Last TBL of the year for the first years!

I like how most of my entries right now are dealing with, holy crap time seems to be flying by! But yeah... that's the sentiment at the moment. The first years had their last TBL today, which means lots of studying to go, some final exams, and then a week and a half of vacation or so. And then preceptor week! Preceptor week, followed by the week of our senior seminars, and then... it is all on them. I think technically they are still first years through the summer semester but once rotations start they are second years for all intents and purposes.

That second year goes so quickly! But you learn so much and gain so much confidence!

I'm at Durham Regional again this week with the staff PA I wasn't with the first go-round. It is nice to work with as many different people as possible to see their different styles of doing things, etc. I've been pleased this week that every time I've had to go to him to ask a question about something I hadn't seen before it has been something that has also given him pause. So the things I find strange and want to consult someone on are things that are genuinely less normal (the human body is infinitely variable some days). I'm glad that I'm not having to call him over for typical things that are old hat for him.

So I feel comfortable with the knowledge that in just over a month my classmates and I will be loosed out into the great wide world. From here on out it is more an issue of figuring out how a particular practice/pathologist wants things done and repetition than lack of any specific skill or knowledge. I know that they could expand the program to have more students, but I like that they haven't because it matters to them that they know the skill of each of the PAs they turn out and that it matters to them that the standards remain high. Can't wait for next year's class to get their chance to learn.