Notes from a PA Student

Thanks for Listening

Jenna Lombardi — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:06:00 GMT

I am now able to say that I have officially graduated from PA school. I may not be able to add the "C" to the end of my title until I pass my boards, but I am able to say that I'm no longer a student. It's such a strange feeling to finally be done, because...(read more)

‘The Last Week of My PA School Career’

Jenna Lombardi — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:35:00 GMT

Today just so happened to be my final day on rotations, and while it was depressing to say goodbye to the outstanding team I’ve worked with here on my elective, I have been so thankful for the invaluable experience I’ve gained. This entire week has been...(read more)

The Night Shift

Jenna Lombardi — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:47:00 GMT

This week I've been scheduled on nights, and it's been a completely different ER experience. While many of the chief complaints are the same as what I've seen during the day in the ER, the pace has been different. There is no doubt that things can get...(read more)

Finding Her Comfort Zone

Jenna Lombardi — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:44:00 GMT

It’s been almost 9 months since I was in the emergency room on rotation, and I am loving every moment of being back. I’m easily putting in 40 hours a week at my elective, and while many students are using their elective as an opportunity to relax a little...(read more)

The Light at the End of the PA School Tunnel

Jenna Lombardi — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:13:00 GMT

Monday began the final rotation of my PA school career. It's certainly hard to believe how much has happened over the past 2 years, especially since the start of rotations. All of last week's testing went smoothly, and it was exciting to see how much...(read more)

Back to Class - One Last Time

Jenna Lombardi — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:17:00 GMT

This week is chock full of final exams and with everyone from my class finally back in the area, there is much to be done. The beginning of the week consists of various lectures meant to comprise part of an all-inclusive review of more or less everything...(read more)

Back to the Bedside

Jenna Lombardi — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:11:00 GMT

I recently started my geriatric/long-term care rotation, and with it I jumped back into hands-on patient care. So far, my time on this rotation has been extremely useful in that every patient I’ve seen has an extensive medical history. In one short week,...(read more)

Psychiatry: A 'More Intimately Personal’ Rotation

Jenna Lombardi — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:39:00 GMT

It's nearly the end of my final week here on my psychiatry rotation, and as I say my goodbyes to the patients I've grown close to over the last month, I'm feeling much differently than I'm used to. My preceptor made it clear on my first day to give my...(read more)

'Everything I've Learned Since the Start of School’

Jenna Lombardi — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:52:00 GMT

With 1 more week to go in psychiatry, and the start of summer just a few days away, I've been gearing up for a busy couple of months. In 3 weeks, once I've completed my psych rotation, as well as my 2 weeks in long-term care/geriatrics that are to follow,...(read more)

Mental Illness and the Power of Presence

Jenna Lombardi — Fri, 20 May 2011 16:42:00 GMT

Today I had the opportunity to sit down with one of the many patients I have gotten to know over the last 2 weeks. On my first day, I learned that prior to being hospitalized for schizoaffective and bipolar disorder, this patient was a brilliant student,...(read more)

The Challenge of Treating Mental Illness

Jenna Lombardi — Fri, 13 May 2011 13:37:00 GMT

This week I began my psych rotation at a psychiatric hospital in Maryland. The hospital I’ll be working at is strictly an inpatient facility on an expansive private campus, with several buildings and wards. At the beginning of this week, after my orientation...(read more)

Feeling Less Overwhelmed, But ...

Jenna Lombardi — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:07:00 GMT

Now that my final research presentation and family medicine exam are officially out of the way, I am again feeling the familiar relief of being done with another clinical rotation. It’s wild to think that since last August, I’ve already completed six...(read more)

Preparing for a PA Career

Jenna Lombardi — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:20:00 GMT

As I near the end of my fifth week in primary care, I am reminded again that it's almost time for this rotation to come to an end. With only two more rotations to go, I am starting to feel the weight of everything that needs to be done to prepare for...(read more)

Learning Through Hands-On Experience

Jenna Lombardi — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:46:00 GMT

Finding myself well into my fourth week here at an urban primary care office, I can say that I’m so much more comfortable now with the routine. Having two primary care rotations in a row, combined with the fact that I’ve found myself in an excellent learning...(read more)

More on the Mystery of Nonadherent Patients

Jenna Lombardi — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:52:00 GMT

Today I had an encounter that left me feeling a bit unsettled. Last week I wrote about noncompliance, and today I found myself again meeting my first patient of the day, only to find a 32-year-old with alerts slipped into his chart about noncompliance...(read more)