Adventures of a New PA : PA Education

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)

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)

Dealing With School Debt, 1 Month at a Time

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:33:00 GMT

Unless you were blessed with rich parents or had a stellar job before life as a PA, the cost of your education likely still looms over your head. Debts range from $40,000 to $100,000 for new PAs just out of school. Thankfully, there are options for repayment....(read more)

Advocation vs. Agitation & the Lack of PA Awareness

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:04:00 GMT

The patient and I are walking out of the exam room, and he says, “Oh, it’s so nice that the doctor is training you. So, when are you going to get your MD?” I politely respond, “This is it. I’m a physician assistant. There is nothing else.” Inwardly, my...(read more)

The Challenges of Shadowing

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:48:00 GMT

Do you remember the time when you were applying to PA school? What was the one thing you really wanted to do but found it more difficult than expected? You looked for PAs to spend the day with so you could better understand what the life of a PA was really...(read more)

The Productive Response to Difficult Clinical Cases

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:38:00 GMT

Organic chemistry was the big bear of undergraduate studies. I remember everyone freaking out before the class even started. People had heard from upperclassmen how tough O-Chem was and that many had failed it. I was at a critical point in my education...(read more)

Avoiding Paralysis by Analysis in the OR

Timothy Loerke — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:46:00 GMT

The operating room is becoming more of a familiar place. I am much more comfortable with the preparation (positioning, shaving and draping the patient), intraoperative assisting (retracting, drilling and hammering) and wrapping up the case (suturing,...(read more)

Make a Difference Through Professional Leadership

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:01:00 GMT

Do you remember the first year of PA school? You might have been the student who only wanted to focus on the books, and every other commitment would take a backseat. You felt like the best thing was to kiss your world goodbye and be a single-track-minded...(read more)

Surgical Privileges: A Curse Broken

Timothy Loerke — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:45:00 GMT

Our country is blessed to have medical regulatory boards that serve to protect patients and their providers. Some other parts of the world do not require a license or special privileges. Those countries just want help from anyone willing, and it does...(read more)

Don’t Wait, Self Initiate

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:56:00 GMT

Cheesy title, I know, but I thought it was appropriate for the lessons learned last week. I’m still in the orientation phase primarily because I do not have hospital privileges or malpractice insurance. I do have a temporary license!!! Can I get an "Amen?"...(read more)

PA-C Honeymoon Over

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:19:00 GMT

As I enter the 3 rd week on the job, my nerves are starting to settle, and I'm starting to feel acclimated. Still no temporary license (fingers crossed …hopefully this week!) and thus unable to see patients in the clinic or assist in surgery. I am so...(read more)

Diabetes and Lipids Rotation Week 1: Finding Compassion

Timothy Loerke — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 16:36:00 GMT

Last week I started my internal medicine subspecialty. One thing you will learn about a rotation schedule is that it is constantly changing. Originally I was supposed to be in pain management, then it switched to renal transplant, and now it is endocrinology....(read more)

Internal Medicine Week 1: Prevention Done Well

Timothy Loerke — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:15:00 GMT

On day 3 of my internal medicine outpatient rotation, I was discussing the results of a preventive cardiac study with a longtime established patient and how the supervising physician values these types of studies. Her response was, “That’s why I go to...(read more)

‘Tough Love’: Psychiatry Rotation Week 2

Timothy Loerke — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:35:00 GMT

Inpatient psych has wrapped up, and now I begin psych-consult (more on that next week). Over the past couple of weeks, I have learned more about the “tough love” given in the hospital. Sometimes a patient is not capable of making helpful decisions. For...(read more)

The Chartered Waters of Psychiatry

Timothy Loerke — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:13:00 GMT

If you are anything like me, familiarity offers immense comfort. When I enter a foreign environment without any idea of the routine, the faces or whether or not I can survive, I get a little uncomfortable. This would be about 75% of my rotations. However,...(read more)