Growing up, I was always drawn to science. There was something deeply satisfying about asking questions, investigating problems, and discovering solutions. Medicine, with its blend of human connection and intellectual challenge, was always fascinating. But for me, the real draw toward a career in healthcare was personal.
My mom struggled with an undiagnosed condition for many years. It was a confusing, frustrating, and heartbreaking journey that shaped how I saw the healthcare system. We sat through appointment after appointment with clinicians who were hurried, dismissive, or even condescending. It was rare that anyone truly listened or treated her with the dignity every person deserves.
But one physician did. He was an infectious disease doctor. He may not have had all the answers in every moment, but he made a difference with his willingness to listen, think through the challenge, advocate for my mom, and lift her up with direction and hope. I remember thinking, If I ever work in medicine, I want to be like him.
By high school, I was sure I wanted a career in medicine, but I wasn’t sure which path to take. At the time, I had never even heard of a physician assistant. I started college at Mount St. Mary’s University as a pre-nursing student, considering a 3+2 nursing program or perhaps a career in medical research. Personally, I was hesitant to commit to the time required for medical school, residency, and possibly fellowship. I was still exploring options when a faculty mentor recommended me for a research opportunity in spectroelectrochemistry. I was paired with a senior who had been accepted into PA school—and it changed everything.
As we worked together, I learned about the PA profession, and it all clicked. The role of a PA made sense for me in a way nothing else had. I could care for patients, make clinical decisions, advocate, and make a meaningful impact, but with less time in school, flexibility in specialties, and the work-life balance I knew I wanted. It felt like I had found my calling.
From there, I got to work. I needed hands-on healthcare experience, so I enrolled in a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at a local community college at night. I took a post-baccalaureate position at the National Cancer Institute to gain research experience while completing the final prerequisites I needed for PA school. The journey wasn’t easy. Balancing classes, my post-bacc, work, and volunteer hours required persistence and grit, but I was determined.
I was fortunate to be accepted into PA school, and though it was rigorous and fast-paced, I survived. Didactic year was especially challenging, but clinical year gave me a glimpse into my future, and I really loved the work. Caring for patients in my rotations inspired me. After graduation, I accepted a position in emergency medicine just outside of Baltimore, Maryland, at the hospital where I had completed my emergency rotation and fallen in love with the patient community. That was 16 years ago.
Since then, my career has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve worked clinically in emergency medicine, served in leadership and administrative roles, and today I have the honor of serving as the founding Program Director for the PA program at Mount St. Mary’s University—back where it all started. From the moment I met that lab partner years ago to now, helping shape the next generation of PAs, I’ve never looked back.
I still work clinically in that same emergency room, and every time I walk into the building, I take a moment to remind myself of the privilege I have. Caring for people, often on their worst day, is a profound and humbling responsibility. I strive to meet every patient with compassion, advocate for them, and earn their trust. No matter how many years pass, that sense of purpose, and the excitement of being a clinician, never fades.
Becoming a PA has given me a fulfilling, meaningful, and balanced life. It has allowed me to be a healthcare provider, an educator, a mom, a wife, and a lifelong learner. I’m proud of this profession, what it stands for, the care it provides, and the opportunities it creates.
For anyone considering this path, I hope you know that becoming a PA is about more than just a career, it’s a calling to serve, to lead, to listen, and to make a difference. If you’re curious, passionate, and ready to commit yourself to a rewarding life of service, the PA profession might be the path you’re meant to follow, too.