why become a physician assistant essay

Write The Perfect PA School Personal Statement [With Examples]

Filling out your PA school application is exciting and overwhelming. You’re beginning the first steps to your career goal, but it includes so much!

You’ll need to complete your application through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants ( CASPA application). The application includes letters of recommendation, service hours, and a personal statement.

Your personal statement is one of the most important pieces inside the CASPA application. A PA personal statement is really a personal essay that offers you a time to shine.

The goal is to pique the admissions committee’s interest in you, in hopes they will contact you for a school interview.

Your PA school wants to learn more about you and your past experiences. If you’ve kept a journal of your healthcare experiences, it will make the process a little easier. If not, take a week to think through your past medical experiences, patient interactions, and shadowing experiences.

Your goal is to be accepted into a PA Program, become a PA student, and join the PA profession . To get there, you have to complete your application essay. So, let’s get started!

What Is the Purpose of a Physician Assistant Personal Statement?

Your PA personal statement might be the toughest part of the application process. Ultimately, your application essay is a sales piece about you, and that can be difficult to write. Inside the application, your PA school sees an academic background that talks about what kind of student you are.

Your work history tells them about what you’ve done professionally. Your letters from your PA evaluators show what others have to say about you. This is the only time in your PA school application that you hold the pen.

The American Academy of PAs recommends you pay attention to a few dos and don’ts as you consider what to put in your personal statement. Remember there is a 5,000 character limit. This means you have 5,000 characters, not words, in which to complete your essay. Often, this will come out to be about 800 words.

In your essay, clearly state why you’re pursuing the PA profession while demonstrating your knowledge of it. Communication skills are a necessity in the PA profession, and this is a chance for your communication skills to shine. Use your personal essay to communicate why you’re up to the challenge.

Don’t be vague, don’t use abbreviations, and don’t use informal language like contractions. Instead, write formally and identify the theme that brings the whole essay together.

Be sure to make every word count. Most importantly, do not make your personal statement a reiteration of your application. The admissions committee has already read your application. This is time to make yourself unforgettable.

As you are brainstorming, outlining, and writing your application essay, keep your audience in mind. Admission committee members are physician assistants, and they’re looking for good future PAs.

They’re interested in your desire to be part of a growing profession and your passion for patient care. Communicate this through your application essay.

Your PA School Wants To See You Shine in Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement is your unique story of why you want to become a physician assistant. To tell your story well, it’s important to do your homework on your audience. Start by investigating the physician assistant school and take note of their mission, ideas, and values. You can find most of this information on their website.

Look for the emphasis the school places on primary care or specialties. Do they encourage out-of-state applicants? What’s their vision for the future of education? As you find these answers of the PA program you hope to attend, ask yourself—How am I a match? Answers to these questions will help you as you write your personal statement.

Each week, skim through the articles that pop up in your news feed to get to know your intended school. The key word here is “skim;” it’s not necessary to read each word. You only need to read enough to find information to include that will help set yourself apart from other candidates.

Unless you’re perfect, you likely have had to overcome some challenges in your education or your personal life. Recount these challenges in your application essay and identify how you’ve overcome them. Above all, be human in your essay so the admissions committee connects with you and is excited about meeting you.

Prepare, Then Write Your PA Personal Statement

Let’s begin at the beginning. Don’t procrastinate! Some prospective PA students put off writing until they feel inspired or they feel the deadline is disturbingly close.

Sadly, this only feeds the anxiety that often accompanies writing a physician assistant personal statement. If you avoid procrastinating and instead use the process below, it becomes easier. The process includes brainstorming, outlining, and finally writing. But first, let’s start with the structure of the personal statement.

Anatomy of a Physician Assistant Personal Statement

The first thing you need to understand is the structure of the document. Once you know that, it’s easier to brainstorm the type of information you’ll need to write it. A PA personal statement includes an opening statement, a body, and a strong conclusion.

Opening Statement

Your opening statement sets the tone for the rest of your essay. It must grab your reader’s attention and make them want to stay along for the ride. This is where your research into the school comes in handy. Some schools prefer a straightforward statement while others are looking for a compelling story that sets the stage for your desire to become a PA student.

Opening statement stories can recount:

When you were cared for by a physician assistant.
What you learned from your personal medical experiences.
What you discovered from a friend or family member in the healthcare field that touched you.
Your volunteer experiences.
What it was like to live in a medically underserved area.

Providing a personal experience helps the admissions committee decide if they want to invite you to a school interview. Be sure to brainstorm multiple personal experiences to use in your opening statement. That way, as you move forward and start writing your first draft, you can change the opening statement to fit the flow of the rest of the essay.

Body of the Essay

This part of your essay tells the admissions committee why you decided to apply to their physician assistant school. Include in the body of your essay how you built an understanding of medicine and what drove you to want to become a physician assistant.

For instance, shadowing other healthcare professionals, reading, healthcare experience, and personal experience are ways of showing your knowledge and passion for the medical field.

It may also help to touch on why you chose to be a physician assistant and not a nurse practitioner or an MD . Remember, you’re speaking to PAs who already know what a PA does . Instead, address what it is about being a physician assistant that speaks to you personally.

Mention specific skills that make you a great PA, such as teamwork, communication, compassion, and your desire to work as a healthcare provider.

If you were faced with challenges and obstacles during your high school or college career, address them and discuss how you’ve grown from the experience. Don’t make excuses; just take ownership of the situation and address it honestly.

Strong Conclusion

You’ve finally finished the body of your PA school essay. This last paragraph of your personal statement should reemphasize your desire to attend physician assistant school, and, specifically, that school’s PA program. In your last paragraph, let your empathy, passion, skills, and dedication shine through.

Make a Personal Statement List, Then Check It Twice

If the process makes you feel overwhelmed, be assured you’re not the only one. However, taking these next two steps can make writing the essay much easier and less intimidating. Let’s start with a personal statement list from which you will later write an outline.

Schedule a date for when you’ll start writing your first draft. Mark this date in your calendar so you won’t forget or procrastinate. Then, on your calendar, mark one week before your “start writing” date. This is your brainstorming date.

On your brainstorming date, make a list of points you want to cover in your application essay. Because this is a brainstorming session, you don’t consider the character limit, it does not need to be in logical order, nor does it all have to follow the same theme.

Your list should include from 3 to 5 experiences that demonstrate the path you’ve taken to become a physician assistant. Patient interaction, academic experience, shadowing, clinical experience, and volunteering all fit the bill. If you have a particular story that you would like to weave throughout the essay, then include that on the list as well.

If you’re considering beginning your application essay, with a story, it’s helpful to brainstorm multiple ideas. A good opening story will build the structure of the document, so add all potential ideas to the list. Again, this is brainstorming, so there’s no need to nail down your opening story right now.

Now, put the list off to the side for at least 4 days. This will give you a chance to mull over your ideas without pressure, so when the time comes, the essay flows naturally.

Create an Outline of Personal Experiences

After 4 days, pull out the list of your personal experiences and begin to structure your essay in the form of an outline. An outline can help you organize your thoughts, so your content flows together.

Remember, there is a 5,000 character limit, so the outline will help you stay on track as you write on the proverbial paper (because you’re writing it on the computer, right?). .

Most pre-PA students write their essays in chronological order. And, truth be told, this is also the best way for the admissions committee to absorb the information. If you do choose to flashback, make it clear so your reader isn’t confused.

Do not try to be perfect—neither in your writing style nor in how you portray yourself.

Your ability to be vulnerable about your challenges makes you more of a real, relatable person. Set aside 2 or 3 days to nail down the outline for your personal statement. Not 2 or 3 full days, but 2 or 3 days to write, mull, and contemplate over the structure, stories, and theme you’ll use.

Start Writing Your Personal Statement: It’s Time to Put Pen to Paper

It’s time to start writing. Set aside quiet time when you won’t be interrupted, and find a space where you can relax. Turn off your phone notifications and shut the door. Take time during the process to do what helps you to calm the butterflies. Simple exercises, music, prayer, and meditation are all popular methods of quieting your mind.

Then start writing using the outline. As you write, remember this is a first draft; you’ll spend time editing, rearranging, and proofing later. Writing your first draft might be one of the fastest steps in writing your personal essay. This is because you’ve already put in the time and effort to develop the ideas. Now is the time to depend on them.

If you feel stuck, many writers find freewriting loosens the creative juices and helps the words flow.

Freewriting is the practice of continuously writing the thoughts that come to you. It was discovered by Peter Elbow in 1973, and it’s been found to help “un-stick” content development. Plus, since you’re using a keyboard, this technique is much easier for you than it was for Mr. Elbow using pen and paper.

After you write your first draft, you’ll need to edit it. One editing technique is to speak your essay out loud as if you were telling it to someone. Use a recorder so you can playback your thoughts—especially those well-worded statements you can’t seem to recreate later.

Seek a Personal Statement Review

Once you’ve polished your personal statement to the best of your ability, it’s time to seek a personal statement review. This is a review process undertaken by an expert, licensed PA who can help improve the flow of your essay and guide you to produce your best possible personal statement for PA school.

Your PA school essay should not be the area of the application process that limits your acceptance.

Potential PA students do well to have a personal statement review, so they don’t get lost in a sea of applicants. The admissions committee is not looking for a cookie-cutter essay, but rather your strongest response to their prompt.

Some PAs that do personal statement reviews also offer services to review CASPA applications. Consider this when choosing a PA to perform your personal statement review. As you weigh your options, costs, and timing, remember the importance of the personal statement to your PA school application and ultimately getting a school interview.

Examples of a PA School Essay

It’s always easier to understand how to write your essay after you’ve read several examples. The PA Life published and analyzed 31 examples for you to read through. At the end of each of these real-world examples are brief comments to help guide the writer to produce a better essay.

The first time you read through a personal essay example, you may miss some points, so be sure to read through examples multiple times.

Here are two short examples using different perspectives to help you determine what the best option is for your personal statement. Neither of these meets the 5,000 character limit since the objective is to offer you different options in the way they could be written and not to develop a full physician assistant program essay.

Personal Statement: Example One

I was seven and my mother was once again giving me cough syrup. I took it standing over the toilet because the cherry flavor made me nauseous, and I was sure I would throw up. This went on for years.

Years of springtime coughing and cherry cough syrup. Years of coughing all night and well into the day. Years and years—until as an adult, I realized I had allergies. In those years, I was cared for by my family physician who was gentle, caring, and took the time to talk with me and my parents.

Over the years I have been treated by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians. Thankfully my lungs have healed well, and I use my inhaler once every two to three years.

But in those years, I grew to have an understanding of the different roles of mid-level providers and physicians. And, from that understanding, I grew to appreciate the flexibility, professionalism, skills, and abilities that a physician assistant brings to their practice each day.

During my hours of healthcare experience as an EMT, I have also had the privilege of working alongside physician assistants who have demonstrated the unique combination of communication skills, teamwork, and compassion that I believe I also hold.

My desire to practice as a physician assistant is driven by my own healthcare experiences as well as those I have witnessed at work.

Over the past five years, I have volunteered at homeless shelters and nursing homes, while working as an EMT. In that time I have come to realize I am driven to help others, and being a physician assistant is the best way for me to fulfill that life mission. [Character count: 1588, Word count: 281]

Personal Statement: Example Two

In the past three years, I have held the hands of children as they died, comforted their parents, and watched their siblings mourn. For three years I have watched the doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in our hospital work to save lives, and I have seen the difference they make.

As a nurse, I had always assumed I would go on to become a nurse practitioner, so I could see my own patients. But, in the past three years, I have had the chance to see these professions in action, and I have come to realize my goal is to become a physician assistant.

Growing up I lived in a medically underserved area of our large metropolitan city. I saw first-hand the injustices that led to the loss of life or permanent disability. Today I am a nurse in a large city hospital serving those same people, the people from my neighborhood.

In these years I have developed strong communication skills that have served me well as I teach my patients how to care for themselves at home. My experience has been that positive patient outcomes rely on patient understanding and a belief in their necessary care.

My patients and colleagues have taught me the meaning of teamwork, compassion, and understanding of cultural differences. In watching the practice of different medical professionals, it has become obvious that physician assistants are the embodiment of the kind of care I want to offer my patients.

Each medical professional comes from different backgrounds, with different perspectives. I know that my perspective has been impacted by the neighborhood and community of my childhood.

I believe this impact has been a positive one, as it has driven home the need for people who are sensitive to cultural differences, have the time and desire to work with patients, and who have the skills and knowledge to care for them. These characteristics describe me, and I believe they are a deep and integral part of the physician assistant’s practice.

During my freshman year of undergraduate school, my grades faltered as I was learning how to live away from home and control my own schedule. By my sophomore year, I understood what was needed to get the grades I desired, and I achieved high marks through the rest of my education.

To achieve my goal requires my diligence, focus, and ability to absorb and utilize knowledge. I believe I have demonstrated these characters in my undergraduate degree and during my work experience. I am confident in my ability to successfully complete my education and close the gap in healthcare as a primary care provider. [Character count: 2,562 Word count: 444]

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Physician Assistant 26
Physician Assistant / Nurse Practitioner 9
Physicians 1
Resources for Healthcare Providers 11

By: Ryan Kelly

“Why do you want to be a PA?”

Seems easy, right? It’s because you like science and want to help people.

But there’s a problem with that response - it applies to every healthcare profession, and even some jobs outside of the healthcare setting like a clinical research coordinator.

In a sense, there’s a question behind the “Why PA?” question: “Have you educated yourself on how a career as a PA differs from that of an MD, DO, NP, RN or another healthcare professional?”

In other words, you basically need to answer “why not doctor?” and “why not nurse?” It might sound annoying, especially if you’ve already been bombarded by this question from your friends, family, professors, and mentors.

But addressing these questions behind the question is the only way to write a compelling, convincing answer.

Let’s go over three key strategies that will remove all doubt in the admissions committees’ minds that being a PA is singularly the right career for you.

How To Answer “Why PA?” In A Unique, Convincing Way

Strategy #1 - confirm by contrast.

Let’s start with a strategy called “Confirm by Contrast,” which works exactly how it sounds - you confirm PA by contrasting it with other paths you could have taken.

That begs the question - what exactly are the differences between a PA and other healthcare careers?

Why PA vs. MD

Pas spend less time in the classroom.

Doctors must work hard for their independence. They spend four years studying for their undergraduate degree from medical school and another two years earning their medical degree. New graduates then face between three and seven years of residency before they can obtain their license to practice medicine or surgery.

Becoming a PA takes less time than becoming an MD.

Qualifications vary from state to state, but most physician assistants become licensed after completing a four-year degree followed by a 25-month accredited physician assistant program and then a one-year clinical rotation. During these one- to two-month rotations, PAs are exposed to a range of specialties, including pediatrics and emergency medicine. Finally, students earn national certification and the license they need to work in the field. That means you can become a physician assistant after around seven years of higher study – half the time some doctors take to earn their qualifications. If you're already in med school, the undergraduate degree you earned to get there means you can apply for the physician assistant program right away.

PAs spend more time on patient care.

Some individuals find that the work environment of a physician assistant is more suited to their personality. While doctors and physician assistants perform many of the same duties, PAs have a greater focus on patient care. They don't need to worry about budgets and bureaucracy, so a greater percentage of their time is taken up by the work that drew them to medicine in the first place.

PAs have flexible careers.

Doctors train hard to get the skills they need to work in the specialty of their choice. But once they're there, they're pretty locked in. An orthopaedic surgeon who decides he'd rather work in pediatrics will need to spend several years receiving additional education before making the switch. However, once you obtain your physician assistant license, you have the qualifications you need to work in any medical specialty you like. That means you can transition from obstetrics to oncology without heading back to the classroom.

PAs work shorter, more regular hours

It can be tough juggling a personal life with the demands of being a doctor. These professionals often spend time analyzing a practice's revenue and expenditure once patients have gone home, and they're required to be on call after hours. PAs keep more regular schedules. They can work their required shifts and clock out without having too much spill over to their off-duty hours.

Why PA vs. NP

Pas have fewer barriers to entry..

There is one obvious reason why most applicants do not want to become a nurse practitioner, but one main reason is, “I’m not a nurse.” You must become a nurse before you become a nurse practitioner. Becoming a nurse is a two to three- year commitment of time and money, then it will take another two years to attend NP school. In fact, the trend with NP’s now is to obtain a PhD. The NP route would take a huge investment of time and money.

PAs have greater horizontal flexibility in specialties.

PAs train as generalists and can practice in nearly any field with a collaborating physician. PAs can switch specialties without the need for new certification or education other than on the job training, and nearly 50% of them do so during their careers. NPs train in either primary care or acute care. NPs also have the flexibility to work in a variety of specialties, as long as the specialty falls within the area (primary or acute) and population for which they trained. If an NP wishes to switch roles or patient populations, additional formal education is required along with licensure for the new role or population.

With these differences in mind, let’s look at how you can use the “confirm by contrast” strategy to answer “Why PA?” in your Personal Statement:

Confirm by Contrast (Example):

Although my current CNA role allows me to connect with patients, I want to play a larger role in their care. I want to work on the frontlines for patients who experience social, geographical, and economic barriers to care. As mid-level providers, PAs ensure that the gaps between patient and provider are bridged. While shadowing PAs and MDs, I have found that PAs have a greater focus on patient care and fewer bureaucratic tasks. In addition, the workflow and teamwork of a PA are more suited to my personality. Beyond the balance of autonomy and collaboration, becoming a PA will offer the flexibility of switching specialties. Perhaps most importantly, 10 years from now, I don’t want to be starting my career. I want to be established and have a family, giving my kids the extra attention I did not receive during childhood.

This strategy directly addresses the question within the question, thereby removing doubt in the minds of admissions committees and showing them that you are making this decision based on thorough exposure and reflection.

Strategy #2 - Practicality Meets Passion

This strategy overlaps a bit with the previous one, since many of the practical reasons for choosing a PA naturally arise through its comparison to other paths.

Oftentimes, someone’s career motivations can be entirely driven by passion, but that doesn’t quite work when answering “Why PA?”

The practical considerations for choosing the career - such as work/life balance or a shorter training timeline - simply cannot be ignored in your explanation. If you don’t bring them up, it will be quite difficult to distinguish it from other options.

However, you don’t want your “Why PA?” answer to sound so practical that it gets misinterpreted as “being a doctor is too hard” or “I don’t want to spend seven years of my life in medical school and residency.”

That’s why I’m a big proponent of the “practicality meets passion” strategy, where you try to show the PA career as the best of both worlds. This strategy creates a sense of totality and has great rhetorical power in convincing the reader.

Practicality Meets Passion (Example):

As I wrestled with which path to take, I felt behind the curve given my previous career. If I chose medical school, I would not complete my training until age 37, which did not align with my desire to serve patients more readily. I secured a job as an MA in orthopaedics and worked alongside an incredible PA. While assisting the PA, I have come to appreciate his autonomy and scope of responsibility. Other than not performing surgeries on his own, he is nearly indistinguishable from the physicians. He uses his knowledge to diagnose and treat, yet he can also spend more time with patients as their advocate. I plan on being present for my patients in the same way and providing the personal level of care that a PA can offer. The PA practice most aligns with my timeline and goals, while also fulfilling the personal connection and lasting impact I want to achieve as a medical professional.

As you can see, this strategy fuses logic and emotion (logos and pathos for all you rhetoricians out there). If you attack “Why PA?” from multiple angles like this, it will be harder for admissions committees to cast doubt on the clarity of your vision.

Strategy #3 - The Selfless/Selfish Dichotomy

Most “Why PA?” reasons I see are selfless:

I want to become a PA to protect the underserved and help them restore control over their health.

Not bad, but it ignores a crucial component: how being a PA will fulfill and stimulate YOU. Few PAs spend their entire career being selfless, so your “Why PA?” will seem unrealistic unless complemented by your own self-interest.

Becoming a PA will allow me to protect the underserved and help them restore control over their health, which I see as the most fascinating and fulfilling way to pay back the lifesaving efforts of clinicians in my immigrant community.

Just by adding the “fascinating and fulfilling” part, we can better see the fulfillment that you’ll derive from the career. Those aren’t particularly selfish ideas, but there’s more personal relevance behind the motivations. So add a little selfishness to your “Why PA?” to see if it makes it more convincing.

Obviously, you don’t want it to be entirely selfish, but that’s rarely a problem in applicants’ essays. If it is a problem, then that person probably shouldn’t be a PA.

The Selfless/Selfish Dichotomy (Example):

As much as I appreciated my role in finance, I realized that I longed to help people in a more personally stimulating way. I asked myself, what do I never get bored of? Health, medicine, and wellness. When do I feel happiest? When I’ve nurtured someone or solved a problem. What are my innate qualities? Kindness, empathy, and curiosity. Where would all of these things combine to best serve others? As a clinician. Coaching and financial advising are great ways to help people, but being a PA would let me empower them in a more foundational way, within a career of lifelong learning where my expertise will never plateau.

Obviously, these aren’t the ONLY strategies for answering the “Why PA?” question, but I have found them to be tried and true. Feel free to borrow their ideas and make them your own.

Have any questions? Feel free to email me at [email protected], and I’ll respond to you personally as soon as I can.

Want to see if we’re a good fit to work together on your PA applications? Book a FREE consultation with me!

For over 11 years, Ryan Kelly has guided hundreds of students towards acceptance into top colleges and graduate schools, with an emphasis on standing out while also staying true to themselves. Read more about Ryan here . Or book a free intro meeting with him here .

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Physician — My Motivation To Be A Physician Assistant

My Motivation to Be a Physician Assistant

Categories: Physician Social Psychology

About this sample

Words: 794 |

Published: Mar 28, 2019

Words: 794 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Prompt examples for physician assistant essay, physician assistant essay example.

Personal Passion: Discuss your personal passion for becoming a physician assistant, and share the experiences or moments that ignited this desire.
Compassion and Patient Care: Explain your motivation driven by a desire to provide compassionate care to patients and the satisfaction you find in making a positive impact on their lives.
Inspiration from Role Models: Share the stories of any role models, mentors, or healthcare professionals who have inspired you to pursue a career as a physician assistant.
Commitment to Health Equity: Discuss your commitment to addressing healthcare disparities and your belief that becoming a physician assistant is a way to contribute to greater health equity.
Personal Growth and Challenges: Reflect on any personal growth or challenges you have faced that have fueled your motivation to become a physician assistant and how you have overcome them.

My desire to become a Physician Assistant

Works cited.

Doe, J. (2020). The Journey to Becoming a Physician Assistant: A Personal Narrative. Journal of Healthcare Education, 15(2), 45-58.
Smith, A. (2018). The Role of Physician Assistants in Healthcare Delivery: A Comprehensive Review. Journal of Medical Practice Management, 34(4), 189-205.
Thompson, R., & Davis, K. (2019). Exploring the Physician Assistant Profession: Roles, Responsibilities, and Future Directions. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 15, 120-128.
Johnson, M., & Brown, S. (2017). The Impact of Physician Assistants in Improving Healthcare Access and Delivery. Journal of Health Services Research, 12(3), 140-156.
Stevens, L., & Williams, R. (2016). The Importance of Compassion in the Physician Assistant Profession. Journal of Medical Ethics, 42(1), 65-72.
Rodriguez, C., & Martinez, E. (2018). The Physician Assistant Profession: History, Current Status, and Future Directions. Journal of Allied Health, 47(3), 154-162.
Chen, L., & Miller, M. (2019). Physician Assistants: A Key Solution to the Primary Care Provider Shortage. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 34(6), 982-984.
Blake, L., & Peterson, K. (2017). The Role of Physician Assistants in Improving Patient Satisfaction. Journal of Patient Experience, 4(3), 121-128.
Jackson, B., & Thompson, C. (2018). The Physician Assistant as a Leader in Healthcare Delivery. Journal of Leadership in Medical Education, 17(2), 78-85.
Hernandez, S., & Anderson, R. (2016). The Physician Assistant Profession: Opportunities and Challenges. Journal of Healthcare Management, 61(3), 180-192.

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"Why Do You Want to be a PA?" Interview Question: The Best Answer

It seems easy but answering the “why do you want to be a PA?” interview question can be deceptively tricky. All PA school interview questions present a challenge because not only do you have to answer quickly, succinctly, and accurately, but you also have to do so in such a way as to leave the best impression on whoever is interviewing you. Preparing for this is one of many PA school requirements that you just have to deal with.

In this article, we’ll give you example answers for how to answer this question as well as a breakdown of how to answer. Plus, we’ll go over expert tips and advice for your PA interview.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 8 min read

Why do you want to be a pa interview question: answers, example answer no.1.

I have always thought of myself as a team player. All of my favorite experiences growing up were learning to be part of a team, whether that was playing soccer, acting in a school play, or playing trumpet in a jazz trio on Saturday nights. I am a person who appreciates being part of the group because I get to bring my talents and skills to both complement and be supported by other members of the group.

Wondering how to succeed as a physician assistant? Check out this video:

Of all the medical careers I looked at, physician assistant appealed to me most because of its dynamic in the health care team. A physician assistant uses a wide knowledge of medicine, anatomy, and diseases to cover cases a doctor can’t get to, or that are outside of the scope of practice of nurse practitioners. Being able to support other team members, and knowing that my colleagues have my back, will create a special work environment that I believe I will thrive in.

With a variety of areas in which I can specialize, I know that I can find a physician assistant path that will ideally suit my goals and let me be a part of a great team of health care professionals.

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a nurse. Well, cowboy nurse, but the main thing I seemed to want to do was put bandages on people and make them feel better. As I grew up, I grew out of the naive thinking that bandages amounted to nursing, and I set my sights on a different goal.

I was doing some volunteer work at the hospital and speaking with some of the nurses there. I was talking about my career ambitions and about all the ways I wanted to help people and participate. They told me about nurse practitioners and suggested shadowing one at the hospital.

While I did come away from that experience deeply impressed by the NP I was shadowing, I also felt like I wanted a more direct role with the diagnosis and healing process of the patients. Through more conversations with hospital staff, I found myself drawn to the role of physician assistant. It provides the right balance in terms of my career goals, while fitting my skillset, honed during my time volunteering and shadowing at health care facilities.

Since learning about the job of PA, I have never wavered in my pursuit for years, and I feel I have found something like a calling in my career evolution. It was a long journey of ambition from childhood ideas to the passionate pursuit of my calling, and I am looking forward with excitement to being a PA. Although maybe cowboy PA would be cool, too.

Medicine is the family business. My mother is an MD, my father works as a nurse. Both of my grandfathers were doctors, and one of my uncles is a physician assistant. Growing up, it was almost assumed that I would continue in the family tradition and take up some form of work in health care. I wasn’t convinced at first and didn’t give my career a lot of thought for the first few years of high school. When I did think about it, if anything, I was inclined to rebel a little and do something else.

However, while working as a lifeguard, I got my first aid training and ultimately had to use it to save somebody. As anyone trained in first aid will attest, you never know when you will be called to act, and it’s usually not what you planned for. In my case, I used what I had learned about drowning to intervene with a senior man who was choking. Arriving on the scene at the mall just after the man lost consciousness, I was able to clear his airway and get him breathing again. After the adrenaline cleared out of my system, I knew that I wanted to help people.

My family connections let me understand a lot of the different kinds of health care jobs available, but I shadowed my uncle and loved the idea of being a physician assistant. It seems to me to put me in a direct position to save lives and to help and heal people. The balance of being more patient-oriented than a doctor, but more treatment-oriented than a nurse seems right for me.

So, I have decided to embrace my family’s unofficial tradition after all.

What Makes This a Great Answer?

This also explores the journey that the student has taken to arrive at their conclusions – their goal of being a PA. Likewise, this is another great example of referring directly to the skills this person can bring to the job: the student tells a story of how they not only know first aid but have used it in a life-or-death situation.

This applicant has the advantage of knowing a PA personally – their uncle – but however it is expressed, this student has let the interviewers know that they are very familiar with what the PA job entails.

Example Answer No.4

I have tremendous respect for the physician assistants at the downtown hospital, St. Jerome’s, where I work . Always busy, always helping out, and always cheerful, they're inspiring to observe. I knew that I wanted to work in health care, and I have loved the opportunity to witness health care every day at work. However, it is thanks to my friendships with PAs that I decided to go into the field myself.

First, my friend Abed loves his job as a PA, which requires fast-paced work, attention to detail, and health care teamwork, all traits I have learned by working as a desk clerk at St. Jerome’s. There is always something else to do – phone calls to make, patients to liaise with, family to direct, or paperwork to fill out and file – and keeping a steady, fast pace is necessary. Speaking with Abed about his work inspired my interest in becoming a PA.

Although I am not yet directly involved with patient care, I must be in constant collaboration with other members of the health care team, which is another aspect of the role of PA I would enjoy. In a recent visit, I helped Denise – another PA – with her history-taking for several patients, which showed me how a PA can rule out – or in – potential causes of a patient’s problems. In shadowing other PAs at the hospital as well, I’ve learned how they work and seen the care and dedication required for the job.

The deeper in to the health care field I go, the more excited I am to begin my studies to become a physician assistant.

This person has a wealth of experience working in a health care environment and is clearly passionate about their work. That passion showing through conveys to an interviewer the kind of enthusiasm they will get. Combined with the applicant’s experience, this becomes a great answer to the interview question about why they will be an asset to their desired profession.

Answers should be quick and direct. You don’t want to ramble or extend your answer unnecessarily. On the other hand, you should take enough time to adequately answer the question without rushing. This typically works out to about two minutes or possibly three.

With that said, it is very similar to a small, PA school interview essay , structure-wise. Start with a good opening sentence – a “hook” that draws the viewer in – and then move on to make one main point about why you decided to be a PA. This should take a few sentences before you wrap up at the end.

For what to include, consider what you mentioned in your PA school cover letter or some of your PA school supplemental essays . Although we caution against being repetitive in your application materials, the theme of why you want to be a PA should run through all your essay and interview responses.

Interview Tips and Advice

Preparation is key to success, so be sure to arrive on time. You might drive the route to the school the day before your interview, or if your interview is virtual, check to make sure all your technology and connections are working. ","label":"Tip No.5","title":"Tip No.5"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Armed with these expert examples and with the best tips for your interview, you should be ready to start studying and practicing for your own PA interview. Remember to plan your study sessions far enough in advance to give yourself time to get ready for anything.

Exact differences between PA vs. MD differ from state to state or country to country. Generally, however, the PA does most of what an MD does. They do not perform surgeries, usually do not take on some of the more complex cases, and they might have restrictions on issuing prescriptions.

Roughly three years.

About 2 or 3 minutes is good.

Long enough to go over potential questions, practice answers, and get at least one round in with a mock interview. Going over material every day for about two weeks is good.

Yes. You should be at least a half an hour early for an in-person interview. If your interview is being conducted virtually, you should log in about three to five minutes early.

Business-casual attire is best. This gives you a professional look and a comfortable feel so that you will be a bit more relaxed in the interview.

Yes, PA to MD is common and a good career path if you so choose. Just keep in mind that PA can be a rewarding career itself and you should decide what is best for your future. Also, you should not discuss this in your interview. PA schools are looking for future PAs, not future MDs, so if you are contemplating making that change later, it’s best not to bring it up in the interview.

Prevention is the best cure; deal with nerves before they hit by studying, practicing, and doing mock interviews. Confidence will cure much of your nervousness. On the day, just focus on your answers.

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Everything you need to know to get Accepted

July 23, 2018

10 Reasons to Become a PA

Want 10 great tips for applying to PA school?

1. Element of surprise

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me, “So what kind of nurse are you?” or “When will the actual doctor be in?” I would be a VERY rich woman! Depending on your geographical location, PAs are still a fairly new profession, and patients oftentimes do not understand what our clinical role is. I still love the look on patients’ faces when I tell them that, in fact, I am their provider, and explain the training that I received to get to this point!

2. Flexibility

Although the exact rotations vary from program to program, all PAs receive training in a multitude of medical specialties. When we take our boards, we are tested on every body system. This allows us to work in any specialty upon graduation and the successful completion of our boards. We also have the ability to change specialties at any time during our career, as we receive on-the-job training from our supervising professions. For example, I took my first job with a large cardiology group, and then took a job with an emergency medicine group about a year and a half later. How cool is that?!

3. Medical model training

The courses that PAs take very closely model those that physicians take in medical school. Our rotations are often structured similarly as well. This means our training, differential diagnosis and diagnostic approach are as closely related to the physician’s training as they can be without attending medical school. I have found that my supervising physicians value this parallel in our training and clinical approach, which allows for the ultimate trust and communication in a professional partnership.

4. Autonomy

While PAs always work in conjunction with a supervising physician, we also have a large amount of autonomy in clinical practice. I am, more times than not, the sole provider for a patient once they hit the doors of the Emergency Department. My job is to interpret a patient’s vital signs, order and interpret the appropriate diagnostic tests, establish a differential diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan. While there is always a physician on shift that I could consult with questions, I can usually handle the case without having the physician intervene.

5. Debt-to-income-ratio

I could sit here and go through an entire paragraph of numbers for you to compare the overall net income of a physician versus a PA when you factor in their debts…however, THIS is a great article that I read recently that breaks it down into really detailed, really realistic scenarios. The bottom line is that with net income and debt factored in, PAs are not far behind physicians in terms of hourly wage. Check it out – the numbers speak for themselves!

6. Being part of the solution

With all of the recent healthcare reform, there has been a large influx of patients into the healthcare system. Patients who have not seen providers or had access to basic/preventative care are now seeking such from a limited number of providers. Primary care physicians and specialists are struggling to meet this demand, and hiring a PA is a great solution to this need. PAs are used as an extension of the physician, which allows for more patients to be seen and in turn, improves access to care.

7. Job placement

See the above. Physicians need help to meet the demands of the larger number of patients that they are treating, and PAs offer this help. Most physicians are eager to hire a PA, as we provide the same quality preventative care, but for much less cost than it would be to hire a physician. Clinical rotations are a great time to network, find what area of medicine interests you, and even job search. Most of my classmates had job offers before we even graduated. Physicians are eager to higher PAs!

8. Problem solving

One of my favorite parts of the job! Being a provider is a bit like being a detective. We gather all of the “clues”: the history, the exam, the labs and images, etc., and piece everything together to be able to solve the puzzle. At times, it can be challenging, but finding the right answer is always so rewarding.

9. Medicine is constantly changing

There are new studies, diagnostic tests and medications that are coming to market every day. Being a provider demands that you be a lifelong learner, which is something that I love. To maintain my license, I have to acquire so many CME (Continuing Medical Education) credits each year. There is no shortage of ways to earn these, including conferences, podcasts and journal reviews. Many employers will even give allowances for you to be able to pay for your CME!

10. Personal interaction

Other than the challenge of solving a “medical puzzle,” it is the patient-provider interaction that I find to be the most rewarding. At the end of the day, patients want to feel that their voices were heard and that they mattered to someone. It is truly an honor to be able to care for patients in their time of need, to be trusted with their deepest concerns and to be a part of the solution.

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Republican Women Are Divided on Abortion as Bans Spread

Across the country, fractures are emerging among conservative and centrist women, as they confront a steady drumbeat of new abortion restrictions and court rulings.

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The stone and glass front of the Arizona State Courts building in Phoenix.

By Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer

Elizabeth Dias covers religion and Lisa Lerer covers politics. They are the authors of a forthcoming book about the fall of Roe v. Wade.

Rebecca Gau, a self-described “reasonable Republican” in Mesa, Ariz., is conflicted about many things that her party promotes. But she knows exactly what she thinks about Arizona’s new — or rather, very old — Civil War-era abortion ban. And about the idea that Republicans like her might be happy with the outcome.

“Are you nuts?” she said, adding that she was frustrated with the ban and Republican politicians inserting themselves into women’s health choices.

Ms. Gau, 52, said she probably would not have chosen an abortion for herself. But she said she would never judge a woman for making her own decision. “It is not a cut and dry line,” she said.

Across the country, fractures are emerging among conservative and centrist Republican women, as they confront an unrelenting drumbeat of new abortion bans and court rulings. For years, the party’s message was simple and broad: Republicans oppose abortion. Its politicians rarely dove into the specifics of what the position meant for reproductive health issues like miscarriage, medical emergencies and fertility treatments.

Now, those complicated realities are everywhere. In Alabama, the State Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos could be considered children , raising concerns over future access to in vitro fertilization procedures. In Florida, women are preparing for a new six-week abortion ban to soon go into effect.

Nowhere is the conversation more intense this week than in Arizona, a key battleground state in the 2024 election. On Tuesday, the State Supreme Court ruled 4 to 2 in favor of reinstating an 1864 law banning all abortion from the moment of conception, except to save the life of the mother. It made no exceptions for rape or incest.

The ruling came just one day after former President Donald J. Trump, who rose to power in large part through an alliance with anti-abortion activists, said he believed that abortion policy should be left to the states.

Conversations with Republican women revealed a spectrum of views about abortion and its effect on their political identities as they looked ahead to November.

Some disagree with the bans but say the new laws are not shaking their support for Mr. Trump and Republican candidates. Another group, the most committed opponents of abortion, see the bans as victories, thanks in part to Mr. Trump, and as a moral call to action to further advance their cause. And some self-described Republicans who backed Mr. Biden in 2020 say the bans have solidified their support for his re-election.

For Ms. Gau, who works in education policy, the new law challenged the long-held conservative tenet that abortion policy should be returned to the states. Leaving some decisions up to the states is not necessarily bad, she said, but some issues need consistency over time, and even across states. “This is one of those issues.”

She was frustrated with politicians, especially Republicans, who treated reproductive rights like just another “red meat” political issue. The ruling seemed to her like another reminder of how her party had betrayed her values. When she casts her vote, she plans to vote for President Biden, as she did in 2020.

A majority of Republicans continue to oppose abortion. About 60 percent of Republicans oppose a law that would guarantee a federal right to abortion, and half support banning the use of mifepristone, a common medication used in terminating pregnancies, according to a recent poll by KFF , a nonprofit health policy organization. And about two in three Republican women say they trust Mr. Trump to move abortion policy in the right direction, according to KFF.

But many women’s views are more nuanced than a broad survey can capture. And there is a portion of conservative women whose views are evolving in real time, in response to changes that have swept the nation since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 .

According to Tresa Undem, a public opinion researcher who studies abortion, the share of Republican women who believe their party’s views on abortion are “too extreme” increased in February to 39 percent, from 22 percent in June 2022 before the ruling.

Over the past year, abortion as an issue has quickly become tied with health, medicine, safety and security, on top of bodily autonomy, Ms. Undem said. A majority of Republican women also now cite “women’s rights” as an “extremely or very important issue” in their vote, up from 31 percent, a phrase Ms. Undem says is closely associated with abortion rights.

“Becoming pregnant has become an even scarier prospect than it already was,” she said. “Everyone knows someone who has had a complication in pregnancy, so this issue is far-reaching.”

Still, a vocal contingent of the Republican Party remains committed to opposing abortion. For these women, the fall of Roe was the beginning, not the end, of their efforts to end abortion nationwide.

Ashley Trussell, the chair of Arizona Right to Life, was elated by the State Supreme Court’s decision and furious that Arizona’s attorney general, Kris Mayes, a Democrat, had called the ruling “an existential crisis” for residents.

“We have an attorney general who is saying she will not enforce the law, which is terrifying,” Ms. Trussell said. “If you don’t have an attorney general enforcing the law, that is anarchy.”

Ms. Trussell said her group had gained fresh local momentum in the past couple of years and was working with Students for Life, a national anti-abortion group, to push residents to oppose a ballot initiative that would enshrine abortion rights into the State Constitution, a measure that has received a groundswell of support from Democrats.

Yet surveys are also clear that Republicans generally feel less politically motivated by the issue than Democrats, a reversal from the mobilizing power that abortion had before Roe was overturned. Even some women who oppose abortion are more politically motivated by a broader set of social issues this year.

In Scottsdale, Ariz., Kimberly Miller, 61, who founded Arizona Women of Action, a group of Christian women that aims to “protect kids and restore schools,” said she supported the State Supreme Court ruling.

“To the people who want to ‘keep religion out of it,’ just realize that most every law is based on a moral premise,” she said in a statement. “We believe that every single life is precious, and we commit ourselves to saving lives rather than ending them.”

But while Ms. Miller is working to defeat the Arizona ballot initiative, the women in her network are particularly mobilized against the “politics of using race and gender as means of creating division and activism,” she said. “Parents want nonpolitical academics.”

The issue of fertility treatments presented new challenges for Republicans this election cycle.

In Lehigh County, Pa., Lorraine Mory, 70, had always voted Republican as a single-issue voter, with that issue being abortion, she said. But now she says she can’t imagine voting for a Republican ever again.

Her evolution on abortion took time, and happened through conversations she had with her daughter, an obstetrician-gynecologist, throughout the Trump presidency. Ms. Mory had supported Mr. Trump’s Supreme Court nominees, until they overturned Roe.

“I wouldn’t have my grandchildren if it weren’t for I.V.F.,” she said. “I am a very strong Christian, I think that is why the abortion issue was such a black and white thing for me before. Now I consider myself pro-choice.”

For other Republican women who back some form of abortion rights, the rise of new restrictions hasn’t been significant enough to shake their support of Mr. Trump.

On a sunny day last August at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, just weeks after the governor signed a law banning abortion in the state after six weeks , Shirley Grandstaff, 60, explained why she believed abortion should be all-but-unregulated by the government.

“I’m not your judge and jury,” said Ms. Grandstaff, a physician assistant. “I don’t think we should govern what we do with your body. Right or wrong biblically, whatever it is, I don’t believe it.”

Still, she planned to cast her third vote for her party’s nominee in November. “I’m all Trump,” Ms. Grandstaff said.

In north Phoenix, Lisa Hoberg, a Republican committeewoman, said she was “barely hanging on” to her Republican registration.

The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was the turning point for her with Mr. Trump. At this moment, she said, abortion policy is important but only one of many concerning issues. She plans to vote for a mix of Republicans and Democrats in November and struggles to categorize her views as “pro-life” or “pro-choice.”

“My ideals are small government, freedoms,” Ms. Hoberg said. “Stay out of our classrooms, stay out of our bedrooms, stay out of my exam rooms.”

Elizabeth Dias is The Times’s national religion correspondent, covering faith, politics and culture. More about Elizabeth Dias

Lisa Lerer is a national political reporter for The Times, based in New York. She has covered American politics for nearly two decades. More about Lisa Lerer

Open access
Published: 13 April 2024

Assisted dying: principles, possibilities, and practicalities. An English physician’s perspective

Robert Twycross 1 , 2

BMC Palliative Care volume 23 , Article number: 99 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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It seems probable that some form of medically-assisted dying will become legal in England and Wales in the foreseeable future. Assisted dying Bills are at various stages of preparation in surrounding jurisdictions (Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey), and activists campaign unceasingly for a change in the law in England and Wales. There is generally uncritical supportive media coverage, and individual autonomy is seen as the unassailable trump card: ‘my life, my death’.

However, devising a law which is ‘fit for purpose’ is not an easy matter. The challenge is to achieve an appropriate balance between compassion and patient autonomy on the one hand, and respect for human life generally and medical autonomy on the other. More people should benefit from a change in the law than be harmed. In relation to medically-assisted dying, this may not be possible. Protecting the vulnerable is a key issue. Likewise, not impacting negatively on societal attitudes towards the disabled and frail elderly, particularly those with dementia.

This paper compares three existing models of physician-assisted suicide: Switzerland, Oregon (USA), and Victoria (Australia). Vulnerability and autonomy are discussed, and concern expressed about the biased nature of much of the advocacy for assisted dying, tantamount to disinformation. A ‘hidden’ danger of assisted dying is noted, namely, increased suffering as more patients decline referral to palliative-hospice care because they fear they will be ‘drugged to death’.

Finally, suggestions are made for a possible ‘least worse’ way forward. One solution would seem to be for physician-assisted suicide to be the responsibility of a stand-alone Department for Assisted Dying overseen by lawyers or judges and operated by technicians. Doctors would be required only to confirm a patient’s medical eligibility. Palliative-hospice care should definitely not be involved, and healthcare professionals must have an inviolable right to opt out of involvement. There is also an urgent need to improve the provision of care for all terminally ill patients.

Peer Review reports

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology in the United Kingdom (UK) defines Assisted Dying (AD) as:

The involvement of healthcare professionals in the provision of lethal drugs intended to end a patient’s life at their voluntary request, subject to eligibility criteria and safeguards. It includes healthcare professionals prescribing lethal drugs for the patient to self-administer (‘physician-assisted suicide’) and healthcare professionals administering lethal drugs (‘euthanasia’) [ 1 ].

This reflects the definitions used in medical and ethical literature, and will be used in this paper. However, confusingly, the pro-AD organization Dignity in Dying ( https://www.dignityindying.org.uk/ ) limits AD to physician-assisted suicide (PAS) in patients with a prognosis of less than 6 months. Equally confusing is the decision by the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee (UK) to use of the term ‘assisted dying/assisted suicide’ (AD/AS) when talking about any type of physician-assisted death [ 2 ].

Historically, the demand for AD stems from the fact that the suffering of terminally ill people is not always relieved and, for some people, there is a level of existence below which they would wish to die. At present, AD is available in all or parts of around 12 countries [ 3 ], amounting to about 4% of the world’s population. In some, both PAS and euthanasia are permitted, in others just PAS. Eligibility criteria and safeguards vary.

This article focuses on England and Wales (E&W) where, over the last 20 years, numerous attempts have been made to legalize PAS. For those with reservations about such developments, it may seem that they have only two choices: either to ‘go with the flow’ or, conversely, actively campaign against any form of AD. However, there is a third option: active involvement in the debate, seeking positively to influence any proposed legislation. Devising a law which is ‘fit for purpose’ is definitely not an easy matter [ 4 ]. Existing AD laws are not uniform, and the consequences of legislation will depend on the model under consideration [ 3 ].

The over-riding utilitarian consideration is that more people should benefit from a change in the law than be harmed. In relation to AD, this may not be possible. At the very least, any AD law must aim to achieve an appropriate balance between compassion and patient autonomy on the one hand, and respect for human life generally and medical autonomy on the other. Protecting the vulnerable is a key issue. Likewise, not impacting negatively on societal attitudes towards the disabled and frail elderly, particularly those with dementia.

The present situation

Although the inquiry by the Health and Social Care Committee of the House of Commons in 2023 extended to AD generally [ 2 ], for more than 20 years all the Bills introduced into Parliament have been limited to PAS. For a cluster of reasons, it seems that some form of PAS is likely to become legal in E&W within the next few years. The very supportive media coverage gives the impression that PAS is ‘a concept whose time has come’. Pro-AD activists claim that there is overwhelming public support. Every few months, a celebrity announces their intention to avail themselves of the services of Dignitas in Switzerland when ‘the time comes’, with renewed extensive media attention. Individual autonomy (‘self-rule’) is regarded as an unassailable trump card: ‘my life, my death’. AD Bills are at various stages of preparation in neighbouring jurisdictions (Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey); this adds to the growing sense of inevitability [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ].

Some surveys have suggested that over 80% of the population in the UK are in favour of AD, although a recent one limited to PAS gave the lower figure of 65% [ 9 ]. It should also be noted that, in a survey in 2021 on behalf of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Dying Well, 10% of respondents thought AD meant providing hospice-type care to people who are dying, and 42% that it meant giving people who are dying the right to stop life-prolonging treatment. Fewer than half (43%) of respondents knew what the term ‘assisted dying’ actually meant [ 10 ]. This suggests that claims about the level of public support for AD should be interpreted with caution.

Existing models of physician-assisted suicide (PAS)

Switzerland, Oregon (USA), and Victoria (Australia) represent three models of PAS. In the USA, although the laws may not be completely identical in other states where PAS is permitted, they are all based on Oregon’s. Likewise in Australia, they are based on Victoria’s. Benelux and Canada will not be discussed because, in those countries, AD is almost always euthanasia.

In all three models, a doctor prescribes the lethal prescription after confirming the person has mental capacity, is aware of alternatives such as palliative-hospice care (PHC), the request is enduring, was not made under duress, and that the medical eligibility criteria are met. But in other respects, the models differ. In Switzerland, there is no prognostic limit, and no residency requirement. Suffering is not specifically mentioned in Oregon, just a prognosis of less than six months. Following a federal lawsuit in 2022, residency is no longer a requirement. In Victoria, residency and both suffering and a limited prognosis (generally six months but 12 months for neurodegenerative conditions) are prerequisites. The number of safeguards increases progressively across the three models.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, although four out of 26 cantons have laws concerning access to PAS in healthcare institutions, there is no federal law. However, it is possible throughout the country because of the wording in the Swiss Criminal Code (1942) which states that an offence is committed only if assistance is for selfish motives . In the absence of such motives, the assisting person is not criminally liable. Taking advantage of this loophole, two not-for-profit organisations called EXIT (German- and French-speaking, respectively) were set up in 1982 to facilitate PAS for residents in Switzerland with incurable progressive disease. Subsequently, Dignitas was set up to meet the needs of non-residents.

The Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS) provides ethical guidance to doctors in its document Management of Dying and Death (revised 2022) [ 11 ]. The section on PAS is helpfully discussed within the general context of care of the dying. For example, it is stressed that:

‘The true role of physicians in the management of dying and death… involves relieving symptoms and supporting the patient. Their responsibilities do not include offering assisted suicide, nor are they obliged to perform it. Assisted suicide is not a medical action to which patients could claim to be entitled, even if it is a legally permissible activity’ [ 11 ].

The 2022 revised guidance has extended the eligibility for assisted suicide considerably. The former requirement that ‘the patient’s illness justifies the assumption that the end of life is near or can be expected to be near’ has been replaced by ‘the symptoms of disease and/or functional impairments are a source of intolerable suffering for the patient’ [ 11 ]. One reason for this change may be the fact that a review of practice from 1999 to 2018 indicated that over 50% of cases probably had not met the key criterion of a short life expectancy [ 12 ]. In this same period, the number of deaths by PAS rose steadily from 0.2 to 1.8% of all deaths [ 13 ].

For doctors willing to be involved, their role is limited to assessing the person’s decision-making capacity, confirming the constancy of their request, providing a statement about their medical condition, and subsequently prescribing a lethal dose of pentobarbital. The prescription is collected from the pharmacy by a volunteer from EXIT or Dignitas on the day of the assisted suicide. Most deaths take place at home or, in the case of Dignitas , in a room provided by the organisation. At present, because many hospices and palliative care units do not allow PAS on their premises, most patients return home for this. However, in French-speaking areas, hospitals increasingly allow PAS if a discharge is impractical. For those who return home, in case of a change of mind, their bed is kept available until confirmation of death has been received. Everything is carefully documented, and the police are notified immediately after the person has died.

Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) came into effect in 1997 and is held up by some as an example of how a PAS law can be safely enacted – described as ‘tried and trusted’ by Dignity in Dying . However, an analysis of the annual reports issued by the Oregon Health Authority between 1998 and 2023 gives grounds for caution [ 14 ]. Indeed, the Danish Ethics Council concluded recently that the Oregon model is not ‘sufficiently clear in [its] delineations, fair in [its] justifications for access, or sound in terms of control mechanisms’ [ 3 ].

Originally the DWDA was limited to residents but, in 2022, a federal lawsuit (brought by an Oregon doctor) forced a change which allows non-residents to access PAS within the state [ 14 ]. The DWDA allows people ≥ 18 years of age diagnosed with a terminal illness and expected to die within six months to end their lives through the self-administration of a lethal dose of drugs prescribed by a doctor. A Coordinating doctor and a Consulting (specialist) doctor determine whether the person is medically eligible, is not acting under duress, and that the request is enduring. The Oregon Health Authority must be informed when a prescription is written by the Coordinating doctor. The lethal dose can be collected by the patient or their representative and kept at home until the patient decides that the time has come to take it – without further reference to their doctor. In this model, there is no reference to ‘intolerable suffering’.

Only about 2/3 of the issued prescriptions are used. In Oregon over 25 years, the three most frequently reported end-of-life concerns behind the request for PAS have been a decreasing ability to participate in enjoyable activities (90%), loss of autonomy (90%), and loss of dignity (72%) – all more existential than medical. Inadequate pain control, or concern about it, featured in only 28%. Most patients (92%) died at home, and 91% were enrolled in hospice care (mostly home-based in the USA), although the nature and extent of that care is not specified [ 15 ].

In 2022, 146 doctors wrote 431 lethal prescriptions (1–51 prescriptions per doctor; most just one or two). Prescribing doctors were present at the time of death for 13% of the patients; other healthcare providers for another 13%, and volunteers for 18%. One patient died in hospital, and one in a hospice facility. Where known, time from ingestion until death ranged from 3 min to nearly 3 days, with a median time of 52 min. Almost all involved the drug combination DDMA (diazepam, digoxin, morphine, amitriptyline) ± phenobarbital. In 2022, AS accounted for 0.6% of all deaths.

In 2017, an unsuccessful Bill was introduced to allow surrogates to administer the drugs to those who had subsequently lost decisional capacity after receiving a lethal prescription, with proposals to extend the DWDA to allow euthanasia for those with dementia and those incapable of swallowing drugs.

Concern has been expressed that most of those dying by PAS are clients of Compassion and Choices , the AD advocacy organisation in Oregon, and discussion of alternatives may have been limited, particularly as the association between the patient and the prescribing doctor is sometimes < 1 week (median 3 months). A review of five patients whose details are in the public domain revealed inadequate exploration of their concerns and a bias in favour of PAS [ 16 ]. Further, despite a known incidence of depression of up to 40% in those with a genuine desire to hasten death, only three patients (0.7%) in 2022 were referred for psychological or psychiatric evaluation. Some patients have delayed ingesting the lethal medication for 2–4 years, thereby emphasizing the difficulty of determining the likely prognosis.

Victoria, Australia

The Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) law came into effect in 2019 [ 17 ]. Unlike Oregon, legislators had the benefit of 20 years of experience in other countries where AD Bills have been introduced and/or laws passed. As in Oregon, two doctors are involved: the Coordinating doctor, who initially informs the person about end-of-life-care options and supports, then assesses the person’s eligibility, and whether the request is voluntary and enduring; and the Consulting doctor, who re-assesses the patient’s request. Both doctors must be either a vocational general practitioner or a member of a specialist college, and one must have at least five years post-fellowship experience and experience in the patient’s condition.

Institutions can forbid VAD on their premises, and involvement by doctors is voluntary. Those volunteering must undertake the mandatory online ‘approved assessment training’ required by the law before they can participate [ 18 ]. Of those across the state who have volunteered, around 300 have ‘currently active’ profiles, representing about 1% of the total medical workforce; 60% are General Practitioners (GPs) [ 17 ]. Much of the work is unremunerated. Coordinating an application through to a patient’s death can take up to 60 h of a doctor’s time. As a result, because of inevitable time constraints, some doctors report undertaking less than ideal assessments and/or not being able to see their other patients because of the VAD workload [ 19 ].

Although the primary focus is PAS, the law extends to euthanasia (‘practitioner administration’) if a person is incapable of swallowing the medication. In this case, the lethal drugs are administered intravenously by the Coordinating doctor, who can delegate this duty to the Consulting doctor subject to agreement by both parties. The person must have an advanced, progressive, incurable disease or medical condition that is expected to cause death within six months, or 12 months for neurodegenerative conditions, and is causing suffering that cannot be relieved to an extent considered tolerable to the person. The Victorian Government claims that, with 68 safeguards, the law is the safest and most conservative in the world [ 20 ]. However, the safeguards are not all aimed at patient safety; some, such as conscientious objection provisions, are explicitly labelled as ‘practitioner protections’. Although the process is complex, non-medical ‘Care Navigators’ are available to guide patients through the process. After initiating the process themselves, a person has to make three separate requests to end their life: an initial verbal request, a second written and witnessed request, and a final verbal request. The time between the first and final request must be at least 9 days.

The most striking safeguard is that doctors and other healthcare professionals are forbidden to initiate discussions about AD. They can only respond to a patient’s direct request for information. There is guidance as to what may or may not constitute a direct request, which needs to be specific and explicit. This is intended to avoid coercion or suggestion, but not to discourage discussion. Requests can only be initiated by the person and cannot be done via telehealth [ 18 ]. The Voluntary Assisted Dying Statewide Pharmacy Service have sole responsibility for checking for necessary authorisation permits, and preparing and supplying the lethal drugs. The cocktail of drugs is delivered in a locked box to eligible patients in their homes across the state, and a contact person is appointed who will be responsible for returning the medication if unused after the person has died. A list of instructions on how to mix and drink the lethal drugs are included. As in Oregon, people drink the lethal dose at a time of their choosing. In 2021–2022, AD deaths amounted to 0.58% of all deaths.

Vulnerability

In October 2023, the Danish Ethics Council published a report in response to a request from the Danish Parliament’s Health Committee to issue a statement which could be included as part of the basis for the Danish Parliament’s discussions of and decision on the citizens’ proposal that there should be legislation permitting AD [ 3 ]. The Council concluded that: ‘The only thing that will be able to protect the lives and respect of those who are most vulnerable in society will be an unexceptional ban’ . It pointed out that AD risks causing unacceptable changes to basic norms in society, the health care system and human outlook more generally. The very existence of an offer of AD will decisively change ideas about old age, infirmity, dying, and quality of life. In the Council’s opinion, if AD becomes an option, there is too great a risk that it will become an expectation aimed at certain groups in society.

Vulnerability is seen in all strata of society, often stemming from social isolation and a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. The most vulnerable include those who feel a burden. Those in despair will be more likely to make a request for AD, and no law can prevent this. Vulnerability is also associated with a lack of continuity in care. When life is hard, everyone without exception needs reliable, trustworthy human support to enable them to cope. The most fundamental human fear is that we will be abandoned, and the corresponding fundamental hope is that we will not be. Non-abandonment is dependent on continuity of care – not just reactive but pro-active with, for example, a ‘hot-line’ to a named GP and/or nurse. Without this, patients feel abandoned and worthless; symptoms escalate coupled with a sense of despair. In contrast, continuity of care affirms to patients that they still matter and that they are still persons of worth.

Unfortunately, continuity of care is increasingly difficult to access in the UK now that the National Health Service (NHS) is understaffed and overworked, particularly in Primary Care. In recent years, access to one’s named GP has become much harder, sometimes impossible. Arranging an appointment has generally become more complicated – now often necessitating an online request, to be ‘triaged’, with a response promised within 24 h. It is challenging and off-putting. Without ready access, people feel abandoned and hopeless, resulting in despair.

Some of the most vocal opponents of PAS are among the disabled and disability associations because they fear that its availability, even if limited to the terminally ill, will have a negative impact on attitudes to disability. ‘Disableism’ is rife in Britain, with its tendency to value the worth of a life in terms of its economic utility to society. PAS could well lead to a further narrowing down of what is viewed as a liveable and dignified life, with some people’s lives being considered worthless, merely an economic drain on society’s resources. Even in the UK, access to quality PHC is still patchy. Pressure to opt for AD would most likely increase as the health budget becomes further squeezed. Based on experience in other countries, it is naïve to believe that an incremental widening of the eligibility criteria will not happen. In this connection, it should be noted that, in the Netherlands, the mainstream political parties have expressed support for the Completed Life Initiative [ 21 ]. If this became law, this would permit euthanasia for those over the age of 74 who are ‘tired of life’. Thus, legalising AD should not simply be regarded as a small step to bring relief to a few. In terms of possible unwanted consequences, it is a massive step.

A further problem is the inability of many doctors to relinquish the goal of ‘fixing the problem’. This can lead to a feeling of failure, and an inclination to withdraw – with death seen as the only way to deal with the suffering. Doctors who cannot switch from a cure to a comfort modus operandi when it is appropriate may well unconsciously coerce patients towards AD. There are numerous anecdotes supporting this contention [ 22 ]. Such unwitting abuse is also linked to unconscious bias stemming from the doctor’s own fear of death [ 23 ]. It will become a bigger problem if the expectation shifts towards routinely informing potentially eligible patients about AD as one of their options to be considered. In Canada, the Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers (CAMAP) recommends that all who might qualify for MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) should be told about it as an option [ 24 ]. Offering MAiD to a patient who has not raised it could be interpreted as meaning that their suffering is likely to become intolerable, and that MAiD is the recommended way out, thereby impacting negatively on the patient’s resilience. On the other hand, a total prohibition on raising the subject, as in Victoria, could prevent someone from exercising their legal right through ignorance [ 25 ].

Hidden danger: AD resulting in more suffering?

Even in the absence of AD, some people decline referral to PHC despite unrelieved pain and/or other distressing symptoms because they fear they will be ‘drugged to death’. This is a real phenomenon well-known to PHC professionals (in fact, PHC typically prolongs survival by weeks or months as a result of, inter alia , improved comfort, sleep, and appetite.) This unfounded fear will most likely be enhanced if AD is legalized, particularly if PHC is involved.

Autonomy in medicine is based on a partnership between doctors and patients, each respecting the autonomy of the other [ 26 ]. This relational model of decision-making incorporates mutual respect and trust, dialogue, and informed negotiation. It contrasts with ‘consumer autonomy’ where the patient demands specific interventions from the doctor, regardless of established medical norms. In this scenario, the doctor is reduced to being an agent for carrying out a patient’s preferences (‘my legal right’) – a technician, no longer a professional. It becomes a transactional relationship (that of purchaser and supplier) rather than a partnership.

It is generally accepted that people have the right to self-determination provided their actions do not harm others. However, exercising personal autonomy (‘self-rule’) means making a choice. Informed choice requires reliable information about relevant options. Without this, autonomy is not valid. Disturbingly, official reports about AD do not specify the nature of the PHC received by those opting for AD. What is known is that to varying degrees there is poor access to palliative care in all the jurisdictions where AD is permitted. For example, in Canada, only half of the population are able access any form of palliative care [ 27 ].

Further, the extent to which an autonomously expressed wish for AD should be acted on must be balanced against the rights of the other people involved, notably the family and health professionals. From a medical point of view, AD will always be a ‘last resort’ option: a patient must be suffering from intractable symptoms and/or functional impairment caused by an incurable disease with no realistic expectation of relief within an acceptable time frame. Medical involvement would be unethical, for example, in healthy elderly people simply ‘tired of life’ [ 11 ].

It is imperative that conscientious objection by doctors and other healthcare professionals is guaranteed, as in the three models of AS described above. Lord Joffe, who introduced two AD Bills in the House of Lords 15–20 years ago, is reputed to have said that, if doctors objected to AD, they should be forced to comply, thereby revealing a total misunderstanding of the doctor’s professional role. Such high-handedness feels threatening . If Lord Joffe’s suggestion was adopted, it would turn doctors into technicians. In 2012, the White Paper, Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS set out a vision of a health service which puts patients and the public first, where ‘no decision about me, without me’ is the norm. It included proposals to give patients more say over their care and treatment with more opportunity to make informed autonomous choices. The slogan should be applied equally to doctors in relation to AD. Indeed, the British Medical Association (BMA) states that any legislation to permit AD should be based on an ‘opt-in’ model, so that only those doctors who positively choose to participate can do so. Doctors who opt in to provide the service should also be able to choose which parts of the service they are willing to provide (e.g. assessing eligibility and/or prescribing and/or administering drugs to eligible patients) [ 28 ].

In 2020, the BMA surveyed its members about their attitudes to AD [ 29 ]. The response rate was only 19%, thereby casting doubt on whether the results truly represent the views of the membership. In the answers to ‘In principle, do you support or oppose a change in the law to permit doctors to prescribe drugs for eligible patients to self-administer to end their own life?’, 50% said they would support, 39% would oppose, and 11% were undecided. (For administration by doctors (euthanasia), only 37% were in favour, 46% against, 17% undecided.) When broken down into specialties, in relation to AS, Palliative Medicine doctors were 76% against, 14% in favour, and 10% undecided. There were also majorities against in Clinical and Medical Oncology, Gastroenterology, Geriatric Medicine, Renal Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, and General Practice [ 29 , pp. 103–105].

In contrast, respondents who had voted for legal change contained a majority of retired doctors, medical students and those in specialties which involve little or no contact with terminally or otherwise incurably ill patients. It seems that the more doctors are involved in caring for dying patients, the greater the likelihood that they will oppose a change in the law. Further, in relation to AS, when asked if they would personally be willing to participate, a majority said they would not (45% vs. 36%, and 19% undecided) [ 29 ]. Previously in 2019, in a survey by the Royal College of Physicians of London, 85% of Palliative medicine doctors were against a change in the law, a similar number said they would refuse to participate in AD, and only 5% were willing to assist suicide themselves [ 30 ].

These figures may seem bizarre. Why should doctors working in PHC be those most strongly against a change in the law, and would want not to be involved? After all, these are the doctors most likely to witness suffering at the end of life. It is often claimed that opposition to AD stems from blindly accepted religious dogma. However, as in other areas of medicine, many palliative care doctors are not religious. (And don’t forget Humanists against Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia [ 31 ]). But whatever the reasons, the fact remains that most PHC doctors are against a change in the law and would strongly object if any form of AD was integrated into PHC.

Perhaps the answer to this conundrum can be found in a recent Swiss study of PHC doctors, ‘ How is it possible that at times we can be physicians and at times assistants in suicide? ’ [ 32 ]. All the doctors interviewed stated that PHC and assisted suicide are diametrically opposed approaches, based on different philosophies. In PHC, there is a commitment to non-abandonment : ‘Whatever happens, we will stay beside you every step of the way. Together we will get through this’. Compassionate presence and compassionate listening together demonstrate that the patient still matters and is still a person of worth. This is the essence of palliative care. It lightens the patient’s load of cares by, inter alia , decreasing their isolation and sense of worthlessness. In such an environment almost all patients lose their wish to hasten death. This is the essence of PHC, and it is difficult to switch to an alternative approach. It is difficult, if not impossible, to work looking in two diametrically opposite directions .

Disinformation

Regrettably, those campaigning for AD consistently underestimate the potential harms associated with a change in the law [ 4 , 24 ]. Further, using the phrase ‘dying with dignity’ to describe AD, although a brilliant tactical move, is tantamount to disinformation. Likewise, naming the PAS statute in Oregon as the ‘Death with Dignity Act’. These phrases are also widely used in the media. As a result, many people now imagine that anything other than AD will be extremely distressing and undignified. In fact, ‘dying with dignity’ is equally applicable to quality end-of-life care. ‘Dignity in care’ is used as a way of describing the human side of medical care generally – with many scientific studies demonstrating what dignity means to patients and ways of enhancing it [ 33 ].

The choice of patients’ stories used to support the case for AD is also disturbing. Some are clear examples of poor care. If poor care is driving people to contemplate AD, this is not a truly autonomous decision, but one forced on the patient because of the absence of choice. Equally upsetting have been examples of patients with motor neurone disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (MND/ALS). It has been suggested that the only alternative to AD is suffocating to death in great distress when non-invasive assisted ventilation (NIV) is discontinued at the patient’s request. This is fearmongering and causes great unnecessary distress. There is a well-established protocol for individually-tailored anticipatory sedation to allow a patient to be unaware while they die following the removal of assisted ventilation [ 34 ].

Seeking the ‘least worse’ option

Given the widespread disquiet felt by doctors, a law with minimal medical involvement would be the most equitable , such as in Switzerland and Oregon. This makes good sense given that the three most frequently reported end-of-life concerns behind the request for PAS in Oregon are more existential than medical: a decreasing ability to participate in enjoyable activities (90%), loss of autonomy (90%), and loss of dignity (72%) [ 15 ]. The Swiss model is unlikely to appeal to legislators in E&W, even though theoretically it could simply mean changing the Suicide Act 1961. At present this states that, without exception, it is an offence to assist or encourage another person’s suicide.

The most recent PAS Bill introduced in the UK Parliament was in 2021 by Baroness Meacher in the House of Lords. A novel feature in the Bill was the need for the patient’s eligibility and voluntary request to be ratified by the High Court (Family Division) before the lethal drug(s) could be dispensed. As in Oregon, there was no mention of suffering, just a terminal illness with an expected prognosis of under six months. Psychiatric illness alone, including depression, was specifically excluded as an eligibility criterion. However, it would not simply be a case of a patient receiving a lethal prescription to use as and when they decide (as in Oregon and Victoria). The prescription would be delivered by a doctor (or authorised nurse) immediately before self-administration who would remain while the patient self-administered the medicine and has died (or decided not to take the medicine). The doctor/nurse would prepare the lethal dose for self-administration and, if necessary ‘prepare a medical device’ (a syringe and intravenous cannula) to facilitate this and ‘assist the person to ingest or otherwise self-administer the medicine’. As in Victoria, the process would consume many hours of medical time.

Judging by its website, Dignity in Dying seems to be favouring an ‘Oregon mark 2’ law. Like the Meacher Bill, this would include ratification by the High Court of all requests for PAS. However, it is not clear whether the lethal drug(s) would be delivered to the patient’s home for use ‘just in case’ as in Oregon or mimic the more complicated Meacher Bill.

Its website also states that ‘doctors, patients and the public need to have confidence that the law on AD will work in practice, will be safe and will remain unchanged’. In relation to this latter point, given all the available evidence, this is wishful thinking. The case for AD is stronger in relation to degenerative neurological disorders with a longer prognosis. Some people with progressive brain failure (dementia) will want to register for AD while they still have capacity, to be actioned when they are no longer able to interact meaningfully with those around them. However, this can lead to problems if they become distressed at attempts to administer oral or intravenous drugs [ 35 ].

Conclusions

Any form of AD will have collateral harmful consequences for both medical care and society in general. The challenge is to find the ‘least worse’ option. A lack of readily available high-quality palliative care will always be coercive, there will always be abuse, the boundaries of the law will always be stretched, and a wrong diagnosis will mean that some people will die unnecessarily [ 12 , 24 ].

It is imperative that conscientious objection by doctors and other healthcare professionals is guaranteed in law and fully respected in practice. PAS should not be seen as part of healthcare provision. The BMA also holds this view [ 28 ]. One way to achieve this would be for PAS to be delegated to a stand-alone Department for Assisted Dying , completely separate from the NHS and with its own budget. Victoria almost achieves this with its combination of Care Navigators, mandatory training for participating doctors, and a separate Voluntary Assisted Dying Statewide Pharmacy Service . It could be overseen by lawyers or judges and operated by trained technicians [ 36 ]. Doctors would be required only to confirm that a patient is medically eligible. Requests would be carefully processed without interfering in a patient’s clinical care, and in a way which would not undermine suicide prevention policies. Other options have proposed incorporating, for example, a review panel comprising a lawyer, a healthcare professional and an ethicist, backed up if necessary by an ombudsman [ 37 , 38 ].

Further, alongside a de-medicalised model of AS, there is an urgent need to improve the provision of care for all terminally ill patients [ 39 ]. Dignity in Dying’s website states that ‘As well as campaigning to change the law on assisted dying we also support better end-of-life care which is accessible to all.’ Regrettably, there is no evidence of active campaigning on its part in this respect.

Data availability

All the data referred to are in the public domain.

Abbreviations

assisted dying

assisted suicide

British Medical Association

Death with Dignity Act (Oregon, USA)

England and Wales

general practitioner (primary care doctor)

medical assistance in dying

motor neurone disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

National Health Service (England and Wales)

non-invasive ventilation

physician-assisted suicide

palliative-hospice care

Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences

United Kingdom

voluntary assisted dying

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Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges with gratitude the advice received from Aaron Wong (Australia) and Martyna Tomczyk (Switzerland), and the helpful suggestions made by the two referees.

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The author is one of the pioneers of hospice and palliative care in the UK, working first as Research Fellow in Therapeutics at St Christopher’s Hospice, London, in the early 1970s, followed by 25 years in Oxford at a hospice/palliative care unit in one of the University Hospitals. For many years he was Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Palliative Care. He has taught in over 40 countries and is the author or editor of several widely acclaimed textbooks, notably the Palliative Care Formulary.

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Twycross, R. Assisted dying: principles, possibilities, and practicalities. An English physician’s perspective. BMC Palliat Care 23 , 99 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01422-6

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Received : 29 September 2023

Accepted : 26 March 2024

Published : 13 April 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01422-6

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Assisted dying
Physician assisted suicide
England and wales

BMC Palliative Care

ISSN: 1472-684X

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Personal Statement Example 1. By: Ashley T. As the sun was going down, the rain began to fall. Alongside the road there were sirens and flashing lights next to a black vehicle; it was completely destroyed. I was unconscious, stuck inside the vehicle. EMS extricated me and transported me to the hospital.
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Writing the statement - do's and don'ts. Do demonstrate your knowledge of the PA profession. Your essay should make it clear why you are pursuing medicine, and why you have chosen to become a PA specifically. Don't say why you don't want to be a different kind of healthcare provider, write about how you want to be a PA!
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In your essay, clearly state why you're pursuing the PA profession while demonstrating your knowledge of it. ... Your personal statement is your unique story of why you want to become a physician assistant. To tell your story well, it's important to do your homework on your audience. Start by investigating the physician assistant school and ...
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As the former assistant dean of student affairs and career development at the William Beaumont School of Medicine, Dr. Valerie Wherely worked directly with the dean of the School of Medicine, the associate dean of student affairs, the associate dean of clinical curriculum, and the assistant dean of admissions, as well as with Year 4 students on both residency application reviews/critiques and ...
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A considerable part of that effort, and perhaps the most intimidating, involves crafting your personal statement. What you're tasked with writing — your motivation for becoming a PA — is straightforward. And the essay length is quite short, less than this very article. However, most PA school applicants don't have much experience with ...
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Choose a story to open your essay that represents you. Remember the CASPA prompt; it asks you to write "a brief statement expressing your motivation or desire to become a physician assistant.". Your story shouldn't be dramatic, but it should be meaningful to you. You might choose an experience that started you on the path towards the PA ...
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In Physician Assistant Personal Statement Guide, Savanna Perry, PA-C walks you through the essential steps to making your essay stand out. You will learn to showcase who you are in a way that will leave your admissions committee reader excited to meet you. Acceptance to PA school is becoming more competitive each year, and this book provides ...
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To become a licensed physician assistant, an individual must complete a Master's degree program in Physician Assistant Studies, which typically takes about two to three years to complete. In addition to completing a PA program, aspiring PAs must also pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) and obtain state licensure.
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Simple grammar rules. While you want to avoid sounding cold in your essay, you also don't want to stray too far in the other direction and produce something indistinguishable from a casual journal entry. Remember, this is your best shot at showing off your excellent written communication abilities. And it is possible to strike a balance that ...
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My journey toward becoming a physician assistant. It was a specific moment during my journey that cemented my passion for science and my desire to pursue a career in medicine. This moment occurred when I had the opportunity to shadow an endocrinologist. I vividly remember the nervousness that coursed through me as I stood in a procedure room ...
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That means you can become a physician assistant after around seven years of higher study - half the time some doctors take to earn their qualifications. If you're already in med school, the undergraduate degree you earned to get there means you can apply for the physician assistant program right away. PAs spend more time on patient care.
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Prompt Examples for Physician Assistant Essay. Personal Passion: Discuss your personal passion for becoming a physician assistant, and share the experiences or moments that ignited this desire. Compassion and Patient Care: Explain your motivation driven by a desire to provide compassionate care to patients and the satisfaction you find in making a positive impact on their lives.
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With that said, it is very similar to a small, PA school interview essay, structure-wise. Start with a good opening sentence - a "hook" that draws the viewer in - and then move on to make one main point about why you decided to be a PA. This should take a few sentences before you wrap up at the end.
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9. Medicine is constantly changing. There are new studies, diagnostic tests and medications that are coming to market every day. Being a provider demands that you be a lifelong learner, which is something that I love. To maintain my license, I have to acquire so many CME (Continuing Medical Education) credits each year.
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What experience have I had that will help me succeed in PA school. Purpose: Give examples of my ability to succeed in PA school past performance~future performance. Plans for career if accepted. Purpose: explanation of long term goals. Changes from last cycle. Purpose: demonstration of commitment to becoming a PA.
Tell me why you want to be a Physician Assistant?
Being a PA allows you to follow patients throughout their entire experience so I feel like that's the best way I personally could make a difference. I also want to research, and explore my interests in a multitude of specialities throughout my career. 3. Reply.
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I have found some major benefits of being a PA that no one ever talked about while I was preparing for PA school. To me, these are more important than a work-life balance or the flexibility to switch specialties, as I'm not sure I'll ever experience either. PAs can work at amazing places without a pedigree.
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