88+ Exams (24 FCM exams)
Well over 1000 hours in the classroom
~100 miles walking to class
Tons of $$$ spent at Panera
Before finals week all I could think about was the exams I had to study for and which one came first, how much time was between them, and when I could cram study sessions in with friends. I was not thinking that this was the last time I would be doing such heavy studying for this many different classes. Before I knew it Friday hit, our last final. Walking into the classroom it was just after it rained outside so the room was extremely humid and warm. Every question I answered I could only think about how warm it was and how I just wanted to get outside and break free from the ridiculous temperature in the room. Still at this point, it did not hit me that this was our last FCM final ever. Just before I left we received our rotation schedules for the next year and before I could realize that I would not be listening to another FCM lecture in class or even another Dr. Crone lecture, I was walking down New Scotland ave with my rotation schedule in hand.
All of my classmates were posting that they were finished with didactic and they were so excited for rotations, but even after reading their posts I still did not "feel" accomplished, I think I was in denial that my classroom part of life is over. Since I was early accepted, I have never spent more than 2 months at a time outside the classroom because I always took some summer course even if it was just for fun. The only thing I know about my adult life so far is education. I am fully aware that I have so much more to learn about life and my career, but I love classroom learning and I am sad to move on from it. Not everyone feels this way, but since I do, it could be why I have still not come to the realization that we only have one short year until we are PA-C's.
All in all, I think that the first day I set foot on my first rotation site I will feel the difference and finally realize that I am not that far from my career goal. However, I have my "2-week vacation" as my first rotation so it will be a while until I start my rotations. The reason for the vacation so early is because I will be heading down to San Antonio, Texas for the AAPA conference this year! I am extremely excited because I will finally get to meet all the SAAAPA students I have been working with all year on our small projects and even get a chance to network with some amazing PA's. Shortly after that conference I will start my CIC rotations in stroke rehab. Stay tuned, I think that the clinical blog entries will have a different perspective than the didactic entries!