Meet Adanna! She is
currently a 1st year PA student. She
is not only a PA student, but she is a wife and mother of 2 girls.
She is an
advocate and influencer for the PA career via her fun and informative, weekly
PA related videos on her YouTube (@AdannaThePA). She is also an unashamed
follower of Jesus Christ and allows her faith to help shape her character into
a woman full of peace, joy, and Love. You can also catch Adanna on her IG on
@AdannaThePA.
What motivated you to become a
Physician versus other careers in the medical field?
Honestly,
my family drove my decision to be a PA. I am very family oriented, and I did
not want to build a medical career at the expense of my kids not knowing who I
was as their mother. I would have regretted that decision and that's not
what I wanted for my life, so I chose the PA route instead.
What advantages do you think PAs
have over other roles in the medical field such as PA, NP, MD/DO, etc.?
I think
the PA profession allows me more flexibility. I'm able to float to different
specialties and get a plethora of experience, which is not truly an option in
the other specialties. Furthermore, my time is truly my own. As a PA I'm not
going to be getting calls in the middle of the night, leaving vacations early,
and missing out on soccer games.
What were some of the biggest
obstacles when applying to PA school? What advice would you give to pre-PA
students?
I feel
like the biggest obstacle individuals face when applying to PA school is self.
We don't do enough research. We self talk ourselves out of applying
because we don't have the money, or our GPA isn't high enough, or we don't have
enough healthcare experience, but that's just not always the case. For
pre-PA students, my best advice would be to do your research. Have all of your
numbers and stack them up to the different schools you're trying to apply to.
If you need to improve your score's do so, but don't let that deter you from
applying to schools that may accept you now with the numbers that you have. so
basically Do your research, Don't wait, and Apply.
What specialty interests you the
most? Why?
I'm really interested in being a
surgical PA or ER PA because I just love the pace of those professions. I think
I will learn a lot, and my critical thinking abilities will be AMAZING after
working in those two specialties, but I'm pretty open to what God has for me.
That's where rotations come in. I'm going to keep my mind open and see how I
feel after I get a few rotations under my belt.
What advice would you give
minorities that are wanting to break into the medical field?
Do it, Break in! Treating the
sick, holds no prejudice. It doesn't matter your race, or cultural
background; if you have a heart to help people, the discipline to learn, and
the ability to perform the job, there is a place for you as a PA. With that
being said, there is a shortage of minorities in the PA career, and certain
disadvantages we face with regard to finances, resources, opportunities, etc,
aid in perpetuating that shortage. This is why it is important we help each
other as best we can. A lot of times as minorities, we tend to see each other
as competition because we think there are only a "Few Spots" for us,
but we shouldn't. Rather, we should see each other as family. Take care of
yourself first, and establish your path. Then, when you are in a better position,
help your brother and sister, and afford them some of the opportunities
you never had.
What was the inspiration behind your
YouTube challenge? How are you able to balance PA school, being a mother and
wife, along with being a YouTuber?
I started my YouTube channel for a
few reasons. I wanted to document my journey through PA school because PA
school has been a dream of mine for a while. I also started the channel because
I wanted people that look like me to see that, hey this is attainable; she did
it, I could do it too. Lastly I made my channel so that I could provide
information that I wish I learned to others who are considering applying to PA
school. I wish I knew about the PA profession earlier, I wish I knew about the
different types of accreditation statuses and what they meant, I wish I new
about the differences between a PA and an NP, but I didn't and I made a lot of
mistakes in the process. Now through my channel, I can provide a resource for
people to go to so they don't have to make the same mistakes. And I get to be
myself and share that information in my own fun way!
Balancing everything is really
simple when you have a great support system. My husband is the BEST! He wants
me to succeed and he is willing to sacrifice and do what it takes for me to do
so. He works from home so I don't have to worry about my kids when I'm at
school. He also manages everything so that I really just have to come in and
film for 30 mins and get back to studying. He's really been a blessing and I really
couldn't do it without him. Ultimately support is what makes this easy.
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