Currently Studying For My Last Anatomy Exam!!!

           Right now I'm sitting where the lead meets the paper, and it's about 10:00pm on a Tuesday night. Today we discussed the molecular processes of the eye, and how the retina, along with it's photoreceptors percieve light, along with many other concepts, that I can barely remember.  It's about the 11th out of 15 lectures that we will be examined on.  There is a metric boat load of information to understand, and the art of retaining it, is to condense the material.  It's important to condense, and discuss some topics with my classmates so we can study faster, and go over material that is more time efficient.   The game plan is to stay up till about 12:30a, and crash because tomorrow we don't have class until 10a.  So that allows us to sleep in, and I'm thanking the 1st year medical students that they have an exam, because a typical Wednesday entails being at the campus at approximately 8a...

Recently...

Recently, a lot has been going on with school, and we are about to finish Anatomy! Our last exam is this upcoming Monday.  We are investigating Neurology, and it's going fast like the rest of the material.

On another note, I have been privilaged the position of becoming the Community Care PA Officer, and will have the opportunity to give back to our community by assisting in running free clinics that they have access to.  There are several hats that  I will wear in this officer position, and I'm looking forward to this unique experience! 
I'm starting to realize though that there are many other aspects to PA school than just going to the courses, and I'm enjoying it more and more...

"Don't get close to fire, not expecting to sweat"

Grinding It Out...

      I can finally say that I'm grinding out Anatomy, and it has taken all of my energy to successfully study for this course.  Honestly, there isn't much more to study for except for an " Interviewing " class that we are taking as well.  I'm having a hard time studying consistently like I should be.  We have the 3rd exam this Tuesday, and I, like majority of my classmates, still feel unprepared.  There is just so much to retain in this interval prior the 3rd exam.  We are on the head and neck, and the nerves stemming from the brain are so hard to understand fully.

    I received most of my comfort from speaking to the 2nd year students, and asking them how the hell they did it! lol  

    This weekend you can expect me to continue chiseling away at my studies! Woof...

To Date...

         To date we have completed " Intro Into The PA Profession " already.  In Anatomy we have completed everything except the head and neck.  In fact, we have moved past the neck already, and are picking through the cranial vault ( the inside of the skull ), and so if that doesn't give you an idea of our pace, I'm not sure what will.  I have personally had the opportunity to network with some of the 1st year medical students and they haven't even began Anatomy yet.  We are spending the remaining 1.5 weeks on the head and neck, and then the other 3.5 on neurology. 

         The time has seriously flown by when I think about it, and it's not super stressful like I thought it was going to be, it's more demanding than I thought though.  Sometimes I don't want to study, and that's where building a solid foundation in the art of " Self - Discipline " helps alleviate the procrastination.   For me it's not about thinking whether or not I can make it through the school, it's more about asking myself numerous times, what will the future semesters hold in regards to difficulty and demand? 

       I noticed that I have personally began to evolve in regards to understanding what Michael S. Hill is capable of, and there is nothing in this world that can not be accomplish if you have two principles that are sturdely embedded in your mind and heart. " Hard work and Dedication ". These haven't failed to push the envelope in the pursuit of my goals.  These are the two tools that I will apply, dreams are attained by using these two implements.

         For those of you who didn't get in a PA program this year, re - apply because applying " Dedication " means that your striving to obtain your goals. Don't give up. 

Health Fair

This past Saturday I joined some 1st year medical students at a health fair assisting with migrant hispanic workers south of town.  It was a very humbling experience, because I was able to assist them with their health concerns.  We took basic vitals such as BP/BS/BMI/Eye/Hearing/ and a brief mental health exam.  Overall, the experience was phenomenol, and I was able to instruct some of the 1st year medical students on how to take a BP appropriately.  Since I've had experience as an EMT I felt I was more approachable and comfortable during my interactions with patients.  One thing I could improve upon is my Spanish! haha

" There's only one way to eat an Elephant, one bite at a time. "

Anatomy Exams I & II

Well, as of today we are already finished with half of anatomy, and we have blown through the entire body except the neck and head, which we will start this Monday.  Crazzy!!  In the exams were tough, but with persistent studying achieving a decent grade is doable.  A few notes on that:

1. There is a different study skill required for being great on the " Practical ".  It's hard to do equal on both " Written " and " Practical " becase of this.

2. Depending if you have a 1000 lb brain then you can obtain a great grade on both, but since I only have a brain that weighs 900lbs  ( haha, your in class with a alot of 900lbers ) there is a definite fluctuation between both grades.

I have learned a lot about myself and my study skills, I have to re-adjust to feel more confident during our next exam coming up in 1.5 wks. They have assessment centers here that I.D your type of study habits, and I seem to be Highly Kinesthetic, so I have to be hands on during my study, bringing my lecture material to lab and writing with the chalk board, and often with the dri-erase.


Alot, has occurred since the last time I've written, and we have finished our " Intro Into The PA Profession " class already.  We have begun our " Interviewing " class already, and I have participated in some annual community events already.  I'm actually going to a health fair this morning, and I'll be able to sport my white coat, so I'm pretty pumped about that! 

" It's not the years in your Life, it's the Life in your years. "

Exam 1 This Friday

So, the semester is some what tiered, and our 1st Anatomy exam is this upcoming Friday, and everyone is anxious! We started with just one class, but have 2 now. It will grow in numbers as the semester progresses.  I'm pretty excited, and I'm headed to the Cadaver lab in an hr to prepare more for the practical.  Overall, I feel like I've studied so much already that I want to just get the exam over and done with!   I'm not the type of person who gets super stressed over the exam, and in fact, I'm kinda the exact opposite for some reason.  When I first hit undergrad I would become worried prior to exams, but now I just feel like I just want to get it over and done with.  Sometimes I wish I felt like a had more of a sense of urgency prior the exams because I think I would do a tad better...gottat work on that...well...off to Cadaver lab.  Stay tuned for my results! 

" Shoot for the moon, for if you fall short, you will still land amongst the stars."