As I sat through almost nine straight hours of lecture yesterday, I found I had some time to reflect on the past few months in this new chapter of my life. Despite the fact that I couldn't wait for my long day to be over, tonight I spent the car ride home assembling my thoughts about my journey thus far in becoming a PA. I found it hard to ...

AAPA president Stephen Hanson has published an opinion piece, '''Make more of them' isn't the only solution to America's physician shortage,'' in The Bakersfield Californian endorsing PAs as an integral part of the solution to a growing physician shortage.  A Bakersfield resident, Hanson explains how PAs are primed to ...

With Thanksgiving just days away, I'd like to share the top 10 things I have become most thankful for during this journey through PA school: The love and grace of my Father! The most amazing wife! Because of her love, respect and desire to tag-team life with me, our marriage continues to thrive. She is the most patient, encouraging, ...

In the last few weeks, I have been a patient, rather than a provider-in-training, on a few separate occasions. As it is the start of a new semester, I've recently caught up on all my doctor appointments and, in doing so, have faced an important reminder about what it's like to be a patient. Because I am in school and learning how to become ...

Last week I attended a meeting in which students discussed how our school, the University of Northern Texas Health Science Center, is perceived in the community. I sat with a few student leaders from other campus programs. We all realized how many components of the health care team are represented at the Health Science Center but are ...

Last week in my community service course, my classmates and I each made presentations on an organization of our choice that we were able to focus on this semester. Every student chose a different organization and topic of focus based on a past experience with the group, a personal connection to whatever condition the agency supports, or simply ...

Students in PA school encounter many opportunities to participate in community outreach events. Participation varies due to perceived or actual time constraints (see my previous post). Last week I spoke with a medical student who is highly involved in community outreach programs. He is always talking about how the medical school is doing this ...

Finals week is here again. I've spent all semester learning an enormous amount of information, and now it's time to test how well I know it. In PA school, especially during finals week, it seems as though I've found myself frantically cramming all of the information studied throughout the semester into my brain yet again. I have to admit that ...

One of my roles at school is to be a student ambassador. I team up with a couple of my classmates to host prospective students on their interview day. We take them out to lunch and lead them on a tour across campus. Along the way, they ask me questions and I do my best to answer. Recently, an applicant told me a story of a ...

Recently in class we have focused on the utility of screening tests and how to determine whether or not the test will benefit or harm a specific patient. Before taking this class, I would have assumed that, in any case, knowing you have a disease or are at risk for a disease is beneficial. But after our recent discussion I can see that this is not ...