The Pain Of A Physician Assistant

I put on the lead apron and walked into the operating room. I was shadowing an interventional radiologist, and although I was just watching the procedure, I was nervous. What if I faint? What if I get queasy during the surgery and have to walk out? These questions filled my mind with diffidence. But as I stood there, just a few feet from a doctor carefully maneuvering a catheter around the vasculature of the patient’s brain, I had never been more intrigued and excited. My feelings of self-doubt washed away as a flood of fascination and curiosity came over me. I watched as the doctor skillfully pulled the blockage out of the women’s brain and place it on a tray next to me. The enormity of the procedure was not lost on me. Sitting next to me

The day Luther was supposed to come home was like the past two days: after the dismissal of school, I would go to cross country practice. Grandma would then pick me up and take me home. When I got in the car after practice, Grandma’s facial expression told me that something was wrong, causing the air to strip from my lungs, dropping my stomach to my toes. She informed me that Luther had been taken by ambulance to St. Mary’s in Rochester. Instead of going home, we drove to see him and Mom. The ride to Rochester was a slow blur. Trying to work on homework was useless as constant thoughts about Luther flowed into my mind. When we arrived at St. Mary’s, we went straight to the NICU, where Luther was admitted. Tears filled my eyes when I saw the many chords that were connected to his little body that led to machines that I had never seen before. Mom explained to us what was going on, but I still didn’t grasp the concept that, lying in that little bed, was my baby brother. As an older sister, I felt helpless, knowing that he was going through more pain then I could ever imagine. We stayed for a couple hours, then Grandma took us home. We continued to return to Rochester every day to visit Luther and Mom.

I enjoyed reading your post. During my clinical rotation, I had the opportunity to be part of hospital huddle. The physician, surgeon, dietitian, assigned nurse, charge nurse as well as the parents of the patient’s (minor) were all present discussing the patient health status from the day of admission to current day (day of huddle). Each member was getting a turn to give their insight of the patient’s health condition, plan of care, and new approach that can be taken to improve patient outcomes. During the huddle, the parents were given the opportunity to ask questions about the treatment plan, surgery options and any other concerns they may have. Then, the surgeon explained the risks and advantages of the surgery, how the surgery

I had to opportunity to shadow Dr. Brooke Winner on December 2, 2016, from the hours of ten o 'clock to two-thirty. She is an OBGYN with her speciality areas being in Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecologic Surgery, and Robotic Surgery. Upon entering her office at 1110 Highlands Plaza East, suite #220, I was directed to the second floor where one of the office managers placed me inside of her office, that she shared with another OBGYN, a male, named Dr. Biest. Upon her arrival to meet up with me, she smiled while holding one finger up, and speedily accounted one of her patient’s information into a tape recorder. It was a surreal event to watch.

Feeble, isolation and dreaded anticipation. I will describe my sadness as death by a thousand paper cuts. For every time I remember that my little boy is leaving me, possibly forever, another cut is sliced across my already weakened heart. None are enough to kill me, but powerful enough to deeply scar. My stinging heart clenches at the thought of the risk that he is putting himself up to. Slowly, I lift my trembling hand with the sellotape bandage wrapped around it, and limply brush off as many white cat hairs as possible. Holding back the temptation to graze my nose across the tip of his and run a hand through the gelled blackthorns of his hair. I attempted to distract myself by smoothening out the creases in the uniform. Can’t the clocks

Physician Assistants are clinicians practicing in a physician extender role. They are found in almost every medical and surgical area in the U.S. and are appearing in both primary and specialist care settings in Canada. They perform similar tasks to their physician supervisors, including examination, diagnosis, diagnostic testing, treatment, referrals and prescribing. Research shows PAs to be capable of giving care, comparable to that of physicians for similar services.

“I was recruited to the University of Missouri to serve in a tri-appointment with the School of Medicine, Harry S Truman VA hospital, and division of general surgery in July 2013. The assignments were seemingly going well and clinical growth was exceeding expectations. My most recent evaluation by both the division of surgery and the surgery residents had been completed and were more than

For years I have dreamt of gaining acceptance into a Physician Assistant (PA) program to continue my journey into medicine. The exhilaration of getting accepted into the University of South Carolina’s Physician Assistant program not only allowed this path to become real, but allowed further planning into my future. With that being said and being the planner that I am, I became intrigued with the options of continuing my Physician Assistant education once I completed the program with potentially enrolling into a residency program. In this paper, I am going to take you through the eye opening details of the Physician Assistant residency option, including topics such as: the history of PA residencies, accreditation process, gaining acceptance into these programs, what these programs entail, the pros and cons of residency programs, and my current opinion after further research.

It was dark and there were so many noises around me as I slowly woke up and recalled I was in a hospital with abdominal pain. I then heard a familiar voice say “Sweetie, wake up! Wake up!” I opened my eyes to a blurry image of my mother. “Shhh… don't make any noises. We're leaving now. Just act like you are fine. We'll try to sneak out before anyone notices”, my mother said. She explained later that she could not afford to pay hospital bills, so we had to leave before any physician checked over. Living in Vietnam, I was filled with resentment towards their healthcare system, as people were rejected treatment and left to perish in the streets. As a child, I therefore never considered medicine as a career. My spark for medicine was unforeseen until I went on a high school field trip at INOVA Fairfax Hospital in Virginia. Hovering over the glass ceiling of the operating theater, I watched doctors performing coronary bypass surgery while witnessing the heart beat stronger and stronger. At this magical moment, I was overwhelmed by the power of medicine to save people’s lives.

It is a warm summer evening at Grady Hospital. It is my first day as an emergency room volunteer. I’m nervous and eager, hoping to see something exciting. However, it is surreally quiet. Suddenly, there is word of an ambulance en route. Minutes later the paramedics burst into the trauma slot pushing a man on a stretcher. His head and face are covered with gauze that is soaked through with dark blood. It is a flurry of well-orchestrated movement as the attendings and residents start to resuscitate him. They pull back the bandages to reveal a deep gash that is bleeding profusely. With much effort his vital signs are stabilized and he begins to regain consciousness. Later, after the excitement had passed, I learned what brought him here. He is diabetic and couldn’t afford to properly manage his condition. He had fainted due to hypoglycemia and hit his head. He had almost lost his life because of the unfortunate financial realities of modern healthcare. In that moment, I came to appreciate the very real cost of disease and the incredible role physicians have in ameliorating it. This formative experience was the beginning of my path to medicine.

The medical assistant should listen to the patient and try to make him as comfortable as possible, then ask questions such as; Why are you feeling this way? Are you in pain? Is there anything we can do to change how your feeling. The medical assistant should also inform the Dr. of all of this information.

A Physician Assistant (PA) is a mid-level medical provider who works under the supervision of Physicians. PAs have to pass multiple exams to start the practice. Although some of the Physician Assistant programs in the United States accept students who do not have an undergraduate degree, most of the program now require to have a Baccalaureate degree. Students can choose any major during their undergraduate degree; however, they must complete the pre-requisite course of the Physician Assistant program. Some of the major pre-requisites of the PA program are: Human Anatomy and Physiology, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, General Biology, and English. Although there are variation in the pre-requisite for different programs, most of the pre-requisite

Before entering my master’s program at Tulane University School of Medicine (TUSOM), I had the chance to volunteer in the surgical department at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center (PWFMC). While volunteering, the majority of my patient interactions involved helping patients in any way possible, which usually meant simply talking with and comforting them. After all, most patients do not choose to be in the hospital and are to some extent afraid. They become scared as they attempt to contemplate the personal and financial costs of their ailments for both themselves and their loved ones. This awareness was further highlighted studying, observing, and volunteering at TUSOM. Most notably, shadowing Dr. Douglas Slakey, a surgical specialist, and his team in the gastrointestinal (GI) clinic at Tulane Medical Center.

I learned so much from this experience. The importance of insurance when admitting patients to the hospital, is key to all facets of health care delivery. In addition, the humanistic aspect of working in the medical field was a constant lesson. Speaking to a mother whose children were killed in a car accident was one of the hardest things I had to do. As I asked her for her children’s names and birthdays, all I could think about was that this mother would never get to hold them again. During my time working in the emergency room, I observed the composure of physicians in tough situations and have taken on that attitude when I face those same challenges. I have observed the formation of relationships, which are founded on confidence and trust. Creating and maintaining long-lasting relationships is something that I appreciate about my own doctor and mentor of ten years. I aspire to do the same when I become a

Stoddard made the best of the situation and is constantly working to make his son proud. It also amazed me how much one person can do in just 4 years. When one sets his mind to something, possibilities are endless. He also showed me the importance of the role of a child life specialist. All of his donations were toys and distraction tools child life specialists can use and hand out while a child is in the hospital. Stoddard wants each child’s visit to the hospital to be a positive as possible. A child life specialist plays a huge role in how a child perceives the hospital setting. Many children are scared of not only the procedures, but they are also scared of doctors, nurses, and various medical staff. The child life specialist is available to the child as a person who has no affiliation to the medical procedure. They are there just as a reassurance to the child. They help the children understand the procedure and help the child stay calm in a scary situation. In addition to helping with the donation, I checked on a few patients as well. When I walked in the room, the parents told me their daughter would not look or talk to anyone who walked into the room because she was scared. I was able to explain that I was not a doctor or a nurse, but as another person who could keep her company or provide any toys. Although she did not want company or need anything at the time, she smiled. Although providing a friendly face is such a simple task, it can create a more positive perception of medical