3 months to go, what would you do?

[CAtchall]

So I'm very excited to say I've been admitted to the EVMS program this January. A riptide of emotion surged within me upon reading the letter, as has happened to many others I'd imagine. Knowing that in 4 months I will start a rigorous program that will go for the better part of 3 years I'm in conflict over what should be done with my remaining free time. Some people say to work increased hours at work until you move. A friend in medical school said to travel as much as possible since it won't happen for at least the duration of school. PA's come from such a diverse background and go on to practice in a wide variety of areas, I feel like ya'll would be the best people to gain input from.

 

To all aspiring PA students, as well as current PA's, I pose the following question: What would you do in this situation? Would you work and study to the bone prior to coming in? Would you travel widely, visit family, and relax? Feel free to be as verbose as Russell Brand or as concise as Angela Merkel.

 

Regards

[PACdan]

Do whatever it is you enjoy doing. Your free time will become a scarce and valuable commodity soon enough.

 

If you have a med term test at the onset, you could bone up on that material to ease your transition overall.

 

Enjoy the elation now, once the loan amount gets calculated, the mood sobers up. :)

 

[Guest MedLib42]

I worked like crazy up until about a month before school started, then I took the time off. I didn't go on any elaborate vacations - I'm attending a relatively expensive school in an area with a crazy cost of living, so being able to save up some extra money for books, medical expenses, and living expenses before school started was a huge help. Then I pretty much did absolutely nothing for a month before school started - I took little inexpensive mini-vacations and road trips (nothing that would deplete my budget). 

 

My thoughts on studying: I'm a huge type A, and will typically tend to spend way to much time studying. So my initial inclination was to study my butt off in the months before school started, but I actually am glad I didn't.

 

Our classes were so honed in on very specific structures and processes, I feel that any studying I would have done would have been completely ineffective without knowing how detailed we'd be getting into specific areas. I could have read through an entire anatomy text and without knowing exactly which sections/structures to focus on, it wouldn't have made much of a difference. Even classes like pharm and physio only highlighted very specific aspects that I would have never picked up on had I gone through a generic text on my own. It was much more effective to study off of posted class notes and lectures, then read the corresponding chapters in the texts (if needed). So instead, I started studying about a week before classes started (when our class materials were posted) by going off of the posted lectures and notes. I felt like that gave me just enough of a boost (I did well that first semester) and was very adequate prep.

 

But that's just my experience. My suggestion would be to spend some time working, save up some money, then take some time off before school starts and do whatever it is that you really enjoy... but everyone's different. Some people really do benefit from studying prior to school starting too, especially if you've been out of school for a long time.

[UGoLong]

You have four months: a mix of having a good time, spending time with people you love, working to make some money, and reviewing your anatomy (maybe).

[futurePA2016]

Definitely relax while you can! Soon enough you'll be working your butt off nonstop so you definitely want to take this time to do enjoy things that you may not have the time for while in school.

 

I would also recommend just brushing up on basic physiology if it's been a while since you've taken a phys course. That'll definitely help when you start your studies but I wouldn't study much more than that because without knowing what your program focuses on, studying too much won't be very effective.

[rev ronin]

This should also be an FAQ.

 

Work your butt off.

 

Working your butt off--whether in HCE or studying--will be your normal for the next several years.  Even after school is done and PANCE is passed, no one is going to magically give you a vacation, and if you take one, you will be adding months or years to your loan payoff.  So you might as well get used to working ~50-60 hours per week continuously, because that is your lot in life for the foreseeable future.

 

Learn to enjoy working hard, because if you don't, you will be miserable, and you might as well find out about that now.

 

Spending extra time with your loved ones before school starts is unfair to them, because it will increase the trauma of your separation when school starts.  Learn to ration your time with them, in order to get them used to you not being around... since you won't be.

[UGoLong]

Rev,

 

I admire you but, this time, I think your advice is off-base.

 

Yes, you have to keep your head down and pedal like crazy at times in your life. But spending extra time with loved ones when you've got the time isn't "unfair." I knew I wouldn't have much time when I was in school and, thank God, I did when I got out. And still married after 46 years.

 

If you can afford to take a vacation for a week or two, do it. People don't give you vacations: you take them, without bemoaning that spot on the financial highway that keeps moving down the road, even though, for the moment, you've decided to pull into a rest stop.

 

For most people, turning yourself into a permanent work machine that is insensitive to misery isn't the goal. 

 

Enjoy the moments you get -- they won't last forever.

[rev ronin]

No, I'm pretty sure that this sort of approach is the best way to keep an existing family together, since it worked for me when so many of my peers' relationships imploded.

 

I am completely serious about not making yourself "extra" available to your loved ones in the lull before school starts, because your kids will not understand the transition and your spouse will think "gee, it sure is nice having you actually AROUND..." and then you've set everyone up for dashed expectations as soon as school starts and you have to choose between failing out or disappointing your loved ones.  Proactively manage their expectations downward early, so it will hurt them less when you can't meet their hopes.  If that doesn't hurt you a little inside each time you have to do it, you're not human, but if you don't do it... you're setting yourself up for failure, divorce, or both and all the study effort, all the time spent away, all the money invested.... all will be for nothing.

[UGoLong]

I am glad the approach worked for you, and setting reasonable expectations for the future is a great idea. And far be it from me to say that it wasn't the best approach for you and your family.

 

My point is that, from what I experienced, there may be other ways to handle it. In my case, I worked like crazy to save money and then took the last month to (a)  fix up the house so less would go wrong for my wife while I was out of town and (b) to take a two week vacation. She knew it was the lull before the storm, but it was a great time and we still talk about it, more than 10 years later.

 

You raise some good points that everyone needs to consider, but I think we need to recognize that other people and other families can take different routes. Staying balanced in your life -- to the degree that you can -- isn't a bad approach.