Rotation #10 : Emergency Medicine
Here are the details~
Specialty: Emergency Medicine
Schedule: Twelve 12-hour shifts throughout the month
How it went down~
To be honest, I was fearing this rotation the most. Why? The rapid critical thinking and quick medical decision making freaked and still freaks me out! To my benefit, I was mostly in the Fast Track/ Lower Acuity area of the Emergency Department. I was able to suture A LOT and helped with procedures like ultrasound, splinting/casting, incision & drainage of abscesses, foreign body removals, laceration repairs, dislocation reductions, EKG interpretation, X-ray & CT scan interpretation.
Apps that really helped: UpToDate, Epocrates and WikiEM. I also used my EMRA Antibiotic Reference Guide.
From Instagram:
I did not anticipate how 𝘵𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘯𝘨 this month could've been. I struggled with 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 for the better half of June.
My May EOR exam didn't pan out as expected.
I also got pimped (ask medical/ board style questions) HARD in front of the whole ED unit. I got really flustered and froze. Traumatizing.
Got an email from my professor that said my practice Kaplan scores were below the class average. (This email came the day before our 450 question exam we had this past Friday.)
"I'm not doing so hot... I'm almost done with school... Will I even pass the PANCE? Incompetent. Imposter. 🤦🏻♀️"
I did not expect to feel this way this month. I am doing much better this weekend after that huge test. I passed and exceeded my personal expectations.
I am far from being the perfect student, however when I make mistakes, you better believe that I'm going to bounce back 💯
All in all, I’m really satisfied with my experience in the ED. The PAs, NPs, MDs, Nurses, and Techs were all amazing people (they are kickass at their jobs!). I’m glad I got pimped, because now, I will never forget that information and how to assess a patient after a fall. My presentation skills are still rough around the edges but improving, I think!
End of Rotation Exam
For this month, we also had a HUGE 450 question mock PANCE exam. So I honestly, did NOT study specifically for the EM EOR. For the mock exam, I used my classmate’s Quizlets and referred back to my first-year PA school notes. I relied on my clinical experience and used some PPP. What’s also helpful is the blueprint on PAEA. I didn’t feel too horrible about the exam itself, however, still waiting on results!
More that happened this month:
A comprehensive 450 question final examination
EM End of Rotation Exam
20 minute problem oriented physical examination
Master Thesis Presentation
MSPA 2019 Gala & Awards Ceremony
Music Video Premiere (at Gala)
To see more of my day to day on this rotation, check out my June 2019 Emergency Medicine highlights on Instagram!
June Meet-Up
This month’s meet up was in Azusa and quite a few of you showed up! I was most surprised when my classmate Angela and a WesternU alum/ ER PA came by! It was so great to chat about the job outlook and what we could do in preparation for the PANCE. Things are getting SO REAL for us. I was also able to connect two new followers with specific PCE experiences and what they should do to attain more hours for applications.
LAST Meet-Up!
