Brian Do, PA-C

“It has been a life dream of mine to work in an operating room (OR),” says Brian Do about his career ambitions. Growing up playing team sports—and witnessing the inevitable resulting injuries—cultivated a keen interest in anatomy. Add in the possibility of using power tools like drills and saws in the OR and Do was hooked on the idea of a career in medicine.

Initially interested in becoming an orthopedic surgeon, Do ultimately wanted more flexibility and work/life balance and applied to graduate school to pursue a job as a physician assistant (PA). “I love that PAs can work in different specialties at the same time. This allows for a change of pace and new experiences,” he explained.

Do begins his professional journey as a PA on the orthopedic surgery team at Mount Sinai Hospital. He is thankful to Touro for ensuring he is well equipped for this challenging role. “Touro did a great job preparing us for clinical rotations and our certifying exams. Touro made sure we had the necessary board prep to not only pass but to score high,” he said.

Do advises future PA students to realize that it is a rigorous learning experience requiring hours of hard work. “But everyone in your class is going through the same thing that you are and all of those before you have done the exact same course work. Don’t be too hard on yourself and keep pushing forward,” Do says of the PA school experience.