Students One-on-One
Darren Johnson
Why did you choose to become a PA?
My motivation for becoming a PA came from my experiences as a patient. I spent a good bit of time in the hospital in my late teen years and I met some amazing people that changed my life. Before I was sick I wanted to be an ESPN Sportscenter anchor, but my time as a patient changed my perspective on life and I decided medicine was where I belong.
Why a PA specifically? There were a lot of people that took amazing care of me in the hospital and they really became good friends of mine. These people made a huge impact on my life and I want to impact others in the same manner. I feel the PA profession is setup to allow just that. PAs have the perfect balance of direct patient care and clinical responsibility. I can’t wait to be a PA!
In what field(s) of medicine are you interested in working?
I want to eventually end up in Pediatric Oncology, but I would like to get some experience in primary care. The PA profession was intended to fill the void in primary care and I feel everyone should experience that field because there is just so much to learn.
Shh, don’t tell them, but my favorite professor is…
My lawyer advised me not to answer that question…
When you get away from school, what do you do for fun and/or burn off stress?
I love hanging out with my friends, watching sports, and playing the recorder. I’m kidding, I don’t have any friends and I don’t like sports, but I can play a mean version of “Hot Cross Buns”…
What’s your favorite medical TV show?
Scrubs, hands down. In my opinion it’s the second best sitcom of all time behind Seinfeld.
The song that best describes my life as a PA student is…
To me being in PA school is like being in a relationship. I spend a lot of time and money in this “relationship”, most of the time things are great, but there are some rough patches. In the end though, I know I made the right decision. That being said, Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” perfectly describes my life as a PA student. It’s also one of the greatest songs of all time.
Any advice to give prospective students?
- Apply for early decision. You find out if you got in around December. Is there a better Christmas present than that?
- Get some patient care experience, it looks good on your resume and it will help you immensely in school.
- Come to MUSC, it’s the second best decision I ever made. Only behind buying that denim shirt with the wolf scene on it, that thing is a lady killer!
