Future Physician Assistants Share What Inspired Them to Pursue Health Care
University of Toronto’s Physician Assistant (PA) Program is currently one of two PA Programs in Ontario and one of just four in Canada. Some of our newest students shared what inspired them to pursue the PA Program and become part of this growing, rewarding profession.
Muqdas Shabir
Having worked in clinical settings before, I have always found myself wanting more for my patients and myself. I researched a lot of different career options and I decided that a career as a Physician Assistant would open up a lot of amazing possibilities. A lot of things drew me to it – the fact that it’s an intellectually challenging and rewarding career, the flexibility in practice, and the training as PAs get as generalists. By responding to the many challenges in health care, PAs provide a collaborative method to optimize patient-centered care, hugely contributing to primary care needs in Canada’s health care system. It is a field that is in high demand and I look forward to being a part of it. I’m especially looking forward to the clinical clerkship in rural, underserved areas of Ontario. This is the part of the program where PA students will complete 50% of their rotations in collaboration with Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Despite the challenges of providing care for remote and underserviced areas of Canada, I consider it a rewarding challenge to face. The ability to contribute to improving patient access to preventative and specialized care is important. As a student, I look forward to gaining both the knowledge and appreciation for the skill set of rural health care workers.
Sara Shamsuddin
When I was just three, my mother had heart surgery and she was hospitalized for weeks due to complications. I used to visit her often at the hospital and became close to a few of her health care providers. Since then, my mom had several other heart surgeries. So I’ve had frequent encounters with those in the medical field and admired the care they provided patients and families.
Over the years, I’ve worked in a variety of roles in the medical field and took courses to upgrade my knowledge and skills. I learned about Physician Assistants when I was examined by them while visiting the United States. I was impressed with their approach to patient care. After researching the profession, I grew to appreciate the advantages of PA practice. There were several elements of this profession that caught my attention: having a supervising physician with whom PAs can consult, working in a collaborative fashion, being able to perform both diagnostic and therapeutic services and having the flexibility of switching specialties if desired.
Jesse Moreau
Before joining the Physician Assistant Program at U of T, I worked as a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at North Bay Regional Health Centre. It was an incredibly rewarding experience that solidified my passion for health care. There were many factors that played into my decision to pursue the PA Program. I always wanted to continue my education in the medical field and I was curious about the types of careers that were out there. This curiosity and desire to learn led me to the PA Program. The fact that this program is structured to allow distance learning but still provides a comprehensive curriculum really caught my attention. The ability to obtain clinical skills and new experiences through clinical placements right from the start of the program is one of the things I’m most excited for. Going back to school after being in the workforce for four and a half years is going to be a challenge, but the kind of challenge I’m really looking forward to.
Rija Hassan
When I first came across the PA Program, I instantly fell in love. As I continued to research the profession and encounter PAs during my volunteering opportunities, I became convinced that it was the perfect fit for me. I am passionate about advocacy and improving access to health care, and this is a career that will allow me to do that while also directly caring for patients. Family is really important to me, so the flexibility and work-life balance of a PA career is really appealing. I really like that unlike most health care professions, PAs can smoothly transition between different specialties, so I can explore different areas of medicine that appeal to me. The growing demand and improved recognition of PAs makes this an exciting time to join the profession. I’m really excited to apply my medical knowledge and clinical skills to a real-world, practical setting and make a real difference for my patients and their families.
