Adventures of a New PA

The Final Post

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:44:00 GMT

My journey with ADVANCE began July 7 th 2008 as I wrote about my days leading up to physician assistant school. I was excited, yet nervous, about what I was getting myself into. There were PAs in my life that encouraged me with words of hope and peace....(read more)

Purpose Before Testing

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:16:00 GMT

The nurse asked, "What labs do you want?" Like clockwork I responded, "CBC, iSTAT, POC UA and UPT." I walked away thinking about what I just ordered. Really? Are those even necessary? Am I simply in robotic-non-thinking-mode? My suspicions were confirmed...(read more)

Mental Triage: The Art of Emergency Medicine

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:03:00 GMT

Triage is the act of prioritizing patients based on their probable diagnosis and necessary treatments. It comes from the French word tier , meaning to sift or to separate. Our ED has a "triage" area where patients are seen by a nurse who collects basic...(read more)

Back Up

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:00:00 GMT

As I write this, my body is suffering from a 9-hour jet lag and 4P-4A shift in the ER. On Saturday, I returned to the States after an 8-day trip to Uganda. Our purpose was to teach at a leadership conference in the northern part of the country. We flew...(read more)

Think of the Worst, Hope for the Best

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:20:00 GMT

Today I want to give you an insight into the emergency medicine world. This is one of the few areas of medicine where the focus is general, but the depth is shallow. We are looking for things that will kill you now, not later down the road. For instance,...(read more)

Compassion Fatigue: The Enemy of Medicine

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:31:00 GMT

The records say she has been here 14 times over the past year for trivial complaints, all of which resulted in “take ibuprofen and follow up with Dr. So & So.” Today she states the abdominal pain is “10/10 and started this morning.” Is she being dramatic?...(read more)

Medical Spanish: Dangerous or Necessary?

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:56:00 GMT

Him, "No English." Me, "Uhhh, well, ummm, duele (pain)?" Him, "Spanish word, Spanish word, Spanish word" and then points to his right lower quadrant as he writhes in pain. This patient began with the luxury of his PA using the translator phone, but as...(read more)

No Room for Mistakes

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:28:00 GMT

The medical director said, "We don't want you to make mistakes because they're too costly," when I asked him for some tips. My first day of emergency medicine orientation was spent one-on-one with the ED director. This one stood out. He went on to explain...(read more)

Experience Enhances Preparation

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:44:00 GMT

Friday was my last day as a full-time PA in orthopedics. We had two knee scopes. The day seemed typical. I arrived early so that I could read more from the Tintinalli Emergency Medicine Manual. The supervising physician noticed my studies and made some...(read more)

Discount No Patient

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:48:00 GMT

Next week I will start my new job in the ER. Along with reading my Tintinalli Emergency Medicine Manual, I have spent a little time at the PA Forum . If you have not been over there, they have a little something for everyone (pre-PA, PA-S, PA-C). Their...(read more)

Surgery and Its Physical Demands

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:07:00 GMT

If you are interested in surgery, there might be a few things to think about. Yes, there is nothing like the rush of gowning up, seeing/holding the inner-parts, closing up the incisions and seeing the patient off to recovery. It is very rewarding, yet...(read more)

Your Life on Paper: Tips for the CV/Résumé

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:52:00 GMT

If you have applied for any job, they always ask for your résumé. Prior to PA school, it may have been a straightforward task to create your file packed with every possible job and accolade to impress. You may have not been in a field where it mattered...(read more)

Tips for Changing Jobs

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:46:00 GMT

When starting your first job as a new grad, there are a lot of things required to be “official.” Not only are we paving the way to legally practice, we are dealing with the site-based requirements of credentialing. Transitioning to a different job is...(read more)

New Beginnings for a New PA

Timothy Loerke — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:38:00 GMT

When considering my first job as a PA, a topic of concern was the commute. At the moment, I drive about 30 to 45 minutes each way, not to mention the time spent between the offices, hospitals and surgery centers. I initially thought this would not be...(read more)

Patient Awake! For Surgery, That Is

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:58:00 GMT

Have you ever considered staying awake for your surgery? I have absolutely no desire to be awake for any moment where knives and drills are involved on my body. Back in school, I saw one surgery where the patient had to stay awake due to a heart condition....(read more)