jojostrow Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I will be starting a program this coming year and I was curious about a few things. Hopefully this is the place to get the answers. 1) What class is the toughest? (I'm imagining A&P or Pharm?) 2) What are the major differences between PA A&P and the A&P I took as an undergrad? 3) Does anyone have any good suggestions of study aids? Things to work on before the program starts? or Any general tips to get through the first year. Thanks! Joanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trapezius Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Hey Joanna, good questions. Congratulations on starting on this fantastic, challenging, and unique pathway! I am a first-year student, and in response to your questions I would say the following: 1) This depends on your prereq classes and your particular program (you'll get a more specific response from students at the program where you'll be starting). For me, A&P was certainly challenging and it can be tricky trying to learn all the drugs in pharm. 2) My experience was that PA A&P is much faster and much more in-depth. I loved it and was really grateful I had had two undergraduate A&P classes with cadaver labs. As important as is anatomy (and I'm a very visual/tactile person so it's my favorite of the two), I have been reminded almost every day of how important it is to have a good grasp of general physiology, as it comes back over and over again. 3) Before school started I reviewed my notes/texts from my undergraduate anatomy and physiology courses, as well as my medical terminology class. It was really helpful to go back and shore up some of the gaps in my knowledge. I also got a copy of McCance's Pathophysiology and tried diligently to read the entire thing the six months before school started. It was really helpful at first, but after a while I realized I wasn't retaining much by trying to plow through so much material so quickly. I didn't have a pathophysiology class before starting school, so in a lot of ways it was helpful but if I were going back and doing it over I think I'd purchase a copy of Pathophysiology Made Ridiculously Simple and start with that. Going back, it would also have been nice to go through some of the general classes of drugs (again, keeping it very broad) just to build up some familiarity before diving in. As for general tips on getting through year one: - Remember the ultimate goal is to become an amazing care provider; to learn how to communicate and empathize and build rapport with patients so you can positively impact their lives. It can get really easy to slip back into the undergraduate mentality of "It's all about the test." - Recognize that although you'll feel like a failure at times - you may even wonder if they made a mistake in letting you in - that's very normal and you just need to acknowledge such thoughts, set them aside, and get on with it! Be aware of your needs, and take care of yourself! - Get enough sleep, do something fun, find a way to serve your classmates, etc. In other words, don't put your life on hold! (You may have to put watching your favorite TV show on hold, though :) - Use what works for you and try not to compare yourself to others. I have classmates who make detailed 40-page highlighted study guides every week; I find I learn better by taking notes in an old-fashioned notebook and drawing diagrams/pictures. - Know that as hard and intense as it may be, it's doable! And, what's more, it's extremely rewarding and you'll be amazed when you look back at how much you've learned. I hope that helps. Best of luck to you - enjoy pre-PA school life, and when it comes enjoy PA school life too! Trapezius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Wish I knew more micro, wasn't a pre req ,didn't take it... I can't tell you the difference between organisms or the drugs that kill them. Doesn't do me a lot of good if I know drug xyz is effective on gram negative cocci but can't tell you what gram negative cocci bugs present as in the patient....as a result I end up memorizing drug treatments for certain conditions such as Amox for ear infections instead of knowing "why" I am using that particular drug...I need to get a better grasp on that smaller minutia. Wish I could dissect studies more effectively. Never took stats, math isn't my strong point. When I sit down to start researching different diseases and epidemiology, I get lost in it all. In the end, I just evaluate the number of total participants and their basic demographic to see if pertains to my local population. I do wish though I had a better understanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Different people will find different classes to be the hardest. The important thing is to identify your weak points early and invest more time into them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sartort Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Wish I could dissect studies more effectively. Never took stats, math isn't my strong point. When I sit down to start researching different diseases and epidemiology, I get lost in it all. In the end, I just evaluate the number of total participants and their basic demographic to see if pertains to my local population. I do wish though I had a better understanding. My undergrad is in exercise and sport science, so I have read a lot of studies in my classes. I find that if I read the abstract, then conclusion, I get a good understanding of what I'm seeing in the rest of the paper. I recommend reading those first so you get the broad picture before all the details in the middle. I also like to read multiple studies with the same concept to see how the results differ if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcd1976 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I didn't pre-study. I spent time with my family and friends to make sure they know how much I love and appreciate them; I knew my life would be on hold for about two years. I am happy with my decision as well as happy to report that I am satisfied with my grades. I believe the answer to your questions lies in your background and education, your program's points of emphasis, and ORGANIZATION. Use the first few weeks to get organized and find the study groove that works for you. I drew on my white board (A LOT) and had a cork board on the wall in my office with calendars, a master list of all assignments due with their due dates, and list of exams with dates. Figure out what you need to do, do it, and don't forget to cut yourself some slack sometimes. I made a habit of taking a day off once per week to spend with my husband, of working out for at least an hour on at least 5 days per week, and of finding a reason to laugh. Good luck to you! Since you are planning ahead, I'm sure you will be successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpSite Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 1) that's different for everyone. I think the hardest class is the one you need to learn in order not to kill anyone, but the one you're least interested in. 2) nothing except much more fun and lots more information at a much higher volume for many more hours/week. 3) don't. You'll get plenty of that when you start. Spend time with people you're not likely to see in the following couple years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 At my school Clinical Medicine is the hardest class. Basically you learn all of the the book Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment over the year. I feel like I spend all of my time rushing assignments and studying for other classes out of the way so that I can focus on Clin Med. It takes probably 60-70% of my time. Biggest difference for me is undergrad anatomy hardly discusses nerves at all. We actually don't have physiology as a stand alone class but we have Patho first semester. I like the book Clinical Pathophysiology Made Ridiculously Simple. I read the section related to what we are doing in Clin Med before each unit starts (my school uses system-based approach) and it makes reading Current much more clear for me. Also, as I am reading current I wikipedia anything I am unfamiliar with so that I can quickly read about it in basic terms before jumping into Current. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny32311 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 1) Toughest class - different for different folks. I guess neuroanatomy for me. 2) The A&P I am taking is much more in depth and comes much faster than undergrad. 3) Study Aids. Hhhmm... I google a lot of stuff that I have questions about and just about them. I like some of the Board Review Stuff too. Anything that has questions that make me see if I understand the material is good. You'll also find that those same questions (or something similar) will magically show up on exams. If you have good faculty, that is one of your best resources. They can usually tell you a correct answer, how to remember it, why you need to know it, and where they have used that in their own careers. Before school I wouldn't worry too much about anything except spending time with people you love. You're gonna miss them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Regarding A&P.... I am not sure how other schools do it but in mine Anatomy is 1st semester and Physio/Pathophysio is 2nd semester. Anatomy is REGIONAL rather than systems-based. This means if you study the head, you study everything in the head at once. For example, skin, bones, brain, meninges, arteries, veins, cranial nerves, eyes, nose, mouth... you get the idea. Then you do the same in the neck, then in abdomen, and so on....It makes a lot more sense that way but is also harder. Buy Netter's anatomy flashcards... they summarize everything you have to know very well. Best thing I ever bought for this class! I would suggest you review anatomy. If nothing else, make sure you know the nervous system really well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemegroup Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I would suggest you review anatomy. If nothing else, make sure you know the nervous system really well! Great suggestion, studying up on your neuro will definitely get you ahead of the game a bit. The rest of Anatomy is just going to be regional hell, so trust me that it's not worth reviewing all of it before you start. I tried that and found that the Advanced Anatomy was so light-speed that all of the review I had done over the summer really made little difference. Do your best, try and look at the bigger picture, and breathe deep before you jump! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balsam88 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Hey guys. I'm starting PA school in May and I want to get a head start on anatomy. I took anatomy 6 years ago and honestly don't remember much. Which book do u suggest for a simple review before school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovepie Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 You could always audit an A&P course at your local cc. I plan to do that the semester before I start...assuming I get in!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Ugh over achievers take the time off to relax if you don't you'll wish you did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny32311 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Hey guys. I'm starting PA school in May and I want to get a head start on anatomy. I took anatomy 6 years ago and honestly don't remember much. Which book do u suggest for a simple review before school? I took mine 3 years before, and didn't remember much. I didn't really review before. They will teach you everything you need to know though. I would suggest IF you do study anything, study the nervous system, especially the cranial nerves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojostrow Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 I didn't pre-study. I spent time with my family and friends to make sure they know how much I love and appreciate them; I knew my life would be on hold for about two years. You are completely right. I will definitely be doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Hey guys. I'm starting PA school in May and I want to get a head start on anatomy. I took anatomy 6 years ago and honestly don't remember much. Which book do u suggest for a simple review before school? Don't listen to people who tell you to take it easy. I followed the advice and it hurt me in the end. You forget a lot in 6 years so please review. The difficulty of the class varies from school to school but overall you want to come prepared. They WILL NOT teach you the basics. They expect you to know your nervous system, etc. You don't have time in school to go back to undergrad material and review. You barely have time to study what they do teach you! So please, don't start this without a good understanding of the human body. I am not saying spend 6 hours a day studying. You have time until May. Still spend time with friends and family, work, etc...but add a few hours of anatomy per week to your schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Honestly you dont need 24 hours a day 7 days a week just vegging out before going in to a PA program. In my opinion if you got into a program then youre quite capable of doing 2 things at once...spending time with family and brushing up on somethings you havent seen in a while.....i dont think it would hurt spending an hour or so a day looking at med term and anatomy. We had a full dissection anatomy to complete in 12 weeks along with a few other classes...any knowledge you come in with is beneficial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARONEUS Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Clinical Medicine is my most time consuming, most heavily weighted, and most studied class. If PA school is a 10mile jog with 80lbs of gear, ClinMed is the 50lb pack, Pharm is the 20lb "Ma-Deuce" (machine gun), the other 10lbs is every other class, which is your medic bag, and A&P is the rock in your shoe. Remember all that mess you had to memorize in undergrad A&P? It comes back to haunt you in a big way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hitzgrl123 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Clinical Medicine is my most time consuming, most heavily weighted, and most studied class. If PA school is a 10mile jog with 80lbs of gear, ClinMed is the 50lb pack, Pharm is the 20lb "Ma-Deuce" (machine gun), the other 10lbs is every other class, which is your medic bag, and A&P is the rock in your shoe. Remember all that mess you had to memorize in undergrad A&P? It comes back to haunt you in a big way. This described my first semester, exactly. Except for me, anatomy was more like a rusty nail sticking right into my foot the whole time. Thank God they required me to get my Tdap before school started! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 This described my first semester, exactly. Except for me, anatomy was more like a rusty nail sticking right into my foot the whole time. Thank God they required me to get my Tdap before school started! So glad to hear anatomy in other PA schools is a complete nightmare. I hear it gets much better after it. We will see... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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