I thought I would have more time during my "time off" after graduation and starting my job... lets just say I was wrong!
I have been very busy getting settled that I haven't had a chance to update my experience with my final rotation and graduation... So lets summarize quickly to catch up.
My last rotation was at a VERY busy trauma center in Portland. I worked 6 days/wk 14hr shifts... I basically lived and breathed there. It was a great experience and I had the opportunity to do a lot, and get a lot of great exposure. The PAs there work very hard, and they have a lot of knowledge. Needless to say I was happy to be done with the crazy shifts, but I learned a lot and it did go by fast at the same time.
Graduation snuck up on me very quickly... Before I knew it we were saying the PA Oath and getting our graduation certificates and Masters degrees! It all went by in such a blur... It was such a strange feeling to know that was it; Last week I was a student, and now i'm a PA... Sure I still had to study and pass my PANCE, but school was officially done! It was a love/hate relationship, I already miss my classmates. Its fun to see where they are working, and get excited for the awesome opportunities that they are getting.
I am thinking of dedicating an entire post to PANCE prep and taking the test... It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and although I didn't feel 100% prepared (not sure if anyone does) I passed and performed just fine. Waiting for the results was the hardest part I think... just a constant worry all the time!
Today was my first day and orientation day for Mayo Clinic... what an AWESOME opportunity. It is crazy to think that I am now a PA-C and will no longer be the "student". I will still have a learner role as a fellow... but I am no longer simply a spectator from the sidelines, its time to get my hands dirty! Basically today was just orientation and computer training for the EMR. I have a feeling that things will pick up very quickly... We do have rotations in different specialties in ENT, i'll update the blog when I get my schedule. In the meantime... i'm just trying to get adjusted to the new hospital, schedule, staff... just everything! Great things are coming though... I can feel it.
