Keeping Focused on Your "WHY"

After feeling burned out from 8 months of PA school my first year, I seriously considered quitting medicine. I didn’t think I was suited to work as a Physician Assistant and honestly I didn’t think I was good enough to be a PA. I had forgotten my childhood dream of WHY I wanted this career path so badly that I endured so much struggle. So I decided I needed to retrace my steps.

After taking a break from PA school, I applied to work as a medical scribe with ScribeAmerica. As I started working in a community clinic, family practice and walk-in setting, I learned about the diversity of patients who come from all backgrounds with all types of complaints and chronic conditions. These patients were also immigrants, refugees, and undocumented known as the underserved community. And I began to fall in love with all of them as I listened to their stories. Their stories spoke to me as I began to realize that I have encountered similar issues myself.

And just like that I began to remember why I wanted to become a Physician Assistant! I wanted to give back to those who had worked countless hours to survive for themselves and their loved ones. These patients inspired me every day and they make me want to be a worthwhile healthcare provider who can always be of service to them.

Special thanks to all the healthcare providers from the medical assistants, interpreters, social workers, MDs, NPs, PAs who inspire me. I am incredibly fortunate to learn from them how to be empathetic, calm, caring, and amazing practitioners! And I still hope to continue being inspired as I pursue my degree. And today I too will be starting my Physician Assistant career at a community clinic in hopes of giving back to those who gave me my dreams back.

Whenever you forget why you chose your path, remember to retrace your steps. And remember WHY you chose medicine and that medicine didn’t chose you. There will be times when pursuing medicine will make you feel unworthy but we all chose this path because it means something more to us. When you begin to remember your WHY, you will not worry about whether you belong because you’ll realize you just are meant for this.

Rezwana Hoque is a former outpatient medical scribe based in Worcester, Massachusetts. While working as a medical scribe, she also attended a Physician Assistant Masters Program at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She will be starting her Physician Assistant career in Adult Medicine at Syracuse Community Health Center. Rezwana inspires to connect with her patients especially those amongst the underserved community and represent Physician Assistants in New York State. When she is not working, she spends her time with her cat, Lily, and family.