10/06/2026
National PA Week 2026 will be one I’ll never forget.
This will be the last time I celebrate PA Week as a PA student, and I can hardly put into words how much these past two years have meant to me. They have been some of the hardest, most challenging, and yet most rewarding years of my life.
They say PA school is like drinking from a fire hose… and well, I’d have to agree. 😂
But I made a promise to myself on the very first day of PA school. I remember sitting at orientation, nervous and excited about what the next two years would look like, when I received a call from my mom telling me that my grandpa was taking his last breath. I am forever grateful to the University of Pittsburgh PA Program for allowing me to leave and be with him in that moment.
Losing him on the very first day changed the way I approached the next two years. I promised myself that I would never stop living my life, doing the things I love, or making time for the people I love because I realized just how quickly life can change and how little control we have over how much time we get.
And today, I’m proud to say that I’ve learned you really can do both. You can work hard, chase your dreams, become excellent in your field, and still make time for the people and moments that make life worth living.
I knew from a very young age that I wanted to become a PA because of the PA who cared for me while I was navigating my own journey with a vascular birthmark. Every time PA school challenged me, I thought about her. I reminded myself that one day, I’ll have the opportunity to care for patients the way she once cared for me.
This PA Week feels especially full circle because I can officially say that I passed my End of Curriculum exam! 🎉
One more rotation stands between me and graduating PA school, followed by the PANCE and, hopefully soon, those three letters: PA-C.
Here’s to continuous growth, new beginnings, lifelong learning, and remembering that success isn’t just about the title you earn. It’s also about the life you build along the way. Happy National PA Week! 🩺🤍✨
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