Welp, this fall seems to be very similar to the summer session in terms of how many tests we have. Overall, it looks like there is a lot less busy work, this is both good and bad. Good, in that we can focus our attention on learning the material instead of completing assignments. Bad, in a sense that we only have tests and fewer buffers for those grades. I guess we will see how it works out.
Clinical Skills Lab
Aside from workload, I am most looking forward to learning the hands on lab activities like suturing, casting, ABG's etc. I have a ton of practice drawing blood from patients in the ER, but I have not done any of those other things I listed. We are paired with another student in our class to practice these skills on one another and at the nursing home. I was lucky enough to be paired with a student who has a ton of clinical experience so that he can teach me more things than I can simply read in the text book!
Health Policy: Class with First Year Medical Students
We also have another new combined class with the medical students. They are first year, fresh minded students who are required to work with us to help them learn more about our profession as well as us learn from them. Many medical students do not know much about PA's or that PA's are even at AMC, so this class is a passive way of making them all aware of what PA's are capable of. It will show them that we are just as knowledgeable, and if not, have more experience than them in many fields of medicine. Today we met with our small groups and got to know some of the students. The "small groups" were made up of 15 people! With such a large group it can be hard to get things initiated or even function well due to so many different personalities and intellects. Luckily, our group was extremely welcoming and there seemed to be no abrasive personalities from the PA students or the med students. This class in general is designed around a debate focus. We work with them to present one side to an answer of a question that is subject to cause conflict in the work place. We did something very similar to this in our ethics class back in the spring semester, so hopefully we will be able to bring unique skills to our small groups.
Different Faculty
This fall, unlike the summer, it looks like we have A LOT more faculty teaching the classes. In the summer and spring, many of the instructors overlapped on classes so on some days we had one lecturer for all the classes. It was hard on the lecturer and on us because there was no change in pace, tone or scenery. This fall it looks like we will constantly be seeing all the faculty in the classroom. I'm guessing we will get closer to the other faculty that we have not really gotten to know yet.
Clinical Skills Lab
Aside from workload, I am most looking forward to learning the hands on lab activities like suturing, casting, ABG's etc. I have a ton of practice drawing blood from patients in the ER, but I have not done any of those other things I listed. We are paired with another student in our class to practice these skills on one another and at the nursing home. I was lucky enough to be paired with a student who has a ton of clinical experience so that he can teach me more things than I can simply read in the text book!
Health Policy: Class with First Year Medical Students
We also have another new combined class with the medical students. They are first year, fresh minded students who are required to work with us to help them learn more about our profession as well as us learn from them. Many medical students do not know much about PA's or that PA's are even at AMC, so this class is a passive way of making them all aware of what PA's are capable of. It will show them that we are just as knowledgeable, and if not, have more experience than them in many fields of medicine. Today we met with our small groups and got to know some of the students. The "small groups" were made up of 15 people! With such a large group it can be hard to get things initiated or even function well due to so many different personalities and intellects. Luckily, our group was extremely welcoming and there seemed to be no abrasive personalities from the PA students or the med students. This class in general is designed around a debate focus. We work with them to present one side to an answer of a question that is subject to cause conflict in the work place. We did something very similar to this in our ethics class back in the spring semester, so hopefully we will be able to bring unique skills to our small groups.
Different Faculty
This fall, unlike the summer, it looks like we have A LOT more faculty teaching the classes. In the summer and spring, many of the instructors overlapped on classes so on some days we had one lecturer for all the classes. It was hard on the lecturer and on us because there was no change in pace, tone or scenery. This fall it looks like we will constantly be seeing all the faculty in the classroom. I'm guessing we will get closer to the other faculty that we have not really gotten to know yet.