First, let me apologize for not updating this blog in sooooo long! Between the final weeks of the semester, finals, and some health concerns, I have been somewhat overwhelmed. The 1st semester has ended and finals went fairly well while the health issues are ongoing. Let me explain...
During the first few Physical exam classes, where we practice on each other with our new medical toys, my partner and I determined that my eyesight was 20/30 in both eyes. As the semester progressed, my eyes were burning, tearing excessively and just plain bothering me. By the last visual acuity exam, my vision had deteriorated to over 20/100 in less than a month and a half! Scary!!!! to say the least. So off to the ophthalmologist I went...Results: severe retinal hemorrhages with some slight beginning of retinal detachment in both eyes of unknown cause. Next visit to the laser guys, and they are talking 6 - 7 visits with the laser therapy to cauterize the hemorrhages ad stop the detachment...no can do!!! To miss that much school would not be feasible. Thanks goodness that the doctor was sympathetic and the other option was to have a retrobulbar injection to numb the entire side of the face including the eye to be able to perform an extensive laser procedure that would consist of about 1000 strikes in each eye.
The very thoguht of the retrobulbar injection literally turned my stomach!!! And then of course I had to research it on the internet which made the thought even worse! BUT!!! Yesterday I did the first one in the left eye and all went well. The doctor did about 879 strikes in that eye and I went home bandaged and much releived that it was not as bad as I thought it would be. Good thing because next Monday I have to do it all over again for the right eye! Today, while my vision is still somewhat fuzzy, I am able to see okay and hope that it gets better from here out.
So, the last few weeks were pretty intense in school. There were tests after tests, one week we had 6 tests in five days!! The material presented seemed to never end and at times I felt my brain could absorb no more! Some of my classmates told me that they finally broke, they felt that it had become impossible! Students who were at the top of the class began to falter a bit. It was interesting to watch, not to mention to be directly involved. But we all got through it, the first semester has ended! YAY! and we have a two week break, thank goodness, perfect timing so I could take care of these eye issues. If not for the break, I really don't know what may have happened, and I don't want to think about that either!
Studying in PA school is beyond anything I have ever experienced in undergrad. It is simply not enough to review the material and move forward. It is imperative that you study each subject everyday. Even if it is a review of the powerpoints and terminology, you must look at it. Another important method is to review the lecture/powerpoints prior to class. Just having a general idea of the coming lecture allows for a much better understanding and makes the hours of listening much more effective. It also allows you to ask questions when it is appropriate rather than realizing after the fact, once the instructor has moved on, that you didnt get the concept previously introduced. Be prepared to spend endless hours studying and reviewing! I just sayin...
Your classmates are instrumental in your success, as you are in their success. Study groups are good but mostly...Share! Share! Share!! Really, there is not way that one person can prepare and research reviews for exams, especially when you have one a day! Divide up the sections and share with others, then you will have a comprehensive study guide to follow. Yo will probably get more guides than you can review if your class is anything like mine. But you will find the ones that work for you and your style of learning and studying. Be sure to offer your contributions too!! No one likes it when they share with you but never seem to get anything concrete back over the long run.
Another concept that I seem to have a bit of a time accepting is that you will not always be the best at everything! Competition is alive and well among the class members but in the end its about getting through and hopefully all together! In your class you will have people from all walks of life and many fields of healthcare and otherwise. Learn to use the expertise of others and offer yours when appropriate. And accept that you may not ace every test, heck you may not even pass every single test...in the end it is not about getting a 4.0 PA school GPA but getting through the program with an overall good understanding of the material. No one is going to ask you for your PA school GPA when you are out looking for a job. But you will need to have a thorough understanding of the concepts to pass the PANCE and keep your patients alive and well.
WHen you have a break, take advantage of the time to relax, do the things you love and spend time with the people who are important to you,the next semester is starting soon enough!!
I am going to go rest my eyes! Talk about seeing red! :)
I will definitely try to be better about writing and I appreciate all that are following the blog. Thanks!! Feel free to send me comments and ideas!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Mid Term Week/White Coat Ceremony
So this week was mid term for the summer semester. And the analogy of "drinking from the fire hose has settled in. It is not some much the type of information being taught but rather then sheer volume. THis week we had three exams scheduled, Pharm, Phys, and Anatomy. And at the end of the week we had our "White Coat Ceremony" so we had to worry about getting the coat in order, tailored and cleaned up nice and pretty.
In the end we arrived at school on Friday for our exam in Anatomy and had to delay it due to the internet malfunctioning. Since all the exams are taken on the Nova intranet, the malfunction could have compromised the exam, closed out during the exam or simply not allow the exam to open. The professor would have had to redo the exam if it were compromised etc....etc... And so, the first thing tomorrow morning, we will have the exam as long as all is well with the internet connections. So our have day Friday consisted of being adaptable, a necessary thing in the world of health care and in any program and we studied ahead in Anatomy for the next block. On the vright side we were able to have a couple of extra days to study all the muscles - origin, insertion, innervation and action. Grrrr!!!
The "White Coat Ceremony" was a nice event! We listened as there were several speakers including Mary Ettari, the current AAPA Liaison to the AMA. SHe was interesting to listen to and offered excellent advice to current students for their future careers.
Then we walked and were "coated" by the outgoing SGA (student govt.) and took the obligatory photos. We all recited the Hippocratic Oath together and then enjoyed cake and punch. I must say everyone looked so sharp! My class is full of the best looking PA students! It is like looking at a group of high end fashion models!! In attendance were many friends and family members of my classmates and it was wonderful meeting the parents who raised these awesome kids and the spouses and children that are suffering the hardships of PA school just as much as the students. I had invited my second year buddy to join us. She was sooo instrumental in taking a ton of photos with my camera, not to mention she is great company. I think that this year would be triple hard for me without Tanya's guidance and moral support!! Thanks Tanya!! After the festivities, most went out to dinner with their guests and a few of us who did not have anyone in attendance went out together for a bite to eat at Bahama Breeze. It was a nice evening!
So, adaptability...a necessary skill to master!! And doing it with a smile too!!!
In the end we arrived at school on Friday for our exam in Anatomy and had to delay it due to the internet malfunctioning. Since all the exams are taken on the Nova intranet, the malfunction could have compromised the exam, closed out during the exam or simply not allow the exam to open. The professor would have had to redo the exam if it were compromised etc....etc... And so, the first thing tomorrow morning, we will have the exam as long as all is well with the internet connections. So our have day Friday consisted of being adaptable, a necessary thing in the world of health care and in any program and we studied ahead in Anatomy for the next block. On the vright side we were able to have a couple of extra days to study all the muscles - origin, insertion, innervation and action. Grrrr!!!
The "White Coat Ceremony" was a nice event! We listened as there were several speakers including Mary Ettari, the current AAPA Liaison to the AMA. SHe was interesting to listen to and offered excellent advice to current students for their future careers.
Then we walked and were "coated" by the outgoing SGA (student govt.) and took the obligatory photos. We all recited the Hippocratic Oath together and then enjoyed cake and punch. I must say everyone looked so sharp! My class is full of the best looking PA students! It is like looking at a group of high end fashion models!! In attendance were many friends and family members of my classmates and it was wonderful meeting the parents who raised these awesome kids and the spouses and children that are suffering the hardships of PA school just as much as the students. I had invited my second year buddy to join us. She was sooo instrumental in taking a ton of photos with my camera, not to mention she is great company. I think that this year would be triple hard for me without Tanya's guidance and moral support!! Thanks Tanya!! After the festivities, most went out to dinner with their guests and a few of us who did not have anyone in attendance went out together for a bite to eat at Bahama Breeze. It was a nice evening!
So, adaptability...a necessary skill to master!! And doing it with a smile too!!!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
End of the First Month
Well, the first month of PA school is almost over! 26 more months to go! :)
We have had a slow start to the didactic year which is a good format I believe. I can't even imagine how most of my classmates had to deal with moving and getting organized and oriented to a new town along with getting settled in to the program. I have had several exams in this past week, a couple of quizzes and a physical diagnosis exam practical. All in all, it has been fantastic!
One thing to make certain that you do once you begin to feel the proverbial "drinking from the fire hose" effect of your program is to be sure to study some every day. The amount of information given to you via powerpoints is enormous and studying/cramming on the day before an exam is not going to cut it! Absorbing the info a bit everyday will definitely help to carve in into your brain and the ability to recall some of the minute details becomes much easier. Study habits from undergrad should be re-evaluated and adjusted for the onslaught. ANother wonderful thing we having going for us is the varied group of students. There are people from every walk of life and with many different experiences and strengths. This class has done so much to help each other. There are the study groups that have formed and certainly help to generate the critical thinking skills but those who are strong in particular areas are freely willing to expound on difficult subjects to assist their fellow classmates. Students make up their own study guides and distribute them through email to ALL classmates without leaving anyone out. Although each person may receive several different guides for a class, the repetitive reviews again help to remember everything. Love your classmates!
In actuality, the first week of the program was all orientation so it has really been just three weeks of real info. Much of the first classes were review from many of the pre-req courses with a lot more info and details. We currently have classes in Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacodynamics along with Physical Examination and Diagnosis class and lab and a 1 credit course in Intro to PA Profession (final exam on Monday). Upcoming classes this semester include Ethics, Cultural Issues, History Taking, Fund. of Imaging,and Genetics. So it is a full semester but the real meat and potatoes of the program will come in the fall/winter semester. Kinda scary!!!
Let's see how it goes!!
Looking forward to filling all my brain wrinkles with knowledge as my niece once said!
We have had a slow start to the didactic year which is a good format I believe. I can't even imagine how most of my classmates had to deal with moving and getting organized and oriented to a new town along with getting settled in to the program. I have had several exams in this past week, a couple of quizzes and a physical diagnosis exam practical. All in all, it has been fantastic!
One thing to make certain that you do once you begin to feel the proverbial "drinking from the fire hose" effect of your program is to be sure to study some every day. The amount of information given to you via powerpoints is enormous and studying/cramming on the day before an exam is not going to cut it! Absorbing the info a bit everyday will definitely help to carve in into your brain and the ability to recall some of the minute details becomes much easier. Study habits from undergrad should be re-evaluated and adjusted for the onslaught. ANother wonderful thing we having going for us is the varied group of students. There are people from every walk of life and with many different experiences and strengths. This class has done so much to help each other. There are the study groups that have formed and certainly help to generate the critical thinking skills but those who are strong in particular areas are freely willing to expound on difficult subjects to assist their fellow classmates. Students make up their own study guides and distribute them through email to ALL classmates without leaving anyone out. Although each person may receive several different guides for a class, the repetitive reviews again help to remember everything. Love your classmates!
In actuality, the first week of the program was all orientation so it has really been just three weeks of real info. Much of the first classes were review from many of the pre-req courses with a lot more info and details. We currently have classes in Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacodynamics along with Physical Examination and Diagnosis class and lab and a 1 credit course in Intro to PA Profession (final exam on Monday). Upcoming classes this semester include Ethics, Cultural Issues, History Taking, Fund. of Imaging,and Genetics. So it is a full semester but the real meat and potatoes of the program will come in the fall/winter semester. Kinda scary!!!
Let's see how it goes!!
Looking forward to filling all my brain wrinkles with knowledge as my niece once said!
Friday, June 5, 2009
1st Days of School!
Sorry I have not updated the blog in a while! I have been BUSY!!!!
Today marks the end of the first week of school. There are other things I was to say about the time in between acceptance and starting the program but I want to write about this first week while it is fresh in my mind and the emotions are still raw!
Last Friday, a week ago we had the first introduction to our program. It was a half day event where we were allowed to bring a guest or two to the "Opening Ceremonies." I did not have anyone with me but many did not as they are not from the area and did not have any family around. The week that followed beginning on Monday was a flurry of activities with a lot of hurry up and wait in between but, IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!
Just getting to know the faculty and my classmates was a very nice experience. We also had a lot of support and advice from the previous class, Class of 2010. They are very helpful and had organized various activities for our class. I wrote a note on the PA Forum about the weeks activities and am copying it below.
I did not feel any nervousness or anxiety...but many of my classmates expressed their stress. It was not that bad for me but everyone is different.
At today's BBQ the previous class had organized a few activities such as the name game where we had to break into groups and memorize the names, first and last and the place of birth of 8 other class members of their choice. It was actually quite fun! And of course we had the obligatory scavenger hunt; all those young'uns can run much faster than me!! LOL... But I did win the whole class name challenge! I was the only one who named every single class member first and last name...correctly! 64 of them!! Another classmate did similar but only with first names.
So it was fun!!! But here is the breakdown of the week...Monday we begin "real" classes and have a full schedule! Our first real exam on material learned in the course is actually one week from Monday! Will post how that goes!!!
From my post on the PA forum:
We start everyday at 7:30am and go till 4:30pm more or less...
Some other statistics for our class were less than 8% accepted from all applications. There are quite a few ex military so that is a good thing!!
Friday - "Opening Ceremonies" with the various speakers from the top down. Interesting to learn about everyone's backgrounds and such, great buffet lunch. (was half day)
Monday - Intro to the program, review of the student handbook for the school and program, paperwork to be signed, policies and procedures, discussion on professional behavior and ethics, team building exercises. Buddy assignments with the current class and lunch with your buddy. (Full Day)
Tuesday - Team Building, was neat...we broke into groups of 8 and had to come up with a Public Service Announcement skit that deals with the question "what is a PA?" to be filmed tomorrow. Tutorials about the library, WebCT, testing etc...Public Safety discussion with campus security, discussion of proper academic writing/plagiarism etc...and Master's/Graduate project thesis...Meeting with individual academic advisors as assigned (So this was a full day)
Wednesday - PSA Group presentations that were filmed - very hilarious!! and very creative crowd we have! Myers Briggs personality test and another similar one too...Welch Allyn Medical equipment fair...said we could go home (11:00am) if we were all set with our stuff already...but the rep probably was unhappy that very few showed up...Many had already done a huge group order from Steeles that I organized over a month ago...
Thursday - Tomorrow we have an orientation to our PD lab, results of our personality tests, Library intro and orientation to the VH dissector software.
Friday - Our first "dress down" day with $3 donation to do so going towards our class' funds...Exam!! First test on Medical terminology that we have been doing self paced before the program start...then discussion on Student Society, Student Government, other opportunities then some fun...Student/Faculty BBQ with activities like scavenger hunt, etc...so Half day more or less...and the current class has organized a get together for us at a apt complex nearby with pool party and adult beverages...etc...nice people!!
THENNNNNNNNNNN...
Monday we begin to study and start the real stuff...therefore, no firehose!!! YET!!!! No more half days...
End of copy from the post!!
Today marks the end of the first week of school. There are other things I was to say about the time in between acceptance and starting the program but I want to write about this first week while it is fresh in my mind and the emotions are still raw!
Last Friday, a week ago we had the first introduction to our program. It was a half day event where we were allowed to bring a guest or two to the "Opening Ceremonies." I did not have anyone with me but many did not as they are not from the area and did not have any family around. The week that followed beginning on Monday was a flurry of activities with a lot of hurry up and wait in between but, IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!
Just getting to know the faculty and my classmates was a very nice experience. We also had a lot of support and advice from the previous class, Class of 2010. They are very helpful and had organized various activities for our class. I wrote a note on the PA Forum about the weeks activities and am copying it below.
I did not feel any nervousness or anxiety...but many of my classmates expressed their stress. It was not that bad for me but everyone is different.
At today's BBQ the previous class had organized a few activities such as the name game where we had to break into groups and memorize the names, first and last and the place of birth of 8 other class members of their choice. It was actually quite fun! And of course we had the obligatory scavenger hunt; all those young'uns can run much faster than me!! LOL... But I did win the whole class name challenge! I was the only one who named every single class member first and last name...correctly! 64 of them!! Another classmate did similar but only with first names.
So it was fun!!! But here is the breakdown of the week...Monday we begin "real" classes and have a full schedule! Our first real exam on material learned in the course is actually one week from Monday! Will post how that goes!!!
From my post on the PA forum:
We start everyday at 7:30am and go till 4:30pm more or less...
Some other statistics for our class were less than 8% accepted from all applications. There are quite a few ex military so that is a good thing!!
Friday - "Opening Ceremonies" with the various speakers from the top down. Interesting to learn about everyone's backgrounds and such, great buffet lunch. (was half day)
Monday - Intro to the program, review of the student handbook for the school and program, paperwork to be signed, policies and procedures, discussion on professional behavior and ethics, team building exercises. Buddy assignments with the current class and lunch with your buddy. (Full Day)
Tuesday - Team Building, was neat...we broke into groups of 8 and had to come up with a Public Service Announcement skit that deals with the question "what is a PA?" to be filmed tomorrow. Tutorials about the library, WebCT, testing etc...Public Safety discussion with campus security, discussion of proper academic writing/plagiarism etc...and Master's/Graduate project thesis...Meeting with individual academic advisors as assigned (So this was a full day)
Wednesday - PSA Group presentations that were filmed - very hilarious!! and very creative crowd we have! Myers Briggs personality test and another similar one too...Welch Allyn Medical equipment fair...said we could go home (11:00am) if we were all set with our stuff already...but the rep probably was unhappy that very few showed up...Many had already done a huge group order from Steeles that I organized over a month ago...
Thursday - Tomorrow we have an orientation to our PD lab, results of our personality tests, Library intro and orientation to the VH dissector software.
Friday - Our first "dress down" day with $3 donation to do so going towards our class' funds...Exam!! First test on Medical terminology that we have been doing self paced before the program start...then discussion on Student Society, Student Government, other opportunities then some fun...Student/Faculty BBQ with activities like scavenger hunt, etc...so Half day more or less...and the current class has organized a get together for us at a apt complex nearby with pool party and adult beverages...etc...nice people!!
THENNNNNNNNNNN...
Monday we begin to study and start the real stuff...therefore, no firehose!!! YET!!!! No more half days...
End of copy from the post!!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A Few Words About Interviews
Interviews....this is the doorway to the rest of your life!! Do not take it for granted!! Make sure you prepare, not only mentally but physically too. The importance of knowing the program that you are interviewing at and the mission of that particular program are paramount. But so it the way you present yourself. Professionalism and confidence can mean the difference between a successful interview leading to acceptance and reapplying the next cycle.
Dress appropriately!! Ladies, wear a suit!! It does not have to be an expensive chanel suit but look put together. It could even be a modified "suit" with a sweater in place of a jacket, or a nice skirt and blouse or the classic pantsuit, as long as you look the part that you intend to display. Do not wear anything to tight or short or revealing. That will not score points! Regardless of what you decide to wear for your interview apparel, keep in mind that the small investment of a decent suit will pay itself off over time, especially if you have more than one interview to go to. Also remember that you will use it many times for such things as professional meetings, day to day wear (get some mix and match pieces) while in school, graduation, job interviews etc...you can't go wrong with classics so avoid the trendy suits that will look all wrong next season! Guys, same thing for you! Go classic! You will also use your new wardrobe over and over again. I am a firm believer that if you dress professionally, and you feel good about how you look and how looking good makes you feel more confident, then you portray that image to others and they tend to look at you in that same light, as a professional. And this is definitely what you want! Show confidence in yourself so the interviewers can feel your confidence without feeling you are being cocky, check that at the door! I don't think I need to mention it but clean underwear! :) Didn't your momma tell you this??? You just never know, so be prepared!
Personal appearance, Don't try new things! Don't change your hairstyle the day before the interview, you may find it hard to style, or you may find that you are pushing it back off your face or fiddling with it during the interview. Stay with the tried and true, or if you feel the need to change it up...give it a week to get used to it, in other words, do it way ahead of time rather than right before the interview. Same with your make-up. Do not try out that new blush or eyeliner on the day of...you don't know if it smears or runs etc. Go with what you know!
For the guys, here is something I always found funny! If you decide you need to shave off that facial hair before the interview, then do it wayyy before the actual day. Have you noticed the difference in skin color when you shave, you have the nice tanned areas that are always exposed and then you have the pasty chalky looking skin where there was recently facial fuzz! Please do it before the interview, at least a week ahead of time to avoid the "Look! I just shaved" look. This is also helpful if you are one of those that tends to get irritation and rash from shaving after having not done so for a while.
It's just these little things that you should think about beforehand.
Remember that you are playing to the adcomm people. Even though we all love to think that others will embrace our individuality and our uniqueness, the committee really has their own idea of who they feel will make up a good class and they think in those terms. "Will this guy fit into the class and become a good team player?" "Will this girl fill the slot that we have open and make the class complete?" "Will this guy's distracting hair distract the class during lectures?" I know it is not exactly the idealistic reasoning that we like to think with regard to our own individuality, but it is reality. You need to "fit" the program just as much as you want the program to go to a school that "fits" you.
So while you are there at the school interviewing, make sure you also interview the school by asking questions, being very observant and exploring the grounds and surrounding areas. If you get the chance to talk to current students, take advantage of it! use all the resources you have to research everything about the program and the school it is attached to.
Hope these little words of wisdom helps you get through the interview successfully!!
Dress appropriately!! Ladies, wear a suit!! It does not have to be an expensive chanel suit but look put together. It could even be a modified "suit" with a sweater in place of a jacket, or a nice skirt and blouse or the classic pantsuit, as long as you look the part that you intend to display. Do not wear anything to tight or short or revealing. That will not score points! Regardless of what you decide to wear for your interview apparel, keep in mind that the small investment of a decent suit will pay itself off over time, especially if you have more than one interview to go to. Also remember that you will use it many times for such things as professional meetings, day to day wear (get some mix and match pieces) while in school, graduation, job interviews etc...you can't go wrong with classics so avoid the trendy suits that will look all wrong next season! Guys, same thing for you! Go classic! You will also use your new wardrobe over and over again. I am a firm believer that if you dress professionally, and you feel good about how you look and how looking good makes you feel more confident, then you portray that image to others and they tend to look at you in that same light, as a professional. And this is definitely what you want! Show confidence in yourself so the interviewers can feel your confidence without feeling you are being cocky, check that at the door! I don't think I need to mention it but clean underwear! :) Didn't your momma tell you this??? You just never know, so be prepared!
Personal appearance, Don't try new things! Don't change your hairstyle the day before the interview, you may find it hard to style, or you may find that you are pushing it back off your face or fiddling with it during the interview. Stay with the tried and true, or if you feel the need to change it up...give it a week to get used to it, in other words, do it way ahead of time rather than right before the interview. Same with your make-up. Do not try out that new blush or eyeliner on the day of...you don't know if it smears or runs etc. Go with what you know!
For the guys, here is something I always found funny! If you decide you need to shave off that facial hair before the interview, then do it wayyy before the actual day. Have you noticed the difference in skin color when you shave, you have the nice tanned areas that are always exposed and then you have the pasty chalky looking skin where there was recently facial fuzz! Please do it before the interview, at least a week ahead of time to avoid the "Look! I just shaved" look. This is also helpful if you are one of those that tends to get irritation and rash from shaving after having not done so for a while.
It's just these little things that you should think about beforehand.
Remember that you are playing to the adcomm people. Even though we all love to think that others will embrace our individuality and our uniqueness, the committee really has their own idea of who they feel will make up a good class and they think in those terms. "Will this guy fit into the class and become a good team player?" "Will this girl fill the slot that we have open and make the class complete?" "Will this guy's distracting hair distract the class during lectures?" I know it is not exactly the idealistic reasoning that we like to think with regard to our own individuality, but it is reality. You need to "fit" the program just as much as you want the program to go to a school that "fits" you.
So while you are there at the school interviewing, make sure you also interview the school by asking questions, being very observant and exploring the grounds and surrounding areas. If you get the chance to talk to current students, take advantage of it! use all the resources you have to research everything about the program and the school it is attached to.
Hope these little words of wisdom helps you get through the interview successfully!!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
The waiting nearly killed me!!
The whole process of applying to PA school and then waiting to see the note in CASPA that your application is mailed is tough!! Then once it is mailed, the wait continues! and then continues even more hoping to hear that you have an interview. And it doesn't stop there...more waiting to find out the results of that interview, accepted, provisionally accepted, wait-listed, alternate, or rejected. Grrrr!!!! (that's a growl!)
But the time spent between the mailing to the long awaited call or email for an interview can be excruciating! I submitted my CASPA application on the 1 of Oct, which in reality is quite late in the process. Had I applied to more than one program, this would have been past the deadline for some schools. Luckily, for the Nova program, I was still in time. As I mentioned in a previous post I did get a call from the program!! It was about a month after they received my completed app. I remember the day...I had taken off work early to pick up my niece for an appointment. We had just returned to the car and were pulling out of the parking lot when I looked at my ringing phone. I had saved the main number for Nova in my phone months before so I knew it was the school calling. Yes, I was that neurotic! I saved the number so I was sure not to miss it! I turned to my niece who is 17 and knew of my stress and desire to get into this program. "OMG!!! Its the school for the PA program!!!" She said "Answer it!!!" I did, but the news was that I was missing the appropriate LOR and could not move forward without it. And so, I was scrambling to get that done. Again...once completed I waited some more.
Christmas came and went. I had finished my EMT-B class and took my National Registry exam, passed with flying colors. The exam was incredibly easy. And with it I was able to volunteer in the ER where I could not before. I briefly looked into getting a paid job but soon found that the county fire dept. would not hire unless you continued on into fire standards etc...and I was not interested in running into any burning buildings! For me that is a one way street...OUT!
Finally just after the new year, on January 7th I got the call for an interview! YAY!!! When asked what day was good for me, I asked "when is the first day you have available?" I was local so I did not have to make arraignments. So I was sent up to be there on January 12th, just five days later. Well at least with just five days, the wait here was not to bad!!
I arrived early to the interview and chatted with the other two people there. It seemed odd to me that neither was particularly excited. I was thrilled and I know that the energy was completely surrounding me. After a bit of conversation, I found out the other two were not really interested in the program but decided to come to the interview for "practice." This is an interesting concept but not one that I would have done! One girl said this was her 10th interview...that is a lot of practice! I wonder if it paid off! :)
I thought the interview went well...but you really never know in these situations. I was quite confidant that the interviewers liked me but I wasn't sure they they liked me any more than all the others who had interviewed. And so the waiting began again. I will go into the interview in another post.
The admission coordinator assured me that I would hear back either way in about 2 weeks. The committee was scheduled to meet and review the latest round of interviews in that two week time frame. I was also asked at this time to send in any new transcripts which would show my previously listed in-progress classes as complete with grades. I did this immediately!!
Right around the two week mark I got a call!! But it was not an acceptance. My file was pulled from the committee meeting; they would not be reviewing it this time around. Mercy! Could anything else hinder the process???? There was a question about some classes taken a long long time ago in Europe. Frantic phone calls and emails ensued! The calls to Europe had to be done very earlier in the morning due to the time difference and finally I had the course descriptions from the early 80s...20 years ago! Done! Signed sealed and delivered! And I was in review!
Finally, on February 4th, almost a month later, I received the call!! Yay! I was in! The Director said, Hello Maria, I hope I am about to make your day!" to which I responded, "I hope you are about to make my year!!" And he did!!
Dont think that the waiting stops...You still have to receive the "official" acceptance latter and further instructions and sooo many more things need to happen before everything is official!! But that is for another day, another post!
But the time spent between the mailing to the long awaited call or email for an interview can be excruciating! I submitted my CASPA application on the 1 of Oct, which in reality is quite late in the process. Had I applied to more than one program, this would have been past the deadline for some schools. Luckily, for the Nova program, I was still in time. As I mentioned in a previous post I did get a call from the program!! It was about a month after they received my completed app. I remember the day...I had taken off work early to pick up my niece for an appointment. We had just returned to the car and were pulling out of the parking lot when I looked at my ringing phone. I had saved the main number for Nova in my phone months before so I knew it was the school calling. Yes, I was that neurotic! I saved the number so I was sure not to miss it! I turned to my niece who is 17 and knew of my stress and desire to get into this program. "OMG!!! Its the school for the PA program!!!" She said "Answer it!!!" I did, but the news was that I was missing the appropriate LOR and could not move forward without it. And so, I was scrambling to get that done. Again...once completed I waited some more.
Christmas came and went. I had finished my EMT-B class and took my National Registry exam, passed with flying colors. The exam was incredibly easy. And with it I was able to volunteer in the ER where I could not before. I briefly looked into getting a paid job but soon found that the county fire dept. would not hire unless you continued on into fire standards etc...and I was not interested in running into any burning buildings! For me that is a one way street...OUT!
Finally just after the new year, on January 7th I got the call for an interview! YAY!!! When asked what day was good for me, I asked "when is the first day you have available?" I was local so I did not have to make arraignments. So I was sent up to be there on January 12th, just five days later. Well at least with just five days, the wait here was not to bad!!
I arrived early to the interview and chatted with the other two people there. It seemed odd to me that neither was particularly excited. I was thrilled and I know that the energy was completely surrounding me. After a bit of conversation, I found out the other two were not really interested in the program but decided to come to the interview for "practice." This is an interesting concept but not one that I would have done! One girl said this was her 10th interview...that is a lot of practice! I wonder if it paid off! :)
I thought the interview went well...but you really never know in these situations. I was quite confidant that the interviewers liked me but I wasn't sure they they liked me any more than all the others who had interviewed. And so the waiting began again. I will go into the interview in another post.
The admission coordinator assured me that I would hear back either way in about 2 weeks. The committee was scheduled to meet and review the latest round of interviews in that two week time frame. I was also asked at this time to send in any new transcripts which would show my previously listed in-progress classes as complete with grades. I did this immediately!!
Right around the two week mark I got a call!! But it was not an acceptance. My file was pulled from the committee meeting; they would not be reviewing it this time around. Mercy! Could anything else hinder the process???? There was a question about some classes taken a long long time ago in Europe. Frantic phone calls and emails ensued! The calls to Europe had to be done very earlier in the morning due to the time difference and finally I had the course descriptions from the early 80s...20 years ago! Done! Signed sealed and delivered! And I was in review!
Finally, on February 4th, almost a month later, I received the call!! Yay! I was in! The Director said, Hello Maria, I hope I am about to make your day!" to which I responded, "I hope you are about to make my year!!" And he did!!
Dont think that the waiting stops...You still have to receive the "official" acceptance latter and further instructions and sooo many more things need to happen before everything is official!! But that is for another day, another post!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Shadowing/Letters of Recommendations
Shadowing is perhaps the most difficult thing to accomplish, especially if you have very little contact with anyone working in healthcare. Once you finally find someone to shadow, make sure you call that person or the office manager (office managers really like to be in on whats going on) and ask any questions you may have, like dress code, specific hours, and anything else you may want to know. I exhausted every reasonable resource. I asked every person I knew if they had any PAs as healthcare providers. I contacted the local chapter of AAPA, (For Florida...FAPA) and emailed those in my area although I did not receive any response from a single person on the list. I also contacted several MDs and was able to get some assistance there.
One particular MD felt compelled to offer to review my application and give me pointers for the interview at a price of an office visit which I politely declined. I was actually quite shocked that someone would want to be paid for assisting a student looking to gain admittance to PA school. But I am sure there are some who would pay for it. And I am sure there are services that will do this for you, but I do believe in the power of paying it forward so I hope to one day be able to assist others in my shoes!
When shadowing, try to observe several different practices and specialties if possible It is such a valuable experience and gives you a broader idea of the scope of practice of different PAs. The more you observe, the better it is for you. Many schools do not have an actual requirement for shadowing, Nova did not. But it is important to know this in advance. Some require you to have a log and have it signed off. One that comes to mind is University of Texas Pan Am. If you do want to log your shadowing, even for your own reference, I suggest going to the UTpan AM site and downloading their form just so you are able to have a guideline for your experiences.
Letters of Recommendations, also known as LORs, Uggghhhh! Here, again, it is important to Follow Directions!! Just as important as getting Good LORs is who you get your LORs from. Some schools have certain requirements for the LORs. Nova, for example requires 3 LORs, 2 must be from healthcare professionals and that does not mean the office manager, of which one must be a PA and then another from anyone, such as a professor or past employer etc...I admit that I did not follow directions. I was lucky that the admissions coordinator was kind enough to call me and tell me that I needed another LOR in order to fulfill the requirement. She did not have to do that. I could have easily ended up in the discard file but I like to think that she saw something good in my application that she was compelled to call me.
My original LORs were from a professor, an MD and a PA who was involved in healthcare education. The problem as it turns out was the last one was not a "practicing" PA. Go figure!
What a dilemma! I did not have a close rapport with any PAs that I felt comfortable asking for a LOR. I had shadowed several but I did not think they knew me well enough to write an honest assessment of my abilities. I had to review my shadowing experiences to decide who to call for this final LOR and I felt very time trapped.
I would not get an interview if I did not complete this requirement! I wanted this more than anything because I felt I would be able to do well at the interview.
I had shadowed several Family Practice PAs as well as a Derm PA. Of these, I decided on the one I felt most comfortable with and the one who was most willing to explain things to me and take the time to discuss my aspirations. I called him up and simply explained my case.
"I know its been a while (like 2 months) since I shadowed you and while I have shadowed several PAs, I felt most comfortable with you and your methods of practice, I have received a positive call from the program I am interested in but I am required to get a LOR from a practicing PA. Would you be interested in helping me with this?"
And there I had it! Or course, CASPA electronic LORs was no longer available to me so I had to have it written on a particular form that the program sent me and I offered to pick it up and mail it myself so as not to create a problem for the PA. But my real reason was that I could set a time frame for it and pick it in a sealed envelope and mail it out. This way I knew it was done and mailed!
This seems to be a big issue with LORs. Time...with CASPA you know when your LOR has been received because you can check the status. Anything coming after that as was my case, you really do not know if it is completed and mailed. With CASPA, you can change the person you have listed for a LOR as long as they have not started the process even after you have submitted the application. Therefore,if someone does not do it in a timely fashion, you can delete and add someone else.
Gauge the response and body language of the person when you ask for your LOR. If it seems that there is some hesitation, chances are you wont get it in due time. Find someone else. I have done this, and then when they come back 3 months later and say they never received the form through email, I just tell them that I submitted a list of possible people to write me a LOR and the system then chooses the ones to send. Everyone seemed satisfied. I guess I could have just said I did not feel comfortable with their response, but why create unnecessary ill feelings.
I was lucky in that everyone I asked to write actually sent me a copy of what they wrote without my asking. In fact, one sent it to me to confirm that they had correct info about me and my plans which was a very nice thing to do. For each of the people I had write, I sent them an email with pertinent facts about my life, education, and goals. I think this is important especially if the person does not know you on a personal level.
Both the shadowing experience and the obtaining of LORs are very important to understanding the profession and process. Hopefully, you will be able to be in a position to offer these services to a future PA-S one day!
Just as a quick note/edit:
If you need to get HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) training to shadow, I found this web site in conjunction with the George Washington University Medical Center that has you go through a powerpoint presentation followed by a short quiz and then they will email you a certificate of completion. I printed this of and gave a copy to every office manager where I shadowed. It is a good idea and certainly can not hurt to learn this now. It seems to be the biggest reason that practices and hospitals will not let you shadow, because of HIPAA restrictions.
Here is the link for those interested:
http://www.goodoutcomes.com/
One particular MD felt compelled to offer to review my application and give me pointers for the interview at a price of an office visit which I politely declined. I was actually quite shocked that someone would want to be paid for assisting a student looking to gain admittance to PA school. But I am sure there are some who would pay for it. And I am sure there are services that will do this for you, but I do believe in the power of paying it forward so I hope to one day be able to assist others in my shoes!
When shadowing, try to observe several different practices and specialties if possible It is such a valuable experience and gives you a broader idea of the scope of practice of different PAs. The more you observe, the better it is for you. Many schools do not have an actual requirement for shadowing, Nova did not. But it is important to know this in advance. Some require you to have a log and have it signed off. One that comes to mind is University of Texas Pan Am. If you do want to log your shadowing, even for your own reference, I suggest going to the UTpan AM site and downloading their form just so you are able to have a guideline for your experiences.
Letters of Recommendations, also known as LORs, Uggghhhh! Here, again, it is important to Follow Directions!! Just as important as getting Good LORs is who you get your LORs from. Some schools have certain requirements for the LORs. Nova, for example requires 3 LORs, 2 must be from healthcare professionals and that does not mean the office manager, of which one must be a PA and then another from anyone, such as a professor or past employer etc...I admit that I did not follow directions. I was lucky that the admissions coordinator was kind enough to call me and tell me that I needed another LOR in order to fulfill the requirement. She did not have to do that. I could have easily ended up in the discard file but I like to think that she saw something good in my application that she was compelled to call me.
My original LORs were from a professor, an MD and a PA who was involved in healthcare education. The problem as it turns out was the last one was not a "practicing" PA. Go figure!
What a dilemma! I did not have a close rapport with any PAs that I felt comfortable asking for a LOR. I had shadowed several but I did not think they knew me well enough to write an honest assessment of my abilities. I had to review my shadowing experiences to decide who to call for this final LOR and I felt very time trapped.
I would not get an interview if I did not complete this requirement! I wanted this more than anything because I felt I would be able to do well at the interview.
I had shadowed several Family Practice PAs as well as a Derm PA. Of these, I decided on the one I felt most comfortable with and the one who was most willing to explain things to me and take the time to discuss my aspirations. I called him up and simply explained my case.
"I know its been a while (like 2 months) since I shadowed you and while I have shadowed several PAs, I felt most comfortable with you and your methods of practice, I have received a positive call from the program I am interested in but I am required to get a LOR from a practicing PA. Would you be interested in helping me with this?"
And there I had it! Or course, CASPA electronic LORs was no longer available to me so I had to have it written on a particular form that the program sent me and I offered to pick it up and mail it myself so as not to create a problem for the PA. But my real reason was that I could set a time frame for it and pick it in a sealed envelope and mail it out. This way I knew it was done and mailed!
This seems to be a big issue with LORs. Time...with CASPA you know when your LOR has been received because you can check the status. Anything coming after that as was my case, you really do not know if it is completed and mailed. With CASPA, you can change the person you have listed for a LOR as long as they have not started the process even after you have submitted the application. Therefore,if someone does not do it in a timely fashion, you can delete and add someone else.
Gauge the response and body language of the person when you ask for your LOR. If it seems that there is some hesitation, chances are you wont get it in due time. Find someone else. I have done this, and then when they come back 3 months later and say they never received the form through email, I just tell them that I submitted a list of possible people to write me a LOR and the system then chooses the ones to send. Everyone seemed satisfied. I guess I could have just said I did not feel comfortable with their response, but why create unnecessary ill feelings.
I was lucky in that everyone I asked to write actually sent me a copy of what they wrote without my asking. In fact, one sent it to me to confirm that they had correct info about me and my plans which was a very nice thing to do. For each of the people I had write, I sent them an email with pertinent facts about my life, education, and goals. I think this is important especially if the person does not know you on a personal level.
Both the shadowing experience and the obtaining of LORs are very important to understanding the profession and process. Hopefully, you will be able to be in a position to offer these services to a future PA-S one day!
Just as a quick note/edit:
If you need to get HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) training to shadow, I found this web site in conjunction with the George Washington University Medical Center that has you go through a powerpoint presentation followed by a short quiz and then they will email you a certificate of completion. I printed this of and gave a copy to every office manager where I shadowed. It is a good idea and certainly can not hurt to learn this now. It seems to be the biggest reason that practices and hospitals will not let you shadow, because of HIPAA restrictions.
Here is the link for those interested:
http://www.goodoutcomes.com/
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