A New Start in the Swamp

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Written by: Leann Goldin

Position, Member Since: General Member, Joined Fall 2025

Major & Track: Health Science, Pre-PA

Current Year: 3rd Year

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Transferring to UF as a junior Pre-PA student has been one of the most overwhelming but clarifying moments in my academic journey.

For a long time, I had this picture-perfect timeline in my head: graduate in four years, go straight into a PA program, no gap year, no delay. I even thought that taking a gap year meant I wasn't working hard enough. But stepping onto the UF campus and joining organizations like uAMWA helped that mindset to shift. I learned that redirection isn't a setback, but an opportunity.

Being an upper-division transfer is exciting, but it's also intimidating. You enter a new environment where everyone seems like they already know the ropes; the campus, culture, and pace will take you by surprise. It's quite easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you're supposed to have everything figured out. I quickly learned that this was far from realistic.

Instead of viewing my "late start" as a setback, I began to look at it as an opportunity. This redirection gave me the space to refocus and understand why I want to be a PA, not just when I want to become one. It opened my eyes to the fact that everyone's path is different, and it all comes down to whether you keep going when your plans shift. uAMWA along with the peers and mentors that surrounded me this semester taught me that a gap year isn't waisted time. It's growth and space to gain experience, connections, and a deeper understanding of healthcare.

I've been reminded that being "behind" is a story we tell ourselves when comparing timelines that were never meant to match. There is no perfect path into healthcare. Each journey is distinctive, and it's allowed to change along the way. If you transferred, switched majors, hit pause, or simply needed more time, you're not late. We are all right on time for our own paths.