A day in my life as a PA student.

I had a request to share what a typical day is like for me being in PA school, so here it goes...

7:00am-wake up get ready for school

8:35am-catch train headed for school

8:50am-arrive at school, prepare for class starting

9:00am-class starts (usually lecture) 15min breaks between each hour of lecture. 

12:00pm-break for lunch (depending on the day, get 15-20 min of reading and reviewing morning lecture

1:00pm-lecture starts again, 15min breaks between each hour of lecture. 

5:00pm- class ends for the day, catch train home.

5:30pm- Workout for 30 min and eat dinner, relax by possibly watching some TV shows. (again depending on impending exams... this can change dramatically!)

7:30pm- stay at home and study in office, or go back to school and study in a group. 

9:50pm- (if at school) catch the train home.

11:00pm- get ready for bed

11:30pm- sleep

This is a typical day, however the schedule is always changing, and each module is significantly different. Activities happen in the afternoons sometimes which breaks up the constant lecturing, but those depend on the module and the amount of info we need to cover. 

Most modules we have time set appart to learn the physical exam skills for the specific organ system. 

 The time set aside for skills during class is usually not long enough to memorize the entire physical exam and have it down for the test, so part of my evening study time involves practicing with classmates. 

Funny Story... So picture a classmate and me practicing our cardiac exam just yesterday evening... I was feeling for his PMI (Point of Maximal Impulse) for the gentle tapping of the apex of his heart. 

It involved him laying on his left side, lifting his shirt up and me pressing the palm of my hand just under his peck pressing firmly to feel for the soft pulse. The table was tall and it was difficult to get my hand over him and in the right place, so I got on the exam table on my knees and honestly- it looked like I was wrapping my arms around him... ha ha. 

It made me think think that it takes some really manly men to be able practice on each other in these awkward positions... not only that, but I could just imagine someone walking in on us and wondering what we were doing! ha ha 

I'm deep in cardiology and will give an update on how the module wen't after I (hopefully) pass the exam... wish me luck!

Nephrology... "when good beans go bad"

Alright so Nephrology is over and yes of course after every module I explain how this module was the hardest one so far... I don't want to make a habit of doing that, however... the kidneys are SO complex. If anything this module has given me respect for those nephrologists out there who do this everyday. Acid/base balance is NOT easy, and neither is all the conditions that have almost the same symptoms. The exam seemed to have the same symptoms for almost every case! 

Lets see... Patient presents with: Flank pain, dysuria, hematuria, proteinurea, oliguria, azotemia. What is the most-likely diagnosis? 

Ok so it wasn't that way for every question, but it really seamed that way. Acute Kidney Injury (aka failure) can manifest itself quickly and in so many ways, even in patients who are being seen for a different condition involving another organ system! 

Here is a pretty interesting disease we learned about... Polycystic Kidney Disease. If this dosen't get your attention than nothing will! 

Polycystic Kidney Disease

The next module is Cardiology, and although it is easily one of my favorite topics of medicine, it scares the crap out of me! ECG is something that takes a lot of patience and practice to learn, and its really not easy. Plus all the thousands of diseases of the heart and what is affected by it just seems overwhelming! Oh and to add to the intensity, instead of the usual 2 week module this one is 3 weeks (one week in our module system is seriously like a normal semester's worth of information!) It's like getting butterflies before going on a crazy-huge roller coaster... here goes nothing!

Hematology/Oncology finished and onto Nephrology...

So I was lucky enough to squeeze by Hematology/Oncology and not have to retake the test again... and its a good thing too, that was a REALLY hard test. 

I am slowly finding out that due to the limited time we have in PA school, every second counts... The balance of material studied is so important. It is so important to learn to balance where you will spend the most significant amount of time studying, and memorizing. I am still learning this skill, and i'm guessing that when I get it figured out... I'll be moving on to my second year! Then of course when I get that figured out... i'll graduate! But that's what life is all about!

 I heard a quote today... yes its from extreme makeover weightloss edition (don't judge me, It inspires me to want to work out hard and work harder in school, ha ha) anyway here it is: 
             

"life starts at the end of you're comfort zone"

Yes, PA school is a lot of reaching the end of your comfort zone and stepping off into the wild unknown! It's hard, its fun, its scary... it's life! 

So today we had our first cadaver lab, and it was really a lot of fun. Putting what I saw in pictures and drawings into a 3-D image, then being able to hold it my hands just helped to put two and two together. Interesting fact: I didn't expect the lungs to feel so cool... its a weird spongy feeling that is hard to explain. You'll know what I mean when you get them in your hands. 

Off to digest everything renal... wish me luck!