So You Don't Forget

Dear Self,

You are in the beginning stages of PA school. By the time you graduate, your thoughts and perceptions about the healthcare profession will likely be different. I want you to remember a few things while you're in the trenches. 

Remember why you're here. You chose this profession because above all else, you want to serve the community. Because you value life and health, and want to instill those gifts in every single person.

You are here because you are a fixer and a doer. And a nerd. You want a career that perpetuates the servant heart of Christ.

Remember that you are not first. Put the Lord's teaching's first, people second, yourself third. Focus on this mantra every single day.

Remember your value on patient education and preventative medicine. Once you graduate, you will be able to teach and instill healthy principles in everyone. And even if only one person is compliant, that one person will teach their children, etc etc.

Remember the bond you felt as a patient with your favorite physicians. You loved her because she valued you as a person, accepted you wholly, provided education to assuage your fears. You still miss her, which is a testament to the endurance of the provider-patient relationship. She is a role model for you. Remember that eventually, you will create similar bonds with your patients.

Remember the times that you walked into valleys alongside a hurting family. Remember all of it, even the hard parts. And remember how desperately you wanted to be a part of something so hard, because even in the storm, there was companionship, trust, and hope. Remember that it was a bittersweet privilege to walk that cancer journey, and that you would do it again for anyone else.

Lastly, remember the sweetest baby you know. Remember that you are proving every day that hard work and perseverance have ultimate goals, even when they seem far away. You are proof of a passionate life that is dedicated to service. 

Week 2.... And I'm Tired

Week two is done, and I'm tired. I'm tired of studying. I'm tired of being stressed and not seeing my family. I'm tired of being tired. I suppose I've learned a few things about myself this week too. While I'm sure these lessons are ever-evolving, here are my thoughts for now:

-I'm grateful I'm in PA school and not in medical school. Now that I have a family, I genuinely want to spend my spare time with them. I'm pre-occupied 16-17 hours out of every single day, which leaves me exhausted and emotionally absent from their lives. While I can constantly try to improve on this aspect, I know that by and large - I'm unavailable all the time. I don't want to live the rest of my life this way. I'm sure with time this aspect will improve, but it will always be a burden.

- I definitely wish I had applied to PA school before I graduated. My mental fitness is subpar, so I think the program is harder than it should be. Then again, the intensity of the program might have burned me out without the break. Who knows.

-I can already tell it will be easy to forget why I am here, and what the ultimate goal is. Especially since we don't start clinicals until year three. Sometimes I wonder if I should volunteer in a clinic or something to get back to humanity. And then I laugh, because I don't have time.

-Mean girls still exist, which I consider ludicrous. I was so hoping for everyone to be grounded, salt of the earth people, but this is not the case. I can only hope they receive large pieces of humble pie throughout this program.

- Graduation day will be a huge deal for me. I want out of the program, and into the clinic as soon as humanely possible

Week One is Done

So I survived Orientation and the first week of lectures and labs. Oh the things I would tell my undergraduate self if I could! Here's a few things:

-Take your prerequisites last. Seriously. If it's been 5 years since you've had anatomy/physiology, etc... you're going to struggle more than you would like.

-Don't take several years off from school if you can help it. Granted, we all need a break, but I can say that a 3 year hiatus has left my brain out of shape and tired. It's just like exercise... if you don't use it, you lose it.

-Explore your learning style early and often in your undergraduate education. It's easy to adopt one style and stick to it. However, you might surprise yourself and find that another learning style works better. Once you get into PA school, you will have almost zero time to discover new learning styles. So basically, take advantage of the opportunities to learn about yourself during your undergraduate education.

-Undergraduate will probably be somewhat easy for you, but don't let that stop you from maximum performance. Seriously. Learn everything 110%. If you make that your goal and habit, then PA school will be much easier.

Pre-Mat Workshop

So I decided to enroll in the Pre-Matriculation workshop offered at the campus. The workshop involves four days of Anatomy and Physiology (8am-5pm) for a little over $100. It’s been awhile since I’ve had either class, so I figured a refresher would prove beneficial. My expectation was that I would receive several lectures from professors, and walk out saying 'I are dumb" before class even started. Turns out, that didn't happen. But, I now have access to review material that is beneficial and a better mindset about the program in general.

Also, the workshop has challenged my bad habits (and less my science memory) more than I would like to admit. If it’s been a few years since you graduated, you might have developed the following:

-Inability to sit still without surfing the internet (including but not limited to social media, YouTube, etc)

-Wandering thoughts. Like every thought you own is wandering into outer space because they don’t want to sit still either.

-Lecture induced drowsiness

-Random hunger (this is probably because I don’t want to sit still any longer)

-Disdain for walking long distances to arrive at your destination

-Cravings for Happy Hour

-Constant clock checking

-Starting a blog to pass the time

Honestly, the greatest benefit of the workshop is meeting the classmates early, navigating the campus, and getting a feel for things in general before the pressure starts. SO, was it worth the money and time? I think so. Will it give you a huge advantage over the other students? I doubt it. All of the material covered during the workshop will be covered again. It's not like they gave us answers to the test or anything. ;)