In this essay, I will reflect upon the reasons I chose to become a physician assistant and the aspects of my clinical practice I anticipate will be important using the principles of autonomy and beneficence.

My desire to become a physician assistant was motivated by multiple factors some altruistic and others self-serving. From a young age I was drawn to science and medicine, attracted by the intricacies of human biology and ever evolving nature of medical science. I have also always enjoyed the company of people so I knew that a solitary job in research would not work for me. The third and most powerful reason I have for choosing a career as a physician assistant is my drive to help others, to touch the lives of others and have a positive impact. The best way that I know to accomplish this is to use the skills I have in science and learning and apply them to the practice of medicine.

In my own medical practice, I hope to enter the field of gynecology. I have always felt that barring any significant impairment individuals have the right to make decisions regarding their medical care. Specifically, as it relates to the practice of gynecology, I find the ongoing political debate around abortion abhorrent and would do my utmost to provide safe and effective medical care for women while supporting them in the decisions they make. Another aspect of future practice that I will place emphasis on is patient education. If I am able to effectively communicate with and educate my patients regarding their own self-care, both reproductive and lifestyle I can reduce the risk for STI’s, unwanted pregnancies and chronic health conditions. Gynecology is considered a specialty practice but the nature of retuning patients on an annual basis incorporates a primary care aspect that appeals to me. I firmly believe that women should do what they can to support one another, now more than ever.

I anticipate autonomy playing a dominant role in my clinical practice. Autonomy is described as allowing the patient to make decisions regarding their own medical care (Yeo et al., 2010). With the ongoing political debate around a woman’s right to an abortion I believe that it is of the utmost importance that as a provider I support the decision of my patient. While it may not be applicable living in New York City, I am from northern New Mexico, and should a woman there want an abortion she may have to drive over 300 miles to find a practitioner that would perform the procedure. I am well aware that I may not agree on a personal level with my patients as to lifestyle choices or motivation for treatment. I also acknowledge that as a medical practitioner I cannot act to impinge the freedom of my patients to make their own decisions regarding their care under the guise of  “doing what is best for the patient” as this is the definition of paternalism (Yeo et al., 2010). In my own practice I hope to endeavor to give my patients the ability to make informed decisions about the kind of care they would like to receive and then strive to provide the best care possible.

As future health care providers, I can say with some confidence we all hope to do good for our patients while acting to reduce the potential for harm (Yeo & Moorhouse, 2010). Beneficence as defined in the proceeding sentence is an integral part of the practice of medicine and I see it playing a role in every facet of my practice, especially when it comes to patient education. As a PA I will hopefully be afforded the luxury of spending more time with my patients and building a rapport that can lead to an open and honest exchange. By taking the time to educate my patients on the lifestyle and healthcare decisions they are making I hope to provide them with the knowledge and confidence to change unhealthy behaviors or avoid them all together. Through the sharing of information I believe that there is tremendous potential to do good and reduce harm. The practice of medicine can seem intimidating and foreign to many patients but I hope that by educating my patients I can empower them to make choices that will improve their health and quality of life overall.

In this essay, I discussed the reasons why I chose to become a PA, the aspects of clinical practice that will be most important to me as a practitioner and how the principles of autonomy and beneficence will guide my practice.

References –

Yeo, M., & Moorhouse A. (2010). Beneficence. In Yeo, M., Moorhouse A., Khan P., &

Rodney, P. (Eds.), Concepts and Cases in Nursing Ethics.[3rd edition] (pp. 103-

116). Ontario, Canada: Broadview Press.
Yeo, M., Moorhouse A., & Dalziel, J., (2010). Autonomy. In Yeo, M., Moorhouse A.,

Khan    P., & Rodney, P. (Eds.), Concepts and Cases in Nursing Ethics.[3rd edition] (pp. 91-97, 103-109). Ontario, Canada: Broadview Press.

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