Jessica Israelsen is a current student in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP). Jess chose RMUoHP because of the values the university maintains: “RMU fosters a feeling of service, compassion, selflessness, and growth. RMU is more focused on what kind of people we become rather than what kind of scores we get. For me there was no question that RMU was the only school I wanted to attend. I felt that RMU was the only school that would help me become the kind of provider that will truly make a difference in people’s lives.”
“This program is so different from any other program I looked into because of its deep focus on service and relationships. They care more about people and values than grades and rankings. They don’t release class test score averages or have rankings within the program because they want to foster unity within the class. They recognize that instead of trying to compete against one another we should be trying to collaborate to help our future patients. This program has a strong focus on compassion and service. RMU trains your mind, hands, and heart to become the best and most compassionate providers out there.”
The culture at RMUoHP is known for being inviting and warm. Jess comments, “It is extremely people-oriented. RMU feels like a second family and everyone is so caring and supportive of one another. It is a very wholesome, uplifting, and positive environment. The president of the university [President Richard P. Nielsen] is one of the most caring, selfless, humble, and service-oriented men I have met, and that attitude trickles down throughout the rest of the university.”
One of the aspects that greatly influences the warm and friendly culture at RMU is the faculty. The faculty truly care about their relationships with students. Jess says, “I’ve never seen a faculty more devoted to its students and their students’ well-being. They not only care that we succeed academically, but they also want to make sure that we are all doing OK in our daily lives. They care that we’re sleeping well and are healthy, they care about our families, they care about our emotional well-being, and they care when we’re going through challenges outside of school. They have an open door policy and are always available to the students. Their primary focus is the students.”
When asked why she wanted to become a PA, Jess says she always knew that she wanted to be in the medical field, but it wasn’t until her mother’s battle with cancer that she decided to become a PA. “The PAs always stood out to me the most because they were the most caring and helpful to us,” says Jess. “They were humble, kind, patient, good listeners, and were always very thorough. They always made us feel like we were their only patients and gave us so much hope. My mom’s PA made such a difference to our family, and I wanted to have that same sort of impact on others.”
There are many different factors that can help one get into PA school. These days, applying and getting into graduate school can be very difficult. Jess’ advice for someone who is interested in applying and going to PA school would be, “Come with a focus on others. If you come into the program with a focus on yourself, you will miss so many of the important characteristics and qualities that RMU can help you develop. Come willing to serve. RMU has a large focus on service, and you will have so many opportunities to participate in projects in the community, and if you are unwilling to serve or are focused on yourself, you may see all of the projects as an annoyance. Come with a mindset of lifelong learning, recognizing that you won’t be able to learn everything you ever need to know during the program, but that you will continually be learning throughout your entire career. RMU will make sure you are prepared to be a PA, but remember that your education doesn’t stop with graduation.”
PA school can be challenging, but also very rewarding. One of the things that Jess hopes to take away from the program more than anything else is its focuses on people and service. Jess truly wants to be a compassionate provider that goes above and beyond to help people. She says, ”I don’t want to just go through the motions to get a paycheck, but rather I want my focus to remain on helping people heal physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
“Being at RMU has not only taught me how to be a PA, but it has also helped me become a much more caring, selfless, kind, patient, and happy person. I am completely convinced that there isn’t another school in the country that values its students and future patients as much as RMU. I absolutely love the people I get to be surrounded by each day. I truly do feel like I have a massive family in the MPAS program. RMU attracts a certain type of person, and I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many kind, good-hearted, happy, and caring people.”
