Today I was ran over by a train...

and his name was Dr. Patel. I've never met a doctor who could make me feel like shit the way he did today. It makes me thankful that I, as a PA, will never have to put up with residency and be harangued by doctors who make you feel like a retard all day. I was basically subjected to the most bizarre and random questions and then told that I didn't know how to think and that I wasn't trying at all. Hmmmm, thats funny because I didn't even learn that shit in school but whatever. It all ended up being not even remotely beneficial and left me holding back the tears in the car ride home. Case in point - a shit storm will come your way in the second year of PA school and it will almost destroy you. I have had my share of moments when I feel like I should just become a waiter and drop out but most days aren't like that. Thank god.

Don't get me wrong... its really hard to pick yourself up off the floor when everything about you has been broken down. It totally sucks but you know what? It actually doesn't matter. If you pass the boards you are more than a sufficient person and PA. So anyone who says otherwise should kiss it.

Ok, so a little update since the last time. I made it through my OBGYN rotations only slightly retarded and got to deliver a baby. Which was anticlimactic and totally sick. Besides that, I just did a lot of pap schmears and IUD inserts. Vaginas are strange and can get really gross when things go wrong. Enough said.

Now I'm in general surgery and its pretty much a mess. KNOW YOUR ANATOMY! I repeat - know your anatomy! Buy the surgical recall book - it should have most of what you need to know if your preceptor isn't a complete psychopath. Side note: beware of who you end up in surgery with. I would suggest screening them and know exactly what you are going into. Otherwise you will end up crying yourself to sleep at night. I'm serious. My roomate had a ortho-surgeon who threw things across the room at her and threw temper tantrums. And the PA that worked with her was a big douche bag and tried to get her into bed. So - screen your surgeons and you will do fine. One more thing - learn to tie. Get a board and some suture material and practice. Its not hard to do the two hand tie but you do have to learn it so get ready. 

Rotation #2: Remember the past

So I pretty much had a dream of a rotation for my second one. I had my internal medicine rotation at a hospital with the best hospitalist ever!!! I would highly recommend getting an inpatient internal medicine rotations. I'm actually going to repeat it. Some tips: Know your diabetes, hypertension, COPD, Pneumonia and PE/DVT. Thats probably 90 percent of what I saw and I think it generally reflects IM in a nutshell. Get the little maxwell book, itll help you write soap notes, know lab values, and dictate. Get ready to do full H&P's - I mean full ones with really good physical exams. It sounds exhaustive but you have to be really complete for the hospital. In the end, you get used to them and it really enhances your skills.

I would also recommend getting your hand on some standard protocols for admits and stuff before hand so you will be ready. Its up to your preceptor but you will get a good idea what to do from those. Hospital medicine will help you become really rounded and it was just what I needed. So take heed! Also, beware the IM outpatient can be excruciatingly boring and slow so if you want some action - try and sneak away to a hospital.

And remember, eventually you will be able to tell a doctor to kiss your ass when you are not a student so hold onto that... haha. Just kidding, but we can always think it. ;)