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Riverside Class graduating in 2013!


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Ok, so maybe I *should* call... I just didn't want to be the only paranoid one.. lol. Housing... well, I put myself on www.easyroommate.com , so we'll see if anything comes from that. I either need to rent a room from someone, or get an apartment and share with 2-3 other people. My husband checked out the Crossings apartments... they have 3 bedroom/3 baths made for college roomies, with only the kitchen and living room shared. It would be about $300-$350 per person like that. That sounds like a good deal to me, but I'd have to find 2 other people...

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Hey All, I didn't apply to RCC this year but am considering for next year; I've tried to contact the program with no luck to answer this question, so thought maybe one of you who got in would know: do they accept online classes ? I would need to take Med Term online, and want to get into a course for early inter-summer, so although I am going to try to go to their late April info session and would ask then, I want to get on it sooner if possible. Thanks and CONGRATULATIONS !

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Congratulations to everybody who got in!

 

Some suggestions (and, although I'm not an officer in the class, I'll see if I can get them to include a few suggestions in the orientation):

1. Buy a Taber's (old edition fine). It's like $5-$10 used on Amazon and I seriously use it all the time.

2. When you get Harrison's, get the 2-volume edition. Just the fact that it'll sit open flatter is worth it, and it shouldn't be much more in cost.

3. You can save a gang-load of cash by obtaining a used equipment set, rather than buying new from Welch-Allyn. Some things you might as well buy through Welch-Allyn, such as the nasal insufflator (~$7) or the Finoff transilluminator (~$66) but shop around, and if it's much less somewhere else, get it there instead of through the Welch rep. I think I got my tuning fork set for $10 on eBay shipped, and a BP cuff is a BP cuff (although that Welch-Allyn one, with the flexiport, is awfully convenient). Obviously, Littmann is the way to go with the stethoscopes. Again, eBay.

4. Go to GoodWill or the Salvation Army and pick up a roller suitcase (the one with the extending handle) for your books. Those fold-up collapsible cargo crates are horrible and a pain to haul up the stairs. The lighter, the better.

5. They're going to tell you to get started on your objectives early. They're totally right. More than that, you probably want to brush up on your A&P. Knowing how the cardiac system, pulmonary system, sympathetic vs parasympathetic (+ receptors and the main agonists / antagonists of those) will be helpful. The Pathophysiology book they have is a pretty easy read, but if you want something super light and accessible, the Made Ridiculously Simple series is a personal fave (not comprehensive by any means, but good for a summer read).

6. Boards & Wards will be good by the time you get to Rubrics. Step Up To Medicine is better for earlier on. They overlap a lot, though. Both are nice quick-references.

7. KNOW HOW TO PARSE INFORMATION QUICKLY/EFFICIENTLY. This might be the most important thing. If you aren't already efficient at this, I'd suggest finding someone who is, and having them read along over your shoulder and watch what you're highlighting (or outlining, which I prefer). Ask them to tell you if you're highlighting something that's irrelevant, or missing something that's relevant. This would be helpful to do early, before you dig yourself a hole. This would be best done by asking your mentor, or someone who's succeeding in the class. Hell, I can probably help if you're in the area and want to see what it's like over the summer, or whatever (PM me). If you find yourself sleeping less than 6 hours a night in the first semester, and still stuffling, I guarantee you, you're doing it wrong, and you need to stop spinning your wheels in the mud and learn to put some boards down.

7. Losing Sleep Is Not A Means Of Improving. You'll be tired, and just killing your ability to concentrate. You need to study smarter, not longer.

8. Emedicine and Wikipedia, are my go-tos. When I get to a new disease, and have no idea what it is, I go to Wikipedia first, before I hit Harrison's. I don't read the whole thing, just enough to get a general idea of what the heck it is I'm looking at. Then go to Harrison's and eMedicine and fill out the rest of your knowledge base.

9. For Workshop, at the very least for the first one, read your Bates for the first module, and know, hands down, your script and how to do all the techniques. It's not hard, but if you're confused, watch a YouTube video. Developing a reputation early on as having your act together will go a long ways towards securing the benefit of the doubt, when you may be half-flubbing something, but the staff isn't sure whether to give you credit or not.

10. Be confident. If you're wrong, it doesn't matter if you're wrong quietly or loudly, you'll still be wrong, so you might as well sound like you're right. It merits saying again: Being known as someone who has their act together will go a long ways. The staff will be much more willing to work with you, if they feel you're 1. putting in the effort and 2. aren't whining about every little thing.

11. Don't whine. If something's amiss, point it out, but if they disagree, accept it and move on. You'll get nowhere getting on the staff and faculties bad side.

12. The less drama, the better. You've got a long way with these people. You're with them ALL THE TIME. Don't make enemies, always be courteous, and above all, always be thankful. Say thanks for every little thing. To the same end, you might find yourself attracted to some of your classmates. Don't. If you're single, well, that's your prerogative I suppose, but this program is hard enough on relationships without having to throw that wrench into the equation. And if you really don't like someone, be even nicer to that person. You're going to be with them a lot.

 

Good luck, folks.

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Thanks for that footprintx. As far as A&P goes, should i be looking over the book we used in A&P for the pre reqs or just hold off until I get the actual textbooks for the program? I like the relational advice you threw in there, it makes perfect sense to take care of how we interact with our 2 year long classmates and future colleagues. Though I think I'll be one of the youngest in my class if not the youngest, might need to grow a beard to get some RESPECT haha. What is a Taber?

 

Swooshie, medical term is not required for this PA program, I'm sure they will accept any online class that RCC offers online. I don't think RCC offers any of the science pre- reqs online, definitely not any of the sciences with labs, which they all have. So, probably not is your answer.

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Though I think I'll be one of the youngest in my class if not the youngest, might need to grow a beard to get some RESPECT haha.

 

And I will probably be one of the oldest.... I'll be 37 in May... just call me grandma... lol :xD:

 

Swooshie, medical terminology is not a science class, and therefore is probably okay online... most schools typically just don't like science classes (which need labs) online.

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Me neither. Anybody know what the dress code is the first year? I'm so used to wearing scrubs, I don't think I have very many "dressy" outfits if we are required to dress "business casual" every day like some schools. If I'm gonna have to go shopping, the sooner I know, the better.... not that I don't like shopping, because I do! :)

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@AlteredBeast - Taber's is a medical dictionary. 20th edition (old edition) is super cheap on Amazon. Cheaper still if you don't care for a thumb index. Our youngest was 20 (21?) I think. The A&P book (the one with Serena Williams on it?) is fine. Frankly, it's just important that you remember how stuff works, and if you did well in A&P that'll help tremendously.

 

Re: Dress. There are days when you'll have to dress up. You have to dress business casual for workshop days, which is 2 days a week. You also have to dress up for the field trips (uh, I think they call them something else), as well as for the community service, and the Friday presentations. So, yeah, start hitting up Ross and Marshalls or whatever. Fire up those YouTube tie-tying videos. Other days, it's not required. But don't look sloppy. At the start of the program, I dropped a couple hundred bucks during a stupidly good $15 sale for Perry Ellis and just rotate shirts around. Most days, I wear a collared shirt, unless it's a Thursday, or test-Mondays (when everybody tends to look like hell), when I only get dressy when I'm in the mood. There's a dude who wears sweat pants all the time, and it just looks sloppy. Although, since I started dressing up more, and particularly since the ladies started commenting on my wardrobe (what-what, awwww yeah), the other guys have started dressing up a bit more. A nice polo is fine, but looking snazzy is recommended. You'll need it for 2nd year anyway, so might as well start shopping so you don't end up settling for a shirt whose cut is a little sloppier than you'd prefer.

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  • 2 weeks later...

You have a BA in bible studies? I've never heard of that. Were you planning on getting a masters of divinity anytime? I'm interested because one of the reasons I'm getting into PA is so I can use it for mission trips down the road. Oh, and did they accept your medical scribing as HCE or did you have enough as a medical assistant so it didn't matter. I have a co worker who mainly has medical scribe experience and doesn't know if it counts at RCC?

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You have a BA in bible studies? I've never heard of that. Were you planning on getting a masters of divinity anytime? I'm interested because one of the reasons I'm getting into PA is so I can use it for mission trips down the road. Oh, and did they accept your medical scribing as HCE or did you have enough as a medical assistant so it didn't matter. I have a co worker who mainly has medical scribe experience and doesn't know if it counts at RCC?

 

I just did the Bible degree cause I wanted to know more... and at the time was considering christian counseling...my degree is from a regionally accredited college, so I had all the regular BA classes, including physics, algebra, English, etc. I'm a scribe/MA, so the experience is all tied in together, as I still teach other MAs and also occasionally do vitals, EKGs, etc, if the other MA is busy/behind. I think it depends on the type of scribing. I'm very interactive with the patients in the rooms, asking questions for clarification, and suggesting bits of relevant information to the doctor, etc. My doctor also does not dictate to me what to write... I write it, then later he edits if he wants to reword something. If you were just typing everything the doctor directly told you, it might not be considered HCE.

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