Well… the class of 2010 is half way through the clinical year, and I think things are starting to get even more exciting. It seems like not too long ago we were just getting over the anxiety of meeting our first preceptor, but here we are at the beginning of the summer and four rotations down. Our class has had rotations in VA, MD, WV, NC, TN, MI, OH, and DC and possibly others that I don’t know about, so we are out practicing our PA skills and learning as much as we can before we take our boards and become certified PAs in less than 7 months! Kind of crazy. In OB/GYN, some of us have delivered babies and first assisted in C-sections. In addition, several of my classmates have first assisted in orthopedic surgical cases as well as other surgical cases. In my Neurology elective, I got to do EMG studies, nerve conduction studies, CT angiograms, and a spinal tap. Some students are already filling our resumes, getting job offers and planning for their first job as a PA. Luckily, the job market for us still has a very positive outlook and our median income is on the rise despite the economy and changes in healthcare reform, so now is still a very good time to inquire about a career as a physician assistant. As I probably mentioned before, Shenandoah’s Physician Assistant Studies program has ARC-PA accreditation for 7 more years, so E-mail the admissions program and get some info!
In a more recreational light…
Summer # 2 as a second year on clinical rotations is slightly more laid back than being a first year student. Yes, we are still working on our scholarly projects and studying for end-of-rotation exams, and of course, we are still on clinical rotations, but most of us have schedules that allow us to have some time outdoors. And, just after our third rotation, we got a one-week vacation, which some people used to go on vacation, others to get married, and some of our classmates went on the annual medical mission trip to Nicaragua. (Check out some of the pictures!)
That’s all folks!
