Preparation for Physician Assistant School by Julianna

Preparation for Physician Assistant School by Julianna - August 2019 Scholarship Essay

It's the beginning of August, which means I'll be starting my junior year of college in just a few weeks. So far it's been a pretty crazy ride. I began my pursuit of a Bachelor's degree at Ohio State University (OSU) as an Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering major. I chose this degree plan because I was a cadet in AFROTC and interested in a future career as an engineer in the U.S. Air Force. My path changed with my interests the next spring when I became a Neuroscience major in order to prepare for Physician Assistant (PA) school.
I now had a solid degree plan, however, I wasn't happy with my environment at OSU. I gave the university one good year with hopes that my attitude towards it changed. I transferred to Liberty University (LU) after my freshman year because I felt God leading me there. Now, I am surrounded by like-minded people with the common purpose of seeking the Lord and growing into champions for Christ, and I couldn't be more pleased. I continued to pursue PA school my first semester at LU as a Biomedical Sciences major until I was advised by my superiors at my ROTC detachment on the slim probability of gaining permission to attend graduate school. This led me to change my major to Chemistry, which was much more applicable to the ROTC pathway.
Unfortunately, I was disenrolled from ROTC this summer due to the effects of my ongoing post-concussion syndrome. As disheartening as it is to be unable to serve my country immediately following graduation, I was blessed with the opportunity to once again prepare for PA school as a Biomedical Sciences major. I will continue to volunteer in the nursery at my church in Lynchburg and seek other opportunities to serve my local community until graduation. At the completion of my undergraduate years, I will take a gap year to gain patient-care experience before attending an esteemed PA school. I’m interested in attaining this experience by becoming an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and volunteering with the American Red Cross. A gap year is essential for success in my case because it will allow me to focus on earning high marks in my classes without the stress of working simultaneously. At the end of it all, I plan to continue my desire to serve with a commission into the Air Force via Officer Training School.
These diverse experiences so far in my college career have taught me to be adaptable with my circumstances and to have faith in my dreams. I’m excited to continue learning these important lessons throughout the rest of my schooling, including my gap year.