- IT’S IMPORTANT TO TAKE BRAIN BREAKS: Which in my case, meant Netflix binges (note all New Girl gifs), working out, and painting. Yes, there is limited time, especially when you spend the majority of your waking hours in the classroom. I tried my first semester without any breaks and got burnt out very quickly. My second semester, I forced myself to take several breaks a day of at least 20 minutes each. I would set a timer and not think about school until the timer brought me back to reality. Even though our second semester was busier than our first, my grades looked better, and I retained much more.
- CARDIOLOGY IS TERRIFYING: I know, I know. Come on, Hangry! It’s the heart! It’s an organ with four chambers. Yep, I know. But whenever I have to figure out the squiggle of an EKG (forget PQRST, it’s a freaking squiggle) or figure out how to get a patient’s pulse back (anyone who saw me during ACLS watched me basically sweat a puddle around myself) or decipher a murmur (I’m sorry, but you cannot seriously tell me that that noise sounds like it’s a click; there’s nothing click-ish about it). This is my weakest system, which is not good considering that the heart is a superduper important organ that many living things have. And cardiology is also the largest portion of the PANCE, the PA certifying exam. Yipes. This is something I’ll have to review every night through every rotation.
- DRAMA IS EVERYWHERE: Students talk about each other. Faculty talk about each other. Students talk about faculty. Faculty talk about students. Lots of opportunities to burn bridges, and I saw a lot of promising relationships (in the nonromantic sense) destroyed by just a few simple words. Lesson here: don’t talk about other people.
- IT’S THE SIMPLE THINGS: I get to school early to watch the sunrise from the top floor of our building. It’s a beautiful sight- our city line warmed by the yellow rays of the sun slowly rising above the horizon. Between classes during the winter, I go outside, make a snowball, and roll it into a snow boulder. It’s purposeless, yet it brings me an odd sense of accomplishment. Are these strange things to do? Maybe, but I don’t care. I’m happy, and that’s what matters.
- THERE’S STILL A LOT TO LEARN: When I was leaving to start PA school, everyone was telling me, “You’re going to do great!” and “You already know a lot. You got this!” Meanwhile I was trying my best not to crap my pants. I knew it would be tough, and it is. As someone who’s never worked in emergency care, things like aortic aneurysms and Battle’s sign were entirely new to me. OBGYN scares me beyond words, and kidneys still barely make sense to me (to the patients I’ll be seeing soon: please don’t worry, I’ve been studying electrolytes, and I’ll have a preceptor who will watch my every move).
- MY OUTWARD PERSONALITY: I am a stubborn, impulsive person, but I’ve learned to suppress the stubbornness and impulsiveness over the years. I’ve made an extra effort to do so during this program. Also since starting PA school, I’ve become far less talkative. I’ve never been a chatty person, but I’ve found that by being silent 75% of the time, I can take in what is happening around me and stay out of trouble. Ironically, whenever I do speak in class or clinic, people get really quiet. Whether that’s a good thing, well, haven’t quite figured that out yet. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- MY STUDY METHODS: I used to read and reread my notes. I found out quickly that this would not work for me in PA school (thought it does work for others). Now I study only by quizzing. I don’t organize my notes. I don’t rewrite anything. I don’t read. I quiz. By using textbook questions and PANCE practice questions, I am forced to think through the material and use critical thinking to find an answer. It also induces a sense of panic many days prior to the exam and tricks me into thinking that I don’t know anything and that I absolutely have to learn it right then and there, keeping me from procrastinating. This method made it easier for me to recall material both during exams and on clinical days.
- MY WEIGHT AND BODY COMPOSITION: As a way to deal with stress, I started lifting heavy weights during PA school. I also started eating a ton. As a result of this, I gained weight during school (more muscle, some fat). Luckily I still fit in most of my clothes (there are some skinny jeans that I just can barely pull over my quads), and it’s interesting because I can see more definition in my arms and legs. As someone who used to count every calorie, this was a good change for me.
- MY GOALS: I came into school thinking, “I’m going to go into neurosurgery!” Several cadaver lab hours later, I realized that surgery is not my thing. Now I’m more interested in critical care. I have a rotation in the MICU and one in the PICU, so I will find out more about it soon. I also used to think that I would want to work a full-time job as well as pick up a part-time (20 hours) somewhere else. Now I’m not sure. Good thing I have a year to decide.
- DATING/HOOKING UP: No one in my cohort hooked up with or dated anyone else in our class. However, in another class, there were two people who did, and it turned ugly. I’m not saying that you can’t find The One in your PA class. You can. But remember that you’ll be stuck with the person for the next 2 years. In our program’s situation, the failed relationship/FWB/whatever-it-was led to a huge scream fest at a party the other week, and one of them may or may not have resorted to throwing things.
- SHARE: Doing something as simple as sending a copy of your notes to your classmates every so often or sharing Quizlet sets can be helpful to your classmates. Why would I share my hard work? Good question, especially when you find that no one else is, it can seem pointless. But here’s how I see it: every shared piece of information benefits a patient. Let’s say that you’re in class learning about managing a pleural effusion. You’re diligently taking notes, but Jamie over there is sleeping and basically missed everything. He also doesn’t seem to care. You send the class your notes. Later that night, Jamie is scrolling through his email and happens to see your notes and takes a quick read. For some reason, the way you phrased your notes made the pleural effusion management material really stick. Four months later, Jamie is on his ED rotation. It’s crazy busy, and someone comes in with a pleural effusion. The patient is panicking Jamie remembers your notes on managing pleural effusions and tells the preceptor, “Hey, I can take care of that.” And he does. The patient stops gasping for air and feels much better. And that’s all because of your notes. Sure, Jamie should have paid attention in class. Sure, you might not get direct credit for taking care of the patient. But at the end of the day, it’s all about the patient. As long as the patient gets better, everyone wins.
- DON’T COMPLAIN/GOSSIP (at least not to any students or faculty in the program): Whenever we, the students, have a complaint/criticism of the program...it backfires. Our faculty tells us to suck it up and deal. Literally. Personally, I have a lot of beef with the program, but I don’t talk to anyone in the class about it. When I’m feeling really incensed, I’ll call up family or friends outside of the PA program and drop every single expletive in the dictionary. Or I’ll just type something up on this blog (THANK YOU, PAblr). Also, gossiping about another person will bite you in the ass. The reality of PA school is that people often turn cliquey, and many are also quick to stab each other in the back. Maintain some distance. Save the rants for your family and non-PA school friends (and then buy them a ton of chocolate as a thank you for the listening ear).
- BE NICE: I know that I just said people stab each other in the back and get cliquey. They do. And, yes, I said to maintain some distance. But it’s still important to be nice even if you’re the only nice person in the room. As a class of only 20-something students, we spent at least 12 hours a day, 5 days a week together. And this doesn’t even include weekends when we had outreach events or cadaver lab. When you put a bunch of stressed out people in the same room, people tend to snap or explode at each other. Don’t let that happen. Whenever I found myself close to my breaking point, I left the room and walked the stairs to burn off angry energy. When I returned to the room, my legs would be a little sore, but I found it easier to deal with people. Some of my classmates will be my colleagues one day. Being a PA is about being a teammate. And to be a cohesive team, it’s important to be kind to each other.
- DON’T CALCULATE YOUR GRADE: I mean, definitely check them from time to time, but don’t sit there and do calculus to determine how many A’s you need this semester to maintain a certain GPA. It’ll stress you out on all levels. You’ll be taking an exam, get freaked out by one question, and think to yourself, “Shit! How many more can I get wrong and still keep a B on this test? Wait! No, I need an A on this test to keep a B in the class! SHIT! I HAVE TO GET 100% ON THIS EXAM!” And then you’ll probably forget all the material you need to know while you sit there calculating and recalculating how many questions you can get wrong on this test. Do not panic yourself. Just focus on learning.
- FLOWERS, CHOCOLATES, AND CARDS: A large bunch of flowers at the grocery store is $5, 1 pack of 10 mini Kit-Kat bars is $2, and a pack of 15 generic cards is $5. In the middle of a stressful week, give everyone - faculty, staff, and students, both male and female - a single stem from the flower bunch and a mini Kit-Kat bar. Write a simple “Happy Birthday, Jamie! Thanks for being an awesome classmate!” on a generic card and give it to Jamie on his birthday. At the end of the semester, on a generic card, write each faculty and staff member, saying, “Thanks so much for your help this semester!” They’re simple gestures that require little money and minimal time, yet they can make a difference in someone’s day. My male faculty and classmates picked on me a little bit for getting them flowers, but it still made them smile. PA school is a stressful time for everyone, and just a little effort on your part can help alleviate some of that tension and stress.
PA school is tough, and there are many ups and downs- academically, professionally, and personally.
Am I better than the person I was one year ago?
Am I more knowledgeable?
Am I a better provider?
Yes, I am.
And now I shall go celebrate my one-year anniversary as a PA student.
Best of luck to all those starting their clinical year, didactic year, interviews, or applications!
