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Thursday, February 12, 2009

Paper work never ends...

It seems to me that paper work will never end. We just had a class on how to get licensed in Maine and how to renew your license every two years... I will just say- its a lot of paper work. I don't really like it. What if I just don't do it? Yeah OK I know, I have no choice but I don't have to be happy about it.

For those of you that weren't aware, I had my simulated patient exam yesterday... I will have you know that my "patient" did not die. The only problem was that I did not think the plastic man looked "sick" and silly me, I forgot to ask- does he look sick? I think that at this point I would be able to tell on a real patient whether or not he was sick. Anyway, I am sure I passed which is all that matters. Now I am just killing 3 hours while I wait my turn to take a fake 3 hour board exam... I am also not happy about that.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Done with this cold weather!!!

Once again my plans have changed... instead of going back out to WA to do another rotation I will be going back to the VA in Maine. I am actually very happy about this because in the end it is going to save me a lot of money!

Nothing new is really going on in live right now, I am still just working full time at the various rotations while NOT getting paid! I have spent the last 5+ weeks in rural New Hampshire- all I have to say about that is that Rural NH is VERY cold. I think the coldest day it was -30. That just doesn't seem possible! Thankfully my car started. I really wanted to see a moose while on that rotation but alas it has not happened yet. I think I will go up to Baxter State park next fall- everyone says that's the best time to see one. They are really huge creatures so I don't really understand why I am having such a difficult time seeing one. I guess its a good thing I am staying in Maine for awhile.

I really like everyone that I have met on this rotation. All the ladies at the clinic have been so nice to me and the family that I am living with has been awesome!

While I am looking forward to the end of this rotation, I am not looking forward to rotation seminar. Between every two rotations we have to go back to campus to do presentations and take exams and other busy work stuff. At this seminar, we have our "summative evaluations" which includes a graded simulator experience. Basically we have these 250,000$ fake patients that we have to evaluate, diagnose and treat. The problem is, we are video taped, and watched from behind a two way mirror were someone is speaking through a microphone on behalf of the "patient" It is really strange and you have to basically "act" like its a real person. Not only that but the person grading you has to hear out loud what you are think- so you have to remember to say things that normally your just file away in your head, like- oh the patient appears to have good color and good profusion (even though the "patient" is made out of plastic!) Not only do we have to do these simulated exams, but we also have to take the practice board exam AGAIN! Which means we have to take another 3+ hour exam for FUN! No good!

Lets see what else... I am so over the snow and cold- I mean I don't even remember the last time it was over 30 degrees for more than a few hours one day a week. I don't think people were meant to live in under 30 degree weather for prolonged periods of time. Good thing I am still carrying around some 1st year PA school "insulation". I would love a little rain. I do like that the sun comes out however.