starlitez7 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 hello.. I will be starting Pa school in the summer of 2011. However, before that, I have lots of time to spare and I wanted to prepare myself a little bit and get myself in the mindset of studying before starting PA school. My friend, who is already in PA school, suggested that I read over "Step up to medicine" book. I was wondering how useful this would be for me to study before starting PA school. I know that this book has like a bunch of diseases for internal medicine. What do you guys think? Any PA students here that would suggest this book? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneValgene Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 hello..I will be starting Pa school in the summer of 2011. However, before that, I have lots of time to spare and I wanted to prepare myself a little bit and get myself in the mindset of studying before starting PA school. My friend, who is already in PA school, suggested that I read over "Step up to medicine" book. I was wondering how useful this would be for me to study before starting PA school. I know that this book has like a bunch of diseases for internal medicine. What do you guys think? Any PA students here that would suggest this book? step up to medicine is a great book to have during your didactic year and also on the wards. quick, high-yield, and easy to read...however, i would advise against trying to do any reading before PA school starts. just enjoy your time and take it easy before school. you'll have the next 2-3 years to study, so just take advantage of the time before the ride begins :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzypanda Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Agree with genevalgene! You are going to get pummeled with studying in PA skool, so you should take the time to relax, catch up with friends b/c you're gonna be MIA, go on vacation, do some fun stuff! Besides.. a good amount of the material you're going to try and study won't stick very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebecker Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 I will add another +1 to the above. Take the time to enjoy your freedom. It will be gone all too soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MunizPA Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 .......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlitez7 Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 yeah...I guess...I should be relaxing and stuff, but like I know that PA school is going to be extremely hard. I have so much time to spare and I just want it to be useful. I want to like prepare as much as I can so that I wouldn't have to be as stressed out while being in PA school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJKitty Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 I know I'm the dissenting opinion here, and it's probably because I'm not in PA school yet, whereas everyone shouting "no, enjoy your time!" is already in school. It really depends on your personality though, and if studying isn't a chore for you, I don't see why it's a negative thing on these forums. There are so many hours in a day though and you can't sit around doing nothing all the time. :P So in my unpopular opinion, sure, study if you enjoy it and don't mind spending a few minutes a day. Anatomy is easy to brush up on, and if you have any sort of cadaver lab in your program it will only help you if you've seen this stuff once or twice before. Medical terminology is also a great review, as it will wake your brain up and make reading articles and textbooks in school that much easier. Honestly, PAs spend their whole professional lives learning. The first 2 years in school are certainly Learning on Steroids, but I don't see why it's such an awful thing to crack open a book every now and then before class starts. We are on this journey because we enjoy medicine and science, and reviewing/learning new things comes naturally. Study as much as you feel like! Just don't let it stress you out or make you feel like you have to do extra work; you'll probably be just fine in class whether or not you've reviewed prior. When my activity choices are watching a crappy TV show or staring at the miserable weather outside, I would gladly spend 30 minutes playing with some anatomy flash cards. That doesn't mean I'm giving up all my free time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlitez7 Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 thanks Cjkitty! I totally agree with you! I just want to brush up on things before starting PA school because I know that it might help me remember things a little better once I am actually in PA school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzypanda Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 I have to say that I never considered studying to be a chore. I adore medicine and love learning, so I spent a few of my waking hours learning to read EKGs/CXRs online (free), and reading pathophys made ridiculously simple before PA skool started. Now that I'm finished with the program, I do kind of wish I took the majority opinion to take a little time off and do some brainless activities ;) In any case hope you have a blast with your new book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Exercise hard, get in great physical shape. Don't show up at school packing extra weight. That way the extra weight you gather at school won't be too difficult to shake once you get your head above water again. Personally, I'm a fan of hard exercise via skiing/hiking. Pick your poison, enjoy it while you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystaltide Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Disclaimer: I'm another pre-PA who has not yet experienced the craziness that is PA school. I feel that when the PA students are constantly saying, "take the time off now to relax", it's more something that they wish they could do NOW, than something they wish they had done before school. I know during and after school I'll wish I had a break in which I could do nothing, but that's just not going to happen. Keeping our knowledge fresh by reviewing things for a few minutes to an hour a day is not a bad idea, particularly for those of us who have finished all of our pre-reqs and are just working on making money/earning HCE for the next year or two. As PA school is going to take a LOT of discipline, I feel like it's better to keep our minds at least slightly disciplined now rather than being awestruck the first week of school when we realize just how much we have to do/learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetv4me Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 I know it makes me a nerd, but I am reading up on embryology. So, I say, pick a topic that you think will be difficult to learn quickly or not covered in school because studying outside of school gives you opportunity to study slowly and thoroughly. Also, at least for me, when I am not under the gun of deadlines, learning is much more fun and productive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devildoc0311 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 I have 8 months of "free time" before PA school starts in August. I've been working like a dog since I was 15 starting with fast food jobs, then military at 18, undergrad at 24. Looking back I've missed a lot of my 1st son's life while I was in the military, with deployments back to back and training. I am going to take this time to recharge my batteries. I've started getting into cooking, finding time for my hobbies (photography and drawing/painting) and spending time with my 7 yr old and 10 month old. I am looking into coaching my 7 yr old's soccer team this Spring so I can spend some extra time with him before PA school starts. Also, my wife and I planned a vacation to Colorado in March to go visit her family for a week and go snowboarding. I do plan on "refreshing" some topics that I'd like to be prepared for- diagnostics & med term. But BELIEVE ME, it's not going to be hours a day, not even hours a week, just here and there skimming. Depending on your life, I would spend time doing what you love to do and be with people you love. Because I know that that time will not be so available when school starts. I want to be as mentally prepared for this as possible, and I think pre-PA school mental preparation has more to do with family, friends and loved ones then it does with textbooks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haeriphos Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 There are two reasons you should relax before school and not crack a book: 1. You want to enter school stress-free and be prepared to tackle it starting on day one. 2. There is no possible way you are going to read anything that is going to give you any sort of advantage in school. Reviewing undergrad anatomy in preparation of graduate anatomy is nearly worthless. It's like reviewing your EMT book to get ready for Clinical Medicine. If you absolutely must feel like you're being productive before school, look at medicine-related books that discuss the human condition and not the science. Check out How Doctors Think for starters. There are also some good lessons in Complications and Better (both by Atul Gawande). Start thinking about why you wanted to get into medicine in the first place and how you can help better society after your training is completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiaroscuro27 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Disclaimer: I'm another pre-PA who has not yet experienced the craziness that is PA school. I feel that when the PA students are constantly saying, "take the time off now to relax", it's more something that they wish they could do NOW, than something they wish they had done before school. I know during and after school I'll wish I had a break in which I could do nothing, but that's just not going to happen. Keeping our knowledge fresh by reviewing things for a few minutes to an hour a day is not a bad idea, particularly for those of us who have finished all of our pre-reqs and are just working on making money/earning HCE for the next year or two. As PA school is going to take a LOT of discipline, I feel like it's better to keep our minds at least slightly disciplined now rather than being awestruck the first week of school when we realize just how much we have to do/learn. Absolutely NOT true for me. I AM a current PA student! To the OP, by all means study whatever you like if it pleases you. I love to learn also and I did read a lot in the unit while waiting for my program to begin. Personally, it was the HCE (not the reading/studying) that made all the difference for me. If you can work in healthcare prior to school, if you can touch patients and interact with them, that will serve you far more than just reading a book. You will have time to relax in PA school if you utilize your time wisely. However, most of your time will be spent in the books, in class, or in lab. If you can rest up now, do it! You won't have time to be "awestruck" the first week of school because you'll be too busy organizing your notes, making flashcards, acclimating to a new environment, and keeping your head above water. By the time you start school you will most likely have forgotten some of the stuff you read anyway. You will be taught what you need to know. Trust the process! The craziness of PA school is hard to explain to those who have yet to experience it. But soon you will understand exactly why many suggest rest and relaxation prior to the two years of hard work that await you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cabkrun Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 I am taking a different approach, altho I have not yet been accepted. I am taking a class or two of interest, but don't plan to try to "brush up" on anything because I don't believe it will really help. I read medical topics of interest to me all the time, but trying to study anatomy, for example, before PA school starts would not really be of benefit to me. Plus, I know I'll have to put in the hours no matter what because I may not study what they teach or expect us to know. My plan is to continue learning as much as I can from a clinical training standpoint . I have opportunities to learn above and beyond what I have been doing as an MA, and in a wonderful clinic close to home. That is what I think will work best for me and I will continue on until I do get into PA school. Relaxation and spending time with friends and family is also time well spent. Everyone is different, so do what works best for you. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubledown10 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 are you nuts? you have time off and you want to study? What is it that you plan on studying? Not knowing what your experience in the past is I can honestly say that you have no business studying before school. Because what are you going to study? Medicine? yeah, good one. You need some instruction and some direction. You can't just crack a text book and start reading and memorizing things that you might not fully understand. Wait to get some formal instruction. I would have killed to get some time off before I went to school. Was working for the Army on a monday and on tuesday I was in PA school. No break and it was miserable. Take your time off. Trust me, in two years you're gonna be saying "I should have listened to everybody that said take time off" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJKitty Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Wow, attitudes and judgments flying left and right in this thread! OP, do what you want, don't let the naysayers or even the overzealous people (including myself) push you one way or the other. I really think it is beyond ignorant to think that "brushing up" on something is completely worthless; last time I checked, basic facts like the muscles of your body don't change between undergrad and graduate school. Same goes with the language of medicine, physiology, etc. I think most of us who have been accepted to PA school are fairly independent and intelligent people and don't need our hands held to know what could likely benefit us in knowledge. Furthermore, studying before entering a program doesn't necessarily have anything to do with actually memorizing random facts ahead of time, it has to do with getting yourself into the right mindset and learning for the sake of excitement/enjoyment. We have everyone from parents to younger professionals giving their voices here- obviously the busy parent will find more value in spending time with their immediate family, whereas the young unmarried person like myself might have fewer time constraints or obligations on a daily basis. There are those like DD who (sadly) had one whole day between the end of work and PA school. On the other spectrum you have people who know they have been accepted 9 months before classes begin. You can't honestly compare these two situations. Everyone who regrets not having more free time before school- trust me, I feel bad for your frustration. But don't use that to extinguish the excitement of others who have the time and drive to study because they honestly want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiaroscuro27 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 I am taking a different approach, altho I have not yet been accepted. I am taking a class or two of interest, but don't plan to try to "brush up" on anything because I don't believe it will really help.I read medical topics of interest to me all the time, but trying to study anatomy, for example, before PA school starts would not really be of benefit to me. Plus, I know I'll have to put in the hours no matter what because I may not study what they teach or expect us to know. My plan is to continue learning as much as I can from a clinical training standpoint as I can. I have opportunities to learn above and beyond what I have been doing as an MA, and in a wonderful clinic close to home. That is what I think will work best for me and I will continue on until I do get into PA school. Relaxation and spending time with friends and family is also time well spent. Everyone is different, so do what works best for you. :-) Bingo!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cabkrun Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Wow, attitudes and judgments flying left and right in this thread! OP, do what you want, don't let the naysayers or even the overzealous people (including myself) push you one way or the other. I really think it is beyond ignorant to think that "brushing up" on something is completely worthless; last time I checked, basic facts like the muscles of your body don't change between undergrad and graduate school. Same goes with the language of medicine, physiology, etc. I think most of us who have been accepted to PA school are fairly independent and intelligent people and don't need our hands held to know what could likely benefit us in knowledge. Furthermore, studying before entering a program doesn't necessarily have anything to do with actually memorizing random facts ahead of time, it has to do with getting yourself into the right mindset and learning for the sake of excitement/enjoyment. We have everyone from parents to younger professionals giving their voices here- obviously the busy parent will find more value in spending time with their immediate family, whereas the young unmarried person like myself might have fewer time constraints or obligations on a daily basis. There are those like DD who (sadly) had one whole day between the end of work and PA school. On the other spectrum you have people who know they have been accepted 9 months before classes begin. You can't honestly compare these two situations. Everyone who regrets not having more free time before school- trust me, I feel bad for your frustration. But don't use that to extinguish the excitement of others who have the time and drive to study because they honestly want to. No judging here, I try to steer clear of that. I was only saying it was not something I personally was going to do. Working, probing clinicians and learning from that end is of more benefit to ME than going through anatomy again knowing I will be going through it in PA school and at a very vigorous pace in a lab. It was just a different perspective on a learning experience before PA school. I use medical terminology every day and of course I try to keep up on it and learn more. I also use anatomy and physiology every day. My goal is only to be fresh, prepared and in the best mental and physical shape I can be in before starting. I wouldn't be working nor trying to advance into going to PA school if I were not excited and ready to learn medicine. As I said, everyone is different, so the OP should do what works best for them based upon the replies about things to study (or not). I know I am going to have to put in serious hours in PA school and it will be one of the hardest things I have ever done. There's been good advice on possibilities given on the thread and hopefully the OP finds something that helps. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigk Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Everybody's approach is different so you have to find what works for you. For me, I just bought one of the 9 billion PANCE review books out there and flipped through it. I didn't read it cover to cover and I did buy it as a guide to PA school but used it just as a means to kill a few minutes here and there. If I was at work stuck in triage on a slow night I'd pull it out and read a little. I focused more on working as much as possible and save every dime. Financial security is more important during this time of waiting than anything. I really don't feel anything you do can prepare you for what's coming so don't try. PA school is like "drinking from a fire hydrant" and somebody in you program will probably tell you that in orientation lol. So use this time to evaluate what it is that you need to accomplish before starting school. As far as taking time off, I took the last 3-4 weeks off before school. Took a vacation for a week then spent time around the house doing odd jobs that needed to get done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles9708 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 It was mentioned to me that now since I am accepted to a program that instead of just being a CNA I could possibly move up to a patient care tech and would be able to learn more procedures. I am lucky enough to work on a unit where my coworkers are eager to teach and I plan on trying to learn as many procedures that I can. I have also mentioned to my boss that I would like to learn telemetry and this will help me learn how to read EKG's. I took a class on EKG interpretation, but because I was not using that knowledge I lost alot of it and I am almost afraid if I study certain material for PA school ahead of time that I am not going to retain what I actually need to know. So my plan is to maybe brush on some of my pre req material and work until I leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Wow, attitudes and judgments flying left and right in this thread! Please try not to conflate having an opinion with having an attitude or being judgmental. Please keep in mind that within the very narrow dimension of internet message boards, it's just about impossible to form an accurate impression of fellow posters. I am betting that people have their own passions for their own reasons and each of us believe our passion is the most accurate (which isn't exactly a fair belief) Just do what you want to do. AdComs have all agreed that you are worthy of entering the program tomorrow. If they thought you needed some more study time, then they would pass on you and accept someone else. Trust in their foresight, they have been accepting students to PA school longer than you have been applying. But again...attitude and judgment carries negative connotation and I don't think anyone was being malicious. Lets keep things positive and believe in our fellow carbon unit. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzypanda Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 nicely put Steve! and i'll second Craigk - lots of my classmates had more stress when it came to getting their financial aid/loans than learning.. which really sucked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubledown10 Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Trust me on this fact, when you are stressing over pharm or some other subject, or if you meet a preceptor that you don't click with who makes your life uncomfortable, you'll wish that you had some chillaxing memories to look back on. I've been out of shcool and through a specialty residence and all that jazz for years and in my opinion, kicking back and enjoying the small things in life, like having time to do laundry and go to the movies is so important. I also posted a thread about how I just crushed the PANRE, that if you're really interested in and you're looking that far ahead, you can read up on. There is also another posting about some word association that looks pretty good. Check it out and feel free to contact with questions or concerns. Not trying to come off with an attitude at all, just drawing from my personal experience and that of all my classmates and all of the people that I work with. It's okay to be a go-getter, just know what you are go-getting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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