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Months leading up to starting PA school..


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In my honest opinion, you can't really "prepare" unless you talk to 1st years in your individual program and ask them for advice. I say this because, every school has different class structures, sequence of classes etc.

 

Even though I took anatomy over the summer in my program, I might have had to memorize super specific details and certain nerves and someone in another program focused on different things. I know we didn't get tested on every single nerve in the entire body (though it felt that way) even if we reviewed it in cadaver lab.

 

I took anatomy in 2010 so I was nervous taking a 9 credit anatomy course in 2015 in PA school, but I still managed to get an A. It is really learning what your program is looking for on exams and studying to the best of your ability to do well in classes.

 

I worked in an ED so I read EKG books for fun and I had CMDT a few months before classes but I would just relax if I were you! :)

 

If you really want to get an idea for the future, you can buy PANCE review books. I know mostly everyone in my class has them already and we are only in our 5th month of didactic but it is good to start reviewing now to keep the important facts fresh in your mind!

 

Congratulations on your acceptance!

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Go on vacation, figure out financial aid, read good books that you will not have the time for later, solidify relationships. PA school is busy and while it is possible to do many of these things during that time, it is best to focus on the extra things while you are out of school. You could study anatomy if you would like, but as mentioned above, without specific knowledge of the info that you will be tested on it may be futile. Congrats and good luck, it is tough but doable. If you have made it in then you have what it takes to make it out.

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I was hoping to seek some advice from current PA students. Before starting school did you 1.) take advantage of the down time or 2.) review certain courses (anatomy, physiology, etc).

I did both. Here is my advice:

 

If a friend asks you if you want to go hiking, don't forego fun and relationships because you want to prepare for PA school.

 

If you're sitting at home watching TV shows you don't even really like, forego watching TV to prepare for PA school.

 

I spent a lot of time studying "Pathophysiology Made Ridiculously Simple" and spent a little time with "Pharmacology Made Ridiculously Simple" (particularly the first few chapters) and it has made a difference. You may not know every specific detail of what your school will test you on, but I can tell you a few: no matter where you go, you will have to know adrenergic and cholinergic receptors. No matter where you go, you will have to know the details of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis. No matter where you go, you will have to learn the coagulation cascade. You will have to know about afterload, and anemia, and lesions of the nervous system. These concepts will form the basis of the clinical medicine and pharmacology you learn in PA school, and you will remember them much better if you're studying them for the second time.

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I think Pharm could be different at different schools. We take Pharmacology with the 2nd year medical students so it's taught by the COM. Also, I have to memorize 100 drugs for an exam with MOA, therapeutics, side effects, drug class etc... does every school test on knowing EVERY therapeutic or MOA? I'm not sure. And that's just the drugs... not any other material on the exam. I think studying pharm before taking it wouldn't have helped me but just sayin! There are drug tables in the PANCE books which correlated pretty well to what we learned so far, so that is a plus! :)

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I think you should enjoy your downtime. My school sent us emails a few weeks before class of the chapters they expected us to read because we had quizzes the first day, but other than that, I don't think there would have been a way to prepare. Yes, you can look at some general things like anatomy or pathophys like someone had mentioned, but you're going to spend the 2+ years studying your butt off - no need to prolong it. Plenty of us didn't study beforehand and we turned out fine :) 

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This is a FAQ, and there are a lot of different opinions out there.  As I've refined my thinking on the topic, I've boiled down my advice to two facets:

 

1) Make sure you're accustomed to studying 10+ hours per day, since that's your primary job throughout PA school.  If you can do that day 1, so much the better.

 

2) Don't tease your loved ones about your availability by spending a ton of time with them right before PA school.  Wean them down slowly, so they can adapt to missing you as you gradually withdraw from them before PA school, to a level that's sustainable for you with your studying.

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I wish I had taken more down time before starting PA school. I worked full time up until 3 weeks before PA school, and then worked part time (20 hours a week) until the program started. A lot of my classmates travelled out of the country before starting PA school while others just took the time to relax. I know I asked this same question before I started PA School (my program started June 1st, 2015) and I don't think I could have done anything to truly prepare myself for PA School material wise. I am also glad that I did use the time I did have to be lazy and not do anything some days because you don't get many of those days while in school. 

 

I agree with rev ronin. The few weeks leading up to PA school is a great time to start establishing routines. Figure out what day/time you will commit to your significant other and what you believe your study plan to be. It is good to start that routine early because it will change overnight how you manage your time once school starts. I know I make Friday nights date night with my boyfriend so that he can have the 100% dedicated time. I also make sure I still sit down with him and eat dinner with every night. I also make sure that Sunday I set aside 2-3 hours to go grocery shopping and food prep for the week. 

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What! I can't believe people are suggesting that you don't study. I actually asked my adviser this same question the summer before I started school and she told me to read The comprehensive review for the certification and recertification for pa's  http://bit.ly/1jHO6Jp ... they could have chosen a shorter name lol. I did what she said and it took me quite awhile but it was sooo worth it. While my classmates were hearing the info for the first time, I was hearing it for the second. I would recommend reading this or the guide I have created-- you can find a link to it in my sig.

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I worked until the month before school started because I needed the money for rent/buying books. Did some light anatomy review since I was rusty (if u can get access to a cadaver, do it).  I also looked for housing / furniture via students ahead of my class, which was very convenient. Went on a 1-week vacation which I highly recommend before hell begins. Spent time with close friends and family. 

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