New Program Question! Advice please (:

[throwaway123]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm a PA-S in my second semester of the didactic year. I'm at a new program (we are the inaugural class) and everything was going fine...until this semester. We have one professor, who is teaching the pulmonary and cardiology modules, that is EXTREMELY difficult to learn from. We are in the middle of the Cardio module and I feel like I am teaching myself everything. Many other students feel this way too; there's been material on exams that was taught the day before, this professor does not seem like he wants to be there, and he doesn't explain things clearly.

 

I honestly feel like I'm drowning in material and at this point, am questioning my education. Do I just truck on and continue to teach myself as much as possible outside of class? This has been brought up to our director and academic coordinator but it's not as if they will fire him on the spot. I just need a way to get through his modules and have some confidence in what I'm being taught. It's very difficult when you don't have a previous class to compare to.

 

Any insight would help. Anyone had bad professors? How did you get through it? 

 

Thanks!!!!

[UGoLong]

I suspect most students had a bad instructor somewhere down the line. Letting the program know about your difficulties was a good idea, but I doubt they can do much in the short term besides trying to get the teacher to adjust his or her methods. Your comments will probably do more for the class behind you than for yours.

 

That said, you will still need to learn the material, either on your own or with some of the other students. If there are particular subjects that weren't covered well, you might be able to suggest they get a guest lecturer. On any event, you are still ultimately responsible for your academic progress. Or as my Mom used to say, "This too shall pass."

 

Good luck.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Corpsman2PA]

We used to joke that our program was the most expensive self study module in the US. Not uncommon to have faculty/professors that blow through material. Keep on trucking until clinical year, when you ACTUALLY start to really learn.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Chazilla]

I would seriously truck on, since thousands of applicants would love your seat and would be in your shoes in a heartbeat.  I would take your spot.  I'm great at self studi!  Unless you're absolutely gifted with photographic memory, we all have to restudy what we learned in class to have a better grasp of the material.

 

In reality UGoLong is right about your complaint would probably only benefit the next cycle.

[Arthropathy]

Isn't this how everyone's second semester is?

 

Seriously, every program has a bad lecturer.  And every student has a subject or two that just floors them. Keep on keepin on and do the best you can, it will make sense when you get to clinicals.

[gbrothers98]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm a PA-S in my second semester of the didactic year. I'm at a new program (we are the inaugural class) and everything was going fine...until this semester. We have one professor, who is teaching the pulmonary and cardiology modules, that is EXTREMELY difficult to learn from. We are in the middle of the Cardio module and I feel like I am teaching myself everything. Many other students feel this way too; there's been material on exams that was taught the day before, this professor does not seem like he wants to be there, and he doesn't explain things clearly.

 

I honestly feel like I'm drowning in material and at this point, am questioning my education. Do I just truck on and continue to teach myself as much as possible outside of class? This has been brought up to our director and academic coordinator but it's not as if they will fire him on the spot. I just need a way to get through his modules and have some confidence in what I'm being taught. It's very difficult when you don't have a previous class to compare to.

 

Any insight would help. Anyone had bad professors? How did you get through it? 

 

Thanks!!!!

I had this perception on attending PA school almost 20 years ago that everything would be perfect, the experience of tenured uninterested professors and instructors from undergrad would be a thing of the past. The reality is that this is evident through all levels of education. The etiology behind it is variable. The reality is that it is not worth your time to try to figure this one out. Likely the program knows that someone is bad. Turning things on a dime cant and wont happen. Give your feedback and move on, hopefully oncoming classes will benefit from your insight.

 

Your reality is that very few lecturers can convey lasting information in a passive learning environment. Their effectiveness is usually based upon style, delivery and likeability. This why I bring chocolate to lectures and sprinkle all sorts of anecdotes of patients I have cared for in my lectures. Everyone leaves with a sugar buzz and a good story to tell. The reality is that the knowledge that I conveyed was already degrading and most would not be able to tell what I told them 6 months after their test in that block. I check this because when students come to my ED for rotation, I give them a PreTest that is liberally sprinkled with questions about material I lectured. No one gets much above an 80% on that test. This has nothing to do with my question making ability because I throw a lot of softball lower level questions.

 

The classroom is an artificial environment. You spend one year in it, hating it. But everyone wants to get an extraordinary amount of value out. But what really helps one learn is self directed experiential learning. This is why the 2nd clinical year is heavily anticipated. Most people learn by doing, most learn better with exposure to material in short bursts and then doing. Regardless, your one year in the classroom is nothing compared to your 20-40 year career where the closest you will get to a classroom is a lecture hall in Vegas after a late night during a conference. It is why much of CME is trending towards life long learning objectives and self assessment. 

 

Truly the responsibility to learn is in your hands regardless of how much that instructor sucks. Time to start is now.

 

Good luck.

G Brothers PA-C

[jcastro805]

I am a second semester student at a very reputable program, and sometimes I joke that half of my tuition dollars should go to Kahn Academy and Youtube. I chalk it up to the fact that as clinicians we will often have to teach ourselves when presented with new information or complaints, and we should know where to look. UpToDate.com, CMDT 2015, course textbooks are all excellent sources. If you haven't already, try to find classmates that are proficient/specialize in the area you are struggling with, and don't hesitate to speak with the professor about your concerns with the material. Good luck in your program!

[arnosr190]

Yes! Youtube all the way.

 

@Throwaway123 I was in the exact same boat. In an inaugural class as well with very similar experience of poor teachers. I wrote a huge letter detailing why the professor was inadequate and used example with quotes from his lectures to prove my point. Unfortunately the above posts are right, the program cannot react quick enough and next class will benefit from your efforts. Instead I did research papers and other work during the professors lecture to clear up my night schedule so I could actually teach myself everything. When starting from scratch I found "pathophysiology made ridiculously simple" and the whole ridiculously simple genre of books very helpful to grasp complicated concepts that Harrison's internal medicine or UpToDate delve into. Then I supplemented something I didn't under stand using youtube and find actual lecture taught by great professors who walk you through processes by drawing. Medcram is a good subscription and the website handwrittentutorials.com were some good ones as well.

 

In the end I stopped caring what was said in class and went through the syllabus at my own pace. That way I wasn't surprised on tests when something was covered the day before.

 

Hope that helps 

[aaron.harris]

Throwaway123,

 

I too am in a first year program.  We have about a month left of the didactic year.  I can definitely sympathize with you, we've had many times where it feels like you are educating yourself.  We've also had some incredibly well taught sections.  I think any PA, regardless of new or old, will require a lot of self-study.  We've tried to establish open communication with our faculty about any questions or concerns and that has benefited us a lot.  

 

I would agree with arnosr190.  Youtube, especially handwritten tutorials, are great supplements.

 

Good luck!