specialties if I desired. I began to focus my attention on becoming a PA. Being an independent thinker, as well as a people-oriented individual; I feel that I am well suited, not just for a career in the medical field, but for a lifetime career as a Physician Assistant.

My PA School Essay #2: Why Do You Want to Be a Physician Assistant?

As a child, every day, I would swing on the swing set in the backyard of my house. I would sit there for hours, without a care in the world simply singing songs and swinging back and forth. On that swing, I felt untouchable. Like a bird in flight, my only cares were that of the sky and the beauty of each adjoining minute. In the swings gentle motion, I was overcome with a sense of peace.

We wake one day and find that the swing no longer exists. Our backyard has been rebuilt and the ground, which had once supported our youth, has been transcended. We search again for the swing, longing to find a resemblance of that peace. We hope to find it each day, as the product of our life and of our career.

A woman smiled at me one day, her name was Margaret. The wrinkles on her face told a story and, in her hands, there played a motion picture. She sat crouched in a wheelchair; I sat on a stool beside her. I had been working as a phlebotomist in the University Clinic for two years. I was a friend of Margaret’s because every Wednesday at six she would arrive at the clinic for her routine blood work. Everybody liked Margaret; she used to tell us stories of her childhood and her husband who had given his life to the war. She had grown especially fond of me because “I had freckles like her grandson.” She used to come alone but had grown weaker; this was the first time her daughter had accompanied her. Her daughter looked tired and spoke softly, “The best vein is in her hand” she explained, “it doesn’t hurt her there.” I gently placed my hand on hers, and it was cold. She looked to me and through the cold touch of her hand poured the warmth of her heart. “It’s about time for dinner don’t you think mom”, said her daughter. The clock rang six and I agreed. “The medicines have been making her sick; she sometimes has troubles keeping her food down.” I looked closely at her face; it was thin and drooped to her chest. I realized that Margaret was unable to speak. “Margaret, can you make a fist for me?” “Just like last time.” She clenched tightly. I withdrew the needle and collected a small sample of blood. She raised her head and with her frail hand, gently placed it on mine. I looked again to her eyes while placing a bandage on her hand. It was warm now. “Time for dinner mom,” replied her daughter. I smiled and waved goodbye “Margaret, I will see you again next week.” She raised her head and smiled. Without a word, she made perfect sense. I never saw Margaret again.

In the memory of Margaret and every patient who has individually touched my every day, I have regained a piece of the backyard swing that I loved so much as a child. I have been directly involved in health care for four years. Every day has brought immense joy. To be a part of a person’s day is a wonderful blessing. Certainly, there are many pleasures in life. But, for me, none is greater than that which we find in the healing touch of another. As the eternal motion of the swing, it is in this that I find great peace.

Which essay is the one that got me an acceptance letter?

Click here to reveal the answer.

I will give you a hint — one of these essays is written from the heart, the other is full of clichés, lacks specificity, has no theme, has a boring introduction and a weak conclusion!

Final Thoughts

As you sit down to write your PA school application essay, remember these two PA school essay examples.

In life, rarely does the prize go to those who try to blend in with the crowd. Your PA School application essay should be different, reflect who you truly are, and not pander to what you think other people want to hear. This is a rule of thumb not just for your essay and for applying to PA school but for life in general.

As you write your PA school essay, dig deep, don’t hold back, have belief in your words. Set your mind aside and try to find that place inside your head where your heart resides. This is where you will separate yourself from the crowd. This is where your journey to PA both begins and ends!

Lastly

Are you struggling to write your physician assistant personal statement? Are you dreading a second, third or fourth application cycle?”

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