Literature: Letter, Essay Example

The easiness and relaxation of the last days have been eclipse by the sadness of drifting away from my dream of becoming a physician assistant. I therefore want to retract from my earlier decision and apply for readmission into the program. Although my previous performance did not meet the academic standards required for graduation, I am sure to perform better if give a second chance.

After a critical analysis of my performance as a PA student and review of academic history, I have identified key problematic areas that I’m willing to correct.  I struggled to achieve the academic requirement during the first year of PA school, but with consistent efforts and the help and support of the program staff, I did earn the right to move on into the clinical year. Though I did a lot of studying and understood the concepts covered in class, my problems radiated from my inability to reflect what I knew on tests basically due to lack of quickness in reading English and increased pressure to perform under time restrictions. Furthermore, constant pressure to avoid failing build up and metamophosised in to a handicapping test taking anxiety. Also, I’m not as young and healthy as the average student and the high intensity and the fast pace of the program’s curriculum demanded a physical stamina that I lacked.

The clinical class requirement of writing case studies and literature review papers was greatly affected by my lack of English proficiency thus negatively affecting my overall academic performance.  During my previous college experiences, I did write many papers, and I even got As in English 101 and 102.  However, the length, complexities and requirements of those papers were inferior to the ones that I had to write for the PA school. Fortunately, my language deficiencies does not affect in the same way my clinical performance or communication (oral or written).  You do not have to take only my word for it. I did average the grades that my preceptors gave me on areas that require communication skills and English proficiency and it proves this assertion. My problem affects only my academic performance, but not my clinical performance, which is the essential area. There isn’t any incidence during the almost nine months of rotation in which my lack of English proficiency caused a misunderstanding between my preceptor and I; interfered in the appropriated managements of a case; or jeopardize in any respect a patient’s safety or well being. I am really sorry and shamed by my poor academic performance. I am however, committed to doing better academically in the future as I have identified ways in which I can substantially improve my academic performance.

By assuming that I would be able to work during the PA school, I mistakenly dismissed the recommendation not to work, and even lied to Dr. Paulk, my advisor, when he asked me if I was working, and for that I am very sorry.   I knew some of my classmates were able to work and do well academically, and mistakenly thought that I could do the same.  At my age, I should have known better and stopped working when my grades failed to improve.  However, I had some responsibilities that did not allow me to do so.    I promise not to work at all if i am readmitted but dedicate my time to improving my performance.

Also I poorly organized my workload.  I always studied the rotation’s objectives in the first week of the rotation; wrote most of the papers on the last week; and ended up doing my patient logging on the last weekend of the rotation.   Lamentably, this proved to be inefficient, and I ended taking test with just a brief review of the objectives; I always ran out time to properly edit and correct mistakes in my papers; and in some occasions, I failed to log my patients on time.

My low test scores and low quality papers that I turned in may have made you skeptical about my medical knowledge.  However, I would like bring to your attention that in my last rotations, I got 4.2 of 5 on medical knowledge, and my preceptors wrote on my evaluations that I have “a good fundament of medical knowledge” and “strong medical knowledge base.”

However, I am not oblivious to the fact that I need to improve in all the aforementioned areas as well as in my overall knowledge of medicine.  However, I do not think that I am worse than other PA students are, or that I need to do the first year all over again.   Having that said, I realize that I am not in a position to make any demands, and I will be willing to do whatever you consider necessary to achieve my dream of becoming a PA.  I even purchased a CPAP machine to deal with my sleep apnea.    I understand that it might not be easy to grant a second change to someone like me, but there is not doubt on my mind that I would do much better this time around, and I will not waste your time or mine.

Yours truly,

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