Interview

Name a time when you are dependent on others.

As a CNA, we are trained to work as a team and look out for one another. We learn the importance of asking for help to prevent injuries and following a chain of command. We learn to develop trust and humility with each other and our patients. I believe both traits are relevant to the physician-PA relationship

If you had a patient with a language barrier, how would you assist that patient?

As a nurse assistant working in a large urban city, I come across this situation everyday at work. The way I would handle this as a PA would to use a certified translator that the hospital or clinic provides. I know at the hospital I work at we have a number on the back of our work phone we can call or we have an iPad that connects us through FaceTime. I would use these resources if the patient was asking about their medical situation and never would I rely on family or a coworker because of confidentiality and they might not be as fluent as we can assume.

Tell me about a time your communication skills made a difference

As team captain on a college softball team is all about communication. Being extremely verbal with my teammates about how many outs there are, whose on base, what's the play, where to stand on the field based on the hitter all has to be said within the couple of seconds we have when the pitcher is getting ready. Off the field is just as important. Motivating while being confident and focused to keep the team at the same level of responsibility for school and for practice and games. The feedback I got from my team was positive. Everyone felt that they were listened to and had a contribution to the team that eventually got us to playoffs that year.

What does it mean to be a dependent practitioner?

By definition, PAs are dependent practioners, PAs must always work under the license of a supervising physician.

What experiences do you have that qualifies you to join our program?

During college, I was a full-time student, played collegiate softball, and worked part-time as a nurse assistant. I practiced time management while expressing professionalism on and off the field and at my job. As a nurse assistant I've learned how to communicate with patients and with the healthcare team. When I wasn't working, playing softball or studying for school, I would volunteer for habitat for humanity or local marathons such as the color runs, or when I wasn't doing that I was shadowing with PAs at a local clinic immersing myself in the profession and learning what it would be like to become a PA.Through all these experiences I believe that I qualify for your program because I have experience cultural diversity being in the healthcare field as a nurse assistant, Im a life long learner by continuing my education after graduation, and have learned how to time manage with there being lots of obligations on my plate and I excelled in college by graduating on the deans list. I expressed professionalism on and off field as well as being a nurse assistant I had to express compassion and learned how to communicate and work as a team effectively for the benefit of the patient. When I wasn't working or playing softball I volunteered for several organizations such as habitat for humanity, marathons, and at the local elementary school. Lastly I shadowed for 3 pas around Kearney Nebraska where I got to submerge myself in the profession and learned what it would be like to be a PA. Through all these experiences I believe that I qualify for your program because I have experience cultural diversity being in the healthcare field as a nurse assistant, Im a life long learner by continuing my education after graduation, and have learned how to time manage all my obligations and believe I am ready for your graduate program.

What do you think is the biggest challenge you'll face as a pa? How do you feel PAs are limited? What are difficulties PAs are facing? What are the negative aspects of being a PA? IF you could change one thing about the PA profession, what would you change?

From my shadowing experiences, and from discussions with PAs, I believe one of the most challenging part of the profession is having to explain the role of a PA to patients who are expecting a doctor. Within the couple years I shadowed PAs, I heard that question more often than not. I think for the PAs it gets easier explaining it over time but its mostly just about educating patients on what a PA does for them to get a good understanding and feel comfortable on who their speaking to. The result is increased awareness that a doctor is not the only healthcare professional.

How would you describe your personality?

I am motivated, energized, and hard-working. I learn quickly and can adapt well. I am responsible about deadlines. I have a proven record of success and a strong work-ethic. I have ability to get along with people, and I believe that team-work is essential and will do what it takes to get the job done. I strive to help my co-workers and encourage cooperation as well.

Why are you a good fit for the PA profession?

I believe I am a good fit for the PA profession because I have demonstrated the passion and motivation to become a PA. I have a little over 7,000 hours of hands on medical experience as a CNA. through that experience I have learned to communicate with patients and medical professionals. I have a 3.29 GPA and I am continuing my education every semester at my local community college so I know I have the academic ability to complete the program and pass the PANCE exam. I am a leader. I was selected by the assistant athletic director at my university to attend the NCAA leadership conference in Dallas, Texas. As a result, I was nominated as team captain my junior year for my softball team. Im a team player. As captain of my team and as a CNA Ive had to work in collaboration with multiple medical professionals under stressful situations. I am a lifelong learner. I continue to take science based classes at my local community college and have 170 hours of shadowing PAs. . I am also a compassionate and empathic person. I have volunteered 70 hours to my community through habitat for humanity, clubs at my school such as the physician assistant club and volunteers around the world. I believe these qualities are my greatest strengths for the PA profession

IF you had to choose to give a liver transplant either to a successful, and otherwise healthy, seventy two year old female member of the community, or a twenty one year old male is an active alcoholic and drug addict, who would you choose to receive the liver and why?

I believe this goes under the ethical principle of justice meaning fairness to the person that would benefit the transplant the most. The twenty two year old is an active alcholic and drug user which means he will most likely be using after the the transplant. Although because he is so young, he may have many more years to live with a healthy lifestyle. Now the seventy two year old is healthy and active therefore it would seem like she would not compromise her acceptance of the liver. It could add 10 more years to both patients life but I would ultimately choose the seventy two year old patient who has a healthy lifestyle.

Is there anything else we should know about you?

I didn't mention how I spent two weeks in Bocas Del Toro, Panama to provide healthcare for residents on indigenous islands. Each day we traveled to a new island by boat and set up a tiny clinic. We had a check in station where we did the vitals and got their basic information, then the consultation station where the doctors met with them and we got to shadow, and then a check out station. One patient stands out to me in particular and it was a little probably 7 years old and she came in because she couldn't move her shoulder. Her mother explained that she fell from a tree a couple weeks prior and never recovered. I was shadowing the doctor at this time so we took bandage wrap because we didn't have a sling and made a make shift sling with the wrap and set the shoulder in place. What stands out to me the most was that about an hour later she came running back to us and gave the doctor and I a hug thanking us (in Spanish) how grateful she was that the doctor was able to take the pain away. and it was that trip in particular that influences me to practice primary care in underserved communities.

Are you good at making decisions?

I do think I make good decisions yes. There are always many ways to tackle a problem, and there is often a right way and a wrong way. In healthcare, providers cannot afford to make too many wrong decisions. Thats why I try never to make decisions out of emotion especially anger, frustration, or fear. If I am feeling a strong emotion, I will put off the decision until I can be more objective. I will often consult with my colleagues to get an objective opinion or do some quick research to make an educated decision. For example, as an aid on the oncology department

What do you do on your spare time? Tell me a little bit about yourself? Tell me about some of your hobbies What is the last book youve read? What is your life saying? Tell me what your typical day looks like Introduce yourself What makes you unique Discuss a past time you enjoy

I enjoy staying active whether that's getting a few friends together to go hiking, going to the gym almost everyday but most of all learning. Ive been trying to teach myself Spanish on my spare time as well as going to school. I changed my tv settings to only Spanish to immerse myself in the language and I am currently taking nutrition at my local community college. I also like to read and right now I'm reading Becoming by Michelle Obama.

How have you stayed current and informed on the pa profession?

I stay informed about the pa profression through my membership with the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), reading the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAAPA), by shadowing PAs in the field, and also being a nurse assistant keeps up to date with current information. Find an article, speak about the issue and how it impacts the profession I consider myself a lifelong learner and I am passionate about joining the PA profession. I use these resources to help keep me current with events and issues regarding the pa profession.

I see you have a few Ws on your transcript during your freshman year, can you explain why that it is?

I take full responsibility for the Ws on my transcript. I initially had a tough time transitioning from high school to college, but as you will also see on my transcripts my trend was upward since my freshman year.

What was the most challenging course of your undergraduate studies and why? Theres one spot left and its between you and another candidate. The other candidate has a higher GPA. Who should we choose?

I took organic chemistry during a semester when I had a full load and other difficult science courses. I was also working part time and playing softball for my college. I have always found chemistry difficult but organic was completely different. From the beginning i had trouble grasping the material and recongized this course would need my full attention. I look for resources to help me understand the material better such as I got a tutor, I used online videos to help me, I asked questions during class and went to office hours and practiced problems in the library when I wasnt in class or on the field. Even though I recieved a C in the course, I worked hard for that grade and learned how to multitask and recognize when I may need to step away from other commitments to make coursework a priority. The challanges I faced during organic chemistry have prepared me for the rigors of a difficult pa program and the study skills i learned during that course will help me excel in your program.

What preperation have you made to become a PA?

I understand that the PA profession is physically, mentally, and spiritually challenging. Therefore, I have prepared myself in each of these three areas. I exercise daily to improve my stamina. I understand as a PA student I will be working long hours, both in the classroom and on clinical rotations. Exercising is a way to stay energized and relieve stress. I joined the American Academy of Physician Assistant (AAPA) to keep current on issues facing PAs. Finally, Ive been reading books on mindfulness. Ive been practicing techniques to help me stay in the moment and be present which will help during PA school

What do you value most in a classmate or coworker?

I value most in my classmates or coworkers their dedication to the job and going the extra mile to accomplish tasks. I love working with all my nurses because there's never a time I see them sit down and hang out at work, they are always busy checking on the patients making sure all their meds are given and working together to make sure the patients are comfortable and well. They motivate me everyday to get through long shifts.

If I could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

I would choose my Aunt Jackie, she was the person who introduced the PA profession to me and because of her passion and work ethic for the profession influenced me to become a PA. She's still alive but she lives in New Hampshire and is retired so I rarely get to see her.

Do you think PAs should be called physician assistants or physician associates? Explain your answer.

I would choose to keep the name of the profession to physician assistant. This profession is ranked high by Bureau of Labor statistics as one of the top careers in the country. Patient satisfaction with pas is ranked high right up there with physician and nurse practitioners. Im not sure that making a name change at this point would improve upon the success of the profession. Most patients know what a PA is and what a PA does. Changing the name would also require a period of time to reeducate patients and may cause confusion. Although I believe the name physician associate better describes the duties of a PA, Im a big believer that if it's not broken don't fix it.

If we could remember one thing about you what would it be?

I would like the committee to know that I am a team player. I started playing sports when I was 4 and baseball/softball has always been the foundation to my personal qualities but the one I use the most at work, in school and through life is being a team player.

You have a patient on Medicare and she cannot afford the brand name medication you prescribed. Medicare will not cover the medication until she failed two generic medications first. The patient approaches you asking you to contact the surname company and advise them she already failed the two generics (even though she hasn't) so she can get the brand name medication. What would you do?

I would not contact the insurance company to lie about the two failed attempts and therefore I would not prescribe the brand name medication. I would do research to find out the generic and prescribe her that instead and inform her that there is not difference from the generic to the name brand. She would do very well with the generic and it would save her money in the end. I would explain that if I lied to the insurance company, I would be committing fraud and I could face severe punishment, and I will not risk my medical license.

What would you do if you placed an order for a medication in a patients chart but the nurse refused to give it?

I would respectively ask her in person or over the phone why she refuses to give the medication because maybe she noticed something about the condition of the patient that I missed and together we can figure out what's best for the patient. If we still can't agree on a decision then I would contact my supervising physician to explain the situation and allow him to make the final decision.

If you could be any color/animal/tree/fruit, what would it be and why?

If I could be a color I would be a light lavender color because its pretty first of all but also because it has two shades pink and purple which makes it diverse but is subtle can work well with other colors If I could be a tree (this one is more personal) but the first time I saw a willow was a swim lesson and I thought about how unique and beautiful it was because it represents strength and stability with the thickness of the trunk but also have you seen Pocahontas? the great mother was a willow tree and Pocahontas would come to her for advise because it was her source of knowledge and integrity. If I could be a fruit I would be an apple because we can do many things with an apple such as bake it, juice it, or eat it as it is. Apples are versatile and and is still sweet after baking it or juicing it.

If you are treating a nine year old boy in the emergency room who presented with a fever of 103.5F, a stiff neck, and vomiting. You are concerned that he may have meningitis and you decide to admit him for a spinal tap in the morning. You present him to one of the ER attendings, who says, "you know we have a bed shortage in the hospital. Send him home and advise his parents to bring him back if he gets any worse."

If I felt the patient had meningitis, I would not be comfortable sending him home. He could take a turn for the worse on the drive home, or once he gets home and could possibly die before he returns to the hospital. I would also have a tough time telling the patients parents that we can't admit him because of a "Bed shortage." Therefore, I can present my finding to another attending in the ER to see if they would be willing to admit the child. If she concurred, I can do two other things. I could call Risk Management explaining the child illness, and that I am concerned that he is contagious and could possibly die. I would also be clear that a bed shortage is no reason to send a patient this ill home. I could have risk management if they agree to speak to the attending and if they still do not allow for the admission, I would call local hospitals to see if they have an available bed. If so I would arrange an EMS transport.

You are on the OBGYN rotation in school and your supervising physician often leaves you alone to treat patients and sometimes asks you to perform task that are outside the scope of practice for a pa student. You really like the rotation and the supervising physician but you are concerned that you may be crossing the boundaries between student and a licensed practitioner. How would you handle this situation?

If I were in this position as a PA student, I would express my concerns to the supervising physician or my preceptor I would first express gratitude for the confidence he has in me I would go on to explain exactly what I have been doing that is out of my scope of my role as a PA student. I would express that I feel liable for some of the decisions I am making and that as a PA student, don't feel comfortable accepting that liability. I would offer my programs description of responsibilities and duties that were dictated to us before starting our rotations, and I would tell him I am comfortable with those any of those activities. I would not want to jeopardize my standing with the program

Would you assist a physician in performing an abortion?

If I were pro choice I would have no problem assisting a physician in an abortion. If I were pro life, I would not take a job where I might be in that situation

What was the last book you read?

Im currently reading Becoming by Michelle Obama but the last book I finished was The Happiness Advantage. Its about positive psychology and is based around research on how to improve our productivity and performance.

Please tell us if you've applied to other programs, why you applied there and which one is your number one choice?

In addition to Sullivan, Ive applied to UC Davis, University of Utah, and Chapman. All these programs are rated highly in the US news and world report as top pa programs in the country. All these programs all meet and exceed the national average first time pass/fail rates on the PANCE. Sullivan is my first choice. Sullivan pushes for their PAs to work in primary care in underserved populations and offer oppurtunities to build clinic such as the Gala. Sullivan also feels personal in that we meet with our advisors in the very beginning and stick together till the end so the faculty to student is close and that's a huge reason for Sullivan being my number 1.

Can you tell us the history of the pa profession

In the mid 1960s navy hospital corpsman returned from Vietnam with a lot of medical training and experience but no place in the civilian world to capitalize on that experience. During that time, the country was experiencing a shortage of primary care physicians especially in rural and underserved area. Dr. Eugene Stead of the Duke Universityh Medical school camp with a solution to the problem. Dr. Stead who is considered the founder of the pa profession, assembled the first class of physician assistants in 19645 comprised of former navy corpsman. The PA curriculum was based on the fast track training of physicians during world war II.

Tell me about a time you had conflict with a coworker

It was at the beginning of my night shift as a CNA and one of the other aides didn't show up. So my charge nurse came up to me and said that I had to finish the vitals of the patients I was assigned to and then do the vitals of the patients that the aide who didn't show up was assigned to. I got my vitals done and moved to the unit where patients were waiting to get theirs done too. As I'm walking up, one of the nurses stops me and says that she's getting an admission and that I need to set the room before the patient comes. I explain to her that I was just assigned these patients and that Im behind on getting vitals done but I will prep the room when I get the chance. She then raised her voice at me and said "why can't you do your job and do it now. Do I have to get the charge nurse over here to explain your job to you." I was such in shock because I thought this in particular nurse and I had a relationship and was taken back by her response that I went ahead and set up the room and continued on with my vitals.

After working a double shift you realize you gave one of your patients the wrong medication. The patient seems to be doing fine, but you are concerned about your mistake and a possible negative outcome for your patient. What would you do.

My first concern would be the patients welfare. I would double check the medication to see fi there is a potential for it to harm my patient. I would speak to the patient directly informing her of my medication error and apologize for the mistake. I would make sure her vital signs were okay and make sure she is stable. I would inform her she felt any side effects to immediatly contact me and or go to the ER fi she isn't already admitted. I would address any questions or concerns that she may have relative to the medication error. I would also document the chart that I made a medication error, chart that I notified the patient and made sure she was stable and vitals were okay. I would also chart that questions and concerns were addressed. I would then notify my supervision physician.

Who inspired you the most in life and why?

My mom inspires me the most. She moved out at 18 paying for everything herself, met my dad and got pregnant with me at 22 and worked hard to give both my brothers and I a good life. She has always been the bread winner in the family and taught me atonamy is important as well as being resistant with my goals and caring for others before myself.

What is the difference between a PA and a nurse practitioner What is the difference in the nursing mode and the medical model?

One difference is that NP is an independent practitioner whereas a PAs are dependent. One other difference is that NP were first nurses and often times train to be NPs in nursing programs. Whereas PAs come from a variety of backgrounds in the medical field and sometimes trained at medical schools. Regardless of the few differences, Ive seen and experienced more similarities between the two professions. When I say experienced, its because, if all the practitioners Ive seen for a checkup and covered their badge, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. We are all on the same team and have a common goal: providing the best care to the patient. Medical model is designed to -diagnose and treat -you learn based on disease and determine patient care accordingly with the goal of patient improvement nursing model -holistic approach to the patient to meet their daily needs -trained on the nursing model in nursing school and gain additional learning by the medical model to further their responibilities while in NP school

What is your biggest strength?

One of my biggest strengths is time management. Being a nurse assistant on the oncology department can be hectic with admissions, vitals, discharges, charting ADLs and most of the time have to be done by a certain time for medications. I can time manage these duties all while expressing compassion and empathy to my patients and result of that is the core value cards I receive from patients. Patients have the option of writing core value cards which are little notes basically saying thank you.

Have you ever been in a situation at work or in school where you felt it was necessary to address an ethical issue? Explain the situation.

One of my good friends took chemistry with me and when it was test day I noticed her looking down a lot. I finally noticed that she had a little peice of paper between her legs. After the test, she walked together snd I brought it up to her that I noticed her cheating that could jeopardize her chance to get into nursing school. She started to tell me that her and her dad were going through some stuff at home and she didn't have any time to study. So I offered to help her if she needed a study buddy before tests and I could tutor her if It happens again for the next test.

Tell me about a time I had to adapt quickly to change

One time one of my patients was getting ready to go home, she was independent and waiting for her husband. While doing her hair in the bathroom, she fell and ended up on the floor. The husband found her and tried to help her up but she couldn't move but was responsive lifting her head and talking. So he got the nurse inside the room and she called for code mobility and for the rapid response team. Meanwhile, Im downstairs outside discharging another patient so when I come back up stairs there's people running around and I walk into that room to help out and find out what happened. When I first walked in her feet were sticking out from the bathroom and I noticed that they were white. At that time everyone is trying to figure out how to get her out cause her head is stuck under the sink and we want to move her carefully incase of a spinal injury. But I told the team right away that her feet are white and someone goes to her head and tries to talk to her and she is unresponsive at that point. So we call for a code blue and two other nurses and I pull her out from under the sink into the room and we flip her over and she gone her face is blue. Someone jumps on her start CPR and start pulling the furnature out to make room for the code blue. After 30 mins of CPR and the defribilor pushing epinephrine she didn't come back and the doctor called it. During that time we had to adapt quickly from her being responsive to becoming unresponsive and finding only one solution to getting her out and attempting to save her. detail teamwork

Tell me about a time someone on your team didn't do his or her job and how you resolved the problem

One time there was only two aides on the floor, my coworker and I and she went missing half way through the shift. No one could find her, they were calling her cellphone and work phone and she didn't come back after an hour and a half. But during that time, I answered the call lights and help the patients with anything they needed which I didn't mind but I had to step up and work with the nurses and together it was like she never left.

Tell us about a time when you had to overcome obstacles to get a job done?

One time while working as a CNA, I had a patient who just found out that they had ovarian cancer. And she had a hard time dealing with the news but took out her anger on us caregivers. She would give us attitude, ignore us, wouldn't take her meds or even take care of her personal hygiene. The first time I had her I was aware of how she was coping and went into her room with a subtle positive attitude but not overbearing to make her uncomfortable and right off the back she refused to take her vitals and told me to get out. Rather than insisting that I needed her vitals which might make her more upset, I followed her directions and informed the nurse that she refused her vitals. Throughout the day, I never made her do things that she didn't want but suggested them and most of the time it was a no. In the afternoon, I was able to change the subject and bring up the weather to get her comfortable with me and after a conversation about that I politely asked if I could get her vitals and she agreed. As a result the nurse was happy and I was glad she was able to warm up to me and she began to agree to more and more things such as a bath and a bed change. By the end of the day she thanked me and nurse for being so patient with her and assured her we would be there for her through the good and the bad.

Describe the role of a pa as you understand it?

Physician assistants are healthcare professionals licensed to practice medicine under a licensed physician. PAs are considered mid-level practitioners, however, PAs work very autonomously in most practices. The role of a PA is to take medical history and perform medical examination. The PA will then compile a differential diagnosis, order the appropriate diagnostic tests, if needed, and prescribe a treatment plan. PAs collaborate with their supervising physician, as well as medical specialists, and virtually every member of the healthcare team as appropriate. PAs currently can be found in almost every specialty area of medicine and surgery. PAs also have the benefit of lateral movement being able to change specialties during their career

What would you do if you caught your colleague stealing controlled medications?

Stealing drugs is a serious offense and should not be taken lightly. The first thing I would do is convince my colleague to return the medication immediatly. I would sit her down in private and ask her why she was stealing It, she is putting my license, our supervisors license and her entire career in jeopardy. If she said she was stealing for a friend, I would advise her that there are alternative ways to getting medication legally. Such as the pharmaceautical companies that offer medication for free. I would advise her of the consequences that her friend could have had a reaction or worse overdosed. Whether she was stealing for a friend or possibly herself, I would have to report the incident to my supervising physician. If I don't and it happens again, it would jeopardize my licesne.

How do physician assistants fit into the healthcare model? Who is the most important member of the healthcare team? If you had to be a member of the healthcare team other than a PA what would you choose?

The best way to answer this question is to discuss my experiences working with PAs on the floor and through shadowing. As a CNA I got to see first hand how the entire health care team works together with a common goal of caring for the patient. For instance, the PAs working on our floor are all hospitalists. Although they were the primary care provider for their assigned patients admitted to the unit, they had to work collaboratively with many team members to coordinate the care of the patient. The PA had to provide updates to the patients primary care physician and work with every team member involved in the patients care, including consulting physicians, nurse practioners, CNAs, allied health professionals, family members, clergy and so on. The collaberation and coordination with the other caregivers was an essential component of treating the patient. There is no hierarchy when it comes to patient care.

What will you do if you do not get accepted to PA school this year?

The first thing Ill do if I don't get accepted into a program is contact the programs where Ive interviewed/applied and see if I can find out specifics of where I fell short. I will take that advise and continue to improve my application before the next cycle and apply again next year.

You typically call all your patients back with lab results. One day you call Mr. Jones to advise him about a finding on one of his labs. Mrs. Jones answers the phone and tells you that Mr. Jones is not home. She then says, "its okay, you can give me the results an ill pass them on to him." what would you do in this situation?

This scenario is a HIPPA concern. I would explain to Mrs. Jones that I can not share the lab results information with her due to HIPPA and if the results were normal I would reassure her that everything okay. Whether it is good or bad news, I would ask Mrs. Jones to have her husband call me back as soon as he is available to do so.

Tell me about a time you had to handle a stressful situation

This time was not only stressful but I was already exhausted so the mixture of the both is what made it difficult. It was the last hour of the shift and my charge nurse comes up to me and says we getting 3 post ops so prep the rooms because they'll be coming back to back. So I prep the rooms make sure I get reports from all three of the nurses and have my vital machines ready because post op vitals are specific. So I assist the transport team, make sure the patient is comfortable and has ice chips and water, take their vitals and go on to the next post op patient. Luckily I recieved a lot of help from my nurses and we were able to be diligent in getting the jobs done. School work softball

Which program is your top choice?

When choosing pa programs that I was interested in applying to, I selected those schools where I felt my background was a good fit for the program. Such as diverse population, goals of providing primary in underserved/rural communities, and small student to faculty ratio. I feel that Sullivan meets the criteria I am looking for to get a quality education and prepare me to become a competent pa.

Do you have any questions for us?

Yes thank you. I have three questions that would like to ask: 1. What are the three most important qualities you look for in a competitive applicant? 2. What type of applicants are most successful in this program? 3. In what ways do you prepare your students for serving in underserved communities?