Walking into my first cardiothoracic surgery case as an undergraduate was one of the most eye-opening and memorable experiences to date. It was not only the first day where I observed my first open heart that kindled an interest in all things cardiology and critical care, but where I was also introduced to the physician assistant (PA) profession. Although we stood for almost 9 hours straight, time flew by watching the PA graft the radial artery and the rest of the operating room function efficiently and seamlessly to surgically bypass the stenotic main arteries of the heart. Later that day, we rounded on post-surgical patients, most of whom were in the critical care unit and either recovering extremely well or not at all. As I continued to reminisce about this experience, I was initially overwhelmed by the thought of practicing critical care medicine someday, but also felt the sudden urge to pursue it. Little did I know that I would unrelentingly challenge myself to not only become a PA, but one who specializes in a field that combines both the complexities of cardiology and the intricacies of critical care medicine. Leading up to PA school, I learned to manage rigorous prerequisite coursework and support my family both financially and emotionally. Due to my father's post-traumatic stress disorder from numerous wars and an ongoing divorce, he was left homeless and continues to be today. I struggled throughout my undergraduate career overcoming a combination of drinking issues, poor study habits, and a lack of academic support to cope with all the stressors in my life as a young adult. However, over the years, these obstacles eventually taught me about balance and emotional intelligence. After earning a degree in medical anthropology and global health, I gained a holistic perspective of medicine that incorporates a cultural and emotional understanding of the mind, body, and spirit. I began to volunteer in various medical clinics and motivated myself to overcome adversity in the pursuit of medicine with the new unique perspectives on how to care for a multitude of patient demographics with empathy and compassion. From uninsured patients getting heart valve reconstruction to behavioral health patients who wait several days before getting a bed, assumptions are often made that these patient’s healthcare issues are likely due to substance abuse, and stigmatized for getting invasive surgeries that are matter of life or death. These experiences inspired me to pursue and advocate for not only this profession but for patients who are not given the benefit of the doubt or do not feel as if they can even advocate for themselves. Shortly before my PA school acceptance, my experiences shadowing and working in various cardiovascular settings built a strong foundation for understanding critical care medicine and cardiology. Early in my medical career, over four years had passed where I spent hours observing the role of PAs while working in the cardiothoracic surgery intensive care unit and in a heart and vascular emergency department (ED). Throughout those years, developing a calm and communicative bedside manner became an important skill, especially during critical events. I learned how to discuss the next steps of patient care with family members and interprofessional healthcare workers, as well as worked directly alongside providers who taught me about vasopressors, arrhythmias, and surgical procedures that eventually became helpful during my PA journey. While in school, I not only challenged myself during the clinical year by working in internal medicine, inpatient cardiology, and a multi-specialty surgery practice, I was an active leader in both the community and in my cohort. With meticulous time management, I volunteered more hours in street medicine than any student in my didactic year, held two leadership positions that involved extensive communication between faculty and interprofessional students, worked in the ED part-time, and earned multiple scholarships that exemplify my efforts toward providing equitable healthcare for vulnerable populations. It is through these collective experiences that I believe I am capable of not only serving vulnerable populations in my community who resemble my father, but also accomplish and conquer any challenges that happen along the way. Throughout the years I have worked in medicine, I have always been inspired by PAs. The critical thinking skills and compassion they embody to care for vulnerable populations with multiple co-morbidities is what I strive for in my future career as both a PA and a community leader. I learned my curiosities lie in preventing patients from ending up in the ED, how to care for someone after they experience severe, life-threatening events, and the medical management of critically ill individuals. I am also eager to develop experience using point-of-care ultrasound, how to manage difficult airways, and eventually management of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. As a future PA, my overall goal in medicine is to give lives back to the patients who are often stigmatized for their inability to obtain quality health care such as the military veteran who struggles to keep their diabetes under control with new vascular deficits or the patient who is in rehab for drug abuse with underlying cardiomyopathies. In an ever-growing field of medicine, PA school alone does not adequately prepare a student to feel competent and comfortable in critical care medicine or management of multi-specialty surgery complications, all subspecialties and topics I am passionate about learning. Therefore, I hope to follow my curiosity about caring for vulnerable populations with confidence and empathy in order to give someone a new chance at life.

Over the past year, the COVD-19 pandemic caused stress not only in our nation but also within our small communities. Once vaccine distributions were announced, there was light at the end of the tunnel. I immediately knew I wanted to be part of the change that keeps my community safe and healthy again. So, in the midst of my didactic year, I signed up to volunteer administering COVD-19 vaccines, while also providing foot care and general healthcare screenings at a local Tent City, providing medical care at women-only shelters, and working on the University District Street Medicine (UDSM) team mobile health van. As a Korean and Filipina-American, my two cultures often see everyone as family, so it has been heartbreaking to see that our families could not be together during unprecedented times. By helping vaccinate multi-generational households within the community, I reached thousands of families and gave a glimpse of hope for our futures. Moreover, due to the pandemic, over 500,000 individuals were left homeless, displaced, or without the financial stability to cover expenses for an entire year. These populations are at an increased disadvantage of being unable to pay for simple medical needs or finding shelter to sleep, therefore, alleviating those stressors was a goal I was determined to achieve. Through UDSM, we helped individuals schedule blood work, sent referrals to mental health services, provided free hygiene products, and checked vital signs. Providing medical care not only brought equality to the community, but also equity to the individuals who needed it most. Through these experiences, I have been honored to be part of something bigger than just giving vaccines or putting cream between someone’s toes. It is about bringing people back together safely and ensuring healthcare for all throughout this pandemic and hereafter.

Along the freeway on-ramp, an older gentleman wearing a ‘Prisoners of War’ hat caught my attention. Intuitively, I pulled over as it reminded me so much of my father. As I offered the man some leftovers from my car, he shared his story with me. Despite having disability funds, he was unable to find a job that pays for adequate housing due to his previous war injuries and chronic medical conditions. With no immediate family around, he relied heavily on support groups during this transition into a civilian lifestyle. Due to my own father's post-traumatic stress disorder from numerous wars and a financially burdening divorce, he was also left homeless and continues to be today. As humans, we are are all natural caregivers who yearn for human connection. When I give myself to help vulnerable communities around me, I feel human again. Every day, I go to work and choose to make a difference in people's lives by giving my medical expertise to help them feel human and healthy again, too. The homeless are not second-class citizens, nor are they any less human than you and me. Caring for our homeless populations, including war veterans, is an unspoken and prevalent issue because healthcare should be a right for everyone. Assumptions are often made that homeless individuals’ healthcare issues are due to substance abuse, but those assumptions continue to fuel the fire of cyclic homelessness. As I reminisce on my own gifts and what vulnerable populations give back to me in the form of education and emotional intelligence, the desire to pursue a career as a physician assistant continues to grow. Thus, I may continue to serve these underserved populations, especially those who cannot even advocate for themselves, with compassion and unstigmatized care as if they were my own family.