Examples of Student Interview Reflections

Sample A

The workplace has drastically changed and is currently still undergoing major changes. It’s

as if the workplace has undergone a type of evolution.  Countless things in the workforce

have evolved and modernized. Some have changed for the better and others have changed

for the worse. The good and the bad effects of today’s work field have impacted everyone

including my father.

My father, XXXXXXXXX, is an entrepreneur taking a part in managing his family’s

construction business< XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. He has been working in this field since 1986,

and has witnessed many positive changes relative to his company and the workplace as a

whole. Technology has been one of the biggest changes. Cellphones, Ipads, and computers

are a part of everyday life making it easier to communicate from mobile locations, be better

prepared for emergencies, and track job costs. Another difference in this field today is that

there are more women and minorities by twenty percent. The field employees are also better

educated having at least high school diplomas and all office employees have college degrees,

which did not used to be the case. In addition, there are many safety, environmental, and

government regulations and inspections compared to even ten years ago which improves

employee safety.

On the other hand, some changes have taken a turn for the worst. The standards of

employers have decreased and not by choice. It is very difficult to find quality employees

these days. Younger generations seem to be lazier and less reliable opposed to older

generations. Therefore the work ethic and pride has decreased. My father’s motto is,

“Nowadays you have to take what you can get and make the best out of the worst.” The

economy is not helping either. My father is becoming increasingly stressed and is having to

be more aggressive to find work and bid jobs. These changes are not only happening in my

father’s career field but around the world.

People around the globe are having to adapt to these huge changes in the workplace.

The effects are felt by everybody even within my father’s family business. This has made me

realize that the career I want to pursue today could dramatically change in the future. I must

be prepared. Inspired by my father and his work ethic, I would consider becoming an

entrepreneur, despite the stress and responsibility. He has handled the changes in his career

very well no matter how difficult they might be. Just like evolution, the workplace will continue

to evolve.

Sample B

As we live in a society that constantly changes, Robert C. Gallagher, a famous photographer,

wisely stated that “change is inevitable - except from a vending machine.” Change is something that

we can neither escape nor dispose of. In order to learn how to deal with constant changes, I contacted

Maureen Moeslein, a physician assistant who works at Allergy and Clinical Immunology. She agreed

that working in the medical field as a physician assistant is constantly changing, but in her opinion the

changes are crucial and helpful, especially with the help of technology, education, and the general role

of a physician assistant.

Technology is the number one factor of change not only for physician assistant (PA), but the

general health care field. She stated that, “electronic medical records (EMR) are changing the way

PA’s practice and chart office visits and follow patients. In addition, electronic databases are replacing

textbooks for research and fact-finding.” Technology creates a whole new world where we find out

information quicker and more efficiently. In ways this is very proactive and efficient, however in other

ways it can sometimes be frustrating because of the way that information is constantly changing. After

viewing the “Shift Happens” video, I was informed that, “the amount of new technical information is

doubling every 2 years, for students starting a 4 year technical degree, this means that half of what they

learn their first year of study will be outdated their third year of study.” Not only does statistic relate to

technology, but also to education.

Education is also a huge factor that is constantly changing. Maureen Moeslein mentioned that

this field is competitive in the way that there are limited spots for the physician assistant programs,

especially at Gannon University of Erie, Pennsylvania where she obtained her master’s degree. She

pointed out that “the program continues to get more demanding each year. In addition, technology has

allowed more hands-on training before they start their clinical rotations.” I was also informed that this

is a constantly changing career where new research is arousing due to the new technology and

guidelines changing the role of a physician assistant.

The general role and job of a physician assistant is shifting gears. They are becoming more

independent due to the fact that the regulations of physician assistants have changed in the way that

physician assistants can work without the supervision of physicians. Maureen Moeslein stated that “in

addition, the prescribing rights for PA’s have expanded to allow PA’s to write prescriptions under

osteopathic physicians. In the future, PA’s are hoping to become more independent and no longer

requiring physicians to sign off on all office visits.” She also informed me that there is more flexibility

of what I can choose to practice in and this career is becoming more popular.

Change is inevitable in the medical field because of technology, education, and the general role

of the job. There is no way around change so as the next generation will have to plan out how to adapt

to this ever-changing world and make the best of all situations. In conclusion, Mary Engelbreit, a

children’s book illustrator, once said, “If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it,

change the way you think about it.”