Why a Former Patient, an EMT and a Healthcare Advocate Chose to Become Physician Assistants

The students entering Touro University’s School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Manhattan program bring more than their academic backgrounds to the classroom. Some have worked in hospitals and emergency medical services. Others have spent considerable time on the receiving end of medical care, either as patients or alongside family members. For Sara Ederi, Akshita Sawani and Daniela Barskaya, those experiences helped shape their understanding of what physician assistants do and the kind of medical providers they hope to become. Their stories offer a snapshot into why students pursue careers as physician assistants and what attracted them to Touro's PA program, from opportunities to explore medical specialties to smaller classes and evening schedules.