My first day

Today was my first day of clinical rotations. I guess that means it's official, I'm in my second year of PA school. Most of the day was just spent shadowing the MDs and NPs that work there - getting familiar with how they do things. As the weeks progress, I hope to do more - seeing patients on my own first and comparing notes with the providers. It's a small practice, but everyone seems really nice. I tried to get oriented and help as much as I could. I was complimented by the nurse who found me cleaning up in one of the exam rooms and I even showed the MD where she could find a mask from my exploration in the cabinets and drawers.
With the other health care providers I saw newborn babies and kids up to 18 years old! Quite the variety. I'm learning a lot - there's a ton that I don't know. We also had a patient that required a Spanish interpreter. For a small community like Beaver Dam, I wasn't expecting it, but I guess they have a decent Hispanic population that they cater to with materials in Spanish. I definitely like to see that.

Rotations are tough though. People always say it's like an extended job interview. Sometimes, students are offered a job at the end of their rotation if they are well liked by the providers and such. By the end of the day, I'm exhausted from trying to absorb so much information and trying to recall just as much information that I theoretically learned over the last year. Then I have to do a lot of documenting as well as other projects and try to study up on things. I'm not sure how I'll manage to keep up my energy and enthusiasm, much less my health. Being around so many sick kids can't be good for my immune system - no matter how much handwashing and sanitizing you try to do throughout the day.