Felt Like A Champ...

                                                                            +1
       The presentation was great. As with many impacting presentation it was important that I not stand like a statue behind the podium. So, I let my partner in crime tap to the next slides. My story with Leukemia hit home with some of the audience members. Many were already caregivers, and were proactive amongst the community. Rely For Life topics and info. was given by Sarah Fader, and she did an awesome job! Lot's of great statisitics on smoking, relay, and tanning. I felt I grabbed the audiences attention well, and put a +1 on the board for personal growth! :)

       The Council that was hosting the event donated $800 to American Cancer Society, and media was there to catch coverage. It was a fun event, and my main objective was to emphasize the importance of awareness to our younger generations.





" To Infinity and Beyond" - Buzz Lightgear

Presenting For The American Cancer Society!

    So, Today Is Going To Be Most Memorable!

         So, today I will be presenting on behalf of the American Cancer Society at my University. Attending will be many Fraternities and Greek RSO's ( Registered Student Organization's ). I will actually have another partner there with me, and she will be touching on a couple topics separate of my own. Smoking, tanning, and my story of survival are my key focuses for the presentation...There should be about 150+ people there to include some media coverage, so I'm told by our host. The event will be held in the auditorium, and my thoughts are this...although I'm a tad nervous....

                                                         "It's Nothing I Haven't Done Before!"

"I Must Dislocate My Thoughts of Pain To Pleasure!!"     "I Want It To Be Impacting"!

 "It's Important To Carry A Smile!!"                "More Important To Show Passion!"

                                                  "I Don't Care What They Think of Me!"
   
           "Kawasaki! Let The Good Times Roll!"                                     "Git R Done!"   

                                         " I Have A Inner Flame That I Need To Express"


        Though I have many more, I can say that positive thoughts are the only way to express myself because it's not about thinking of embarrassment out there. It's about thinking of the impact your going to cloak your audience with. Touching the hearts and minds of many.  Suading your audience to be future leaders in amongst themselves....I have one more though..." All I can do is try". What's wrong with that?  Hence, dislocating pain from pleasure.

       These feelings also reflect how I would feel in an interview! I mean let's get realistic, you would only have one chance at one. Deep inside I feel it's important that I have two "selves". Reason being, I can get mad at the other for not exuding passion, feeling, and pride. I fought my inner craving to be the best I could be.  I should meditate like Master Yoda right? Well, luckily for me I've had some recent help in my presentations.  The VA internship was a very large contributor to my confidence in public speaking. I can remember the shallow feelings within me that posed some hindrance to some of my outward expression. I was questioning my abilities, and the thoughts of my audience. I was associating Pain to public speaking, but in reality I knew deep inside that I thought of it as Pleasure. In my head I literally see one arm labeled as Pleasure, and the other Pain.

       Before my presentations, I look to the sky welcoming the Man above and laugh. I further rip my arm of Pain off. Weird right?!?! Well, I LOL when I think about it, and before you know it, I'm reflecting a positive influence on stage becuase to me it's comical, but a switch telling my mind I have to go big or go home!!! hahaha :)

       I had a stand up comedian that shared with me his thouhts before he goes on stage. " I picture myself standing near a raging river, and there are people there on the side waving their hands, smiling and ready to go for the fun ride. I pull up on my raft and in an excited voice I say, who wants to go with me?!?" He tells me that he envisions his audience ( those on the side of the river ) jumping in the raft with him. He smiles enthusiastically, and sets forth the journey. 

       What does this have to do with PA's, or getting accepted. My thought is I can use the same strategy to excel in an interview. Let's be realistic here, it's obvious I'm going to be a 2nd year applicant, thus an underdog. What better way to bark at the panel when my time comes! If I can be true in front of 150, then what's stopping me from doing so in front of 5-7 panelist?!?!


" Life is about dancing in the rain"

Struggle!

       So I had some off time from work and play,  to think about the progress that I will have to achieve in the next year.   The most difficult thing for me to realize is that I will have to make A's in everything to increase my GPA.  The difficulty in making this happen depends on what I decide to take, one class, two, or three. I just don't know! I would like to just take two, and coupled with the other goals I"ve made for myself, I think I can be successful at making that academic mark.

       Today I picked up a GRE study guide. Kaplan series for the new GRE 11-12'. Looking forward to cracking it open. I love the smell of new material.  I flipped through it, and it seems very organized and user friendly. I plan on taking it before May.


       I did some research on grabbing my National Registry, I have to speak to my EMT Instructor at the local community college.   Apparently, if it's been over 2 yrs since I've taken my course, that means I have to take a refresher course to be eligible to take the National Registry. Obstacles, obstacles, obstacles....

                                                    A's Are The Name of The Game!!

       Pin point focus, determination, THE MAN ABOVE, and some luck.  The 4 ingredients to making it through this.  I'm not going to lie, I know my capabilities and I can make this happen! A B is not going to improve my GPA. One foot in front of the other. :)

" I have placed a secure hand in the nook of this rock wall. "

Compare And Contrast...

PA News Update!



" With the ceremonial swearing in of the 112th Congress on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, the PA profession saw the first PA take a seat in the People's House.
U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., and other members of the new class of congressional freshmen took the oath of office from new House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. After the event, the U.S. House of Representatives conducted the first votes of the 112th Congress." - American Academy of Physician Assistants.

   I would one day like to be part of the PA time, just like Karen Bass has recently. She fights for the access of care in California, and has made a significant impact in both today's and tomorrow's PA society.

** This is something that I would like to speak of given the opportunity for an interview, showing I'm up to date with current events in the occupation. I've known about this for almost  a year now, but I figured I'd put this on here just in case anyone didn't know. Again, a good topic for your interviews! aapa.org

A Foot In Front Of The Other!



   So I've been doing some homework on this whole community college thing, and spoke with a few professors at my university. Apparently, the importance of taking anatomy/physiology at the university is greater because they say they go more in depth with the human cadaver. So, I guess I'm going to have to take 300 and 310 at my university. I don't know how I'm going to take both if I already missed a semester though!?! Grrrrr.....:)

A Warriors' POA (Plan of Action)!

  So, I've decided that since I don't have a chance to start school this semester, I'm going to plan for this summer and fall. First-things-first, I want to make this semester just as productive.

My POA:

- I've already taken the MAT, which was an optional test for my #1 pick. I'm going to take the GRE, and expand my horizons, and take it early so I can re-take if need be.

- I'm going to continue to accumalate CEU's and register to take the National Registry EMT-B Exam. I think getting this will give them a sign that says I'm more competent on an academic standard, comparative to just a state license.

- I want to instruct a minimum of 5 AHA BLS courses this semester, and work on a good clientele to continue classes later in the year.

- Also, stay fresh with the PA's that have given their valuable time in the past to shadow.

Quote: " My Vision is 20/20, I see opportunity in the challenge"...

Who am I...

         The picture on my blog is me with the Associate Dean of the School of Applied Sciences. He was there to congratulate me on my recognition. It was a very distinguished award signifying excellence, volunteerism, and performance. An experience far from forgettable.

         I am an EMT-B with 3.5 yrs experience, and I have accumulated over 4200 hrs ( and still accumulating ) of hands on experience. I worked 48/72 hrs/wk ( 24 hr shifts ) throughout my undergrad degree.  I am an A.H.A BLS Instructor, and have accumulated over 50 hrs of class instruction. I am a Healthcare Management Undergraduate ( University )  who has earned a 3.2 GPA, and an Associate of Science ( Community College ). I have earned 157 credit hours in 4.0 yrs of schooling, and am 22 yrs old. I was nominated by the Director of Allied Health to recieve the            " 25 Most Distinguished Seniors Award".  I have played significant roles throughout my community to include: American Cancer Society Leadership Board Member, Colleges Against Cancer Education Officer, and Pre-Profession Association( PPA ) member. ( Physician Assistant was my focus in PPA. )  I have both basic and advanced Phlebotomy skills, and have received a recognition during a 5 month internship at the local VA Hospital that has never been given to any Healthcare Management intern since the beginning of the universities history. I presented via PowerPoint to over 200+ medical staff ranging from PA's, DO's, Nurse Case Manager's, PT's, Nurses, Chief of Surgery, Chief of Staff, Chief of Nursing, Volunteer Dept., and several others on the importance of Patient Centered Care. Approx. 10-12 presentations total. I assisted in the transformation of a Patient Centered Care facility. I know that as a future PA I will be able to apply exceptional Patient Centered Care.

         I have shadowed a spectrum of PA's to include: Emergency Medicine, Behavioral Medicine, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, and Hematology/Oncology.  Aggregate shadowing hrs (60+).  For the application of my #1 pick I even included an 8 page journal of some of the notes that I made throughout my shadowing experience. They were typed/nice n neat/ a boarder placed around each page and orderly, spell checked and everything. The advisor told me that she has "never had anyone do that before", and she thought that was excellent.

         Letter's of recommendation. I had two from PA's and one from my preceptor ( RN, Health System's Specialist )  through my internship. They were golden! :)


         So, let's look at my letter grades now. I took several courses at the community college, and I asked my advisor if this would be ok. She said it would be fine as long as I made A's. This is what I made in several key courses, and these are what I'm trying to analyze most:

Community College Courses:
Organic I: B
Organic II: B
A&P I: A
A&P II: A
Chem 200 B: A
Micro: B


University Courses:
Statistics Probability 288: C
Healthcare Statistics 365: A

** I've take more at the University like Aging/Rehabilitation 410, Nutrition 365, Medical Terminology, and such. I've made A's or B's in them***

**I must note on my Organic I that I was doing a 300 hr Internship while taking 2 other courses coupled with working 24hr/avg/wk.   Organic II I was taking 5 classes to include Micro. I will say that the individuals who did make an A in Orgo classes took only this class for the semester or just 2 classes all together.** ** Did I over load my system those 2 semesters? **

         What's aggrevating is I just spoke with my PA advisor today, and now she is saying that I need to consider taking the Universities Anatomy/ Physiology and make A's in them. She told me I could take the community colleges courses as long as I make A's. I did.   I need help understanding what I must do to get accepted ?!?! hahahah :) Do as I'm told?  I don't know what to think about my situation.

         I've already missed registration for this spring semester, becuase I'm waiting to hear something from a program. So, I'm behind a semester already if I have to take/re-take courses to improve my chances. hahaha Seriously, I just feel like an underdog! I thought I had a loud bark, but apparently it didn't get any schools attention! hahah

The Start of My Climb...

Greetings! My name is Michael, and I wanted to start my blog for several reasons:

1.) I wanted to immerse myself among fellow pursuers of the Physician Assistant programs/occupation, and those who've succeeded.

2.) Share with you my credentials and the hurdles I will encounter achieving my dream.

3.) Answer questions to the best of my knowledge, and to be inquisitive for myself and others.

4.) Listen and share ideas about shadowing, gaining professional experience, and growing a readiness for the program into which I'm accepted.

5.) Most importantly, I'm going to smile along the way!! :)

So currently I feel my life is in turmoil!  I applied to 7 programs, and I haven't heard anything except 3 denials. I have visited my #1 pick on numerous occasions. The program advisor knows me very well, by my first and last name. I really thought I would "at least" get an interview. I still have until the end of February, but  I was told that the class I applied for is already over halfway full.  The advisor has even asked if I want to continue to pursue the application process. I have exceptional mentors who are rooting for me. So now, since time is closing out on the application process it's time to start reflecting on my areas of improvement. Let's face it, if I were that great of an applicant I would have received an interview right? Well, honestly I know that I am at least an equivalent amongst those who get in. Over my 4 yr degree I have accomplished tons, and have been recognized by several professional organizations to my credit.  So, If I don't get in this year what is it that I need to build upon?  I want to analyze areas that need some fortitude! First,  I want to share what I've done so far in terms of GPA, hands on experience, shadowing, letters of recommendations, and distinguished recognitions...