My PA Family
Before I started school, and even after I was only a few weeks in, there was much talk from the older students and professors about how my new peers would eventually become like a second family to me. Without a doubt, I was excited to meet new friends in PA school, but it was hard for me to understand how a class of 54 unfamiliar people could become such an important support system. It was hard to see in the beginning how my new friends were soon to become my home away from home.
Over the past few months, and as the material gets more intense, it's more and more obvious that we are all getting closer. Despite the fact that we were all strangers in June and that we all come from different areas, backgrounds and age groups, we have already formed a strong connection.
The difficult experience of PA school is causing us to bond, not only because we spend so much time together, but because at times it seems like no one else can really understand the demands we face unless they, too, are experiencing them firsthand. As cliché as it sounds, our small group of 55 students is becoming more like a little family unit every day. While my loved ones are as understanding as they can be, I've already experienced the difficulty of trying to explain to those around me why I can't do some of the things I used to.
Despite feeling as though I am always working hard, I get to share my experiences with 54 other students who will always completely understand what I'm going through when times get tough. Every week, I learn more about the members of my class and through it all I am forming friendships that I know will last well after PA school. This past week I've been reflecting on how the teamwork and peer support that we'll hopefully experience someday in practice with other health care professionals has already begun here in PA school.