Christmas break with the Ho Ho Ho Family

This Christmas break, I'll be spending time with Benji's family in Macon, GA and traveling to Puerto Rico with Benji.  So far, we've visited Camp Leah, spent a lot of quality time with the Ho family and had brunch with friends Chen Chen and Ken.  It's a great break so far.  Wish it could be like this every day. 

End of one of the best jobs

Today was my last day at Dr. M's clinic, and I must say that I already miss it.

16 months ago, I started my search for any opportunity that would allow me to gain more healthcare experience. I applied to the local hospitals countless times and to several private practices around town, but could not land a position anywhere.  I had minimal experience, and four more months before I began my application process for PA schools.  Then one day my prayers were answered when I e-mailed Dr. M's clinic this:

Good day L.C.,

 

My name is Irene Gung, and I received your information from the American Academy of Physician Assistant's website.  Unfortunately, I am not a Physician Assistant at this time, but I am aspiring a career in this field.  Currently, I am a post-baccalaureate Biology student at Valdosta State University, and I am eagerly searching for an opportunity for more exposure in the healthcare setting. 

 

So far, I've shadowed P.A. S at the Moody Air Force Base and after my first day, I knew this is exactly what I want to do.  I find the field exciting, challenging and educational.  My favorite part about this field is that I know I'll be learning more and more from patient to patient. 

 

I've already completed my HIPA certification, shadowed a P.A. and now I am looking for more opportunities to learn about a clinic.  I am not searching for a particular position, just anything that would allow me to gain knowledge of the industry.  If you would keep my name and contact information on hand for future opportunities, I would greatly appreciate it.  Additionally, if you have any advice you could give me, I would love it. 

 

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.  Below is my contact information.

The following days, I was able to meet the staff at the clinic and Dr. M.  Little did I know how much I would be learning there in one year.  In one year, I learned how to properly do venipunctures, lab tests, injections, triage and even pulmonary rehabilitation exercises.  I gained proficiency in pulmonary diseases such as COPD, asthma, and RLDs; sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and acute diseases through their primary care patients.  The best part of my job was that I was allowed to considerably give my direct care and attention to Dr. M's patients. I would listen to why they are in the clinic today; many of whom reported shortness of breath, excessive coughing, or just their routine visit, and I would transcribe them. Towards the end of my career there, I could pretty much predict their diagnosis and plan before Dr. M saw the patient.  It was rewarding every single day I worked there, and I'd come home so satisfied with my decision to become a PA.

So, I decided to end my career there early so that I could help my parents retire from their businesses before I start PA school in August.  I've asked a friend who I met in one of the healthcare professional organizations at VSU if she would be interested in a position at Dr. M's clinic in order to gain experience before she applies to PA school.  She is so super excited about it and I'm thrilled she will be having an opportunity to gain so much experience.  I created an introduction manual for her that I hope will hopefully help make her initial period at the clinic as smooth as possible.

I am already sad knowing that I will not be working at the clinic any longer, but I am forever grateful for the experiences that I will be able to carry on in my medical career.

Procrastination

This week was dedicated to time to study for my last final exams in my undergraduate career.  I laid off all responsibilities in the office at the hotel, with my family and the family dog, my room and my diet.  I'm left with a pile of paper work in the office, missed reminders for my Mom's birthday today, a messy room with nothing in my refrigerator and skin with Seborrheic dermatitis.

This calls for less procrastination and better time management :)

Wigglesworthia and the Tsetse Fly

This afternoon, I'll be giving a brief presentation on the endosymbiotic relationship between the bacteria, Wigglesworthia glossinidia and the Tsetse fly. Funny how initially they were living part, but they've found a way to live together and help each other. The bacteria helps the fly reproduce and give nutrients to its offspring, digest bloodmeals, prolong its life, and in return, the fly provides a safe environment for the bacteria.

Life is amazing!

What to do to pass time between undergrad and grad school

As my last semester as an undergraduate student comes close to an end, I am contemplating my options for what I should do next year to keep myself productive until I start PA school in August. Some ideas have crossed my mind, but I haven't made my decision yet. I've thought about:

1. Finding a job in a medical environment
2. Helping my parents finally retire
3. Traveling
4. Taking more healthcare-related classes

Finding a job in a medical environment. The pros of finding a job in the medical environment is that it would offer me knowledge, experience, and on-the-job training that would definitely benefit me prior to PA school. Discussions and topics in PA school would be easier to relate to and understand with what I gain out of the job. I've experienced this when I shadowed Dr. M and PA Mike in the pulmonary clinic and orthopedic clinic, respectively. The cons is that if I were to take on a job there, I'd only be making close to minimum wage which right now is $7.25/hr. Sure, if I were 21 years old still and fresh out of college about to start graduate school, this would be fine, but I am 26 years old and am ready for a position with more responsibilities and something where I can utilize what I've gained from my previous education. I thought about getting a professional level's job with my MBA and undergraduate degree in Management from GA Tech, but who's going to hire someone for just 9 months? Should I disregard the financial issue of the job and take advantage of the opportunity to get ahead before PA school?

Helping my parents finally retire. When I moved back down to Valdosta after GA Tech, my main motive was to help my parents retire. It seemed like my being down here only fueled their ambition to do more which was the total opposite of my reason for moving back to Valdosta. Currently, with my father reaching close to becoming 'senior citizen' status, we are looking forward to taking advantage of discounts at hotels, memberships and the blue bird specials at restaurants. :) Additionally, it's nice to know that my father's healthcare will be not as expensive since he will be qualified to apply for Medicare. So, the pros of helping my parents retire is that I can help reorganize their businesses and sell off unnecessary assets so that things will be simpler for them to manage when I move to Miami. Moreover, I can rest assure when I leave for PA school that they have a lot less on their hands to take care of. Furthermore, I can utilize my business experiences and education towards this initiative. The cons is that I would be creating a stunt in my growth for medical experience. In addition, as Benji has brought to my attention, there's a slight possibility that my direction in my career may change again if I am too deep into the businesses.

Traveling. Who doesn't love to travel? Oh, I would love to travel everywhere! I've been telling some friends that I will see them, but I haven't had the chance to complete this desire yet. For the past five years, I've wanted to visit friends in Vienna, Washington D.C., Hong Kong to visit my grandma, and Boston, but school or work will always find a way to keep me grounded. If I don't have either of them next semester, I might as well get a big ole back pack and go through Europe solo, right? :) That would be so nice. The only thing is that, I would feel bad for neglecting some responsibilities I have now in Valdosta and the number one reason is that I don't have any money. haha. hmm...maybe I should have thought of that first.

Taking more healthcare-related classes. It would be nice to advance in my medical education. There are a couple of classes I'm interested in taking like pharmacology, virology, molecular biology, or comparative vertebrate anatomy. The only thing is that these class credits don't transfer and it's not totally needed for PA school, though it would help me with my future career as a PA. Additionally, the thought of taking more classes while working just makes me tired all over again. I think I would like a break before 2.5 more years of school.

Well, even though I don't know what I'll be doing next year between school down time yet, at least I know that I am going to be so happy after this semester of microbiology and genetics will be done with. woohoo!

I've learned that if I can't say something nice, then I shouldn't say it at all.

I don't think anyone likes to hear a person being negative. This reminds me of a part in the movie, Hitch, where Allegra and Albert are at a party together and start a conversation with two other Manhattans. They start the conversation with, "Did you try that restaurant on so and so street? ... Disgusting." "Did you see the new museum on so and so street? ...Disgusting." All that negativity never makes a person feel good unless they're talking about your competition.

Anyway, I need to start thinking about what comes out of my big fat mouth and retarded brain sometimes before I get myself on someone's bad side. I don't wanna be that "Disgusting" person!

Is there a such thing as "Say something nice" day?

First Time Shooting a Gun

Though I don't see myself ever owning a gun, I thought it would be useful to try practice shooting one today with my brother and Dad. We practiced with two handguns and we brought a shot gun, but I was too scared to even try the shotgun.

When my father pulled the safety back on the handgun, he had no idea how sensitive the trigger was until he accidently fired a bullet. Luckily, he was facing the gun towards the forest and no one got hurt. It scared the soy sauce out of my bro, dad and me. Walking back to my Dad after running away from his accidental shoot, we were convinced that these guns were no joke. My Dad taught us how to use and hold one, and before you know it, I was in line to shoot at our homemade target: a soy sauce bucket hanging on a tree limb.

After the fire of the gun, my adrenaline was running full speed and there was a ring in my right ear. The ring soon went away, but my heart was still beating incredibly fast. I decided to practice three more shots and before the third shot, I was completely comfortable.

My brother was a chicken at handling the gun, but he soon seized the opportunity and shot the target perfectly! He owed all of his success to the hours he spend on games such as Combat Arms on the Nintendo Wii. Michael is so funny.

My father suggested, "Let's go to the creek, and let's shoot an alligator!" I thought this was hysterical, so I said, "okay!" though I knew I wasn't going to let my father shoot anything. As we were traveling towards the creek, a policeman called out for us and asked us to put down our firearms. Naturally, we did as we were asked, and he told us that this land belongs in the city lines, and we're not allowed to fire shots within the city. My father explained to them that the property belonged to us and that we weren't aware of the ordinance, and luckily, the police man just offered us a warning.

We didn't shoot our

selves an alligator, but we did come back home with an awesome experience and funny story to share with our Mom. Additionally, over the course of two months, I have successfully shot a gun and learned how to defend myself through a self defense class. It's funny how I'm doing this to prepare myself for my move to Miami next year, but of course, I could be attacked anywhere in the U.S. It would be just my luck to have something happen to me in Valdosta rather than a bigger city with higher crime like Miami. *knock on wood*

Barry University, here I come!

I submitted the remainder of my deposit yesterday for Barry University, so I am all in. Barry, here I come!

Dear Irene,

Welcome to the Barry family!

Sincerely,

Barry University Physician Assistant Admissions Department
11300 NE 2nd Avenue
Miami Shores, FL 33161

Steel's Diamond Dash

I entered my friend Katie Hylton and me in a little scavenger hunt for a diamond in downtown Valdosta :P I can't wait!

Steel's is a well known and exquisite jewelry store in Valdosta, and their hosting this event along with other businesses and sponsors in Valdosta. It's going to be so much fun doing it with Katie!

Congratulations! You’re now officially a Steel's Diamond Dasher! So, tell us, how does it feel? Now all you need to do is show up, ready to win a diamond ring!

You must be at least 18 years old to participate. You (and your partner) must each have a cell phone that is capable of sending text messages. You must play in teams of two. You may use any transportation that is not powered by a motor. This means that your feet, bikes, rollerblades, rickshaws, RAZR Scooters, moon shoes are totally acceptable, but that cars, motorbikes, taxis and other motor-powered vehicles are not. Public transportation is the sole exception to the motor-powered rule. You may use the public transportation system should you choose. You must be ready to have a great time and win a diamond ring!

Saturday, October 24^that 11:30PM

Food, Fun, Drinks, Snacks, Prizes, Gift Certificates!

Kick-Off: Courthouse lawn at 11:30PM
After Party: City Market at 3:00PM

#2 Best Job in the Nation - P.A.

2. Physician Assistant

Robert Wooten is a physician assistant at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Top 50 rank: 2 Sector: Healthcare What they do: Call it MD lite. Working under the supervision of a doctor, PAs do all tasks involved in routine medical care, such as diagnosing illnesses and assisting in surgery. In most states they can write prescriptions as well. Why it's great: You get the satisfaction of treating patients minus insurance hassles, since PAs have far less administrative responsibility than the typical MD. "I'm part of a team yet have a lot of autonomy," says PA Robert Wooten. You don't have to take on the time or expense of med school and the field is virtually recession-proof, owing to an ongoing shortage of primary-care physicians. PAs are also far cheaper to employ than MDs, so demand is expected to steadily increase as medical facilities try to rein in costs, says Bill Leinweber, CEO of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. And since they don't need as much specialized training as doctors, PAs can switch from, say, geriatrics to emergency care with relative ease. Drawbacks: It's a fairly new profession, so the number of annual job openings is still small. Pre-reqs: A master's degree; 100 hours of training every two years; recertification every six.

Never Give Up! -- From a CNN article

NARVIK, Norway (CNN) -- Fresh from medical school, Anna Bågenholm chose to do her residency in the Norwegian city of Narvik because of its spectacular mountain slopes. An expert skier, Bågenholm had gone off the trail with two other young doctors on a warm spring afternoon when she fell.

Rescuers worked frantically to save Anna Bagenholm from a hole in the ice of a mountain stream.

1 of 2

What happened that day in 1999 changed her life and has redefined what is possible in cases of accidental hypothermia.

Bågenholm slid down a steep, icy gully and ended up submerged head first in a hole in the ice in a mostly frozen stream. Only her skis and Telemark boots and bindings protruded from the thick, opaque ice. As the 29-year-old struggled, her friends Marie Falkenberg and Torvind Næsheim began a frantic effort to free her, made impossible by a torrent of frigid spring runoff pouring over them into the hole where their friend was submerged.

They called for help, starting a chain of events that is now part of medical literature and local lore.

Bård Mikkalsen, a police lieutenant in Narvik at the time, took the call.

"I realized this was really a serious case," said Mikkalsen, who has since retired. He scrambled a pair of rescue teams in Narvik, one from the top of the mountain, the other from the bottom. He also contacted the nearest rescue team in Bodø, nearly 200 miles away, but the Sea King helicopter had already left to transport a sick child.

"I told the operator, 'You must send the helicopter to here, and you have only one minute to decide it. You have to call me back. The time is running out.' " The dispatcher turned the helicopter around.

'Cheating Death'

Hear about the medical miracles that are saving lives in the face of death, taken from Dr. Sanjay Gupta's new book "Cheating Death." American Morning, Monday, 6 ET

see full schedule »

Heading the rescue party from the top of the mountain, Ketil Singstad skied as fast as he could in the wet springtime snow to the spot where Bågenholm remained trapped under the ice.

Singstad said he and others tied a rope to her feet and tried unsuccessfully to pull her free, and the snow shovel and small saw they had brought were no match for the thick ice. Then he saw another rescuer heading up the mountain with a pointed gardening shovel.

Using that tool, rescuers cut a hole downhill from Bågenholm and pulled her through the opening. She had been under the ice for about 80 minutes.

"I thought we were taking a friend, dead, out of the water," Singstad recalled.

Bågenholm's ski companions, both doctors, began CPR and continued until the rescue helicopter arrived. The emergency crew winched Bågenholm up to the hovering chopper, giving her CPR and squeezing air into her sodden lungs as they made the hourlong flight to the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø.

Dr. Mads Gilbert, head of emergency medicine at the hospital, was waiting on the helipad.

"She has completely dilated pupils. She is ashen, flaxen white. She's wet. She's ice cold when I touch her skin, and she looks absolutely dead," Gilbert said. "On the ECG [electrocardiogram], which the doctor on the helicopter has connected her to, there is a completely flat line. Like you could have drawn it with a ruler. No signs of life whatsoever. And the decision was made. We will not declare her dead until she is warm and dead."

Health Library

• MayoClinic.com: Hypothermia

Gilbert and the waiting team at the hospital were hoping the CPR that Bågenholm received after being pulled from the stream had provided enough oxygen to her chilled brain. When it's cold, the brain needs far less oxygen than it does at normal temperature, 98.6 degrees (37 Celsius), and Bågenholm was definitely cold. Her body temperature was just 56 degrees Fahrenheit (13.7 degrees Celsius). No one had ever been that cold for that long and survived.

Rushed to Operating Room 11 at the hospital, surgeons rerouted Bågenholm's blood through a heart-lung machine and slowly warmed it. More than three hours after her heart stopped, Gilbert recalled watching the video probe of Bågenholm's heart.

"It was standing completely still. No movement. I just saw some little shivering. No fibrillation. And suddenly it contracted. Pssh," Gilbert said, squeezing his fists to mimic a beating heart. "And there was a pause and pssh. A second contraction." Gilbert tears up at the memory.

Bågenholm was alive, but months of recovery lay ahead. Paralyzed for almost a year until her damaged nerves healed, Bågenholm today is a radiologist at the hospital where she was saved. She has returned toskiing and other sports. She and Næsheim began dating in the years since the accident and now live together.

Bågenholm remembers nothing of the accident and adds that the event did not change her life.

"I'm not so emotional. I'm more practical, I think," she says.

Her case history made the prestigious British medical journal, The Lancet, and stands as a challenge to doctors confronted with victims of severe hypothermia.

Næsheim, who is an anesthesiologist at the University Hospital of North Norway and is on the helicopter emergency medical team there, says the lesson from Bågenholm's case is clear.

"It's the three important things about emergency medicine, which is never give up, never give up, never give up. Because there's always hope."

The shovel that broke through the ice remains on the mountainside in Narvik, hanging from a tree next to the stream as a testament to the possible.

G-luck!

Good luck on your block 2 exams, Benjone!

Bartender?

Tonight was my first experience as a bartender. My parents had a club party at their venue, and they asked me to help out. Originally, I thought Michael and I were going there to help get ice or stuff like that, but I ended up making mixed drinks the entire night. I kept hearing the phrase, "eh! eh! Gimme ....." while I was busy making and remembering someone else's drink order, and that only toggled my memory even more so often times I would forget the drink order and have to ask the customer what they wanted again. Well, that or I have a horrible short term memory. It may be that too.

Since this was my first time bartending and I had no prior training, I didn't know many of the recipes to the mixed drinks. Many times, our station would run out of vodka, cranberry juice, or rum, so we'd have to make a make-shift cranberry vodka or hawaiian blue. When people ordered Amaretto sours, I'd put amaretto, pineapple juice, rum, and sprite in it. I've never tasted amaretto liqueur before, but I think anything with sprite in it must taste good! So, that's what I did the entire night. I put sprite and alcohol together.

It's amazing how rowdy it can get in a large space, a dance floor, alcohol, and loud music with a really good DJ. Some people are super funny when they're drunk and some are just down right classless and scumbags. I saw beer bottles flying across the dance floor packed with a bunch of people, people spilling their mixed drinks and beers on our pool tables, and some guys with their pants down so low that it seemed like they wanted to show off their boxers and their butt. I wonder if that's the equivalent of women showing their cleavage and parts of their bra.

All in all, my first bartending experience was a good and fun one. I think it was fun mainly because my parents were there with me. AND, we made some darn good easy money tonight too! Now I can see why people like to open clubs. I cannot even imagine how much money clubs in Atlanta like Opera and stuff are making. If I were a bartender every night, I'd probably be so incredibly tired all the time. i'm so pooped. goodnight.

Fun photo shoot!

For about three months, I've wanted to do a super dooper fun photo shoot with some friends, and earlier this week I set my foot down and said, "Gosh darn it! I'm going to do it this weekend!" I needed models, so I immediately put up a facebook profile message that read,

"Anyone want to join my photo party this Friday evening downtown Valdosta? I need some fun models for a photo shoot. You know you wanna! :)"

Gratefully, I had four awesome friends sign up and we decided to meet Friday at 6:30. We had so much fun with everyone's different outfits. My most favorite was Drew and Julie's matching jumpsuit. So cute!! Here are some photos from the shoot:

Self Defense Class

Miami is known for its high crime and homicide rate. There are a lot of drugs out there that make people do really stupid things. There are also a lot of just plain stupid people out there that'll do anything for money or to get a girl...or boy.

Recently, I've heard in the news that a man slit the throats of his wife and four children in his Miami home then fled to Haiti to hide. He still hasn't been found. I also heard that a dead body was found in a forest a little outside of Miami and no one even knows who he is or how he got there. There's all sorts of reasons to be scared of moving to Miami. Even popular shows will exploit the crimes in Miami: CSI Miami, Miami Vice, ... Dave's World!

So, since my Mom learned that I will be going to PA school in Miami, she enrolled us two in a self defense class offered at the local YMCA. Since then, I've learned how to:

• Defend myself from any attackers
• Punch them in the nose/chin with my palm
• Swing heavy men off me in case they attack me from behind
• Kick them in the groin, shin, knee or stomach
• Knock the intruder away in case they're choking me

This is my second week in the class, and I absolutely love it! I've never been attacked before *knock on wood*, but I've imagined being attacked many times and thought about what I would do if I were. I thought that if I planned ahead, my escape and protection would be better. Since taking this class and simulating the attacks, I've learned that no matter how much thought you put into it, it's so hard to respond on the spot when you've got someone surprising you from behind and your life is hanging by a string in someone else's hands. I've also learned how to protect my body in case someone attacks it, and that has boosted my confidence in fighting back a lot.

So, going to Miami could be a scary chapter for this small town girl, but after learning a lot of basic maneuvers, I feel so much more confident stepping out of Valdosta and going south to Miami. If I'm ever attacked, I'm not sure if I'll be shaken up and scared half to death, or proud of myself for being able to protect myself. I'm hoping it's the latter. :)

Btw, the above photo is my Mom attacking my brother as she's practicing some of the moves. Our instructor in the background had a great laugh as the whole entire class beat Michael up. hehe.

Starting a Family

No, I'm not expecting!

This past Saturday, I went to a high school friend's baby shower and realized that she was having her 4th baby's baby shower. Then, I started thinking about how old my mom was when she had me (her 3rd daughter) and it was around my age right now.

You would think that I am feeling late in the game and wondering, "why don't I have a family yet?" On the contrary, I am enjoying my no-kiddies-yet time. Don't get me wrong, I would really love to have my own family now and take them to parks and watch them play with other kids and watch them learn and grow, but I think where I am in my life, I shouldn't complain about what I have or don't have... I am happy that I have my own time to be free and do whatever I want to do without serious obligations. If I had a family, I'd still be happy spending my time with them.

So this exponentially-growing cute family started with two high school sweethearts who got married and started on their family shortly after high school. Mrs. B and I reconnected while working at the clinic, and it was there I grew to adore her children. Her kids say, "yes m'am," "please," and "thank you" with their cutest smiles and pig tails. I told Mrs. B that she must not have any problems finding a babysitter to watch over her three adorable kids because they're so well behaved. When I "grow up" (funny how I'm still saying that!), I definitely want to raise me some well-behaved chirrens!

First Acceptance!

I got my first acceptance letter into a PA program this afternoon through e-mail, and I instantly felt relief! Now I can finally rest at night, go to Jamaica for Kenny and Chen’s wedding and make plans for next August’s move to Miami!

Dear Irene Gung:

Congratulations! We are happy to inform you that you have been provisionally accepted to Barry University’s Graduate Physician Assistant program for the Fall 2010 term at the Miami Shores campus.

We invite you to accept our offer of admission. The next important step is to begin the process of Enrollment. Barry University requires a non-refundable deposit of $1000.00 which will be applied toward your tuition and fees. Payment of the first $500 installment is due within the next 5 business days. The second installment of $500 is due 30 business days after the first deposit.

To secure your spot in the class, which will be guaranteed if we receive your deposit by the deadline and provided all provisions of your acceptance have been met before or by matriculation. Enrollment in Barry University’s Graduate Physician Assistant program is very limited. Once our class has been filled, we cannot guarantee any further seats in the class. The deposit will be returned to you if it is received after our class has reached capacity.

We think you will find, as other students do, that you days here at Barry will be very rewarding. We look forward to having you as a part of our program.

First PA School Interview -- Bary University

My first PA school interview went well! It was at Barry University which is located in sunny Miami, Florida. After our St. Maarten vacation, my mother and I stayed in Miami for the next day interview at Barry University. The interview started at 8AM with a brief introduction to the school’s PA program and their faculty, then proceeded onto the group interview section. It was interesting to learn how others were attracted to the PA profession and some of their experiences that lead them to applying for PA school. Many of them always new they wanted to be in the healthcare profession while others just stumbled across the idea through certain life experiences like me.

In case your curious, here are some of the questions that were asked during our group interview:

1. Share with us a little about where you’re from, where you graduated from, if you have a higher degree than a bachelors, and your clinical experience.
2. “Oh, you’ve volunteered at the free clinic? Name some of the people you’ve worked with. Do you know Dr. X? Do you know Dr. Y? Do you know Dr. Z?” Man, these are some serious put-you-on-the-spot questions!
3. Why do you want to become a PA?
4. What do you want to attend Barry University?

We proceeded onto joining a 3rd semester PA student’s class called Thanatology which is the study of a human’s death. This class was extremely enjoyable to me because it was a different approach to learning bed side manners. The class introduced us to how a patient’s family members may be feeling if they just found out that their loved one is terminally ill and will be dying soon, they had a sudden death or they had a violent death. It allowed me to be more aware of my bed side manners while approaching this subject to others and to be more sensitive to their feelings. Well, obviously I know not to say something like, “Your son is going to live!!! Just kidding!!” – very unprofessional and just down right wrong.

After the class, we were shown the anatomy labs and diagnosis simulators. The rooms replicated a hospital or clinical setting. We were also introduced to some of the other facilities for the students such as the lunch lounge and the administrative part which is located in the upstairs portion of the medical complex. BTW, the PA school shares the newly built $8 million medical complex with the school of podiatry.

We journeyed to the school’s cafeteria and got stuck at the student center for a while because of a small transportation glitch but no worries, we just walked a short distance and we were back at the PA school to proceed onto finishing the day with the last portion which was the individual interviews. For my individual interview, I met with Associate Program Directed, Mr. Moore who interestingly also has a law degree in addition to his Masters in Physician Assistant studies. During our portion of the interview, he asked laid back questions such as:

1. Why do you want to become a PA?
2. Why do you choose Barry?
3. Where do you see yourself in the field of medicine 10 years from now?
4. Out of all the PAs you came in contact with, which one was the happiest? (that was my favorite interview question)
5. If you were accepted into Barry’s PA program, what would be one of your weaknesses?

All great questions and what’s awesome is that he was so laid back and easy to talk to. Best of all was that he did most of the talking about Barry’s program during our interview! Can’t be bad, right?

Overall, I think the interview went well. I got to learn more about the program, check out its facilities, ask their students more questions about the program, meet some other fellow applicants (which seemed well over qualified for the program!) and have a glimpse of what a PA class is like. All wonderful experiences that left me with a great impression of Barry.

What’s more is that as soon as my interview was done, I was told that I could go and enjoy South beach now! hahaha

Happy Birthday!

Time flies by! It seemed like I was turning 21 last year...suddenly, I'm turning 26 this year. I joined my friends in celebrating all three of our birthdays which just happened to all be around the same time. We dined at Charlie Tripper's in Valdosta and had a nice time. Towards the end of dinner, it started raining which only gave us one more reason to stay at the restaurant and catch up and forget that we have school/work the next morning :)

Weekend makeover

Last weekend, I decided to make my place a little more homey and my younger brother Michael helped me out. We painted an accent wall in my kitchen nook area and we made our own paintings on canvases. We got 50% off our canvases at an arts and crafts store called Michaels, used some old paint that was lying around and went to town! Here is our outcome.

St. Maarten / Sint Martin

Yah-mon! My first visit to see Benji in St. Maarten was surely a memorable one. From finding a totally secluded beach to almost burning the hotel down, I can truly say that it was a great trip.

Mom, Benji’s mom, Jason, Justin and I met up in the Miami airport to catch our flight to see Benji. Originally, I thought Benji had class and couldn’t meet us at the airport, but surprisingly he was there waiting for us to exit the customs area and to take us around St. Maarten.

Let me first tell you about landing into St. Maarten. The airport is popular for its particular location. The runway is directly behind a beach where tourists flock to record the impressive airplanes and their landings. The airplanes are so close that it’s frightening. This particular picture of Justin and the plane in the background isn’t as impressive, but the video is.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMs3g-VgiYY

We stayed at the Royal Palm Beach Resort located near Simpson Bay. It over looks Kim Sha Bay which is absolutely breath taking especially in the mornings. We would lay on the rocks at Kim Sha Bay talking about random things. At this particular location, we had a wonderful view of the stars. In the mornings, we’d draw back the curtain to see this beautiful view. Near the end of our stay, we came across a nice little fire with the stove that left us with not only smoke in our luggage when we came home but a little funny memory too.

Our main reason for the trip was to visit Benji and to support his participation in the White Coat Ceremony. Speeches given were motivational, for the most part, and the students looked extremely sharp, especially Benji . After the ceremony, I got a little teary eyed and was so proud of how far he has come. I also felt a little sorry for Benji and all the hardships he has ahead while in Med school…then my mom reassured me, “Don’t worry, Irene. PA school is going to be hard for you too!” So true!

In my head, I always want to be close to Benji and be by his side, but I know that where I am now is where I’m supposed to be. After this trip, I feel more confident about our futures together despite being countries apart. Hopefully in the near future, I’ll be starting a PA program while Benji is working on completing his med school and we’ll become stronger and wiser people. I just cannot wait until that day when it’s all done and we can finally be together!

First PA School Interview Invitation!

Two months after submitting my primary applications to various PA schools, I received two rejection letters and one invitation for an interview to Barry University in Miami, FL. I received the rejection letters from the University of Arizona - Glendale and sadly my top choice, Medical College of Georgia. When I received them, I couldn't help but think of Jason's popular and amusing phrase, "I didn't want to go there anyway!" Benji reminded me that it's not where I don't get into, it's about the ones that do accept me, and where I'll be going that is important. So, hopefully I will be accepted to Barry where I will be able to continue my pursuit of becoming a PA. My interview date is scheduled for September 14th which is immediately after our family trip to visit Benji in St. Maarten so it's going to be a nice trip!

Benji and I recently took a trip to Savannah and Tybee Island, and while there we stopped by South University's campus. The campus is a bit small, but it doesn't matter to me. PA school itself is tough getting into!

Benji and I recently took another trip to Destin with Justin, Monica, Mindy, Dorothy, Chris, Min, Joon, and Richard (a bunch of Techies!) We outnumbered Benji and Joon's alma matter, UGA by a landslide. The trip was amazing! Everyone got to really enjoy the beach, condo and the city of Destin. We stayed at Silver Springs condominiums in a 3 bedroom luxurious condo and revisted

the Old Bay Steamer for an amazing seafood dinner. Major props go out to Monica Bradshaw who put this gathering together!

Doctors without Borders

My sister, Emily and I went to watch a movie tonight at the $1.99 theater and decided to watch Ghosts of Girlfriends Past starring Jennifer Gardner and Matt McConaughey. In the movie, a program called Doctors without Borders was mentioned. Emily and I briefly talked about this program after the movie, and I wanted to learn more about it, so I decided to dig into it online.

This program is pretty awesome. In a nutshell, the program was created by a bunch of doctors and journalists in France with a mission to provide healthcare services and medical attention to underserved communities mainly in a great deal of regions in Africa and Asia. They actually serve more than 60 countries worldwide. After watching some personal documentaries made by some of the volunteers, participants and physicians, it stregthened my desire to provide the same kind of care and attention to others, especially in an underserved community. It's uplifting to know that there are a great deal of super talented medical professionals treating those citizens of poor communities who need medical attention the most. Disease are rapant in these countries, water and sewer systems are pretty much non-existent and malnutritioned children are so thin to the bones. Man, we have it pretty good here in the states.

So, I've made it one of my must-dos in life to dedicate at least a year to a program that provides medical attention and care to communities that need it the most such as the Doctors without Borders program. I have a feeling that if I stay there for a year, I won't ever want to leave.

It was worth a try...

lol! "June 30th, 2009 marks the day Irene decided to go for an MD!!" and then I said, "June 30th marks the day Irene was wrong and she still wants to become a PA" It was an exciting day. After finding out that I'll probably need to take another year of science classes before entering a PA program, I was bumbed out. I informed Dr. M, and he said, "no! You might as well go for your MD, Irene!" He pointed me to all the right people, schools and their websites, but then I found out that I'd have to stay in school for another year anyway. I think I'll love my job any way it goes, because I know I'm working darn hard for it.

UTI

You've got UTI if you score a 20-40 WBC on your UA and have a burning sensation when urinating!

"Irene was the name of my Aunt"

Funny thing happened today at Dr. M's office today. Three separate patients told me they liked the name Irene and that they had an aunt named Irene too!! Today is so weird! There must be a full moon tonight! :P

Bowel movements

I love it when patients describe their bowel movements to me like when, where, texture, color, weight, and what's in it. I find it amusing :)

Speedy Gonzalez Valdez

If you've ever met Dr. V, you'd love him to death. If you're working with him, he'll run you to death! While Dr. M is out of town, Dr. V was helping him with his patients and boy, when he's in the examination room, he definitely exams in he patient.

"Prostate is smooth, non-tender with brown-yellowish stool, nasal mucosa congestion in left nostril, wax built up in the left tympanic membrane!"

....."??? you got all that in one minute, Dr. V?? When did you do the prostate examination??"

I think Dr. V has x-ray vision, and he's able to see every ailment the patient has by the second he walks in the room. Each time he leaves the room, patients start forming a "I-love-Dr.-V" fan club. They start asking where he works, where they can find him, and even what his cell phone number is. I don't know what it is, but they sure do love him.

First experience in Pediatrics

Last Saturday was my first experience in Pediatrics. Benji and I shadowed Dr. H at Middle Georgia Pediatrics in Milledgeville, GA for a day, and spent the rest of the day sight seeing the Governor's mansion and Georgia State and College University. We only saw four patients, but we learned a lot mainly because Dr. H took a lot of time explaining conditions and certain symptoms to both the patient, patient's mom and us. We learned how to spot the ossicle, which is located in the ear and is the smallest bone in the body and learned that there's a condition called, "Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease." That's like saying "hair, uterus, and left lung disease." Benji also gave injections and the kid cried, screamed and kicked like no other.

Also, like I had expected, I found myself distracted by the cute little kids.

Rectal Examinations

I've seen a handful of rectal examinations performed by various Physicians, but today's was certainly the most entertaining one. Dr. M had a patient due for a rectal examination who had a history of complications with his prostate. While asking the patient to turn around and pull down his pants, he said to me, "Irene, go ahead and show me how to do a rectal examination." Can anyone who's a newbie in the medical field keep a straight face and not turn red when they've been asked this question?

After getting my face straightened back to normal, I reached for the cabinet and retrieved some medium sized glooves and proceeded on to putting them on my nervous hands. Suddenly, Dr. M and his patient started laughing, and a huge feeling of relief rushed over me. I laughed along thinking, "Whew! And, darn, I missed the opportunity to do my first rectal examination!"

After Dr. M finished the examination, I continued with interviewing the next patient and I reported back to Dr. M. He then explained to me the "correct" way of performing a rectal examination.

He says, "First you stick your finger in and you need to be careful not to get chomped down on. Then, you take it out and you smell it! Then, Ms. Melba tastes it, RIGHT MELBA??" I turned to Ms. Melba with so much embarassment and she replies, "Yea, you have to check to make sure it's just right!"

First Post

So I decided to start a blog because I know one day, I'll want to reflect back on what I did to prepare myself for my aspiring career as Physician Assistant. Additionally, for anyone interested in a career as a PA, this may help whether I make it into PA school or not.

I thought I'd start out by introducing what stage in my career path I am in.

• I'm back in undergraduate school at Valdosta State University, majoring in Biology. Previously matriculated at Georgia Tech for a bachelors in Management science, then on to a Masters in Business Administration in my hometown of Valdosta at Valdosta State University. Though I do not anticipate obtaining a Biology degree, I am still taking classes for a major in Biology so that I can meet the pre-requisites for most PA programs.

• Currently volunteering at a pulmonary clinic as a student intern/transcriptionist under Dr. M who specializes in Pulmonology and Sleep Apneas.

• I am in the process of preparing my applications for PA school

• Taking Biochemistry during Maymester (which is a killer)

• Plan on taking Human Anatomy and Physiology II during regular Summer term.

I have shadowed a couple of PAs, as it is highly encouraged by PA programs, from the following:

1. PA S - Moody Air Force Base Family Practice clinic
2. PA MC - South Georgia Orthopedics

Other healthcare related experiences are as follows:

1. Observed orthopedic surgeries at Smith Northview Hospital including arthroscopies, total knee replacements, carpel tunnel releases, trigger finger releases, and rotator cuff re-attachment with PA MC and Dr. C.
2. Observed Dr. Mc tackle five lap bands in one afternoon.
3. Shadowed Dr. A at South Georgia Medical Center as he works the grave yard shift at the Emergency Room.

I'm definitely looking for more opportunities to learn and anything that will help me get a seat in PA school.