tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87288895719531438742024-03-20T02:47:04.367-05:00AP the PAA Physician Assistant's journeyAP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-73289481079245077172019-01-19T07:00:00.000-06:002019-01-20T10:11:09.070-06:00Physician Assistant New Graduate Resume <br />
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Creating a resume as a new graduate seems simple, right? That's what I thought too, until I sat down to make mine. Thankfully our program helped us with this by having someone come in and give us a lecture on how to make resumes, which helped me get started, but I was still scrambling for the best way to present myself as professional.<br />
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Since some of you requested this, today I'm sharing what all I included on my resume and other "optional" sections that can also be included.<b> I am no expert </b>at making resumes and I will state that this is my first "professional" resume in the real world so please bear that in mind as you read this post. All I want to do is give you a strong backbone for your resume. If you haven't read my tips for interviews as a new PA, be sure to read <a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/12/interview-tips-for-new-pa.html#more" target="_blank">this post</a>. Ok let's get to it.<br />
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<b>Required Sections </b></h2>
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<b>Header</b><br />
I included my name, address, phone number and email address. We were told not to include our school email address; rather share your gmail or hotmail email as many people may see that you're still in school and not even bother looking at the rest of your resume. Make sure your email address is appropriate to be read by your potential future employer.<br />
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<b>Education</b><br />
As a new graduate, this was the most relevant information so I listed first it in my resume. List your PA program first, even if you have not graduated yet (be sure to include your graduation month and year), followed by your other degrees from most recent to oldest. I included the name of the university, the city in which I attended it, the degree I received, and when I graduated. There is no need to include your GPA or any education that did not count towards you becoming a PA. Employers at this point only want to know if you are board certified or not and what degrees got you here.<br />
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<b>Professional certificates and memberships</b><br />
Since I started applying to jobs before I graduated, I present this information as shown below. After I graduated and got my certification and license, I changed the status to passed, active, etc. respectively.<br />
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Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam - August 2018<br />
TN license - Anticipated Fall 2018<br />
ACLS, BLS, PALS certification - May 2017 - current<br />
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You can also include your AAPA membership if you have it (I did not include it because I was flat broke and did not want to pay for it yet. Memberships are not required so dont feel obligated to pay for it just to include it in your resume. But if you would like to to fluff up your resume by all means go for it. It honestly didn't stop me from getting interviews but you do you!<br />
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<b>Clinical Rotations</b><br />
This is a good place to list your rotations, the rotation site and location, and the name of the preceptor.<br />
<b>Pro tip</b>: when you are applying to a certain specialty, oh let's say the ER, do them a favor and list your ER rotation at the top your list. This makes it convenient for your interviewer as they can see the most relevant information at the top and don't have to go looking for it. It's the little things that count and make you stand out. ;)<br />
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<b>Clinical Experience/Proficiencies</b><br />
I included the procedures I've done and observed, interpretation of the various imaging I had seen, and also the conditions I've seen and help treat while on rotations. I also had a light bulb moment towards the tail end of my job search to list the number of patients I had seen during clinicals as a way to show future employers that I do have some clinical experience (even if as a student). Here I also shared the EMR systems that I have used while on rotations as it can give you a leg up in terms of training if they're considering to hire you.<br />
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<b>Professional Experience</b><br />
I did not have any medical experience prior to PA school but if you do, this is where you can list your CNA, EMT, etc. experience. I ended up including my tutoring experience during my undergraduate years, which looking back on it now I find it irrelevant, but oh well.<br />
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<b>Volunteer/Community service</b><br />
This shows that you are involved in your community and do more than just study your brains out all day. I included my philanthropy chair experience of organizing health fairs during PA school, volunteer work in the ER and Cath lab as a pre-PA.<br />
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<b>About me</b><br />
I wrote a snippet about myself to give them a little glimpse of my personality. This is absolutely in the optional section as you don't HAVE to do it.<br />
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<b>References </b><br />
I would strongly suggest reaching out to three preceptors/professors or previous employers (if medical) before you list their information in your resume. All three of my references were my clinical preceptors. I included their names, location of where they worked, their phone number (office or cell depending on their preference), and email address. Do not write "available upon request" because it may reflect poorly upon you that you were not able to get people to vouch for you.<br />
<h2>
<b>Optional sections</b></h2>
<b>Objective</b><br />
I honestly don't think anyone reads these anymore or finds them necessary. Especially as a PA, they already know what your objective is.<br />
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<b>Publications</b><br />
Most people don't have anything to list in this section so it's completely okay to not include it. The only time you'd include this for a PA job resume is if your article published in a medical publication or was related to medicine.<br />
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<b>Award(s)</b><br />
Again, not a vital part of your resume but if you have significant award(s) to list, go for it.<br />
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<b>Langauges</b><br />
There is always a need for bi-lingual medical professionals. If you do speak other languages, I'd include this, but you can leave it off if you don't.<br />
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My resume was 2 pages long. I would not recommend going longer than 2 pages because no one will read it, honestly. Keep it concise and only include the relevant information. If you can limit it to one page, even better! If you want, you can also combine the clinical experience and rotation sections together. I just separated them because that's how it made sense in my mind. I will leave the formatting up to you guys as that's a personal preference kind of thing.<br />
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I wish I could share my resume for you all to see but for privacy reasons I chose not to do that. I hope this will at least get you the foundation to build upon. If anyone wants me to look over any resumes for a second opinion, just shoot me an email and I'd be happy to give my feedback! Just keep in mind, I am NOT a professional resume creator or proof-reader nor have I ever hired anyone, but I can give you my two cents if you wish.<br />
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If you missed them, here is a recent post about <a href="https://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/11/pa-job-search-faqs.html#more" target="_blank">job search FAQs</a> asked by you all! Thank you for reading and good luck on your job search!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> to get more frequent updates about my PA-life experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-8290946535236618102018-12-12T12:15:00.000-06:002018-12-12T12:26:37.892-06:00Interview Tips for a New PA<b><br /></b>
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Interviews as a new graduate can be both exciting and intimidating, especially if you've never held a job in healthcare before (like me). Here are some things I have learned on the way or did to try and have a successful interview.<br />
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<b>Do your research on the practice/department.</b><br />
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Most practices have websites that you can go look at and read what their mission and values are, what services they offer, familiarize yourself with the providers, etc. This gives you some idea of what to expect when you walk in through the doors.<br />
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<b>Dress to impress</b><br />
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This goes without saying. If you've made it this far, you know how it goes.<br />
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<b>Have multiple copies of your resume printed and filed in your portfolio. Bring a pen!</b><br />
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First of all, it looks professional to carry a portfolio so get yourself one if you don't have it already. Second, have your resume ready because most of the interview invites are sent out by the hiring manager/recruiter and the providers interviewing you don't usually have your resume on hand. I was asked at 2 out of my 3 interviews if I had a resume for them and I was so glad to be prepared!<br />
<b>Pro tip:</b> when you list your clinical year experience on your resume, list the rotation/speciality you are interviewing for at the very top. This makes it easier for the interviewer to go directly to the information they need and don't have to search for the most relevant information.<br />
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<b>If asked why they should hire you when you have little to no experience, be prepared to sell yourself.</b><br />
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I always thought this was a trick question because clearly they are interested enough to invite you for an interview yet are pointing out what you lack. I responded with a well thought out response that was received very well the one time I had to discuss this. I would say something along the lines of "what I lack in experience, I make up for it with my eagerness to learn, my enthusiasm, and my dedication". I would also point out that since I am a new graduate with no prior healthcare experience, I look at it as a strength and not a weakness. I have no prior "bad" habits or expectations and I can be trained as the physician sees fit. This is the part that almost everyone agrees with in the real world.<br />
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Another thing to do is to highlight your clinical skills and what you already are comfortable with. That gives them an idea of how much training you will require.<br />
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<b>Training a new graduate is a commitment.</b><br />
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Be prepared to answer why you want to work in that speciality, what your long term goals are, and how long you plan on working at the said place where you're interviewing. Training a new graduate takes a lot of time, effort, and slows down the clinic no matter how good or smart you are. They are investing in your as a provider so they don't want to see you get your training and leave in 6 months. Give these things some thought before going in for our interview and also before accepting a position.<br />
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<b>When asked about your salary requirements, don't trap yourself with a number.</b><br />
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I have been told by several people to never throw out a specific number to answer this question. Hold out for as long as you possibly can and let them tell you what they can offer first. If you must answer it, give them a range but only after you have done your research. I talked about this more in a prior <a href="https://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/11/how-to-decide-on-pa-job.html">post</a>. Another way to answer this is by saying "I expect a salary the will make me feel valued as a clinician for the amount to work I will be doing".<br />
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<b>Write down some questions in your portfolio's notepad and ask them at the end of your interview.</b><br />
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This shows that you've given it some thought and are prepared for the interview. It is also okay to write down their answers as they speak. Here are some questions to ask.<br />
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<b>Questions to ask at the interview</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Is it a part time or full time position? </li>
<li>What are the hours/how many shifts will you be required to work?</li>
<li>Will there be a physician present on site at all times? (important as a new graduate)</li>
<li>Has the practice/hospital ever hired a new graduate?</li>
<li>Are there other PAs/NPS that work there? What has their experience been like? How long have they worked there for?</li>
<li>What kind of training will be provided and how long is the training period?</li>
<li>Are there any required "admin" hours?</li>
<li>What EMR system do you use and do you plan on changing it in the near future?</li>
<li>What are your goals for the practice/department over the next 5-10 years?</li>
<li>What expectations do you have of me if I were to work here?</li>
<li>When will I hear back from you and and what will be the next step in the interview process?</li>
</ul>
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<b>Questions to ask after you get a job offer</b></div>
<ul>
<li>What is the salary?</li>
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<li> usually if they are making an offer, they will most likely tell you what the salary is and you won't have to ask.</li>
</ul>
<li>Is healthcare provided as part of the benefits? </li>
<li>What does the malpractice insurance look like and who pays for it?</li>
<li>Is there a sign on bonus or an incentive bonus (usually means you have to work extra to get the bonus)? </li>
<li>What does the PTO look like? Sick time? Retirement funds?</li>
<li>What does the CME allowance look like?</li>
<li>Is your licensing cost reimbursed?</li>
</ul>
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If you have anything to add, share your tips and experience in the comments!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> to get more frequent updates about my PA-life experiences.</div>
AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-2638479503401223172018-11-26T11:30:00.000-06:002018-11-26T11:30:02.871-06:00PA Job Search FAQs<br />
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I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving and some amazing food! Last week, you all asked some questions about a job search on instagram and today I am sharing all the questions with answers! Thank you all for your questions, I'm sure you're not the only one who wanted to ask that and by asking you may be helping someone else out! I was going to answer these questions as a part of another post but I figured since there are so many, I could do it better justice by writing a separate FAQ post! Here we go.<br />
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<b>Can you apply to a job in a different state before you have a license in that state?</b><br />
Yes, absolutely! I applied to several jobs in Georgia while living in Tennessee and got invited for interviews there. You do not have to have a license in a specific state or even have to be graduated from school before you start applying to jobs in any state.<br />
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<b>How early during your clinical year should you start applying for jobs?</b><br />
The sooner the better. Now I wouldn't suggest applying in the first 2-4 months because you've barely started and don't have a whole lot to share on your resume as per your clinical year experience. I've heard a range of 6-9 months of being into rotations is a good time to start. I personally started in April and I was graduating in August. HOWEVER, if you love a rotation (even if it's your first one) and that speciality, let your preceptor know! Show your interest, work hard, ask lots of questions (be genuine though) and let them know that you would be interested in working there after graduation.<br />
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<b>Where do you even start looking? Graduating next year and the thought overwhelms me!</b><br />
I started looking online on indeed, ziprecuiter, simplyhired, careerbuilder, AAPA's job board, your state PA chapter's job board, monster, glassdoor, and many other countless websites. Word of mouth is still a great way to network and connect. I let all of my professors and family friends know what specialties and location I was interested in and asked them all to please keep me in mind if they knew of anyone hiring. Some of my family friends even made calls on my behalf or got me in touch with their friends who could point me in the right direction. I know a lot of people don't like to ask others for favors but it really isn't a favor. It is also their way of paying it forward and it is called networking! There is no shame in knowing the right people. And just because someone recommends you doesn't mean they are 100% responsible for getting you the job or that you will even get the job. Your merit, clinical skills, personality is all still evaluated when and if you get an interview. They are simply getting you in touch with the right people, the rest still depends on you!<br />
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<b>Do you have any experience using recruiting agencies to find a job?</b><br />
It is becoming common practice for clinics and especially hospitals to have recruiting companies to conduct the hiring processes, including inviting candidates for interviews. When I got the offer for my ER position that I have accepted, I had been talking with a recruiter who had set up the interview for me and also who I heard from with when I got the offer. I had a very positive experience and they were very helpful to me. However, I will say I did not reach out to a recruiting company to "find" a job. It just so happened that the position I was interested in did their hiring that way.<br />
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<b>Does it help to have done a rotation at a site you want to apply for a job?</b><br />
Absolutely! If you have a rotation where you would like to work, treat it as a job interview. Show them what a great fit you'd be for their practice and that you'd fit right into the team. It also helps that they have the chance to assess your clinical skills and judgement, your knowledge, and also basically train you for that job during your rotation if you think about it. It even gives you the chance to determine if you can imagine working there as well and if they're a good fit for you!<br />
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<b>Was is challenging to find a job without years of experience?</b><br />
Oh, absolutely. To say it was challenging is an understatement. I applied to so, so many jobs and more then 60% of them never got back to me, even to turn me down. There were so many jobs where I met all the requirements except the part of 1+/2+ years of experience. It is hard but I was expecting it. We had been warned by the class above us and even our faculty that it might take a few months to find a job as a new grad, especially in Nashville, because there is so much competition with NPs . I applied to all the jobs I was interested in, even though I wasn't qualified in terms of experience and surprisingly got interview invites for the ones that required experience. So I would say go ahead and apply because it doesn't hurt, but be prepared for the fact that it might not go your way.<br />
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<b>Did you feel prepared to discuss benefits/insurance/salary comfortably in interviews?</b><br />
Absolutely not. I had never done it before. Thankfully, I never had to discuss it in any of my interviews either. The only time I discussed it was when I was offered my job and the recruiter I was speaking to was very kind; she knew it was my first job as a PA so she explained a lot of things to me along the way. But before I would go in for an interview, I would mentally prepare myself to be able to discuss those things in case they come up. You can check out the pa forums and see what job offers people get in that specific speciality to get an idea of what to expect.<br />
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<b>How did you negotiate the salary? Did you need to? How did you come up with your number?</b><br />
I just asked if the salary I was told was negotiable and they gave me the best they could do. Since I had done my rotation where I got the job, I mentioned that and how I already knew the EMR system so I wouldn't need a whole lot of training for that, etc. I was told never to give one number but instead think of a range. I would use the AAPA's salary report to come up with your range or ask around in the area you're looking at. You should try to let them give you what they can offer first. That way if they're willing to offer more then what you'd expected, you don't accidentally end up giving them a lower range and ultimately make less then what they were willing to compensate you for. Also, if you are asked for a salary range early on in the interview process and you aren't really sure what to say, you can also respond along the lines of "the salary is negotiable as long as I am being compensated for what is expected of me".<br />
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<b>Is it easier to find a job in the same area as the school was in compared to out of sate?</b><br />
It depends on the location. So I went to school in Nashville where there are NP schools as well, so for me, it was actually more difficult to find a job in the same area as my school. It was easier to find jobs away from here. I would recommend applying in multiple cities instead of just one unless you have special circumstances and that is not an option.<br />
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<b>What are the qualities that employers look for in a new grad?</b><br />
It's hard for me to say with 100% confidence because every practice and employer is different but I will share my personal experience. I've had an interview where the doctor was very hesitant and unsure about hiring a new graduate due to a prior "poor" experience where a new grad PA had taken the job and quit within a few months to go work in the same speciality elsewhere. At other interviews, I was told they actually like to hire new graduates because we have no "bad habits" and the doctor can train you the way they see is the best way to practice medicine in their professional opinion.<br />
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Apart from that, I would say someone who is eager to learn, is enthusiastic, works hard, is reliable, has a strong work ethic, etc. They want to know that you're not just using them to get your experience and then move on within a year or even less. They also look to see if you are a good fit for their practice and will become a team member. These are some of the things I was told when I asked what they look for in a candidate during my interview!<br />
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If you're on the job hunt or will be in that season soon, know that it is not a smooth sail for everyone. The reason I say this is because there will be a handful or even a lot of people around you/in your class who will have job offers from their rotations or even before graduation while you may or may not. As always, it is easy to play the comparison game and feel like you're doing something wrong or are behind. Remember that every journey looks different and just because you dont have a job yet doesn't mean you are not smart or worthy. Sometimes we have to be patient for all the cards to fall into the right place. Personally, I chose to wait for the right opportunity with the right team to come along instead of jumping on the first offer. I will share more about this in a future post!<br />
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I hope this Q&A shed some light on the job search and interview process for a new graduate. As always, everyone has different experiences and opinions so take everything anyone says with a grain of salt!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> to get more frequent updates about my PA-life experiences.</div>
AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-46851401516227399552018-11-21T07:00:00.000-06:002018-11-21T07:00:15.156-06:00How to Decide on a PA Job<br />
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You finished didactic and clinical year, graduated from PA school, and passed the PANCE! Now what? If you already have a job lined up, congratulations! But if not, you've come to the right place. I believe that every phase of this PA journey can be challenging in its own way and job search is not for the faint of heart. Now that I have secured my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BqP33H3Bpbe/">first position as a PA</a>, I feel ready to share some of the things I've learned on the way.<br />
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<b>Start your job search as early as you can</b><br />
Rotations are the perfect time to keep an eye open for a job! If you like a particular rotation, tell your preceptor and ask if there are any open positions now or if there will be any in the future. It is perfectly okay to tell your preceptors what specialty you are interested in even if it is not the rotation you're currently on. They will appreciate your honesty and may even help you with your job search! You can also look on the internet and apply to jobs even before you graduate (more on this in my <a href="https://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/10/preparing-for-pa-c-life.html#more">previous post</a>). You do not have to have a license before applying for a job and can apply to any state you want to practice in!<br />
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<b>Know what is important to you</b><br />
There are multiple factors that go into accepting a position. My points of focus were: <b>speciality, location, staff and supervising physician, salary and benefits</b>. I was willing to be flexible on the location, speciality, and even the salary but the one thing I refused to settle on was the staff/work environment and especially my supervising physician. As a new graduate (and even in the future as a seasoned PA), it is vital for me to have a good, supportive mentor as my supervising physician. No matter how much we learn on rotations, there is definitely a learning curve during your first job and your physician needs to be willing to teach and have patience with you. It is also equally important for me to work in a positive environment where people are kind and get along with each other. I've rotated through clinics where the environment is toxic and it can be quite draining honestly. If I'm going to spend hours of my life working, I want it to be in a healthy working environment.<br />
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I really wanted move back to Chattanooga and establish my roots there. I loved living there during my undergraduate years and have been aching to get back ever since. It's also the perfect driving distance from my family so I can go home and visit them or have them over without having to drive all day or getting on a plane.<br />
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Emergency medicine was by far my favorite rotation as a student. I loved the variety of patients and cases I got to see, never knowing what was going to walk in through those doors. I loved the procedures, the fast pace, getting to read imaging on a daily basis, and mostly I enjoyed the people I worked with and learned from. I like that I was challenged to get out of my comfort zone and that no two shifts were the same. It is the right fit for me!<br />
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<b>Hands on patient care</b><br />
For me, I really need to do something with my hands ever so often while I'm at work. I <b>love</b> doing procedures and ideally wanted a job where I'd be performing procedures either several times a day or at least several a week. The ER is the go-to place for procedures be it throwing sutures in lacerations, I&Ds, reducing fractures or dislocated joints, etc. It really gives me life on the crazy, busy/hard days and keeps me going.<br />
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<b>Continuity of care</b><br />
While I am excited to work in the ER, I know that I may never see my patients again. I really enjoyed continuity of care on my primary care and pediatrics rotation, getting to see the same patients several times and getting to know them. This is something that I had to make a compromise on because it's just not possible in an ER. If this is something that's important to you, keep it in mind as you apply to jobs.<br />
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<b>Know your worth</b><br />
As a new graduate, it's hard to figure out what's a good salary range for a certain speciality in a certain area. You can always refer to the AAPA's salary report which is free if you're a member. I also asked around to people in my class who got jobs in the ER (even though they're in completely different states) and my professor at my program who was once an ER PA, to get an idea of what the starting range is for new graduates. I say know your worth because there will be places that will try to lowball you and point to your "lack of experience" as a reason for the lower salary. Thankfully I did not have to deal with this but the reason I mention it is because just one new PA accepting a job with a lower salary then appropriate affects a lot of other PAs. If it becomes common practice for new graduates to "accept" a certain range of salary, that will become the new status quo. But at the same time, I do realize that we are not going to be compensated the same as someone who has been working in the field for several years or even decades.<br />
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Bottom line: do not be afraid to negotiate your salary even as a new graduate. Chances are that it might not go anywhere but there is no harm in trying (as long as you're not being aggressive or impolite about it). No, I did not go into medicine for the money or the benefits but bills and student loan payments are a real thing and so is our value as a PA. I personally don't believe in accepting a lower paying job just to get a job because that means you're just settling, which brings me to my next point.<br />
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<b>Are you truly happy with the offer or are you settling?</b><br />
During my job search/interview season, I had an interview that went well and I was offered a second interview. Even though they were verbally very enthusiastic to bring me back and talk to them, after thinking and praying about it, I had to turn the offer down because it would never have been the right fit for me. I was so close to an offer and walking away from a potential poison I could start working at was very difficult. But I had to ask myself: <b>is this really what you want to do? Or are you settling? </b><br />
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Yes, it's tough to get a job as a new PA (and even that may be an understatement); yes, it's important to get your foot in the door and get some experience, but do you have to accept your first offer if you're not 100% sure about it? My answer is no. Better opportunities will come along. Unless you truly are in a fix and need a job ASAP, I recommend being patient and giving yourself a few months to explore your options. This is just my personal opinion and something that has worked for me. Because I waited for the right one to come along, I know that I can see myself working at my job for more than just a year. I didn't have to take it "just to get the experience" and secretly look for another job in a year. Unless life changes and requires me to be elsewhere, I can see myself working there for long term.<br />
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Keep in mind that there will be things that you will have to compromise on. It's nearly impossible to have every one of our requirements met but that's when you have to decide what is important to you. I hope this has been helpful. I plan on sharing a few more job search related posts in the near future, especially one about interviews, so stay on the lookout for those!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> to get more frequent updates about my PA-life experiences.<br />
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AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-57343522276930896472018-10-22T12:18:00.000-05:002018-11-20T12:49:43.105-06:00Preparing for the PA-C Life<br />
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Clinical year flies by so fast. Just as you get used to one rotation, its time to move on to the next one. In all the frenzy of learning how to practice medicine and how to not make a fool of yourself on rotations (been there done that), it's easy to forget to plan for life after graduation. I am here to share a timeline with you all today of how I prepared myself (along with things I wish I had done) for life a few months before and after graduation.<br />
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<b>Getting ready for the PANCE</b><br />
AKA the biggest test of your life. I started thinking around February (graduation was in August) about how I was going to study for the PANCE. I had numerous discussions with multiple friends about what resources to use, whether or not to attend a review course, when to take the PANCE, how to plan studying for it, etc. I ended up deciding that for me it was best to not go to any review courses. I study and prepare best at my own pace and since we had been gearing up for this exam technically since we started PA school, I thought the information was still fresh enough in my brain that I can make do without a review course for now. I will certainly be going to one when I re-certify in 10 years. I knew I would have been overwhelmed and it was not the best option for me personally. A lot of my classmates did go to a review course and thought it was very beneficial. If you do decide to go to a review course, be thinking of the cost for the course, travel and food costs, and also when and how you are going to take days off from your rotation to attend one. I also made a plan on how I was going to break down the studying and come up with a schedule. I shared mine in a <a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/09/pance-study-schedule.html#more">previous post</a>, be sure to check it out.<br />
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<b>Sign up for the PANCE</b><br />
Once you are 3 months away from graduation, you can officially <a href="https://www.nccpa.net/pance-registration">register for the PANCE</a>. Keep in mind that you have to pay the fee while you submit your application after which they will process the application and email you back. Once you have that conformation email from them, then only can you sign up for a date, time, and location of your test. The cost of the PANCE was $500 when I registered for it in May of 2018. The earliest you can take the PANCE is 7 days after graduation. I was definitely not brave enough to take it that early but if you are, more power to you! I had originally given myself almost 4 weeks after graduation to take it but moved it up a week earlier because I felt prepared and just wanted to be done with it. Some of my classmates took it early and others took some time off to travel or just relax and then studied and took the test. It is all up to you and there is no one right way to do it. Do what works best for you!<br />
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<b>Make a resume</b><br />
This goes hand in hand with looking for jobs. Have a rough draft of your resume ready and have someone take a look at it for you. We had a lecture during one of our end of rotation exams on how to build and make a resume and how to prepare for a PA job interview which was very helpful. Ask your program if they provide any such resources.<br />
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<b>Start looking for jobs</b><br />
I started applying to jobs here and there (but not super seriously) in April, 4 months before graduation. It is always a good plan to tell your preceptors if you really loved a specific rotation and asking if there are any positions available. A few of my classmates had a job before graduation from a place where they did their rotation. Networking and word of mouth is still a is a big component of getting a job so feel free to inform your friends and relatives once you start looking for a job or are nearing graduation. You never know which opportunity might turn up for you. However, I didn't start looking seriously until after graduation.<br />
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<b>Applying for an NPI number.</b><br />
This is your national provider identification number which is unique to you. I was able to <a href="https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/">sign up</a> for mine while I was waiting for my PANCE result to come back and I received it within 24 hours.<br />
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<b>Getting a License</b><br />
Once you pass your PANCE, you can now submit your paperwork to get a state license. Getting a state license is a tedious process but fear not. Since you are reading this, you are already one step ahead of most people and will be prepared when the time comes. Go to your state's website (wherever you want to practice) and look up the requirements for applying for a license. You don't have to get everything in order right this minute, but just get a general feel of all the documents that are required. There maybe a handful of documents that need to be notarized prior to submission. Also be thinking of the cost (which varies per state). Apart from the state license, you may also need to get a DEA license which costs $731 for PAs. Most jobs are willing to reimburse or cover your licensing cost so make sure you ask or get it in the contract. Once you get a job, you will need to update that information in the portal where you applied for your license with the provider's name, practice address, etc. This is a process I have not completed yet so I will update this post to share more details once I do.<br />
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I hope this was helpful. If there are things that you guys would like to add this so everyone can benefit from it, please leave your suggestions in the comments, I would love to hear from you!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA-life experiences.<br />
<br />AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-70569222082239047082018-09-28T19:20:00.000-05:002018-10-22T12:03:45.736-05:00PANCE Study Schedule<br />
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The PANCE is a 5 hour, 300 questions exam that all PA students must take after graduating from PA school to obtain their certification. After passing the PANCE, a PA is recognized as "board certified PA" and can apply for a state license.<br />
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Since many of you have requested this, I'm finally sitting down to share my PANCE schedule that I made for myself. I will be upfront as always and tell you all that I deviated from this schedule from time to time. Life happens and it's hard to always stay on task. I often used weekends to catch up and finish my studying for the week as needed.<br />
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<b>Disclaimer: this is not a sponsored post. Every resource mentioned in this post is my personal opinion on my experience with them and I am not getting any compensation for it.</b><br />
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I started with dermatology because I was on my dermatology rotation when I started studying and I felt like that would be the most efficient way to study, killing two birds with one stone and what not. I printed and would go through the <a href="http://www.nccpa.net/ExamsContentBPOrgans">NCCPA blueprint</a>, pick an organ system and study each group of diseases listed. I studied using <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pance-Prep-Pearls-Dwayne-Williams/dp/1542330297/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3YFX2P7EPABW3026R3SS">Pance Prep Pearls</a> and also my lecture notes if I needed more clarification or it was a topic I hadn't studied in a while. After that, I would do <a href="https://truelearn.com/">TrueLearn</a> questions and/or<a href="https://www.roshreview.com/"> Rosh Review</a> questions to test my knowledge before calling it a day (TrueLearn subscription was provided by my school since they required us to do 110 questions per rotation).<br />
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Side-note: I went ahead and bought the second edition of pance prep even though I had the first one. I thought it was well worth my investment and throughouly loved the new edition and especially the pharmacology section.<br />
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In August as I was reviewing a second time, I also bought the<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Physician-Assistant-Examination-Seventh-Allied/dp/0071845054/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538251154&sr=8-1&keywords=lange+physician+assistant+examination+q%26a"> LANGE Q&A question book</a> that was recommended by my preceptor. I wasn't able to go through each and every question because I ran out of time but I would go through an organ system a day and then do the questions for that organ system from the book. <a href="https://www.hippoed.com/em/">Hippo </a>summaries was also my go to throughout clinicals and also during my dedicated PANCE study time. I know a lot of my classmates also found their videos very helpful.<br />
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This is another book I used as a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Certification-Recertification-Examinations-Assistants/dp/145119109X/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_0_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=145119109X&pd_rd_r=J9PMY01SJ3B6Q76YVE7S&pd_rd_w=CfhQs&pd_rd_wg=QGLJN&psc=1&refRID=J9PMY01SJ3B6Q76YVE7S">reference</a> during clinical year and to study for EOR exams but I did not use it religiously to study for the PANCE.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7db5xHzJBwWCfZWVUkoiqQCDufHBACuru5LER9gTLq8Q7iDGhVbfVXFckX-45TtSBMRW8cYYxLJbkudeo6jZ6gcaP0TdJr8K9r93OqcEaExRr9omE8yTTaJb_xTrU3T8AAZY-a0NKZO8/s1600/+Screen+Shot+2018-09-28+at+7.07.50+PM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7db5xHzJBwWCfZWVUkoiqQCDufHBACuru5LER9gTLq8Q7iDGhVbfVXFckX-45TtSBMRW8cYYxLJbkudeo6jZ6gcaP0TdJr8K9r93OqcEaExRr9omE8yTTaJb_xTrU3T8AAZY-a0NKZO8/s640/+Screen+Shot+2018-09-28+at+7.07.50+PM.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VTBLwQyEed1l5sjkkLsoZIMQ4yCCiPEPbMXm7beiIpNlr7bdr7O3UT9ia2wMwRXONqosbxV5pQcXFeqe1wV9SrPSbkI8hA2dWuYUTBnLzqN7aMGzfhHEyti3z629i7cI16qYLnyZPU4V/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-09-28+at+7.08.43+PM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VTBLwQyEed1l5sjkkLsoZIMQ4yCCiPEPbMXm7beiIpNlr7bdr7O3UT9ia2wMwRXONqosbxV5pQcXFeqe1wV9SrPSbkI8hA2dWuYUTBnLzqN7aMGzfhHEyti3z629i7cI16qYLnyZPU4V/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-09-28+at+7.08.43+PM.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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And there you have it. Please keep in mind that there are multiple ways to study for the PIf you guys have any questions please let me know!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA-life experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-10422585742206927032018-09-16T07:00:00.000-05:002018-09-16T07:00:05.999-05:00Feeding myself through PA school<br />
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I recently received a request from one of you asking me to share my lunch recipes on the blog. What a great suggestion, I'm surprised I never thought of it myself! Since 95% of people I know LOVE food as much as I do, I figured I'd mix it up a bit today and share some of the recipes I made during didactic and clinical years of PA school!<br />
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So when I find recipes, I usually adjust them per my taste and requirements (meat or no meat, change/omit certain spices, etc.) and mood for that day. I'll share the link to a recipe and share how I altered it just in case anyone is interested to see how I played around with it.<br />
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<b>Breakfast</b><br />
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I'm not a huge breakfast fan and if you know me personally, you know I eat my breakfast in multiple "snacks". But on the weekends sometimes I like to whip up a little something and make myself a simple but filling brunch.<br />
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<a href="https://addapinch.com/egg-and-avocado-breakfast-burrito/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ourhomeschoolhome%2FvFXF+%28Add+a+Pinch+%7C+Full+Feed%29">Breakfast Burrito</a>: we all know there are multiple things you can add to a breakfast burrito. The one I make only has eggs in it but many people also add meat to it.<br />
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School/work day: coffee, blueberry chobani greek yogurt, fruit of some sort, kind breakfast bars<br />
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<b>Quick Recipes</b><br />
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<a href="https://whatsgabycooking.com/mexican-corn-and-quinoa-salad/">Mexican Corn and Quinoa Salad</a>: my ABSOLUTE favorite recipe of all times. It's so quick and requires literally the least amount of effort.<br />
- Pro tip: if you have an instant pot, you can cook quinoa in 1 minute on high pressure!<br />
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<a href="https://www.pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/2016/8/31/loaded-veggie-salad-with-chickpeas-and-black-beans">Loaded Veggie Salad with Chickpeas and Black Beans</a>: I usually do either chickpeas or black beans instead of both, add a handful of spinach on some days. You can literally play around with this any way you want.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/03/baked-mexican-tostadas.html">Toastadas</a>: this is my go to dinner recipe if I get home late and am super hungry.<br />
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<a href="https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/guacamole-grilled-cheese-sandwich/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+twopeasandtheirpod%2FrNNF+%28Two+Peas+and+Their+Pod%29">Guacamole Grilled Cheese</a>: my all time favorite. I even have my mom hooked on it ;)<br />
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<a href="https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/smashed-chickpea-avocado-salad-sandwich/">Chickpea Avocado Salad</a>: because we all are so much happier with even more avocado in our lives.<br />
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<a href="https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/avocado-egg-salad/">Avocado Egg Salad</a>: so filling!<br />
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<a href="https://gimmedelicious.com/2017/01/03/avocado-veggie-quesadillas/">Black bean quesadillas:</a> my #1 comfort food forever and always. I also add chili powder and cumin + coriander powder to my seasonings. I pour in some vegetable broth and let the veggie-bean mixture simmer until broth evaporates.<br />
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<a href="https://cookieandkate.com/2017/hummus-quesadillas-recipe/">Hummus Quesadillas</a>: I've only made one batch of this and I used spinach and mushrooms instead of olives (because I am not an olive person) but you can switch out the veggies as you like.<br />
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<b>Recipes that require a bit more love</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/black-bean-and-quinoa-enchilada-bake/">Black Bean Quinoa Enchilada Bake:</a> love love love this recipe. It just hits the spot for me each time.<br />
<a href="https://damndelicious.net/2014/08/04/one-pot-taco-pasta/"><br /></a>
<a href="https://damndelicious.net/2014/08/04/one-pot-taco-pasta/">One Pot Taco Pasta</a>: I've played around a lot with this one. I use whatever pasta I have at hand so there is no added pressure to go out and buy elbow macaroni if you don't have it. I usually substitute enchilada sauce for taco sauce and sauté green bell peppers, onions, garlic, and taco seasoning since I don't add any meat.<br />
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<a href="https://damndelicious.net/2016/03/19/easiest-lasagna-ever/">Lasagna</a>: I make this meatless as well. The last time I made this, I also added sautéed onion, garlic, and spinach to one small portion of lasagna. Too good!<br />
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<a href="https://www.tasty.co/recipe/black-bean-burgers">Black Bean Burgers</a>: anyone else feel like Facebook is only for recipes nowadays?<br />
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<b>Sides</b><br />
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<a href="https://whatsgabycooking.com/lemon-panko-parmesan-asparagus/">Roasted Asparagus with Panko and Parmesan:</a> because who doesn't like some good asparagus?<br />
<a href="https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/roasted-vegetables/"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/roasted-vegetables/">Roasted Vegetables</a>: literally the easiest thing to make with the least amount of effort.<br />
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<a href="https://whatsgabycooking.com/crispy-lemon-roasted-brussels-sprouts/">Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts</a>: I'm getting into Brussels sprouts lately and this was such a quick fix during rotations.<br />
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There are a lot more things I've made from recipes that I've accumulated from family and friends along the way but unfortunately I don't have a link to share for those. Some of those things include garlic + green onion pasta with mixed sauce, paneer and veggie panini, vegetarian chili, cheese tortellini with homemade tomato sauce, and much more.<br />
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I hope this was a fun post for you guys. I'm currently brainstorming to see where I can take this blog since I've graduated from PA school and my life looks a lot different now. If you guys have any particular requests or suggestions, drop them in the comments below and let me know! I still have some PA related posts I'm working on so that content is not going anywhere, don't you worry.<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-4147163600070497742018-09-12T11:42:00.004-05:002018-09-12T11:42:47.064-05:00Final Thoughts on Clinicals<br />
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Switching over from didactic to clinical year was a major transition but an exciting one. We had all been waiting for this day for so long, to finally get out of the classroom and into a clinic or hospital to interact with real patients. When I look back on clinical year, here are the things that I am grateful for personally and professionally:<br />
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<b>I'm grateful to my preceptors</b> for opening their doors to me so that I can learn from them. It's a great commitment to accept a student and allow them to be around you all day every day. Students, without meaning to, slow down any clinic, especially in their first few rotations or for the first few days/weeks of <u>each</u> rotation as they settle into the rhythm of the practice. It takes a lot of time and patience to teach us the things we learn on rotations and they certainly don't have to have you there.<br />
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<b>I'm grateful for the patients</b> that have let me hear their stories, be patient with me as I did my HPI and exam, and allowed me to be a small part of their care for that day. I was touched by how many patients were willing to let me be in the room, especially ones that had something more sensitive going on. I'm thankful they let me practice my suturing, performing I&D's, injections, removing toenails, etc. on them so that I could improve my technique. I've learned incredible things from my patients, not only about being a PA but also about life, and I will carry those experiences with me for years to come.<br />
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<b>I'm grateful for the staff</b> that have taken me under their wing and made me feel comfortable since day one of a rotation. It means a lot when you're the only newbie fumbling around trying to figure your way out if someone goes out of their way to include you in a patient's care or simply get you acquainted with the clinic and the rest of the staff. It's the small things that matter.<br />
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<b>I'm grateful for tough preceptors</b> who challenged me and never allowed me to give up on my lack of knowledge. I've learned more from the harder rotations because I was forced to figure it out as I go but were always there to teach me after I'd tried once myself. It has taught me to trust my knowledge and have more confidence in myself, while also teaching me endurance and perseverance.<br />
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<b>I'm grateful to my family & friends</b> who have so patiently waited for me to finish PA school. Over the last two and a half years, I've missed many dinners and events, cancelled plans because I simply couldn't be everywhere at once and not been able to return missed phone calls. They have picked up my slack and provided for me, allowed me to focus solely on my goals for so long, supported me and encouraged me, prayed for me, and wiped away my tears and my self-doubt, all without complaining even once. I understand that I am not the only one who has made sacrifices here and I do not take them for granted for one second.<br />
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<b>I'm grateful for my program to have prepared me well and for my classmates </b>who I missed so dearly while on rotations. It was such a joy to become PAs alongside 42 incredible people that are now a huge family. You guys blow me away with your kindness, intelligence, willing to always share resources and for being such quality people. I miss you all already.<br />
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<b>I'm grateful to all of you</b> who have read this blog and followed me journey and reached out to me telling me that I've impacted your decision to go to PA school, to keep pushing through the hard times, or to even start your own platform to share your journeys. I am happy that my one decision has helped so many of you either start your own journey or reach your goals even in the smallest of ways. I am eternally grateful for all the love and encouragement I've received from my blogging and instagram community. I can't wait to share the next chapter with you all when the time is right!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-25052670684125648832018-08-23T10:50:00.001-05:002018-08-23T10:50:06.249-05:00A Day in the Life: Pediatrics<b><br /></b>
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<b>6:00 am </b>- alarm jolts me awake and I hit snooze and pretend I dont have to get out of bed. It's storming outside and is so dark, making it almost impossible to get out of bed.<br />
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<b>6:10 am</b> - I finally will myself to get up, get cleaned up, and start the coffee. Last night's Aashna decided to be nice to future Aashna so lunch is already packed. I take the opportunity to sit around and drink my coffee even more slowly today before I get ready and head out the door.<br />
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<b>7:10 am </b>- start driving to Dayton since that's where my rotation is. I am currently staying in Chattanooga at my best friend and her husband's house and its a 40 minute drive to get to work.<br />
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<b>7:52 am</b>- get to work, put my lunch in the fridge and wait for my preceptor to get here. I have another classmate with me on this rotation so it's nice to have a familiar face to see every day! We don't have any patients till 9 am so we both study until then.<br />
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<b>9:15am</b> - for the morning I do a bunch of well child exams (physicals), see a few patients with swimmer's ears, strep throat, one follow up for ADHD, one case of hand foot and mouth disease, and more well child exams.<br />
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<b>12:05pm</b> - my classmate and I eat our lunch and afterward go walk outside for 15ish minutes every day to just get out of the office and remain somewhat active. Since there are two of us, we see basically every other patient so there's a lot of time in between where we sit and study, especially on the slower days which happen more often then not. Funny thing about being in a clinic is that some days are super slow and some days we are so slammed that there's barely any time to even get a drink of water. Today is an in-between day and we've been going at a steady pace.<br />
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<b>1 pm </b>- we come back in and study for a little while longer as we wait for our first afternoon appointment. I see one patient with behavioral complain by parent, see patients with constipation, viral pharyngitis, middle ear infection (acute otitis media), and more well child exams.<br />
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<b>5:30 pm:</b> we are done for the day and head out the door. I drive back to Chattanooga, get home and take a shower and make dinner. Tonight I'm making <a href="http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/03/baked-mexican-tostadas.html">tostadas</a> which is super easy and quick recipe with minimal cooking! After dinner I clean up the kitchen and pack next day's lunch.<br />
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<b>7 pm - 9 pm:</b> I watch Downton Abbey instead of studying because I studied what was on my agenda at work! One good thing about slower days is that I can study at work and then just do whatever I want when I get home, so no complains there. I also browse through Pinterest to find new recipes for lunch because I am getting bored with the receipts I have been alternating for the last few years now.<br />
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<b>9:30 pm</b> - I have been a super old lady and have been going to bed really early this week. I get in bed and say my prayers before turning off the light and slipping into sweet slumber.<br />
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<u>Day in review</u></div>
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Hours worked: 9 and a half</div>
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Total patients seen: 14</div>
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Patients seen on my own: 14</div>
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Hours studied: 3<br />
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<u>previous days in the life</u><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/09/life-in-family-medicine.html" target="_blank">Family medicine</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-day-in-life-internal-medicine.html#more" target="_blank">Internal medicine</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-day-in-life-general-surgery.html#more" target="_blank">Surgery</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-day-in-life-psychiatry.html#more" target="_blank">Psychiatry</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-day-in-life-emergency-medicine.html" target="_blank">Emergency Medicine</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/06/a-day-in-life-dermatology.html">Dermatology</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/08/a-day-in-life-cardiology.html">Cardiology</a></div>
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-8520099916818824342018-08-02T06:00:00.000-05:002018-08-02T07:59:25.251-05:00A Day in the Life: Cardiology<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Hi readers of AP the PA blog! My name is Rachel and I have the honor of calling Aashna my classmate, but also one of my dearest friends. I have watched her diligence over the past 27 months in the way she studies, but also in the way she serves others like YOU who read her blog. It takes time to write these posts and I know she sets aside the time to do this because she cares about the future generations of PAs and their success. She is smart and kind, and I was so pumped when she asked me to be a “guest writer” on her blog. We just finished up our last rotation (WOW!) as PA students and I actually was able to go home for my last 2 rotations. Home as in I lived at my parents’ home all summer and it was a blast!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I just completed my cardiology elective, so I thought it would be a good idea and maybe helpful for some of you to read a version of Aashna’s “Day in the Life” posts on cardiology. Cardio is a very common elective and it is the highest percentage of content on the PANCE/PANRE, so if you are considering picking cardio as your elective, DO IT!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>6:30 am</b>- Push snooze on alarm that I once again had high hopes of not pushing snooze on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>7:00 am</b>- Finally get myself out of bed, head downstairs to the Keurig, read my Bible and get ready for the day. My rotation was mainly in hospitals so I was able to wear scrubs every day which made getting ready a little easier. (Things to consider in future jobs….)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>8:00 am</b>- Leave home (don’t forget to tell mom and dad goodbye!) and drive to the hospital. My hometown traffic is nothing compared to Nashville traffic. I was very thankful for that! The cardiology group I worked with has multiple offices at hospitals in my hometown and my preceptor mainly worked at one hospital, but would float to others as needed. This made each week a little different. I loved the variety and felt like I saw multiple EMR systems and how things work differently at each location.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>8:30 am -12 pm</b>- Meet up with my preceptor in the hospital and start rounding on patients. Every day we have consults waiting for us for many different reasons that may have come in overnight through the ED, or consults requested from other specialties. Many patients have cardiology related complaints/problems. One patient with atrial fibrillation, one with chest pain, another with a congestive heart failure exacerbation. We are consulted by GI on a patient with a GI bleed and the management of their coumadin dosage. Another patient is admitted by her primary care provider for a Betapace load (medication for Afib that often requires hospitalization for the first 5 doses in order to monitor EKGs for QT prolongation, which is a common side effect of the medication). This is a boring hospital stay for most patients. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">In the midst of rounding on the hospital floor units, my preceptor receives consults from the ED on patients with chest pain, CHF exacerbations, and pulmonary embolisms. While in the ED we receive word that the paramedics are bringing a possible STEMI patient in. We wait around until they get there. Turns out, the patient does have some EKG changes consistent with ST elevation and we start the process of caring for the patient. Everything moves really fast when a STEMI patient comes in, but very smooth. The patient is usually not calm because they have just heard the words “heart attack”, but for us cardiologists, it is just another day at the office. We ride the elevator with the patient to the cath lab and I get to watch the whole case start to finish. We see which coronary artery has a blockage and the doctor is able to put a stent in. It is very exciting to be a part of and I love seeing the patient’s get better under our care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>12-1 pm</b>- Lunch in the doctor’s lounge (for free!). Definitely a perk of this rotation was not having to worry about packing a lunch. My preceptor had the hospital weekly menu memorized (Wednesday is apple cobbler day). Some days we would have drug reps bring lunch. My first day on the job we learned about a vest that acts as an external defibrillator. It is awesome for patients that have a low EF, but less invasive than getting an ICD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>1 pm- 4:30 pm</b> We finish rounding on any patients left to see in the hospital. Over the course of a day, we receive consults from other physicians and the ED. Some days are busier than others. My preceptor sends me to one floor to see a patient while he consults one on another. We work as a team with each other and with the other mid-levels covering the hospital. The doctors often see the patients behind us and they handle most of the rechecks. We start seeing some of the rechecks once we finish consults. We go see a patient in the cardiovascular intensive care unit who just had open heart surgery for a valve replacement. There is so much to monitor after these operations, and I still don’t comprehend all the tubes and lines I saw! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">When rounding is done, we head over the cath lab to see if anything is going on there. We look at the results from the day on the EMR system. My preceptor goes over echo, stress test, and doppler results for patients that had testing that day. Often times, those test results are what we need to discharge a patient from a cardio standpoint as “normal”. Then we handle those discharge orders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">On some slower days my preceptor and I would study flashcards together. My preceptor was studying for his PANRE, while I was studying for my PANCE I am scheduled to take at the end of August. This made the rotation so fun because I had a study buddy and we would question each other on different topics. He made sure I understood all the cardiology I could! It was such a blessing that the timing of the rotation worked out this way! Not many people study with their preceptors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>4:30-5 pm-</b> Drive home, sit on the couch and log my patients from the day. My parents go on a walk most afternoons so I went with them while I was home this summer. It was a great break from my day and got my heart rate going (got to build that cardiovascular health!). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>7 pm</b>- Eat dinner and study for an hour or two. Many days studying was tough. One thing I found helpful over rotation year was to keep all my patients and learnings from the day in a little notebook. At the end of the day when I logged my patients I would retype what I had learned in an ever lengthening word document. This helped me solidify what I learned and I would look up anything I was confused or wanted to know more about. Definitely a good study tool!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b>9 pm-</b> Watch a little TV with dad, do some wedding planning, and then head to bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Extra tip: I got engaged between our 6<sup>th</sup>and 7<sup>th</sup>rotation so I have started planning a wedding (YAY!). This is fun and all, but it is the BEST distractor when it comes to studying. I have had to learn to prioritize my time wisely, because most people would agree looking at bouquets on Pinterest is wayyyy more fun than studying hemorrhoids. Right? So my piece of advice for any of you who might be in this same season reading this, ENJOY planning your wedding. Seriously, enjoy it! For me, it helped to study and do my PA related to-do list first and somewhat “reward” myself with doing some wedding things. That way I was able to stay on top of both. Right now my goal is to graduate, pass the PANCE, and *fingers crossed* get a job, so the wedding is taking a back seat right now. Some nights I did only wedding things and watched TV shows with my dad, which I learned is ok too because some days you need a break. Rest is good for the mind and soul!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8728889571953143874" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8728889571953143874" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Extra extra tip: If you just so happen to live at home for PA school, that is a whole other blog post. If you love hanging with your family like I do, it is a little harder to study and get things done. I only lived with my parents for the summer, but I knew it was going to be different than living in Nashville with my roommate. BUT it was such a joy to be with my parents because they love me so well (and I love them too!). My advice for this scenario is to find a place in your home or a coffee shop that can be your “study zone”. Carve out time for studying and kindly let your parents know that’s when no distractions are allowed. Also, carve out time to hang out with your family and do fun things! This may be an unrelatable topic for many of you, but I know someone out there is out to save the big bucks by living with mom and dad and eating their free food. </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings";">J</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Overall, cardiology was SO fun and I learned more than I ever thought I would. It was great getting to watch the interdisciplinary team work together among many different specialties. For example, a patient with syncope might be consulted by cardiology, neurology, and gastroenterology so determine the source/cause of their syncope. I loved getting to work alongside so many specialties and watch the puzzles fit together. Also, this was the most inpatient experience I had all year and I loved it! The mid-levels have a lot of autonomy in our practice, so I really felt I saw the “PA cardio role” in action. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I love being to share my experiences in hopes it will encourage someone else. Thanks, Aashna, for the opportunity as well! Now on to gradutation TOMORROW.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PG32f-DIs-o-zwF7xt7JzBZNBp5zHDa1wmok6Xd9KyyI2BzNxfOjd-EAfB9D5XctjiWbew4UhuFSPu3n4Bg4RHiVgzZnSSM3-XoK1mo3U3brTuFv0GqYNcRiYLrHYADW5XZzW8Lgobrs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-08-01+at+8.33.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PG32f-DIs-o-zwF7xt7JzBZNBp5zHDa1wmok6Xd9KyyI2BzNxfOjd-EAfB9D5XctjiWbew4UhuFSPu3n4Bg4RHiVgzZnSSM3-XoK1mo3U3brTuFv0GqYNcRiYLrHYADW5XZzW8Lgobrs/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-08-01+at+8.33.56+PM.png" width="539" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8728889571953143874" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8728889571953143874" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Here’s a pic of me at my favorite coffee shop in my hometown. I could sit there all day and be perfectly content!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQNqb_YoeklNY0qcCm0daVJPuJ-Swab6RVAbJ36tlp3YtUeBQdaeQhn8Stgc30xiHEWeoYmJqjOOVBK32WxB4lNmNjGzaQNHoS_FGfnPuoy2bbZDKgZuSQ9mWRsZw7EJv684A3iXQhDCV/s1600/IMG_6540.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQNqb_YoeklNY0qcCm0daVJPuJ-Swab6RVAbJ36tlp3YtUeBQdaeQhn8Stgc30xiHEWeoYmJqjOOVBK32WxB4lNmNjGzaQNHoS_FGfnPuoy2bbZDKgZuSQ9mWRsZw7EJv684A3iXQhDCV/s640/IMG_6540.jpg" width="425" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">As you can see, Aashna has always had my back!</span></div>
AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-8606570771423240412018-07-07T10:29:00.000-05:002018-07-07T10:34:44.941-05:00How to financially prepare for PA School<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9Z33gQ9aizJk7qb4FuYUJfk91t73jJKAk72EE_fmavH1Xf_eh2WLkUBARBt932VWyCVAK8BHzi_cnAGIL-g0KULCtiXNYG1wxqy8gOMCvGy5ubMabrqmWeKBmGsqE3AA9yCzK1pezzmQ/s1600/IMG_9683.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9Z33gQ9aizJk7qb4FuYUJfk91t73jJKAk72EE_fmavH1Xf_eh2WLkUBARBt932VWyCVAK8BHzi_cnAGIL-g0KULCtiXNYG1wxqy8gOMCvGy5ubMabrqmWeKBmGsqE3AA9yCzK1pezzmQ/s640/IMG_9683.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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Paying for PA school is a <b>challenge</b>. There are so many things I wish I had known starting school in terms of how many extra little expenses there are. Since I am less than a month away from graduating (insert jaw-dropping emoji here), I figured it's a good time as any to share my experience and advice with you all.<br />
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I am going to break it down into three sections so that this post can be helpful to everyone in regards to being in different seasons of your PA journey.<br />
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<u>Pre-PA</u><br />
<b>1. Certifications</b> - if you chose to become an EMT, phlebotomist, etc. before going to PA school, it will cost you a good chunk of money to get that certification. Granted that it is an investment and it will pay off in the long run, it is something to keep in mind.<br />
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<b>2. Pre-reqs </b>- if you are like me and are not a traditional student, you may have to go back to school to get your pre-reqs before applying to PA school. Yes, you can always apply for more student loans and pay for it that way, but if that is not your desired route, you will also need to be able to pay for those extra classes somehow. If you are a traditional student and are thinking of applying to PA school, look up what the pre-reqs are and make sure you take all of those courses before you graduate to avoid the extra cost!<br />
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<b>3. CASPA</b> - current CASPA fees include $179 for the first application and $52 for each additional program. Depending on how many programs you are applying to, this number adds up fast!<br />
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<b>4. Supplemental applications </b>- when I applied 3 years ago, a lot of programs required additional applications and guess what? Those applications had a cost attached to them too. Most schools require you to submit a supplemental BEFORE you are even invited for an interview/get accepted to PA school.<br />
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<b>5. GRE scores</b> - <a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/03/how-to-prepare-for-gre-when-to-take-it.html#more">GRE scores</a> can be sent to 4 programs of your choice for free. After that, each time you send your score it will cost you an additional $27.<br />
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<b>6. Traveling </b>- you may also want to consider saving up for flights if you've applied to schools that are across the country. Also keep in mind that you may have to get a hotel room for a night each time you have an interview.<br />
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<b>7. Dressing the part </b>- most of us had to go out and buy a suit to be able to wear to the <a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2016/07/interview-packing-list.html#more">interview</a>. You don't have to break the bank, but you also don't want to slack in this department.<br />
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<u>Didactic Year</u><br />
<b>1. Medical instruments</b> - otoscope, ophthalmoscope, stethoscope are pretty expensive. I'm not sure about other programs, but we had to pay for our own and was not covered with tuition and other fees (our school did order it in bulk to get a group discount for us).<br />
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<b>2. Textbooks/resources/subscriptions </b>- I will suggest waiting until schools starts to see what books you need to buy. Don't go overboard and buy all the recommend books, except for anatomy (you <b>will</b> need those). Some of you may even consider paying for a subscription for different resources to help learn clinical medicine or pharmacology. Prices varies between different subscriptions.<br />
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<b>3. Rent/bills</b> - most of my classmates took out student loans not only for tuition but also for day to day expenses, paying rent and other bills. I am no financial guru but I would <b>strongly suggest borrowing only as much as you need</b> and not accepting the full amount that is offered. It is okay to borrow more to have a little cushion for emergencies but do not borrow too much extra money just to blow it off. Remember that you will have to pay it back <b>with interest </b>at some point. And yes, even if you will be making good money once you graduate, there is no need to be paying off student loans for the rest of your life. It may be tempting now, but your future self will thank you. I have said my piece, I will end my mom rant here ;).<br />
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<b>4. Electronics</b> - if you don't have a reliable computer, you may want to invest in one. Don't get halfway through didactic just to have your computer die on you like I did.<br />
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<u>Clinical Year </u><br />
<b>1. Business casual clothes</b> - if your school did not require you to wear business casual to class (like ours did), you will most probably want to expand your wardrobe.<br />
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<b>2. Travel and lodging</b> - some rotations may be far away and you may need to travel 30 mins - 1 hour to get to them daily. You may even be assigned a rotation far from where you live and may need to relocate for 4-6 weeks. Keep in mind that you may need more gas money than usual and also may need to provide your own housing if your program does not.<br />
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<b>3. Resources</b> - studying for <a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/03/end-of-rotation-exam-study-plan.html">EOR exams</a> is a different ball game than studying for exams in didactic. You have to branch out and try to find other ways of gaining the knowledge to do well on the exams and to make sure you are getting a well rounded education. A lot of us from class would share books that we had bought with each other so it was easier on our wallets.<br />
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<b>4. PANCE prep course</b> - I chose not to go to a prep course before taking the PANCE but depending on which one you decide to go to, it can add up to $400-500. Even if you don't go to a course on site, you may chose to take one online or buy <a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/06/studying-for-pance-rosh-review-giveaway.html#more">question banks </a>to practice before taking the boards.<br />
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<b>5. PANCE</b> - although we all wish this was covered by the school, you are responsible for paying for the boards and it costs $500! You cannot sign up for a date to take it until you pay the fee.<br />
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These are the things that I thought were most important to share. If I have left anything out and someone has anything to add to the list, please share with the rest of us in the comments!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-34342795175883274582018-06-23T06:00:00.000-05:002018-06-23T09:40:04.699-05:00A Day in the Life: Dermatology<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_OHauT1NpmBTa82zLZmqP-g2jjmT8PqbZI_iHzjgIhYiFNARe5UdJPjJfT2J0Na6vGqSJs-cj0hJ32p9vudBuNZu37MjtgVm432uHvLP3iL7byTYuvKmv2CoSENx5HKqkxGD4y9BKslC/s1600/IMG_9377-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_OHauT1NpmBTa82zLZmqP-g2jjmT8PqbZI_iHzjgIhYiFNARe5UdJPjJfT2J0Na6vGqSJs-cj0hJ32p9vudBuNZu37MjtgVm432uHvLP3iL7byTYuvKmv2CoSENx5HKqkxGD4y9BKslC/s640/IMG_9377-1.jpeg" width="480" /></a><br />
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7:15 am - alarm goes off. This rotation I get to "sleep in" most days because clinic starts around 9:15/9:30/10 depending on the day except Wednesday when we started at 7am.<br />
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7:30 am - finally roll out of bed. I do my usual morning routine of cleaning up, having my coffee and getting ready for work.<br />
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8:30 am - Drive to clinic. This rotation was in downtown Nashville so I always left a little early due to rush hour traffic.<br />
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9:00 am - morning clinic starts. Today we have two PAs and a NP working with the doctor. I usually go in to every room the doc goes to unless patients checked on their sign in papers that they don't want a student in the room. Things work very differently at this clinic. For each patient, we all go into the room as group - doc, a mid level, as nurse, and me (we are quite the crowd). Some patients get overwhelmed but most are used to it because they have been coming here for many years.<br />
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This morning we see patients for their yearly check for AKs (actinic keratosis), follow up for basal/squamous cell carcinomas (cancer) that have already been treated, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, acne, dermatosis papulosa nigra (DPNs), sebaceous cysts, psoriasis, and rhus dermatitis (poison ivy). We do a couple of treatments for biopsies that came back as positive for BCC or SCC with curettage and electrodessication that I get to assist with. I also get to assist with I&D of the sebaceous cyst and perform cryosurgery (freezing with liquid nitrogen) on the AKs (pre-cancerous lesions that can turn into squamous cell carcinoma).<br />
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I also help bring patients back to a room and do a very quick HPI and update their chart because not only are we short staffed with nurses but it is also a good practice for me to do my own HPI and see a patient from start to finish. This is a very high volume clinic and just in the morning today we see close to 30 patients.<br />
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1:00 - 2:00 pm - lunch break. Today we had a drug rep bring us lunch from Chuy's and I definitely overate. This rotation I feel like I have barely meal prepped because we get lunch almost every full day that we work (3 days a week) and I just finish my leftovers on Wednesdays or Fridays.<br />
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2: 00 - 6:00 pm - see afternoon patients. We have another patient with a cyst that needs to be removed and I assist once again. I freeze off more AKs and SKs (seborrheic keratosis - begin lesions that don't turn into cancer and can be left alone unless bothersome to patient). More acne follow ups, more biopsies for suspicious lesions, alopecia areata (hair loss in a specific round pattern) and we even see a case of scabies incognito! I have been so paranoid this entire rotation that I'm going to end up getting scabies or warts. We didn't actually see a scabies mite under the microscope but treated the patient for it anyway because of how classic the presentation was (so classic that even I had that on the top of my differential).<br />
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We also see a patient for a follow up appointment with a rash that has been sticking around for months now that we want to biopsy. For reasons of patient privacy and HIPPA I can't disclose any more information but it's safe to say that was the puzzling case of the day for all of us in the office. What makes me sad when rotations come to an end is that I don't get to see the same patients again and see if everything turned out to be okay for them. It's just a part of this journey as a student but hard nevertheless.<br />
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Today is my last day of rotation so I stay a bit longer and talk to my preceptor and the PAs in the office about my time there and asked them if they had any feedback for me.<br />
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6:15 pm - rush home to take a shower and study for the EOR exam tomorrow. We have three multiple choice exams this week and one OSCE which we are all so stressed about.<br />
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7:00 pm - 10:30 pm - study, study, study. I finally call it quits and go to bed so I can rest my brain for the crazy testing schedule that ensues tomorrow.<br />
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<b>Other conditions seen on this rotation</b>: rosacea, viral warts, molluscum contagiousum, trichotillomania, alopecia universalis, sebaceous hyperplasia, angiomas, lentigo, nevi, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematous, discoid lupus, disseminated porokeratosis, pityriasis rosea, pityriasis alba, dermatofibroma, and more things that I'm sure I'm forgetting.<br />
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<b>Procedures performed on this rotation</b>: punch and shave biopsies (both all on my own :) start to finish), suturing for excisions biopsies, intra-lesional injections, electrodessication, and cryosurgery. <br />
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<u>Day in review</u></div>
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Hours worked: 8</div>
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Total patients seen: 53</div>
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Patients seen on my own: 0</div>
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Hours studied: 3<br />
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<u>previous days in the life</u><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/09/life-in-family-medicine.html" target="_blank">Family medicine</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-day-in-life-internal-medicine.html#more" target="_blank">Internal medicine</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-day-in-life-general-surgery.html#more" target="_blank">Surgery</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-day-in-life-psychiatry.html#more" target="_blank">Psychiatry</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-day-in-life-emergency-medicine.html" target="_blank">Emergency Medicine</a></div>
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-82807846084001819782018-06-03T10:35:00.002-05:002018-06-22T13:58:51.897-05:00Studying for the PANCE & Rosh Review Giveaway<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHh5K1cv0CrvdfdHbdwGVV6OFumRfdjJI46Lh77e5oqfh-borSEewrpUKNAfEZMdlfnyUPfVNOWs1xpbWjVqabCD-y3fJQqkXK98dlIqHXjUn_QOrAvaxK8daIk2BBTK_yXmoFDup_0cE/s1600/IMG_9328.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHh5K1cv0CrvdfdHbdwGVV6OFumRfdjJI46Lh77e5oqfh-borSEewrpUKNAfEZMdlfnyUPfVNOWs1xpbWjVqabCD-y3fJQqkXK98dlIqHXjUn_QOrAvaxK8daIk2BBTK_yXmoFDup_0cE/s640/IMG_9328.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The big day has been set in stone, my friends. I have officially signed up to take the PANCE on August 29th, 2018! It was such a surreal moment and even though its a overwhelming thought, I cannot wait to go from PA-S to PA-C!<br />
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Even since before signing up for the PANCE, I had been on the lookout for resources to help me prep for it. I like to quiz myself on all that I learn and have always share my experience and tips with you all. Today, I'm collaborating with <a href="https://www.roshreview.com/" target="_blank">Rosh Review</a> to offer <b>a PANCE 365 subscription for free!!! Details are included at the end of this post.</b><br />
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I've been using their question bank for the past few months and have absolutely loved the way they have set up their content. I mean, my brain just eats it up. It has been helping me review the material I study for my EOR exams and the PANCE. Their question bank is extensive and includes a detailed explanation for the correct and incorrect answer.<br />
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For me personally, there are three parts that I find most helpful in terms of reviewing. After you answer and review each question, there is a "one step further" question included which is not a part of the score. It asks another high yield question and has the answer right underneath when you click on the answer tab.<br />
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Secondly, there is a <a href="https://www.roshreview.com/wp-content/uploads/Image-Image-Slipped-capital-femoral-epiphysis-SCFE.png" target="_blank">picture</a> included that shows the disease state, clinical features, diagnosis, management, etc depending on the topic. The visual stimulation really helps me remember the information better. Last but not the least, at the very bottom, there is a rapid review section that I love because when I go back to review a certain topic, I don't have to sift through all the information and have the hard and fast facts right there in front of me.<br />
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Since I have such a great time with it, I decided it would be helpful to share my review with you guys and collaborate with Rosh Review to offer a free subscription! Here are the deets: to enter the giveaway, you must do four things:<br />
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1. Follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">instagram</a>,<br />
2. Follow Rosh Review's <a href="https://www.instagram.com/roshreview/" target="_blank">ins<span id="goog_1383294669"></span><span id="goog_1383294670"></span>tagram</a> account,<br />
3. Like my post announcing this giveaway<br />
4. Tag two friends in the comments.<br />
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The <b>giveaway closes on June 5th</b> at 11:59 pm and the winner will be announced on June 6th, 2018!<br />
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There is definitely a lot of resources to chose from out there and I personally have found Rosh Review's question bank and the set up the most helpful. For those of you getting ready to take the PANCE, be sure to check out their <a href="https://www.roshreview.com/blog/" target="_blank">blog</a> for a wealth of information. Have you used Rosh Review for your PANCE prep? Share your thoughts and experience in the comments!<br />
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This post sponsored by Rosh Review; however, all opinions in this post are my own.<br />
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AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-49754028121663289302018-05-09T06:00:00.000-05:002018-06-22T13:59:13.547-05:00A Day in the Life: Emergency Medicine <b><br /></b>
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QW_q0VI3xnfh2q9Jp7uhBYmYcEQererH4vPnHfKHPcJ_pWSFJrKTjmGLgaFszjwqaDOAjimlPjc1UZht9Hz_VBaXsIiOyVp2cIGNoZZZjSxGf8xve8sFWrVSp8NtJUoDBmB07bRVI3_d/s1600/pexels-photo-263402.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QW_q0VI3xnfh2q9Jp7uhBYmYcEQererH4vPnHfKHPcJ_pWSFJrKTjmGLgaFszjwqaDOAjimlPjc1UZht9Hz_VBaXsIiOyVp2cIGNoZZZjSxGf8xve8sFWrVSp8NtJUoDBmB07bRVI3_d/s640/pexels-photo-263402.jpeg" width="640" /></a></b><br />
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<b>10:00 am</b> - alarm goes off (I know this might seem like I'm "sleeping in" but my shift ended at 1 am that morning, drove an hour to get home, and went to bed around 3 am). Waking up is not super easy but gotta do what you gotta do.<br />
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<b>10:15 am - 11:45 pm</b> - After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I drink my coffee outside on the front porch today because the weather is nice and this is the only sunshine I'll get to see for the day. I then pack my lunch which are a few samosas I bought from the frozen section at Whole Foods, a few snacks including a blueberry greek yogurt, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a kind bar and some grapes, and pasta for dinner. Getting ready is easy as I just throw on some scrubs and put on a little make up to look more awake than I actually am.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUI08t20-dXV16BDFiaX1UlxbdUX9oJfuqgqPFxOhDQUG9_PFjX2aJQnhY7ET8KR-xX_jtk8vhUbqy3al5LaZkwzWkmtc-QX9cv4fkVa3R37GTEVnBm2vGga9ahJs-sRKURwady0NEsD_q/s1600/IMG_8689.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUI08t20-dXV16BDFiaX1UlxbdUX9oJfuqgqPFxOhDQUG9_PFjX2aJQnhY7ET8KR-xX_jtk8vhUbqy3al5LaZkwzWkmtc-QX9cv4fkVa3R37GTEVnBm2vGga9ahJs-sRKURwady0NEsD_q/s320/IMG_8689.jpeg" width="240" /></a><br />
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<b>11:50 - 12:50 pm</b> - it takes about an hour to get to the ER where my rotation is. Its a nice drive but definitely feels long coming back at night since I work from 1 pm to 1 am.<br />
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<b>12:55 pm</b> - I get to the ER and head straight to the lounge to put my food in the fridge before I start my shift. I work with several different PAs on this rotation which is a lot of fun. Every preceptor has his/her strengths and there is so much to learn from the different providers I work with. The attendings also come and get me if they're doing something like a lumbar puncture or have any patients they think would be a great learning experience for me.<br />
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<b>1:00 pm</b> - I make my way to the desks where we sit. We have a small 12 bed ED along with two trauma rooms, and 3 fast track rooms. We are not a stroke or trauma center and usually have to transfer patients to other hospitals for stroke, MI, or any other time sensitive emergencies. I meet my preceptor and see that he has already signed up to see a few patients. I got and see a patient with abdominal pain while my preceptor heads in to another patient's room. I then come back out, present my patient to my preceptor, and we discuss what labs or imaging to order. He then goes and sees the patient himself before putting in the orders. During the afternoon, I get to suture a finger laceration, see patients with complains of ankle injury, UTI symptoms, cough/cold symptoms (such an emergency, I know), and a patient in DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). I come back and chart on the patients I see and document their history, review of systems, physical exam. My preceptor will read over what I've written and will add any other pertinent information before finishing the chart and discharging the patient. I manage to go eat my somosas while we're waiting on labs for our patients and take a bathroom break.<br />
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<b>4:30 pm </b>- I finally get a chance to take a little break as we wait on labs for some of our patients and go eat my sandwich really quick. It seems to be a really busy day today and the patients just keep on coming in. For the rest of the evening we see patients with a proximal ulnar and radial fracture which I get to help my preceptor reduce, more abdominal pain, a patient with COPD exacerbation, migraine, flu like symptoms, an forearm abscess, appendicitis. I love getting to do procedures in the ER and all of the preceptors know that, so every time they have a laceration that needs sutures or an abscess that needs to be drained, they come and get me. I have my kind bar and yogurt while I'm documenting because this day doesn't seem to want to slow down and I've got to keep that blood sugar from bottoming out!<br />
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<b>9:00 pm</b> - After 7 pm the shift changes and the night staff gets there. We have a doctor who seems to be a magnet for chest pain every time he works and low and behold there are 2 patients who show up with chest pain and are in SVT. The attending comes and grabs me before he goes into the patient's room and I am grilled on the treatment for SVT as we walk to their room. Thankfully I remember the treatment and don't embarrass myself. The next hour is a whirlwind with managing two acute patients and deciding whether to admit them or to transfer them to another hospital.<br />
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<b>11:30 pm</b> - There are finally 0 patients the waiting room and the few that we have are being worked up. I finally get the chance to sit down and eat my dinner and chat with my preceptor and ask him any questions I have about the patients we saw today. We see a few more patients that night including a patient with rhabdomyolysis, corneal abrasion, the cutest little baby with fever and cough, and another laceration for me to suture!<br />
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<b>1:00 am </b>- Our shift finally comes to an end and we head out the door. I have an hour drive to get home and I listen to some Indian music to keep me awake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn29UfgvDSDOocA5N91t2X8HUHYz_eVqd0o2C2Sm8HNFu7KGjfgBPcvoYKvD6XTTEhEH_HVySbCLhVgE0lJfMXhhhY29PET98n7XsKgYJz5ELA8crUd83gwC4zF2yDNOsRNdEWI2lPeLiI/s1600/IMG_8876.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn29UfgvDSDOocA5N91t2X8HUHYz_eVqd0o2C2Sm8HNFu7KGjfgBPcvoYKvD6XTTEhEH_HVySbCLhVgE0lJfMXhhhY29PET98n7XsKgYJz5ELA8crUd83gwC4zF2yDNOsRNdEWI2lPeLiI/s320/IMG_8876.jpeg" width="240" /></a><br />
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<b>2:00 am </b>- get home, drink a cup of milk because I'm hungry, and hop in the shower.<br />
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<b>2:30 am </b>- I have the day off tomorrow which I'm so grateful for. I got to set my own schedule as this rotation so I usually work 2 days and then take at least one day off. I am still so wired from our crazy busy shift so I allow myself to read a few more pages of my book so I can wind down before bed. I'm currently reading The Woman in Cabin 10 and if you like mysteries then you <b>need</b> to read this book.<br />
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<b>2:55 am</b> - I want to keep reading but I force myself to stop and go to bed because I can't keep my eyes open anymore.<br />
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<u>Day in review</u></div>
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Hours worked: 12</div>
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Total patients seen: 24</div>
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Patients seen on my own: 19</div>
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Hours studied: 0<br />
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<u>previous days in the life</u><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/09/life-in-family-medicine.html" target="_blank">Family medicine</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-day-in-life-internal-medicine.html#more" target="_blank">Internal medicine</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-day-in-life-general-surgery.html#more" target="_blank">Surgery</a><br />
<a href="http://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-day-in-life-psychiatry.html#more" target="_blank">Psychiatry</a><br />
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Next up I have my elective rotation in Dermatology starting May 14th. After that I have Pediatrics and then I'll be done! Graduation is a mere 3 months away and the reality of taking the PANCE is slowly sinking in... Hope you all are having a great day and thank you for reading!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/ap-pa-14770895" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.<br />
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AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-45595029334231882632018-05-06T12:46:00.002-05:002018-05-26T09:51:31.635-05:00Hooding Ceremony and PA school update <br />
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Hi guys! It's been a while since I've updated you all on my life. I am done with 6/8 rotations!!! My last rotation was emergency medicine and I absolutely loved it! I loved the variety of conditions you get to see and treat in the ER and how there is never a dull day. Even though I caught the stomach bug from one of the several patients we saw in the ER with it, it was still my favorite rotation (after surgery). The preceptors I worked with were all so intelligent and willing to teach and the procedures I got to do during my time there made this rotation a fulfilling experience. I will be sharing a day in the life post about that tomorrow! And as always, being in Chattanooga, my favorite city in the country, is always such a joyful experience.<br />
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On Friday, we had a hooding ceremony at school. Basically a hooding ceremony is done when you get your masters degree. It's not the same as graduation although it's usually done around the time of graduation. When you graduate from undergrad, you get a tassel. Likewise, graduating from your masters program earns you a hood (it's not actually a hood that goes over your head, but more like a scarf that goes around your neck).<br />
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Even though our program doesn't end till August of this year, our university's commencement was this weekend and the hooding ceremony can only be done during the time of commencement. It was either now or December so our program decided to do it now!<br />
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It was a short and sweet ceremony and although to me it didn't seem real since we still have 3 more months, it was nice to be recognized for all the hard work that goes in to even be sitting on that stage waiting to receive our hoods. It was also wonderful to see everyone's families again since last year's white coat ceremony and just take a little time out to celebrate our accomplishments and all that we've learned in the last 8 months.<br />
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We have a week off from rotations (first time since Christmas) so I am indulging in being lazy for the first few days while also taking care of non-PA school related <strike>mundane</strike> life things like going to see my dental hygienist, getting my car's oil changed, etc. Then my parents and I are driving down to Raleigh, NC to spend some time with my sister and her husband!<br />
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After the break, I will be starting my elective rotation in Dermatology in Nashville for 6 weeks before heading back to Chattanooga for my last rotation, which will be Pediatrics!<br />
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Whether you are just now starting out and thinking of/are applying to PA school, are in the midst of your journey and are overwhelmed with all the things you need to do, or are so close to the finish line you can almost taste it (like me), remember that it is<b> so worth it</b>. Even when you feel like giving up and are consumed with self doubt, remember that you once wished for where you are right now. It's so challenging yet so rewarding when you are done!<br />
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Thank you for reading along and being a part of my journey. Thank you for all your encouragement and support. You guys are the sweetest and I never expected to find such a genuinely loving community through this blog. Here are a few more pictures from the hooding ceremony for you guys. I couldn't have made it this far without these intelligent, caring, and loving future PA-Cs!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBj_71iCUaeqa3aY_tL4Nh3aIYpM0CY9dqGmQfJWrimV07buPwSshkOLt93k437VwAZTviSTHWPBkyriJOsLuIgBv4QTrUaOz41AlUo5XmJrETe740VbliJ6AbzCPzoviwe86yvOUbIBsv/s1600/IMG_8995.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBj_71iCUaeqa3aY_tL4Nh3aIYpM0CY9dqGmQfJWrimV07buPwSshkOLt93k437VwAZTviSTHWPBkyriJOsLuIgBv4QTrUaOz41AlUo5XmJrETe740VbliJ6AbzCPzoviwe86yvOUbIBsv/s400/IMG_8995.jpeg" width="300" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYm_7q3eUyGFQcXI0HNjZIV5Q3KNJnB_cHqujRYPq-mLhh_eUCGFwVY14e5jWlLJIIrndsWdOdOekw-MsbI5Uj9Hg81x0bYZPKpdTojMO8Z7FWXpHVk0gqZUfGrh9zo62iYDxlFTogfweE/s1600/IMG_8947-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYm_7q3eUyGFQcXI0HNjZIV5Q3KNJnB_cHqujRYPq-mLhh_eUCGFwVY14e5jWlLJIIrndsWdOdOekw-MsbI5Uj9Hg81x0bYZPKpdTojMO8Z7FWXpHVk0gqZUfGrh9zo62iYDxlFTogfweE/s400/IMG_8947-1.jpeg" width="300" /></a><br />
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AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-43062893359684293372018-04-03T17:21:00.001-05:002018-04-03T17:21:30.336-05:00How to Choose Your Elective Rotation<br />
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I've had multiple people talk to me recently about picking an elective rotation and how they should go about making this decision. It seems to me that most of us have various different specialties that we like and its hard to pick just one (or two) for your elective. I'm going to share <i>my personal thought process </i>that I went through to decide what I would chose as my elective. I'm sure there are many other ways to pick an elective but these are just the few things I thought about.<br />
<a name='more'></a><b>1. Specialty that I need to get better at</b><br />
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Dermatology has always been one of my weaknesses. I find it so difficult to keep all the rashes, their etiology, presentation, treatment, etc. straight in my head. Its such a challenge for me to recognize a rash and to come up with a differential. I remember on my first rotation I used to (and sometimes still do) get stumped when my preceptor asked me to describe the rash. Even something so simple that comes easily to most people is such a challenge for me. I decided that for me, working in family medicine is always going to be an option. And for that reason, I figured that I needed to be able to recognize a rash and know how to treat a patient versus when to refer them to derm. I also am one of those people that walks into a challenge purposely because I cannot just give in to the fact that its hard so I can't do it. So I kept derm in the mix.<br />
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<b>2. What makes up most of PANCE</b><br />
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If you are in PA school, you know that some day you're going to have to take the dreaded boards. I contemplated for a while whether I wanted to focus my attention on a specialty that was tested pretty heavily on the PANCE. For example. cardiology is 16% of the PANCE and pulmonology is 12%. It would not hurt to do an elective rotation in either one of these specialties as that experience would help learn the content for PANCE. Studying something from a book versus seeing it in practice helps tremendously to connect the dots and to solidify the information in your head.<br />
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<b>3. The one chance to discover any given speciality</b><br />
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I have been interested in OB/GYN (mostly the OB part) for a long time. Delivering babies and providing a would-be mom with prenatal/antenatal care and learning all about pregnancy has always been a dream of mine. What better time to learn all about a specialty that I'm interested in than during school?<br />
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<b>4. Figure out if I really like what I think I like</b><br />
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For example, I needed to see if OB/GYN really is something I would enjoy doing every day and finding this out on rotations is better than accepting a job and finding out its not for me. This way, I'm not committed to a job and if I end up not liking it, I don't have to stay!<br />
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<b>5. Availability of rotations</b><br />
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It all really boils down to what your options are. If your school allows/can find you a rotation in a specific speciality vs. can you find your own. Unfortunately neither my school or I could secure an OB/GYN rotation so I moved on to another one of my options and went with dermatology. It's my next rotation and I am looking forward to it!<br />
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<i>There is really no wrong decision here, its just a tough one.</i> This is just something that takes a little more thought and consideration. Discuss it with your friends/classmates, your advisor, spouse, etc. See what your options are and what works best for you. I hope this is helpful for y'all. If anyone has any additional tips, feel free to share it with the rest of us in the comments below!<br />
<br />
You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-5013249202976293092018-03-10T09:00:00.000-06:002018-03-10T09:00:04.811-06:00Starting Clinical Rotations <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5vgfqS5k8xSR5NfgyixDshpOTGS47rCuEgbDfUcro-GB9qvBwAPbyRMdhV1_dNgGWlqVwwUf_tXdlnstPHfTrwB0PI0x-z1Q5iW0N-cg5GQ5SYeLR05iLb41_l7X-PI0IDFhNzrBl-3-/s1600/IMG_6538.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5vgfqS5k8xSR5NfgyixDshpOTGS47rCuEgbDfUcro-GB9qvBwAPbyRMdhV1_dNgGWlqVwwUf_tXdlnstPHfTrwB0PI0x-z1Q5iW0N-cg5GQ5SYeLR05iLb41_l7X-PI0IDFhNzrBl-3-/s640/IMG_6538.jpg" width="422" /></a><br />
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I remember being so excited yet nervous about clinical rotations! So far these are the rotations I've completed: Two Family Medicine rotations, Internal Medicine, and General Surgery. I'm currently on Psychiatry and next up I have Emergency Medicine, Dermatology (as my elective) and Pediatrics in that order!<br />
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Today, I wanted to share some of my tips for what to expect or things to keep in mind as you start clinicals.<br />
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<b>A little flexibility goes a long way</b><br />
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Every day on rotation can be different. The schedule can vary a from day to day and you may or may not even work with the same preceptor. You may not always have a lunch break (or a short one if that) and you may not get off exactly at 5pm if that's when the clinic is supposed to close. The best way to make your life easier is to learn how to roll with the punches. These are just some of the experiences you may have in real life and its best to be mentally prepared for them.<br />
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<b>Learn to love the word YES</b><br />
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Say yes to (almost) everything. If your preceptor asks you if you want to assist in a procedure, say yes! If they ask if you want to go see a complex patient on your own, say yes! I'm a strong believer of see one, do one, teach one. I will say that clinical rotations taught me a great deal about stepping out of my comfort zone and facing my fears. Of course, if you are terribly uncomfortable about doing/saying something, you should let your preceptor know and ask them to guide you through it. Just don't let your fears hold you back because 9/10 times, you'll be grateful you said yes and tackled something that is personally challenging for you!<br />
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<b>Read up </b><br />
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I would suggest reading up on the most common diagnosis and treatments for each speciality before starting a rotation. For example, you'll see a lot of hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes mellitus (DM), and GYN conditions in Family Medicine. You see a lot of heart and renal (kidney) failure in Internal Medicine in addition to HTN and DM and may read a lot of EKGs of your ER rotation, etc. For surgery, I would look up YouTube videos and try to see if I could watch the surgeries the night before.<br />
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It's also a good idea to read up on something after you see it at clinic/hospital. This helps solidify the information now that you've seen it in real life!<br />
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<b>Wear comfy shoes</b><br />
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You might stand a lot on your rotation depending on how the clinic is set up. On my surgery rotation not only did I stand a lot, we also walked back and forth between the hospital and the clinic since they were a parking lot away from each other.<br />
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<b>Load up on snacks</b><br />
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I always kept a small snack in my white coat to stuff my face with in between patients. There were times those snacks were a lifesaver.<br />
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<b>Jot down notes</b><br />
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I still keep a small moleskin notebook in my white pocked to take notes. I jot down pearls that my preceptors would either share with me or anything said to the patients in terms of treatment, side effects, etc. A lot of times what's done in practice is different then what's taught in the books and you will not get those pointers from school (your professors know this too), which is one of the reasons why we go on rotations. I remember so many of those small pearls that have accumulated over time and it's been very helpful so far!<br />
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<b>Discuss expectations with your preceptor </b><br />
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I always made it a good habit to ask my preceptors what was expected of me at that rotation on the very first day (if we get the chance). Some rotations are very hands on and you get a lot of autonomy. Others are very different and they like you to shadow a lot more than see patients on your own. I also always ask my preceptors if its okay to use my phone throughout the rotation to look something up on UpToDate or Epocrates on my first day. This way, I avoid any incidences where they think I'm spending all my time on social media instead of learning medicine. Most of the time, preceptors and I looked things up together so usually its not a problem.<br />
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<b>Ask for feedback</b><br />
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My program requires our preceptors to do a mid-rotation and a final evaluation. This allows us to figure out how things are going on early on and gives us the opportunity to make changes as needed. However, if your school does not require your preceptors to do a mid-rotation evaluation, I would ask them if they have a few minutes at the end of a day to discuss your progress and if they have any suggestions that you can benefit from/there are things you should do differently. This way you can have the best experience possible.<br />
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<b>Don't be too hard on yourself</b><br />
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We've all been there. We all have felt incompetent or think we are incapable of practicing medicine. We're all afraid of looking stupid in front of our preceptors or getting yelled at. Thankfully, I haven't had any terrible experiences but I have been pimped a lot and you know what? Those rotations are actually the ones I learned the most from. Being wrong allows you to learn in a way that you'll never forget it again. Feeling insecure is okay, because we're students! We're not supposed to know it all. Heck, even our preceptors don't know it all, which is why it's called practicing medicine. So don't be afraid to be wrong and if you are wrong, learn from it!<br />
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Clinical rotations are the most fun part of PA school. The experiences you'll have, the patients you'll help, and the different people you'll meet will shape you into the provider you're going to become. Enjoy this exciting journey and let nothing hold you back! And as always, remember: do no harm.<br />
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If you have any experiences you want to share with the rest of us or have any advice of your own, please leave a comment below. Thank you for reading and good luck! :)<br />
<br />
You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-82330212226223816642018-03-02T13:17:00.000-06:002018-03-10T08:47:33.154-06:00End Of Rotation Exam Study Plan<br />
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We have been halfway done with clinical year since early February!! That is such an exciting and thrilling thought. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am soaking up time with my classmates and being a student for as long as I can, even on the most challenging of days. I'm currently on Psychiatry for my 5th rotation and wrote a <a href="https://apthepa.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-day-in-life-psychiatry.html#more" target="_blank">post</a> sharing what that entails!<br />
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Since I've taken 4 end of rotation (EOR) exams, I'm finally sitting down to share with you all how I usually prepare for them. I've had several emails and messages from PA students asking me what resources I use and how I study for EORs. Honestly, studying for each EOR has looked different for me. I can't stay that I've used the same method or resources each time but the backbone of my plan has been pretty much the same overall. As I always say, what works for me may not work for you, so take anything I say with a grain of salt.<br />
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For those of you not familiar with what an EOR is, here is a quick rundown. An end of rotation exam is an exam every PA student takes at the end of each of their rotations. The exam correlates with the rotation that they just completed (Family Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine, etc.). There are two sections of the exam, with 60 questions in each section and the time limit is 60 minutes per section. Only 100 of those questions are scored, and 20 of them are pre-test questions that are added to gather data to see if they can be used in future tests.<br />
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All the PA programs across the country administer the same exam (there are different versions) to their students and then a national average and a personal score is determined. Don't ask me about the statistics and math behind it because I still am not sure myself. However, that's pretty much the gist of it all. Now that we have that out of the way, lets dive in.<br />
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<b>PAEA topic list </b><br />
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This is the <a href="http://www.endofrotation.org/exams/sample-exam/" target="_blank">topic list</a> provided by the PAEA, the association that is responsible for generating the question bank for the EOR. The topic list covers the topics that for sure will be on the test in one way or another. This is a good guideline to use to study for the EOR. However, there have been a few random questions on each test that were not included on the list. Having said that, the list is still reliable and has done more than enough to prepare me to do well on these exams. This is my go to list in preparing for the exam. I study each topic and each section related to it as listed in the blueprint, which we'll talk about next.<br />
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<b>PAEA Blueprint</b><br />
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The <a href="http://www.endofrotation.org/exams/sample-exam/" target="_blank">blueprint</a> breaks it down even further and shows you how many questions to expect from each section and what each section is worth on the exam. This is what I use to determine how much time I need to spend on a particular section and whether I need to focus more on the diagnosis, clinical intervention, etc. I go over the H&P (history and physical), diagnostic study, diagnosis, health maintenance, clinical intervention, and clinical therapeutics. You will notice pathology or pathophysiology is not included on the blueprint, but it's good practice to quickly review that as well because the better you understand how something goes wrong, the better your chances or remembering how you treat it.<br />
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<b>Come up with a plan</b><br />
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If you've been on this journey with me for a while, you know I need repetition to really have it in my brain. In order to have time to be able to go over some of the major disease states more than once, I have to start studying earlier and have to be smart about my time. Our rotations are 6 weeks long and I don't usually start intense studying until end of week 2/beginning of week 3. This is because the first 2 weeks I focus more on touching up on disease states we see the most or the medications that are prescribed the most on the rotation I'm currently on that I need to review. If the list not too long, I try to go over the highest yielding sections twice to make sure I'm really prepared. Not everyone does this, but it has just always been my learning style and it takes me longer and my brain requires repetition to really solidify the information.<br />
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<b>Make use of the free time</b><br />
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I take at least one resource with me to work every day that I can study from. This has been so helpful because if there is a long break in between patients at the clinic, I get my studying in for the day before I even get home. Depending on which rotation you're on, life during clinicals is a lot more relaxing and you'll have more free time then you did in didactic, if you are smart about it. It all depends on your priorities and how disciplined you are about managing your time. This way when I get home, I can have a life and watch tv, read a book (which I've been doing a lot of lately), hang out with friends or family, or simply do nothing at all! :)<br />
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<u>A word of caution:</u> if you are going to use an electronic device to study or look up things at work, make sure you run it by your preceptor so they are aware. I made it a good habit to bring it up the first day of each rotation and get their thoughts on it before I even did it. I never want myself or anyone to get in a situation where their preceptor thinks a student is on their phone all day while in reality they're studying or looking things up. Most preceptors have no problems with it and even appreciate your eagerness to learn.<br />
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<b>Limit your resources</b><br />
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It's easy to get caught up on everyone's recommendations on what resources they used to study for a particular EOR exam. As always, what works for your friends may not always work for you. Take a look at all of your options and pick a few. I personally tried to use a <i>maximum</i> of 3 resources, because when I tried to use too many, I'd just spend more time figuring out what was important from each and run out of time to actually study the material (like I did for my OB/GYN exam). I usually make study guides or use study guides made by classmates to reconcile the information from the resources I used in one place. I also use TrueLearn to quiz myself and also because it is a requirement by our program. Our school requires us to do 110 questions per rotation on TrueLearn which is apparently a lot harder than the PANCE. It helps me reinforce the information by testing myself with their quizzes.<br />
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To sum it all up, I use the PAEA topic list and the blueprint to guide my studying. Sometimes I make my own study guide and other times I use existing study guides made by my classmates and edit them to what I think is most important using the resources I discuss below. I do one section of the topic list at a time and work my way through it. I focus more on the sections that have more questions on the EORs and also the sections that make up most of the PANCE. I use TrueLearn questions to quiz myself and keep reviewing as much as I can.<br />
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Don't forget that studying during clinical year is a year long (or more for students in other programs) process of preparing for the PANCE. Take it seriously and you'll thank yourself later on in life.<br />
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These are some of the resources that I've used over the course of clinical year:<br />
<ul>
<li>PANCE Prep Pearls</li>
<li>HIPPO Summaries</li>
<li>Case Files (they have one for each specialty)</li>
<li>The Washington Manual of Outpatient Internal Medicine</li>
<li>Surgical Recall</li>
<li>Lecture PowerPoints/Study guides from didactic year</li>
<li>Blueprints Book (I have only used the OB/GYN one)</li>
<li>FirstAid (only one I have used is for Psychiatry)</li>
<li>DSM V</li>
<li>TrueLearn questions</li>
</ul>
I hope this was helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions or have any suggestions of your own that you want to share with the rest of us!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.<br />
<br />AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-74400653058025248792018-02-24T08:15:00.000-06:002018-02-24T08:15:23.979-06:00A Day in the Life: Psychiatry<b><br /></b>
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj988tk7h_tLfer9nrMzh8Vxkiu-QaBGXi1j-jEdFbXxYeS3PSudZIwrvp4kAFD4Iwd5ryrGBHHPJWenktGHU84BKhyphenhyphenvwVVsWruJodxcT0vi9iDH7lM1VUk3LMV8XB6K-N9EnH-05xnIOIM/s1600/IMG_8430.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj988tk7h_tLfer9nrMzh8Vxkiu-QaBGXi1j-jEdFbXxYeS3PSudZIwrvp4kAFD4Iwd5ryrGBHHPJWenktGHU84BKhyphenhyphenvwVVsWruJodxcT0vi9iDH7lM1VUk3LMV8XB6K-N9EnH-05xnIOIM/s640/IMG_8430.jpeg" width="480" /></a></b><br />
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<b>6:00 am </b>- alarm goes off. I hit snooze/lay around and allow myself the first few peaceful moments of the day. I get up and clean up, make coffee, and pack my lunch. I haven't been eating a good breakfast on this rotation, just because waking up this early and eating a substantial meal has always been a struggle for me. As always, makeup is kept to a minimum. I really limit my jewelry on this rotation because you never know what is going to happen that day on the psych ward.<br />
<a name='more'></a><b>7:15 am</b> - leave the house and start my 40 minute drive to work.<br />
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<b>7:50 am</b> - arrive at the psychiatry hospital.<br />
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<b>8:00 - 10:20 am</b> - Rounds on patients admitted to the second floor of the hospital. These patients are usually more complex, may have psychotic features, and need more close observation and intense treatment regimens than the patients on the first floor. Because this is a psych rotation and our patients can be unpredictable, my preceptor does not have me see patients on my own. Today we had 9 patients upstairs and the staff had to call Code Orange (violent patient) on one of our patients. Never a dull day in psych y'all...<br />
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We usually go ahead and see the patients getting discharged first so that the staff can get a started on their paperwork. Then we see any new admissions that came in after we left the hospital the day before or the ones admitted overnight. Lastly we round on the patients that have been there for at least a day. Unless the patient has a history of being violent or inappropriate, my preceptor allows me to go and bring each patient back to our office and we do their daily evaluation together. During this time, we go over how the patients are doing, how the medications are working for them and if they have experienced any side effects, whether they've been able to make contact with family members with the help of the social workers, etc. We discuss any other ongoing concerns and re-address their goals for the duration of their stay here and also once they will be discharged. Every patient that is discharged is set up with outpatient psychiatry and counseling, which is something that's really important to make sure that someone is helping them stay on track and reach their goals and is also regularly managing their medications.<br />
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<b>10: 30 am - 10:50 am:</b> we have a meeting with a patient's family and social worker to discuss some things the patient wanted to discuss before she gets discharged that morning. It goes relatively well and we all agree on the plan and goals the patients wants to work on. This is not something we do daily but on a case by case basis.<br />
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<b>10:55 - 11:30 am</b>: we round on 6 patients on the first floor and discharge 3 of them. Then we go back up to our office and get cracking on those notes.<br />
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<b>11:30 am - 12 pm</b>: My preceptor dictates all the admitting and discharge summaries for the day and I write SOAP notes for each patient we see at the hospital after rounds. Sometimes we do this in between patients if we are not too busy but today we saved it for last.<br />
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<b>12:00 - 1:00 pm</b> - lunch break. Today I had a Cesar salad for lunch and had to resist the urge to get fries from the chick fil a I accidentally discovered by the clinic.<br />
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<b>1 pm - 4:50 pm</b> - In the afternoon we see patients at the clinic. My job is to read their chart before they come in, if we have the time I give my preceptor a quick rundown on each patient, and then bring them back. Most patients were here for a follow up today with only one new patient. The visits vary between 10 minutes and simple prescription refills with patients doing really well otherwise and 20-30 minute visits that are more complex. New patient visits are scheduled to be 40 mins long but can run longer of course.<br />
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<b>4:55 pm</b> - We are done for the day! In the clinic, my preceptor just dictates the SOAP notes so I usually don't chart. I drive back to Nashville in crazy traffic and almost get run over by a guy who thinks its cool to cut people off when there's bumper to bumper traffic on the interstate. No biggie.<br />
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<b>6:00 pm</b> - I jump straight in the shower after I get home. Even though I don't have to do physical exams or touch any patients on this rotation, just being in a hospital still makes me feel icky so I always shower and clean up after I get home.<br />
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<b>6:30 pm: </b>I eat dinner this early (like an old lady) because I'm starving and I know if I eat snacks now I'll ruin my appetite. Tonight I'm having mom's homemade Indian food that she brought me this weekend. Nothing like coming back at the end of the day with your dinner already waiting for you in your fridge. Thanks mom. :) I also catch up on social media and clean up the kitchen.<br />
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<b>7:15 - 8:15 pm</b> - I work on my study guide for this EOR exam even though its a month away. I was way too chill on the last rotation and didn't study like I usually do because the days were so long and I would be so drained when I got home. This time the topic list is really short so my goal is to finish going over everything once way in advance so I can focus on really learning the medications and doses/side effects. There are SO many meds in psych!!!<br />
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<b>8:15 - 9:30pm </b>- I'm currently reading Gone Girl since I have heard so many people say good things about it. I'm trying to get back into the habit of reading non-medical books since I have more time now and I really, really enjoy reading. It also gives my brain a break from thinking of medicine all day, which is definitely not a bad thing, but I love to keep a healthy balance of things in life.<br />
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<b>9:35 pm </b>- I start to get sleepy and decide it's a good time to call it a night. It's hard for me to put down the book but I know I will keep reading until the wee hours of the morning if I don't make myself stop. I get ready for bed and turn out the lights.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Day in Review</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hours worked: 8</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Total patients seen: 15</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Patients seen on my own: 0</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hours studied: 1</div>
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.<br />
<br />AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-21169399673878065942018-01-02T14:18:00.000-06:002018-01-02T14:18:01.027-06:00Finding Balance + Being Organized in PA School<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlAoe89qYgpHlFRYfJrSjCfLRhecxp4T6cYM-Auyqj_MAm07s6NNLzUwZg-30AKvoLCflE4pmqXJsCUJcEQBBWtZdrv67sDbUVd7naLjmmfg1t9XvNjgwO039WukhmuC4rwbdDmO0X9cK/s1600/Finallyfoundmy+newhome%2521.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlAoe89qYgpHlFRYfJrSjCfLRhecxp4T6cYM-Auyqj_MAm07s6NNLzUwZg-30AKvoLCflE4pmqXJsCUJcEQBBWtZdrv67sDbUVd7naLjmmfg1t9XvNjgwO039WukhmuC4rwbdDmO0X9cK/s640/Finallyfoundmy+newhome%2521.png" width="432" /></a><br />
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Happy New Year everyone!! I hope everyone had a wonderful time with their friends and family. :) Now that the holiday season (sadly) has come to an end, it's time to get town to business. I fly back to Nashville today and I start my 4th rotation tomorrow in Family Medicine. <br />
<a name='more'></a>I frequently get emails or messages on Instagram from people asking me questions like how I manage to "do it all". "How do you keep your blog updated while going through PA school?", "how do you hang out with friends with so many exams?" or "how do you find the time to go home to visit family?"I was even asked how I "mastered" surviving PA school and how I got so organized in school. Truth be told, I do not have it all together, trust me.<br />
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I am no master at being a PA student, and neither am I organized every single day of every week. However, in the last 19 months, I've learned a lot about prioritizing and managing my time. While I feel unqualified to do this, today I am going to share with you all what has worked for <b>me</b> in terms of finding balance and staying organized while in PA school. As always, what worked for me may not work for you and vice versa, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. I also am not telling anyone what they should be doing with their time, I'm simply sharing what I did/do to keep up with my personal and professional commitments.<br />
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To read my suggestions on how to stay organized and find a balance in PA school, head on over to The PA Life's <a href="https://thepalifeblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">webs<span id="goog_161850297"></span><span id="goog_161850298"></span>ite</a>! <br />
<br />
You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-33957090544645402642017-12-26T07:00:00.000-06:002017-12-26T07:00:53.211-06:00Packing List<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2D73lHOQkQXE1Lx712XGiRvTPS7I5x4x6g1Rnc8gyOfSsgwEncUN8Xcx6eOz3I1PYbMIlCDhhTZcAjvuFc6BgdOUeec-Wc5DFU9CZup6bNijK5w_PMxQVZaTTeSw_lZ83wjIz77F4yuy/s1600/Packing+List.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2D73lHOQkQXE1Lx712XGiRvTPS7I5x4x6g1Rnc8gyOfSsgwEncUN8Xcx6eOz3I1PYbMIlCDhhTZcAjvuFc6BgdOUeec-Wc5DFU9CZup6bNijK5w_PMxQVZaTTeSw_lZ83wjIz77F4yuy/s640/Packing+List.jpg" width="494" /></a><br />
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Hello friends! It's been quite a while since I've written a lifestyle post. Honestly, school has left me with little time to be as organized in other areas of life like I used to be and so my organized self hasn't had a chance to publish much in this department.<br />
<a name='more'></a>This past weekend, I travelled to Raleigh, NC for Christmas break and while I was trying to figure out what all I needed to pack, I decided to make a concrete packing list once and for all that I can keep using in the future. I used to travel quite frequently over the weekends or breaks before PA school and I used to make a list of all the things I need to carry with me on the trip. This way, I wouldn't forget anything or have to keep asking my hosts for things.<br />
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I figured I would share it since most people are traveling during this time of the year and could find it helpful. My list definitely not all exclusive but it's a good one for your most basic things. I've added a few "guy things" on this list as well which I obviously don't pack, but I didn't want to exclude our organized guys out there. Of course, I don't pack each and every single one of these things every time I travel. It really depends on whether I'm going to stay in a hotel or with family members, where I'm going, what time of the year it is, etc. I use this list if I'm traveling within the States, it's a whole different ball game if I'm traveling internationally.<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VELGPToV3xvA17XmZTYa2fRUNfCG9RVc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Here is the printable</a> that I created. I hope some of you find it helpful! Thanks for reading and I hope you all are having a blessed holiday season! :)<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.<br />
<br />AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-69005213667812045582017-12-17T12:28:00.001-06:002017-12-22T17:54:37.100-06:00A Day in the Life: General Surgery <br />
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Hello everyone! We are officially on Christmas break and so I thought I'd finally share a typical day in the life of my surgery rotation. This is from a few weeks ago but I just never got a chance to share the post since life was pretty hectic on this rotation.<br />
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<b>6:15 am </b>- roll out of bed, clean up, and go make some coffee. I eat my kind breakfast protein bar and sip on my coffee as I get ready. Today is a Wednesday, and my preceptor goes to another town to operate/see patients so we will be driving a bit today. I try to eat as much as possible because I know this day is probably going to be very busy.<br />
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<b>7:00 am </b>- I am out the door. My drive to Lebanon from Nashville takes about 30 minutes. I eat a banana on my way (I know, I'm a weirdo who eats her breakfast in parts) and listen to some Christmas music to keep me awake.<br />
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<b>7:35 am </b>- Get to Lebanon and see that I have a text from my preceptor. We had a patient admitted to the ICU last night from the ER for abdominal pain so we go to round on her. We look at her chart and read her history, check the CT scan, abdominal x-rays, labs, etc. and go talk to her. We also talk to her nurse and the admitting physician. Then my preceptor orders repeat labs that need to be performed in a few hours and we sign off for the morning. We will decide later on in the day if she needs to be operated on or not.<br />
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<b>8:15 am</b> - Once we get done with rounds, we drive to Carthage where we have three operations this morning. Since we had unexpected rounding this morning and our first surgery was scheduled at 8:30 am, we are running behind.<br />
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<b>8:50 am </b>- get to Carthage, go see our first patient in pre-op and alert the OR staff that the patient is ready. While my attending goes to talk to our second patient, I help the OR staff prep the patient and get things ready for our first case.<br />
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<b>9:20 am</b> - 50 minutes behind schedule, but we scrub and start our first operation of the day, which is excision of a skin lesion on a forearm. I was the first assist on this case and my preceptor lets me put in a suture on the specimen so that the lab can identify the margins.<br />
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<b>10: 30 am </b>- Once the we are done operating on our first patient, I go and write scripts and the operative (op) note. It's been good practice to write op notes and I'm so glad my preceptor allowed me to have this learning experience. Obviously my preceptor reviews every charting or prescription or anything I write before signing it.<br />
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<b>10: 40 am</b> - I see that the staff has already brought back out next patient, so I go in the OR and help prep again. This patient needs a port placement for chemotherapy and it's usually a simple procedure. Once again, my preceptor allows me to first assist since it's a simpler and pretty short procedure.<br />
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<b>11: 15 am </b>- once again, I go write scripts and the operative note and show both of them to my attending so she can read and sign it. When need be, she helps me improve my op notes, which is what we did for this case. Once we are done, I go down some water to make sure I'm well hydrated and go back to see if the next patient is ready.<br />
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<b>11:35 am </b>- our last operation of the day is a laparoscopic left inguinal hernia repair. It takes us much longer than anticipated to finish this operation due to adhesions that we found and had to take care of before repairing the hernia. I am so hungry by this point and try very hard to focus on the screen and not my stomach. I basically only observed this surgery and closed two small incision sites where the trocars are inserted because it was a complicated surgery. Otherwise, I usually get to guide the laparoscopic camera during these surgeries. We also call our clinic and them know we are running late since we have patients waiting for us.<br />
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<b>1:25 pm</b> - I go write the op note and the scripts and quickly munch down a small bag chips and have some water before walking to the clinic (which is right down the hill from the hospital). We only have three patients to see today at this clinic. My preceptor goes and sees our first patient as I bring back the next two patients and work them up.<br />
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<b>3:00 pm </b>- While I wait for my preceptor to finish visiting our last patient in the clinic, I try to eat my salad really quickly but don't even make it halfway before it's time to drive back to Lebanon. We still have more patients to round on in the hospital from the day before since we didn't get a chance to round on them this morning<br />
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<b>3:40 pm - </b>back to Lebanon. We round on three patients, one of them being the patient from this morning. We have one post-op (appendectomy) patient to see and another patient admitted to the floor for C. diff and diverticulitis. Once we go see them, my preceptor teaches me how she likes her progress notes to be written and helps me write one for our post-op lap appy patient. After that, I watch her document in the EMR<br />
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<b>5:15 pm</b> - we are finally done with our day and head out the door. I realize that I have still not had an actual meal today and stop by on my way home at a chick-fil-a.<br />
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<b>5:45 pm</b> - Get home and go straight to the shower. I am too tired to study today but I make an attempt anyway (without getting too far).<br />
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<b>7:00 pm</b> - watch some TV and do some TrueLearn questions to fulfill my 110 questions per rotation requirement set by our school.<br />
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<b>9:00 pm</b> - I truly can't keep my eyes open anymore so I go brush my teeth and crawl into bed. Thankfully I have the day off tomorrow so I will get the chance to make up for not being able to study today.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Day in Review</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hours worked: 9</div>
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Total patients seen: 10</div>
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Patients seen on my own: 2</div>
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Hours studied: 1</div>
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<b>Other surgeries or procedures I've been able to assist on and or be a part of</b>: multiple laparoscopic cholecystectomies (taking out gallbladders), colon resections, umbilical hernias, lumpectomy (excision of breast lumps due to cancer), stereotactic breast biopsies, excisional biopsies, fine needle aspirations of thyroid nodules, incision and draining of abscesses, removing drains, removing ports, removal of gastric bands, and placement of PEG tube. My most favorite part of this rotation was getting the opportunity to intubate two patients in the OR. You never, ever forget that moment and those patients.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7mmJomAvaBUw574aXt5KqFVPQHKWhmxNdBntZi3XG8LrNJ6BvhN7pFmvc8EyispPhv_OFtDZWIMsvFWiLEueynfZbQWucUMyowRQ95N7dqAy0ethUR2u6ncQcfRqZpQF4JbO6Ud_TXO-/s1600/IMG_7700.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7mmJomAvaBUw574aXt5KqFVPQHKWhmxNdBntZi3XG8LrNJ6BvhN7pFmvc8EyispPhv_OFtDZWIMsvFWiLEueynfZbQWucUMyowRQ95N7dqAy0ethUR2u6ncQcfRqZpQF4JbO6Ud_TXO-/s400/IMG_7700.JPG" width="225" /></a><br />
Surgery was my most dreaded rotation before I started it. However, it turned out to be my most enjoyable and favorite rotation so far. If you've been following my Instagram posts and stories, you may already know this. I was sad to see this rotation end because I really enjoyed the hands on experience, the patients we saw in our clinic and all the procedures we did, and mostly my preceptor and the interaction we had all day long. She made surgery fun and took the time to teach me while we were in the OR and the clinic, allowing me to have a well rounded experience. I am taking away a lifetime of memories and experiences and am definitely keeping surgery as an option for the future.<br />
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Tomorrow I'm getting all four of my wisdom teeth removed (eeek) and then next weekend I'm heading to Raleigh, NC to spend the rest of my break with my sister and brother-in-law. After that, I have my second family med rotation. If you guys have any questions about my rotation or anything else, feel free to leave me a comment or send me an email. Have a lovely Sunday and thanks for reading! :)<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-58766428705889791212017-11-20T09:21:00.001-06:002017-11-20T09:21:11.839-06:00What's in My White Coat?<br />
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Hey all! Can you believe the holiday season is upon us!? It's my most favorite time of the year :).<br />
<a name='more'></a>I'm sorry for not being as active on the blog lately. Even though I had ideas for posts and things I wanted to share, I just had difficulty putting my thoughts together. Starting rotations has definitely played a role in it. It's quite an adjustment and everything else kind of took a back seat meanwhile. However, I think I've got the hang of it now and will try to be more interactive with you all!<br />
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My "what's in my bag" post was a hit and I had such awesome feedback from it that I thought it'd be fun to do a similar post for what I carry with me on rotations. This time I'm going to share what I carry in my white coat to give you a sense of what I need daily at work.<br />
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<b>Stethoscope:</b> we bought ours together as a class at the beginning of didactic so I've had it for a while. I usually tuck in one of the larger pocket in my coat because otherwise it either slides off the back of my hair or makes me feel restricted. I use Littmann cardiology IV.<br />
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<b>Reflex hammer </b> I bought this new reflex hammer with a monofilament at the other end during my first rotation (family med) because my preceptor had a similar one and I've used it all the time since. It's super helpful for doing a quick monofilament test on patients with diabetes (it checks for decreased sensation in their feet due to diabetic neuropathy).<br />
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<b>Maxwell's medical reference</b>: best $5 I've ever spent! I've used it numerous times to find lab values and even my preceptors have asked me to see if something we're looking for is in there.<br />
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<b>Pens</b>: I carry 1-2 pens with me at any given time and have more in my handbag because preceptors are well known for borrowing a pen and never returning it.<br />
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<b>Notebook</b>: I take this into the room with me almost every time. I write down the information I need about every patient (excluding any protected health information) to chart for my school and any additional notes that I learned during that interaction from my preceptor. I also have written little notes to myself in the back for routine exams/common disease states as a reference if I feel like I'm forgetting to ask something.<br />
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<b>Snacks:</b> they come to my rescue all the time! I usually have a protein bar or a small ziplock with walnuts hiding somewhere in my coat.<br />
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<b>Phone</b>: I usually don't check my phone during the day unless we're super slow or need to look something up and am not close to my iPad.<br />
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<b>Vaseline lip moisturizer</b>: favorite lip moisturizer in the whole wide world. Nothing works as well and for as long as this for me. I also carry extra hair ties in my coat especially during surgery rotation incase I lose one or it snaps.<br />
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<b>Cash</b>: starting surgery rotation, I've started to keep small bills in my pockets for a quick run to the cafeteria. I haven't needed it so far because my awesome preceptor has been kind enough to buy me breakfast twice now!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxTFWr-mJ1rAstVm8UQtIievBdpCdlGp7-SHIExaWrI29kGgOkMwHbWsR8PGR16XGTFMU6MyHyfbK9PHLqTj-gxq7ab-K4Brg-AN5uCbaPzXCUzOarSwJMCSB3QEfVprXghOc-uZ2vlaF/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxTFWr-mJ1rAstVm8UQtIievBdpCdlGp7-SHIExaWrI29kGgOkMwHbWsR8PGR16XGTFMU6MyHyfbK9PHLqTj-gxq7ab-K4Brg-AN5uCbaPzXCUzOarSwJMCSB3QEfVprXghOc-uZ2vlaF/s400/FullSizeRender.jpg.jpeg" width="300" /></a><br />
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<b>iPad</b>: I don't literally carry this in my white coat but I have been using my iPad to chart patients during day if I get the chance to. This is usually sitting at the nurses station and I try to chart as much as I can between patients or during downtime so I have less to do after I get home.<br />
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That's pretty much all I've got! If you guys have any suggestions of what else I should stuff in my pockets or what you carry around on the day, I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Thank you for reading :) Stay tuned for a post about my EOR study tips!<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-35641966867817613722017-10-30T07:00:00.000-05:002017-10-30T07:00:08.907-05:00A Day in the Life: Internal Medicine<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVP1PU5J2pmpAo55LHJayR03iy7jcOYpo60E07RHxQQp8Yo1WkGe_wae7Snx4zs3o48pz10bFV5IjcOT1t8CjccJY1NFcMm8woIBcFSIkDgAQg79Cr5TTxjS_KwmWjfMU6EbT9bGlSFVTW/s1600/IMG_7578.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVP1PU5J2pmpAo55LHJayR03iy7jcOYpo60E07RHxQQp8Yo1WkGe_wae7Snx4zs3o48pz10bFV5IjcOT1t8CjccJY1NFcMm8woIBcFSIkDgAQg79Cr5TTxjS_KwmWjfMU6EbT9bGlSFVTW/s640/IMG_7578.JPG.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>5:55 am </b>- alarm goes off. Today I'm rounding on patients at the hospital with my substitute preceptor, so I wake up earlier. My preceptor is on vacation so for the time being, I'm rotating with an attending who also works at my preceptor's practice.<br />
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<b>6:15 am</b> - I finally stop hitting snooze and roll out of bed. I clean up and then go to the kitchen for some breakfast. Today it's a cinnamon bagel with honey pecan cream cheese and instant coffee. I eat the rest of my breakfast (usually a banana or a kind breakfast bar) on my way to the hospital so that I can sustain myself until after rounds.<br />
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<b>6:35 am</b>- Get ready and grab my lunch and snacks. The last 2 weeks I've been good about meal prepping so I already have a salad packed and ready to go. For snacks I have a greek blueberry yogurt, walnuts, and a protein bar.<br />
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<b>7:00 am </b>- Out the door and on the road. I live about 17 mins away from the hospital which is in downtown Nashville. Rush hour traffic is the worst part of my day so I leave a few mins early to make it to rounds on time (which we start at 7:30).<br />
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<b>7:32</b> <b>am </b>- My attending and I both were stuck in traffic that morning so I was a few mins late, otherwise I can get there by 7:25. My attending made it there around 7:55 so I spent my free time people watching and taking pictures for y'all.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SlfFhYgm8J7TMBvYuzM1peqzMEmONMakqjuilcZZGmc3m5p3n70UuHspX8iDwYhYFG5Bj_25j_H6FvLmCmosV-dnNisw0ry1qb2Ntt7c4srTMwYxAt9k0in_bXGQaPRJwedjeXZqGlVJ/s1600/IMG_7577.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SlfFhYgm8J7TMBvYuzM1peqzMEmONMakqjuilcZZGmc3m5p3n70UuHspX8iDwYhYFG5Bj_25j_H6FvLmCmosV-dnNisw0ry1qb2Ntt7c4srTMwYxAt9k0in_bXGQaPRJwedjeXZqGlVJ/s400/IMG_7577.JPG.jpeg" width="300" /></a><br />
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<b>8:00 am </b>- we had two patients to round on today. One of them is on the floor and one in the MICU (medical intensive care unit). This week was my first experience in an ICU setting and I learned so much about ventilators, feeding tubes, and coordinating with other providers taking care of the same patient. Although I wish I could tell you more about what was going on medically, I have to respect patient privacy and make sure to not violate HIPPA.<br />
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<b>8:45 am</b> - once we round on the patients, we go back and put in any orders we need to, do our notes for the day so the next provider knows what we did, and talk to the nurse taking care of the particular patient to make sure everyone is on the same page. We discharged our patient on the floor and my attending actually had me do the discharge instructions. Even though he basically told me what to do, I felt like such a boss ;) Jokes apart, it felt great to be actually useful and play a small role in the care of one of our patients.<br />
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<b>9:00 am</b> - we are done rounding and don't have our first patient till 10 am at the clinic. I take this opportunity to stop by at Starbucks on my way to the clinic and grab a nice hot white chocolate mocha. I was able to get in about half an hour of studying while waiting for our patients to start coming in. Every minute is so precious it seems.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XtM0qjB4qIaqawXHxWYyonV7Akc_ghEuA0ektAMfR9idmvHVdT6104oBoRm7PQAzyNVk0XF7WncuxMpRXuNremKQ_N_96a4G0MCTuTFP0uo7dLwLryXxEK7bakISLQrsSv8jVp0NVBHJ/s1600/IMG_7580.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XtM0qjB4qIaqawXHxWYyonV7Akc_ghEuA0ektAMfR9idmvHVdT6104oBoRm7PQAzyNVk0XF7WncuxMpRXuNremKQ_N_96a4G0MCTuTFP0uo7dLwLryXxEK7bakISLQrsSv8jVp0NVBHJ/s320/IMG_7580.JPG.jpeg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQnPBmzrNzw2paTGADTCM1rsA7RQx5fHdXpV8n2moLZylnZG5_dByFXNXvXdANsV_8w6olvkQXpkcCcz7498T0z-kPNsYuohidYO4ABa41NAkL6MXCEWm0BuUZk4Xu_2ESNx01LNxvLrm/s1600/IMG_7582.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQnPBmzrNzw2paTGADTCM1rsA7RQx5fHdXpV8n2moLZylnZG5_dByFXNXvXdANsV_8w6olvkQXpkcCcz7498T0z-kPNsYuohidYO4ABa41NAkL6MXCEWm0BuUZk4Xu_2ESNx01LNxvLrm/s320/IMG_7582.JPG.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<b>10 - 12:20 pm</b> - we see our morning patients. I get to go in and get the HPI and do a focused PE on a few patients. Then I come out and present to my preceptor, tell him my assessment and plan, and we go back in to see the pt together. Something new I've tried this rotation is to log patients as I go (for my school) so I don't have a lump sum to do when I get home that evening. I've been so grateful for my iPad this month and am definitely glad I made the investment. I use it to study at clinic and or at home and also to log patients. It's so much easier to grab it on the go.<br />
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<b>12:20 - 1 pm</b> - Lunch time! Today I had a salad with lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, eggs, chick peas, and balsamic vinaigrette. I try to rest in my car for a while before seeing afternoon patients. We usually have drug reps come and bring us lunch but I try to eat healthy and avoid eating outside food everyday. I have broken that rule twice when they bring us chili's though ;)<br />
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<b>1 - 4 pm:</b> more patients, more charts, more of everything. This afternoon was so crazy busy that I didn't get a chance to sit down for a second, except for the time I was getting the HPI from patients. My preceptor and I review the X-rays we took for the day as part of physicals so he can sign off on them.<br />
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<u><i>Side note</i></u>: the cool thing about this particular practice is all the imaging and testing interpretation I get to do. They have their own X-ray and DEXA scan, do EKGs for physicals and any acute complaints, and have an ultrasound tech come in twice a week to mostly do echos and any other study that needs to be done. I've seen a lot of hearts, carotids, and gallbladders on ultrasound so far. Recently I my preceptor also taught me how to read a thyroid US (hardest one so far for me, I still don't know what I was looking at).<br />
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<b>4:15 pm</b> - today I got to go home a little earlier since we got done with patients early. The drive home was not quick though since rush hour traffic likes to suck away all of my free time. At least the view on my drive back was pretty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTGQG-HxAFJ4Ls1tRhx5GwE1oUu-e652IKcj-UK6aGYimy1FXY-mKi9IMa3j36QeBuj5oHOt4H_urb0nUcyBCxSXgmpLfbC1iBpfxOCsWLRrGyfsSSYcD3X5BmH4L46zD77ENKrFh2kN5/s1600/IMG_7585.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTGQG-HxAFJ4Ls1tRhx5GwE1oUu-e652IKcj-UK6aGYimy1FXY-mKi9IMa3j36QeBuj5oHOt4H_urb0nUcyBCxSXgmpLfbC1iBpfxOCsWLRrGyfsSSYcD3X5BmH4L46zD77ENKrFh2kN5/s640/IMG_7585.JPG.jpeg" width="480" /></a><br />
<b>5 pm</b> - shower and clean up. I grab some pretzels and hummus and watch an episode of Fixer Upper to wind down before I start studying for the EOR exam coming up in a week (eeeekk).<br />
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<b>6 - 7:30 pm</b> - Tonight I am finishing up the critical care section and starting the endocrine section on the PAEA blueprint for EORs. I have been using my lecture notes in addition to PANCE prep pearls to study for this EOR, so I'm interested to see how that turns out.<br />
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<b>7:30 - 8 pm</b> - Dinner time. I also take this time to catch up on emails, phone calls, texts, etc. that I haven't had a chance to respond to all day. I finish up logging patients in since the afternoon got crazy and I didn't get a chance to do so.<br />
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<b>8 - 9:15 pm</b>: some more studying, interrupted by checking all sorts of social media. I spend some time taking a 20 question quiz on TrueLearn, a requirement by our school during rotations (110 questions per rotation). I try to study a section and take a quiz on that to see what I need to work on more. Thankfully this time around I've been getting better scores than during my family med rotation.<br />
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<b>9:15 pm</b>: Tired and brain dead, I walk away from the books and call it a night. I spend the next half an hour or so getting my life together for the next day and get ready for bed.<br />
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<b>9:50 pm</b> - lights out! Early morning tomorrow as we still have patients in the hospital to round on.<br />
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I hope you all enjoyed reading about a typical day for me on my internal medicine rotation. If there are any questions or you'd like more details about something in specific, please leave a comment or feel free to email me!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Day in Review</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hours worked: 9</div>
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Total patients seen: 12</div>
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Patients seen on my own: 5</div>
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Hours studied: 3</div>
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728889571953143874.post-89573018424186832172017-09-06T19:06:00.000-05:002017-12-17T11:53:26.019-06:00A Day in the Life: Family Medicine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVW0p_omjsjBeryqWEO-XIGD97xZEuH6E-fUfe7sG3B5_51zUjaNtuuiTlj_FyOg0fot9vdz1IuqHbnVxBAQIPg6Mjkp0MlZg0JBfuAXnV6sURR8XH37h7zZkbyCpxnRV1KyefX23P28V/s1600/IMG_7148.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVW0p_omjsjBeryqWEO-XIGD97xZEuH6E-fUfe7sG3B5_51zUjaNtuuiTlj_FyOg0fot9vdz1IuqHbnVxBAQIPg6Mjkp0MlZg0JBfuAXnV6sURR8XH37h7zZkbyCpxnRV1KyefX23P28V/s640/IMG_7148.JPG" width="512" /></a><br />
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6:05: alarm goes off. I keep hitting snooze until 6:15 and lay there in bed for a few mins before getting out of bed.<br />
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6:25: roll out of bed, get myself in the shower (if I'm showering in the AM that day), or brush my teeth and go to the kitchen.<br />
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6:30: make my coffee while I pack my lunch and some snacks (blueberry greek yogurt, kind bars, walnuts, a banana) and lots of water.<br />
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6:45: this is my favorite part of the day. I like to enjoy my coffee in peace and take my time, since this is the only few mins I'll get to myself until right before bed. It's my fuel for the day and I never skimp out on it.<br />
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7:10: get dressed, slap on some make up on my face, make sure my hair doesn't look as crazy as it normally does. I try to keep my makeup and jewelry at minimum since work is not the place to go all out with that.<br />
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7:35: gather all of my stuff and head out the door<br />
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7:55: my preceptor likes to have a little morning huddle with the staff to discuss our patients for the day. That way any changes that need to be made are taken care of before the patient walks in for their appointment.<br />
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8:20: Get to work! I have started seeing some patients on my own, so my preceptor usually walks me into the exam room where the pt is, introduces me, and asks them if its okay for me to do their history and physical. Sometimes he'll stay in there to observe if its a chief complaint that will require special tests for the physical exam. Otherwise he'll step out and I will go find him after and tell him what I think is going on.<br />
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8:20-12:30: for these next four hours, we see cases of actinic keratosis (I got to use Histofreeze for the first time to tx the lesion with cryotherapy), abdominal pain, 2 cases of rashes, a handful of lab follow ups, hypothyroidism, anxiety, pain management, inguinal hernia, and our daily handful of diabetes and hypertension follow ups. I also helped remove some sutures from a patient we saw the week before and helped start on a wet-to-dry dressing. We go back to my preceptor's office between each patient and he allows me to ask any questions if we aren't in a time crunch. This is also when I get to get some snacks into my system to hold me over until lunch time.<br />
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12:40: usually our lunch starts at 12:30 but because we were so busy we didn't get to start our lunch break till 12:40. We eat really quickly and start seeing patients at 1:05 again.<br />
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1:05 - 5:30: post lunch cases included a case of SSRI discontinuation syndrome, GERD management, IBS, urinary incontinence, another case of hypothyroidism. Today we get done seeing patients for the day by 4 pm. Then my preceptor lets me document the HPI and physical exam for the patients I saw on my own into their charts. We review my notes together once I'm done and he adds in his own notes if I missed anything and finishes up the follow up, treatment plan, etc. We go over how to code everything before he signs the chart. I had no idea so many different kinds of codes were involved (insert eye roll here).<br />
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5:30: I was out the door on time today because our last patient was not scheduled around 5. Otherwise it could be 5:45 before I head home.<br />
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5:45: get home, hop in the shower or eat something first if I'm super hungry.<br />
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6:30: I start logging my patients in for our school records, and finish my time logs. I prefer to do this the same day so everything is fresh in my mind (on top of the paper notes that I took) and so that it doesn't pile up.<br />
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7:15: Dinner time and time to get organized for tomorrow (mentally pick out my clothes for the next day, pack my lunch if I'm feeling extra motivated, etc.)<br />
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7:40: I review the medications that I didn't remember very well from clinic that day, read up on disease states including HPI, PE, and treatment options for the patients we're seeing tomorrow to be prepared for another day of learning and fun!<br />
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9:00: I usually watch some tv, catch up on social media, or chat with the parents since this rotation is at home, unless I'm really tired, then I just go straight to bed.<br />
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9:30: I'm usually in bed by this time to rest my body even if I'm not sleepy yet. Eventually I doze off before 10 if I can manage to stay off Pinterest and Instagram ;)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9iIeAOfeHVxLcCcbCHww-rHiWVrGuqb6ev8aXiHXITGGDhJ6YwirdwtMOIjHRdvrMc1B_QyO_M6C08U1ZTGlwp22rv3KPMiW9DhgOaYd-6dyBHN25c4uGd84PERVb9Ai0lOyi0c1wZOU/s1600/IMG_7116.JPG.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9iIeAOfeHVxLcCcbCHww-rHiWVrGuqb6ev8aXiHXITGGDhJ6YwirdwtMOIjHRdvrMc1B_QyO_M6C08U1ZTGlwp22rv3KPMiW9DhgOaYd-6dyBHN25c4uGd84PERVb9Ai0lOyi0c1wZOU/s400/IMG_7116.JPG.jpeg" width="300" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">My go to reference in between patients if I have the time/need to look something up</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Day in Review</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hours worked: 9.30</div>
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Total patients seen: 18</div>
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Patients seen on my own: 3</div>
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Hours studied: 1hr 20 mins<br />
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You can subscribe via email or find me on <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/@apthepa" target="_blank">Bloglovin</a>' to make sure you never miss a blog post! You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/apthepablog/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> get more frequent updates about my PA school experiences.</div>
</div>
AP the PAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05885926036468992947noreply@blogger.com0