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Taking the DHSc plunge...


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Just turned in my final paper proposal...14 pages...I am enjoying this course and the great feedback on my writing at each stage of the project. The course involves doing an internship of 80 or more hours in an area of interest(global focus if global health pathway) and learning a new skill. some folks do teaching assistant positions, others do medical missions, etc

Then you write a proposal for the final paper of at least 10 pages. you get feedback on this and then rewrite it in "pristine form". you then write a draft of the final project at least 20 pages in length. you get feedback on this then revise it and turn in the final in pristine form without typos, grammar issues, etc.

I would recommend taking the medical writing course before the internship as this will save you a lot of rewriting down the line. I did the internship experience before signing up for the course(with prior instructor approval as the dates did not line up with course dates). I think this helps a lot with the flow of the course. The proposal is due week 3 of the course and if you start the 2 week internship at the beginning of the term you only have 1 week to write the paper.

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Ugh!  I'm not looking forward to all this writing.  The cultural diversity class i'm in is perfect, but won't last for ever.  Would you suggest the medical writing class next? 

yes, take it sooner than later as it will help with all your other classes. you also need an ethics and a policy class for core 1 so take those early on. try and do all the core 1 and electives before you start core 2. if you are on the global health track you also need certain courses so keep that in mind.

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I promised awhile back to look into the Indiana State DHSc program for fellow PAs in this forum; I just got the comparison info.   The program is residential, non distance based, and out of state tuition applies for non-Indiana residents, although there are some discounts for other midwestern states.   Out of state tuition is quite a chunk although it may well be do-able for an Indiana based PA living within commuting distance.  

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Just turned in the final version of my internship paper. Lot of writing and revision. Very glad I took medical writing before the internship.

Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel although it is still a ways off. Likely done spring 2015. Global epidemiology next term.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Just a heads up for folks following after me on the DHSc trail- having an association with a free clinic, medical mission, or teaching position makes writing the internship and practicum papers much easier as you already have folks to proofread for you and serve as mentors at a site you know well and can write about.

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Taking epidemiology this term. this course requires a high level of attention to detail with many different types of assignments due at irregular intervals in addition to one major project. it helped me to outline the entire course on 1 page to plan out the next 3 months. I am trying to get ahead on the readings and required videos while at work when it's slow to have more time for the projects at home.

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Almost done with epidemiology. now in week 11 of 12. I have part 4 of a major project due in a few days. almost done with it. I should be working on it right now but the kids are too loud for me to get any work done. will have to finish it tomorrow when they are in school and the house is again quiet. the final project summation will likely be over 40 pages when done. this is by far the hardest course I have taken in the program so far. good material, but lots of it, delivered quickly. there are required journal entries, discussion sections, power point presentations to create, current events in global health projects to present, an epidemiology website lecture series to review for later testing, a chapter every week in the course text, a global health disease prevention assignment, a 4 part global health project, a movie review of a documentary on a global health topic, 2 educational references to create regarding a disease process, etc.

it is a lot of work. I had to give away a few shifts to get some of the work done on time. don't take this course lightly or it will bite you. don't take this course with another course.

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WOW! Looks very interesting!! BTW EM when you finish your program are you considering to go international? What are your goals if you do not mind me asking? 

more international work and some teaching part time at a local program. I am not really interested in lecturing. I feel like anyone can read powerpoints to students covering basic material. I want to do small group classes like PBL, clinical medicine discussions, etc. which are interactive with students.

I have been offered some guest lecturer spots already on global health & international medicine topics by two friends of mine (both with DHScs) who are now program directors at new pa programs. I would consider a post-doc fellowship in global health but have not found the right one yet.

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I just happened to stumble on this on another forum which shall not be named...notice the time stamp!

 

Did you guys see the announcement about the new post grad doctorate program for p.a.'s in the p.a. journals? It is at nova southeastern in florida. pretty neat, huh? the degree granted is D.H.Sc.(doctor of health science). it is designed for pa school faculty/wannabees.

 
12 years later you are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel :)
 
I think I can safely say you are an inspiration to everyone on this forum.
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  • 4 weeks later...
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Just registered for my 3rd and final summer institute course, leadership in health care. If I did this over, I would do leadership and conflict together and stats by itself, instead of as 3 separate courses. Stats is a tough class. would not recommend taking it with another course.

after this summer I have four courses left. I will probably double up 1 term with doctoral analysis, which means if all goes on schedule I can graduate spring 2015. if my practicum takes more than 1 term, it would be summer 2015.

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Love the updates! I see you registered for SI on opening day....I made the mistake by waiting til Thursday and am unable to get a spot in either of the AM sessions.  So, I'm only take conflict in the afternoon.  I called NOVA and they basically said oh well and that I can just take the other two together next summer....if I stay up and register at 12:01 AM to get a spot.  I'm not happy about this with your comments above about taking statistics by itself. 

 

If i'm only taking conflict this Summer would you recommend another class to take with it?

 

I did medical writing last semester.  It was a nice class.  Easy to keep up with work and assigments.  This semester I'm taking Environmental and Occupational health.  Week 4 and everything is okay.  The teacher does not provide us information in an organized fashion.  The initial syllabus didn't have any due dates and stated to find info on black board, which wasn't there.  There was a quiz that popped up out of know where that was never mentioned in the weekly assignments.  Just confusing is all.

 

Well, I guess I'll see you in July! Are you taking the AM Leadership course?

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yup, I'm in am leadership. are you staying at the staybridge? that and the residence inn around the corner are really the way to go. not much in the area but a subway sandwich shop and an ok lebanese restaurant.

also, if you don't rent a car, use kingdom travel for your ride from the airport(it's a shuttle). a cab will cost > 60 dollars. let's meet for a drink or something.

if you have not enrolled for the internship and practicum prep class yet do that along with conflict.

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Staybridge was already sold out and that was a month ago when I tried to reserve a room.  I'm staying at the Hilton.  It's not much farther and has a bar...so I should be set! I rented a car.  Had CME monies paying for my hotel, car and air.  Yes, let's meet up for a drink for sure.  We can chat closer to the date and exchanged contact information.  I am enrolled in the internship and practicum prep this semester.  So, maybe this summer I will focus on getting that stuff done. 

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  • 1 month later...
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Staybridge was already sold out and that was a month ago when I tried to reserve a room.  I'm staying at the Hilton.  It's not much farther and has a bar...so I should be set! I rented a car.  Had CME monies paying for my hotel, car and air.  Yes, let's meet up for a drink for sure.  We can chat closer to the date and exchanged contact information.  I am enrolled in the internship and practicum prep this semester.  So, maybe this summer I will focus on getting that stuff done. 

I'm at the staybridge. booked the day after I returned from SI last yr...it fills fast...definitely meet for a drink. I'm in AM leadership section.

I am doing the I+P prep course over several terms. I'm done with the internship already but the practicum proposal has approval + 5 parts...takes a full term (maybe a bit more).

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Just a heads up for the practicum proposal- plan at least a full term to write this in the I+P prep course. I went to Haiti at the beginning of the term , bought a new condo, etc this term so didn't have as much time for this as I thought I would and will be working on it next term as well. Dr. Ohara is very helpful with the feedback for the revisions. You may rewrite each step several times before it contains no errors. my step 1 (of 5) took 3 revisions. I'm taking ethics next term (after leadership @ SI) which will be my last core 1 class and hope to finish the proposal then if not during leadership.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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I started the leadership course today at SI. It looks like it will be a great course with some very interesting and motivational instructors. The format of the course involves some interactive lecture as well as case based discussions in leadership. The first project is a personal leadership development plan that looks like it will be fun to write. I have to say I dreaded having to take stats last year, and this by comparison looks like a fun and low stress course with which to finish up my SI experience.

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