Things You Experience During Your First Year In PA School

[whoRyou]

What are some things that you remember during your first year in PA school? Can you remember the very first day you walked into the anatomy lab? The smell that welcomed you and possibly lingered in your memories forever. No matter how much you scrubbed that day, that smell stayed. You remember uncovering her. She was someone’s mother, daughter, wife, friend, and so much more. Now, she is your teacher and your first patient.

 

Or what about your first incision? Did you and your cohorts all look at each other to see who was going to make the first incision? Was it what you expected? What was going through your mind when you actually got to see a 'real' organ? Were you completely mesmerized by how accurate the pictures were that you have been studying this whole time?

 

It is she who was your first patient, your first anatomy “book”, and for some your first patient encounter. What were your feelings at the end of the day? Did it ever go away? Do you still remember? What do you remember during your first year?

 

 

 

[Soulfari]

I will never forget hemi-secting the pelvis of our cadaver with a 2-person hack saw and scooping out the remaining fecal matter with a wet paper towel. 

 

Oh, and opening the skull and holding the brain...Anatomy Lab was quite the experience. 

[dchampigny]

I'll second the hemi-section of the pelvis...........very odd thing.

 

Taking a massive clot out of our cadaver's aorta

 

The moment when you suddenly realize doxycycline and vibramycin are the same thing just before your infectious disease pharm test.

 

When you call out the diagnosis of a TIA from a phone call from a relative

 

Finally seeing a bronchial artery on your cadaver practical and after staring it at the full minute, getting that AHA moment and nailing the tag.

 

Being the earliest person in for the day and the last person out.

 

Coffee. Smell, taste, spills. etc

 

The taste of a cold beer after a long week.

 

Learning how to read and run at the same time.

 

The point where you realize you can do this.

[jmj11]

We start atanomy lab around Feb 14th. On Feb 14th, some of the medical students (in the lab before us) cut a cadaver's heart out and replaced it with a heart-shape box of chocolates.  Someone in our class, to be funny, actually ate some of them. I know, sick.

[EMEDPA]

We start atanomy lab around Feb 14th. On Feb 14th, some of the medical students (in the lab before us) cut a cadaver's heart out and replaced it with a heart-shape box of chocolates.  Someone in our class, to be funny, actually ate some of them. I know, sick.

they did teach that in school I think: "Life is like a box of chocolates....". Our anatomy professor, Dr. Gump taught us that. he learned it from his momma.

[oval_97]

We start atanomy lab around Feb 14th. On Feb 14th, some of the medical students (in the lab before us) cut a cadaver's heart out and replaced it with a heart-shape box of chocolates.  Someone in our class, to be funny, actually ate some of them. I know, sick.

 

Sounds respectful. 

[JFarnsworth]

I remember totally blanking out when I saw a patient with HTN... couldn't even remember what Lisinopril was.

 

Fumbling my way through the history and exam until I found a groove. 

 

Having cheat sheets with me at all times so I didn't sound like an idiot.

[Joelseff]

I remember eating a lot of biscuits and gravy because if you put it in an oatmeal container you save 60 cents at the hospital cafeteria... I also remember a lot of "ugly crying" Monday mornings after a test. Other than that not much as it was a blur. Oh I remember getting hosed down by accident by the gardener when I was sitting outside in the quad going over my test answers. It's cool, I passed the test. I think it was nephro. I know I remember *some* medical stuff too. Lol.

 

But clinical year was better. I remember eating enough at noon conference so I wouldn't starve later that evening. I remember not having time to pee too.

[dmdpac]

My biggest memories of the first year of school had nothing to do with academics.  I remember almost getting killed by car accidents.  Twice.

 

Each time I was out running in an attempt to decompress.  In each case two vehicles collided and spun out of control onto the sidewalk where I happened to be standing/running.  The first time I was standing on the corner waiting for the light to change.  I was hit by debris from both vehicles.  Even the local homeless guys were telling me they thought I was going to die.  The second time required some unplanned speedwork to get out of the way of the car careening towards me out of control.

[SoNH-PAC]

I remember my first lab practical and being nervous so I was up late the night before. I never drink coffee because it gives me the shakes, but I had one that morning and was shaking so bad I couldn't look in my classmate's ear. Now I look in a million ears a day haha. 

 

ACLS training and being "volunteered" to go first in the clinical scenario only to give the patient adenosine and have them flat line briefly. 

 

Standardized patients at the end of the first year and being terrified, then watching the video of myself months later and laughing. 

[hitzgrl123]

I just graduated last year, so it's all still very fresh, but what I think I'll remember most is the camaraderie with my classmates. From quick walks outside during 5 minute breaks to frantic last-minute study sessions before exams to random nights at the bar- those 28 other people (really maybe 5 of them if I'm being honest) made my PA school experience a great one.

 

I also remember the 2nd day of the 1st semester, leaving school after the first day of anatomy and sobbing the whole way home because I was sure I would never be able to keep up.

 

Also, my cadaver grew mold in her pelvis that no amount of bleach could control.

[Acebecker]

I remember walking into the auditorium the first day of school.  I was so nervous that the day before I had driven across the state and to the campus to find the building just to be sure I'd know where it was.  On the first day of class the traffic caught me off guard and I was almost late.  I walked in a little out of breath.  I entered the auditorium where 140 future PAs were milling around.  I spotted a guy I thought looked like someone I might get along with - a Navy Corpsman as it turned out - and introduced myself.  We sat through the typical introductions of which I remember nothing and stayed close friends for both years of the program - studied together, laughed a lot, worried a lot.  The rest of that day was spent going through the renal system at lightspeed.   I was so excited and so terrified all at the same time.  I have written down a lot about those experiences because I didn't want to forget them. 

[BruceBanner]

Hatred. Anger. Fear. Shame. Relief. 

 

Repeat all that a hundred or so times, in random order. That was my first year.

[whoRyou]

I remember eating a lot of biscuits and gravy because if you put it in an oatmeal container you save 60 cents at the hospital cafeteria... I also remember a lot of "ugly crying" Monday mornings after a test. Other than that not much as it was a blur. Oh I remember getting hosed down by accident by the gardener when I was sitting outside in the quad going over my test answers. It's cool, I passed the test. I think it was nephro. I know I remember *some* medical stuff too. Lol.

 

But clinical year was better. I remember eating enough at noon conference so I wouldn't starve later that evening. I remember not having time to pee too.

 

 

My biggest memories of the first year of school had nothing to do with academics.  I remember almost getting killed by car accidents.  Twice.

 

Each time I was out running in an attempt to decompress.  In each case two vehicles collided and spun out of control onto the sidewalk where I happened to be standing/running.  The first time I was standing on the corner waiting for the light to change.  I was hit by debris from both vehicles.  Even the local homeless guys were telling me they thought I was going to die.  The second time required some unplanned speedwork to get out of the way of the car careening towards me out of control.

 

 

I remember walking into the auditorium the first day of school.  I was so nervous that the day before I had driven across the state and to the campus to find the building just to be sure I'd know where it was.  On the first day of class the traffic caught me off guard and I was almost late.  I walked in a little out of breath.  I entered the auditorium where 140 future PAs were milling around.  I spotted a guy I thought looked like someone I might get along with - a Navy Corpsman as it turned out - and introduced myself.  We sat through the typical introductions of which I remember nothing and stayed close friends for both years of the program - studied together, laughed a lot, worried a lot.  The rest of that day was spent going through the renal system at lightspeed.   I was so excited and so terrified all at the same time.  I have written down a lot about those experiences because I didn't want to forget them. 

 

 

Hatred. Anger. Fear. Shame. Relief. 

 

Repeat all that a hundred or so times, in random order. That was my first year.

 

Thank you all for being real. These are the stories I am looking for (sorry if I missed some) ... If anyone wants to share other 'real' stories I would like to read them as I am sure others would like too. 

 

"Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real" - Thomas Merton

[Max PA17]

Agreed! I've been following the post. ☺️

 

 

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[FfIghter23]

One week we had an exam every day and then two on Friday. On Friday afternoon we also had scheduled four hours worth of lectures on pulmonary function and blood gases. We were dreading that afternoon because we all knew we were going to be dead tired but our program required 100% attendance with the exception of medical emergencies.

 

Needless to say, the physician (who originally was a PA) came in and asked about our week. We told him we had a rough week and were dead tired. He announced "Alright, let's do one hour of lectures and then let's all head down to the bar and the first round is on me!"

 

What a guy! He got a standing ovation. And I'm pretty sure he is a program director for a new PA EM residency too.

[UGoLong]

I think the biggest issue with living through PA school is that you don't really know what to expect. You can talk to people as much as you like, but it doesn't tell you what it's going to feel like to you. You've been planning the voyage for some time and the multiple disappointments you will undoubtedly experience can throw you off the rails.

 

Maintain your perspective, laugh, sleep, and forget what's behind you. Out of the trenches and charge forward. Many thousands have tread on the same ground and gotten through. Keep your wits about you and you should too.

[Nonlegit]

Wow this is a pretty cool thread so far.

[ohiovolffemtp]

The academic 15 months was drinking from a firehose.  Most unfortunately, while trying to drink you had no perspective on which 20-30% of what was thrown at you would really be useful.  The 12 months of clinical rotations were a series of cycles of feeling totally incompetent in a new setting where you didn't know names, facilities, much less the relevent medicine, then once you achieved a modicum of confidence you left.   The realization that the school cared much more about its image than producing a person well prepared to start working.  The fear leading up to taking PANCE.  The tears of relief after passing.  The start of the actual learning curve with your first job.  Then, after a few years, the realization that you actually were productive and helping folks.