So for the semester we have just finished up our neurology module in clinical medicine - we have an exam on that this coming Friday. We are about half way done with our pediatrics lectures, and we have our first pharm test on Tuesday.
On top of all that regular class stuff, we have been a lot more hands on in the labs already this semester :) Our third day back was our first lab for special populations. We learned how to do male and female genitalia exams as well as breast exams. Then, the next week in medical procedures and surgery lab we started learning how to do sutures! So yeah, this last semester is already lots of fun!
Ok..let me now relax and actually put in an organized fashion how everything is going :)
So for our special populations class (includes geriatrics, peds, and women's health) - we have started with pediatrics. We have focused solely on that so far besides that one lab I mentioned above about the male and female exams. We did this the first week with our realistic models because throughout the next four weeks, groups of 4 at a time are going to the lab at our nearby medical center and actually practicing on live models. Basically these are people in the profession or people who have been trained to know how a genital exam should feel like and what it should feel like when you palpate each internal structure (cervix, ovaries, etc.). The first group from my class went this past week and I will be going the second week of October to work with the live models. I am looking forward to it, I have heard it is a great experience and that you learn a lot and gain confidence doing the exams so that will definitely be helpful.
In medical procedures and surgery we are learning mostly about wound healing and suturing so far. It is a lot of fun! The first lecture was taught about how a wound heals and how to know if someone needs sutures or not and when to not give sutures, etc. The first lab we did was learning how to do hand ties. These are mainly done in surgery in areas where it is too deep to give sutures (think internal abdomen). So we did those for the first week - I have to say, reminded me a bit of when I did cat's cradle when I was younger (sorry if that is dating myself lol). Then this past week we learned how to do a simple stitch and a "vertical mattress" stitch which is actual suturing with a needle through the skin. We also received practice pads to be able to go home and practice becauseee.....on Monday we go to the cadaver lab and practice on the bodies! I am very excited to have this opportunity to be able to practice on these people who have so generously given their bodies up for science and for us to be able to be better practitioners. So I am very excited to tell you all how that goes. But, until then, here are some pictures of me working on the practice pads - not perfect but getting there :)
All set up and ready to start!
First throw done
Trying to stay even...
Not too bad
If this does not get you excited for PA school, I do not know what will :)
But other than that we are plugging a long here. We had another orientation to clinical on Wednesday and it looks like I should get my schedule for my entire clinical year by October 1st!!! So maybe next time I write I will already know where I will be going for each and every rotation of clinical year. I hope so!
Until next time, happy fall everyone!!
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