Update!

Since my last post, which I believe was about rotations, nothing super exciting has happened. I have about two weeks left in this semester. This coming week we have our nephrology exam, which is complicated but I actually kind of like the subject because it is challenging and involves a lot of problem solving. We also have a pharm quiz and a radiology exam. Then the following week we have a final Mon, Tues, Weds, and Thurs. Wednesday's will be the big one, because it's a cumulative Clin Med final. We're also getting (re)certified in BLS and going through OSHA training in order to prepare for rotations.

My family med rotation was switched to one in Jersey, at a site that got very good reviews. This past week we were able to meet with the senior students to talk about the different rotation sites, and it was confirmed that my IM rotation is a great one to start off with because you really do nail down your physical exam skills and SOAP note writing. I talked with one girl who went on both the same OB-GYN and emergency med rotations that I will be going on, and she couldn't stop talking about how amazing the emed rotation is (which makes me super excited) :) OB-GYN sounds like it's exactly like the written reviews said it would be...and I've been told I need to practice looking ghetto or non-white in order to survive walking to the different clinics in the Bronx. Funny, considering one of my friends calls me whitie...I'll have to work on that.

I also finished two big projects that were a bulk of the some of the classes I am taking this semester. My genetics presentation went very well (I'm just waiting for a grade to confirm) and I am glad to have that done. For community service, my group went to a local school to talk with a 6th grade class about healthy living habits, and I got to teach organic chemistry! That went well as well.


We got our summer schedule. It's pretty bad.  Basically we're in class longer with less time to study but a ton of a lot more material to learn. It's the hardest semester of the program...but it's the last. I can't believe I'm almost all the way through.

After finals, we have a week of summer semester, then a week at the PA National Conference in Vegas. When I return is when I start preparing heavily for oral boards. I should post a picture of my oral boards material: It's about 1 inch of size ten font, double sided, no-margins notes on all the stuff I have to have memorized. It's daunting and apparently very stressful but extremely useful for going on rotations.

Oh! I should mention the Physician Assistant Olympics that happened last weekend. The 5 Philadelphia area PA programs got together to compete in 5 events: tug of war, dodge the "flu" (dodgeball), trivia, ultimate relay, and a swim relay. I competed in dodgeball and trivia, and it was a ton of fun. I think all the programs raised over $3000 for the B+ Foundation, which provides support to pediatric cancer patients and their families. The weather was perfect for it!