She Thought PA School Would Give Her Purpose. God Had Something Better.

Three years of rejection letters had convinced Briana Zalewski that something was missing in her life. 

She had earned a bachelor’s degree in pre-medical studies from Oakland University, worked in health care, bought a home near Detroit and diligently applied to physician assistant programs across the country. But after multiple unsuccessful admissions cycles, she wondered whether she would ever find the purpose she was chasing.

Today, Zalewski, who earned a physician assistant degree in 2026 from Cedarville University, is practicing as a physician assistant at a private dermatology office in Troy, Michigan. Looking back, she says God used her pursuit of a career to accomplish something far greater by leading her into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

"The program didn't just shape my career," Zalewski wrote in a letter thanking Cedarville's physician assistant faculty. "It completely changed the trajectory of my life."

Years of Rejection Lead Future Physician Assistant to Purpose

Raised in a family where faith was rarely discussed, Zalewski believed in God but never understood the gospel or what it meant to build her life on Christ. She occasionally attended church with her grandmother and later joined a youth group, but anxiety and isolation often kept her from developing meaningful Christian relationships.

Instead, she looked to accomplishments and future milestones to provide fulfillment.

"I always thought once I got into PA school, everything would be better," she recalled. "I would finally have my purpose."

Instead, she encountered disappointment.

After two unsuccessful admissions cycles and nearly a decade of preparation, Zalewski continued searching for the right physician assistant program. She discovered Cedarville while researching schools that aligned with her academic background and applied, not realizing the decision would change far more than her career.

A Christian Community Became the Answer She Never Expected

Driving into Cedarville on the morning of her interview, Zalewski said she immediately felt at peace. The kindness she experienced and a professor who prayed with her during her interview convinced her she had found the place where she was meant to be.

She accepted Cedarville's offer without hesitation.

As one of 28 students in a close-knit cohort, Zalewski became part of a Christian community where classmates regularly prayed together, professors integrated biblical truth into every aspect of learning and students shared personal testimonies of God's work in their lives.

How Classmates and Professors Helped Briana Zalewski Come to Faith

Those relationships prompted Zalewski to examine her own story for the first time.

"I realized all these steps leading me here were God," she said.

While studying Scripture, praying consistently and learning from classmates and faculty, she came to understand the gospel and committed her life to Christ. 

Faith Sustained Her Through the Challenges of Physician Assistant School

The next two years tested that newfound faith. She left behind her family in Michigan, lived away from home for the first time, endured the demanding pace of physician assistant school and completed clinical rotations across Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. Along the way, she was baptized, married and learned she was expecting her first child.

Despite the academic rigor and major life changes, Zalewski says the spiritual foundation built during her first year at Cedarville carried her through every challenge.

"God had me, and I was going to finish this," she said.

She believes the encouragement she received from classmates, faculty and mentors helped her persevere while preparing for a career in medicine.

Caring for Patients With Compassion and Eternal Perspective

Now caring for patients in dermatology, Zalewski says she approaches medicine differently because of what she learned through her Christian education.

She strives to care for the whole person, recognizing opportunities to listen, encourage and, when appropriate, share the hope she has found in Christ. She says watching faculty model compassionate, Christ-centered patient care demonstrated that medicine can address both physical and spiritual needs.

A Life Transformed Through Faith, Friendship and God's Calling

Looking back, Zalewski believes the greatest gift Cedarville gave her was not simply a profession but a community that faithfully pointed her to Jesus.

"I don't know what my life would look like if I had been accepted into another program," she wrote. "In many ways, I truly feel that Cedarville saved me and redefined my life and the future of my entire family."

A Cedarville education is more than academics. It points people to Jesus so they make a kingdom difference in whatever profession they pursue. For Zalewski, it’s caring for patients as a physician assistant in suburban Detroit.

About Cedarville University

Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across the arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation's top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal's 2026 Best Colleges rankings. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics, and high graduation and retention rates. More information is available at cedarville.edu.