Embracing the Path Less Traveled: Choosing PA
I did not know I wanted to become a PA until I stumbled on the profession.
From a young age, I knew that I had a deep-rooted passion for health and a strong desire to help others in their pursuit of wellness.
Throughout my undergraduate years, I channeled this passion into various volunteer opportunities and experiences in hospital and research settings.
I diligently maintained a competitive GPA while actively participating in extracurricular activities and leadership roles within health-related campus clubs.
The Decision Crossroads
At the onset, my sights were set on medical school, just like many of my peers.
My academic achievements, extensive extracurricular involvement, and healthcare experience painted the picture of a stellar pre-med student.
However, I couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty and hesitation about pursuing medical school.
I didn’t feel like I fit in with the track of pre-med students. I didn’t feel passionate about becoming a doctor the way my peers did.
After much research and self-reflection, I determined that the main healthcare profession that aligned with my values and goals involved practicing medicine. However, I wasn’t sure if the traditional route to practicing medicine was for me.
The Search for a Perfect Fit
Determined to find my true calling, I embarked on a thorough exploration of various healthcare careers. Together with my guidance counselor, I explored numerous options such as Pharmacy, Dentistry, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Naturopathy, among others.
It was in one of our later sessions with my guidance counselor that she sat me down and said, “McMaster has started a new Physician Assistant program, and it is a brand new profession in Canada.”
I read articles online about how PA was a way to practice medicine, but with better work-life balance, and quality of life. There was the flexibility to switch specialties, and you were in school for only 2 years The purpose of the profession and why it was introduced, and how PAs operated in the health care system really aligned with my values, passions, and long-term goals.
Further research led me to PhysicianAssistantForum.com – one of the oldest and largest open forums for Physician Assistants and Pre-PAs in the United States. Back then there were little no resources available about PAs in Canada apart from the national association website and PA program websites. I ended up spending a lot of time perusing the Pre-PA General Discussion section of the forum to find students like myself looking to apply to PA program.
Pioneering the PA Profession in Canada
Back in 2009, Canada had not graduated their own PAs yet (except for in the military), and there was only a handful of PAs recruited from the US and IMGs to work in pilot projects. I did not have the network or contacts to speak with a PA or PA student.
However, through my guidance counselor, I learned that one of my former undergraduate classmates had applied and gotten into the McMaster PA Education program and was already making her way through her 1st year of PA school.
I sat down for coffee on campus with the PA student, and started asking her questions about PA and the PA program. I learned about her Pre-PA Experience, her journey and her decision-making process. This conversation was very eye-opening, sharing her insights, and this solidified my decision to pursue PA.
The possibility of helping to pioneer a new career in Canada was very exciting too and inspired me to pursue becoming a Physician Assistant.
My PA Journey Now: Working as an Orthopaedic Surgery PA
When I started as a fresh PA graduate I focused primarily on mastery of my clinical skills and knowledge of Orthopaedic Surgery. This started with working with patients in an outpatient Orthopaedic Surgery Clinic at a group practice, followed by working in fracture clinic, surgical first-assist in the Operating Room, and more recently, inpatient/ward management.
Medicine, Mentoring and PA Advocacy
Once I got more comfortable within my clinical position and established myself as a PA in Orthopaedic Surgery, I challenged myself to take on PA students to teach and to volunteer on PA Advocacy initiatives and take on leadership roles within the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA). I also volunteer on the Board of Directors for PAs for Research, Scholarship and Education in Canada (PARSEC), doing monthly Virtual PA shadowing sessions with PAs in different specialties across Canada.
I have mentored PA students, and fellow PA colleagues through placements, excelling in PA school, and navigating the job hunt through interviews and PA contract negotiation. I have seen colleagues make pivots in their careers owing to the flexibility of the PA profession (e.g. switching from working as a PA in Internal Medicine to Emergency Medicine, or Family Medicine to Orthopaedic Surgery!), or grow their PA careers working in the same specialty. I am always impressed by the work in patient care my PA colleagues have and continue to achieve.
It was interacting with patients, health care professionals and the PA community that inspired me to continue writing and working towards educating others about the PA role and the positive impact PAs can have on the health of Canadians.
I continue to write about the PA profession, many of the blog posts inspired by current events or questions I receive through email or in our Pre-PA Facebook group.
It’s my goal to help attract and inspire individuals passionate about health care on the journey to becoming a PA.
Thanks for reading about my journey. Feel free to peruse the blog or connect if you have any questions!
Cheers,
– Anne
