2021 Physician Assistant Gift Guide - Pre-PA, PA Student, PA-C

Unsure of what to get for the aspiring PA or practicing PA in your life? Well, you’re in the right place! This is our most comprehensive guide yet. If you’re on the other side as a hopeful PA or PA student, feel free to forward to your friends and family who may need a gentle reminder of things that would be helpful and appreciated! If there’s something you’ve received in the past and loved, please comment and share your ideas with your colleagues. Some of the links included are affiliate links, and for more ideas, visit our Amazon store.

Shipping times and product availability have been hit or miss lately, so we wanted to provide some non-shipping/delivery time dependent options! Sometimes we have to get creative depending on circumstances. In each category, you’ll also find DIY/low cost options all the way to splurges.

Pre-PA

For any pre-PA student in your life, they are likely focused on anything that will help make the PA school application process a little easier, and that’s what we’re here for! A book to help with personal statements, interview prep, or a gift card for an essay revision or mock interview are all great options.

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Purchase

Pre-PA students are often trying to obtain patient care hours and having a nice set of scrubs and shoes is a thoughtful gift. I recommend Medelita, which is a PA-founded company, for medical wear, and here are a few of my favorite items. My husband is obsessed with the Medelita underscrub and scrub jackets also. Use the code PERRYPAC20 for a 20% discount on all of your Medelita favorites. For shoes, my current go-tos are Crocs clogs. Super comfy and easy to clean/disinfect and my feet don’t hurt after standing and walking for 8-10 hours a day. I find all of these items run true to size.

Call me cheesy, but I love a good DIY coupon book as a gift as well. It’s meaningful and thoughtful, and can be very low cost. Feel free to interchange all of these ideas between pre-PA/PA students/PAs, but here are some of the things you could include. Use a free online editor like Canva to make it look cute and print or send digitally.:

• Home-cooked meal

• Coffee date or bring coffee to work/house

• Pet-sitting

• Baby-sitting

• A day of running errands

• Movie night

• Help with cleaning or organizing

• Study session

PA Students

For a quick study break for PA students, here are some of my favorite reads from the past year in a variety of genres. Some are medical, some aren’t, but everyone could use a brain break every once in a while (even if they don’t know it.) I will also add, I’m a dedicated Kindle reader at this point with a new found love for Audible (click the link to get a free credit and trial!) and audiobooks, so I included that as well.

We can’t leave the PA students out with the Medelita gear. The Medelita Sensitive stethoscope is a great tool, particularly for someone who is about to start PA school. For the many hours in a classroom each day, a cozy fleece jacket is a must, and there are also short white coats available for clinical rotations.

Can we talk about self-care for a second? It’s easy to get caught up in studying 24/7, but also important to prioritize yourself during PA school, which can be hard to remember. A fun basket of skincare, water bottles, and treats would be a sweet gift to help get through the end of the semester. One of my most favorite gifts to give is Babelash, which has the Essential Serum to help lashes grow thicker and longer and the best mascara ever. Use the code SAVANNA for 20% off as well (and it stacks with the Black Friday deals!) And there are tons of other skincare items in my Amazon store.

These days it seems like the holy grail for PA school is an iPad. Everyone has one and everyone loves them for taking notes and staying organized. While this would be the ultimate splurge, there are some accessories that also come highly recommended. I recently polled instagram, and it seems that the iPad Air + Pencil + keyboard is what most students are going for.

PA-C

I can only speak from my experience as a PA, but I’m constantly on the lookout for anything that makes my life easier. With a busy job, once I get home, I want as much time with family as possible. Something to help with dinnertime would be much appreciated. I use my crockpot often, and an Instant Pot is on my list this year. I started using ButcherBox recently as well, and I’ve been very impressed by the quality and convenience.

The Splurge! If you’re really looking to make a PA’s day, usually coffee is a great idea. An espresso machine is a great idea if you know someone who appreciates a good caffeine hit or spends way too much at Starbucks. I don’t personally own one yet, but I’ve had my eye on the Nespresso for a quick option, but the Breville has great reviews for a true barista. If you aren’t ready to splurge quite that much, a milk frother can take coffee to the next level with an at-home sweet cream. I personally own this one and use it all the time.

For a workplace present, a new Medelita white coat will help start the new year feeling fresh. The high quality fabric is so durable, and the fit is highly professional. Embroidery is available to add a name also, or if you’re like me, stick to the scrub jackets and my all-time favorite scrub pants - The Pixel.

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Need more ideas? Refer to our previous PA Gift Guides:

• 2017

• 2018

• 2019

• 2020

PA School Mom: What Having a Baby in PA School is Really Like - Interview with Nora

Nora is a current PA student with a very interesting story. While first planning to attend PA school in New York, an unexpected pregnancy forced Nora to reconsider her plans and make some tough decisions. Long story short, she is now in PA school with an infant. We talk through how she handles being a mom and a PA student.

This interview is also a Pre-PA Club Podcast Episode that you can listen to here.

Nora: Hi everyone, my name is Nora. I'm originally from Ghana, but I came to Minnesota about 10 years ago. I did my undergrad at St. Cloud State University in biomedical science. I was there for probably five years, and then I moved to Connecticut, where I live right now. I started working at a hospital as a CNA, and I have pretty much been here since then. I started PA school in August of 2019, and I’m done with my first trimester at Sacred Heart University. 

Savanna: Did you know through undergrad and your experiences that that you wanted to go the PA route, or did that come kind of later on?

Nora: Basically, when I was almost about to graduate. I didn't actually know what a PA was until my brother was seen by a PA. He was born with cerebral palsy and also has epilepsy. So he was having seizures that were getting worse. And so we saw a neurologist and on the team, there was a PA. Initially I didn't know who she was to be honest. She did talk to us a lot, explained a lot of things, was very easy-going. But I didn’t know what her role was, and we started to talk and she told me that she is a PA and talked about what she did. I thought it was interesting, and I was about to graduate. I honestly didn't know what I wanted to do. I was so focused on pharmacy for such a long time because my mom is a pharmacist, but then I realized that I wasn't really interested in that. And so I did shadow that PA, and I decided this is something that I think I could do, and I could possibly be good at it. I had a couple of more classes to finish. And before I could apply to PA school, I decided to go ahead and shadow a couple more PAs. I decided that this is what I want to do; I want to be able to talk to patients like the way she talked to us and explain things to us. She made us feel very comfortable, and she really had the time for us, so that is where I really appreciated most about her job.  

Savanna: Okay, so when it came time to apply, you took extra classes, got your experience, all that. And what did your application process look like? 

Nora: For the most part it was pretty straightforward. I think the thing that I struggled with the most was my personal statement because writing is not my strongest suit, so I felt like I had so many things that I wanted to say and so many things that I wanted to share, but I just didn't know how to put it together. I did write my personal statement over quite a number of times, and I had different people read over it. I had a couple of PAs look over it as well before I finally submitted it; that was like my last thing. I had gotten everything else including my recommendations, my transcripts, and everything else. But the personal statements was the last thing that I finally finished. I also knew how many schools I should apply to, and if that was going to be my first cycle, if that was going to be just a test kind of cycle versus an actual cycle. So I was kind of on the edge, and I was like, Oh, I'm going to try my best to get into school this cycle, but then if I don’t, it's not going to be the end for me basically. So yeah, those are the things I probably struggled with the most during the application cycle, but for the most part it was pretty straightforward.

Savanna: So how many schools did you end up applying to? 

Nora: 

So I applied to five and then I got three interviews. I declined one, and I went for the other two and got into those two programs.

Savanna: Okay, well that’s great, obviously you had an impressive application and impressive interview skills! Okay, so then tell us what happened? 

Nora: 

So both programs I got into were in New York. Initially, that was my plan, I wasn’t planning to stay in Connecticut. I wanted to go to New York, and I was trying to decide between the two programs. And then I found out I was pregnant. That was unexpected but exciting. And I was like, what am I doing next? 

Savanna: Yeah, so can you give us a timeline of kind of like when you were accepted, when you found out you're pregnant, and when you were supposed to start school? 

Nora: 

I was accepted into the first program in September 2017. I went to the interview for the second program in March 2018, and I found out two weeks later. The first program was supposed to start June 2018, and the second one was supposed to start in August 2018. I thought I was pregnant beginning in June of 2018, right before the first program was supposed to start. So I did call the program. And I spoke to the director and told him, this is what's going on. So he said that you can defer because he had a student like that last year, who was in the same situation. So they allowed me to defer. I was like, why don’t I just keep my options open, so I called the other program because I had never told them my answer. I asked them, just to see how what their reaction would be, and they also said you could defer because we have had students do that. So I deferred both programs.

When it sunk in, I was like, realistically, it doesn’t make sense for me to move to New York, considering my family is here in Connecticut, and I’m going to have a baby. I’m going to be in PA school; I’m going to need help. I can’t go to New York; my family is here. So, that's when I decided to reapply in the next cycle; that was a last minute thing. Getting towards the end of the cycle, I was like, I can’t go to New York, so let me just apply and see what happens. If it doesn’t, I tried. 

Savanna: Oh my gosh, you're so brave. But I think all that just shows how much you really, really wanted to be a PA. Awesome. 

Nora: 

Yeah I mean once I set my mind to going down this route, I thought that just because I’m going to have a baby, that isn’t something that is necessarily going to stop me. I still definitely wanted to do it. I thought you know, the best thing to do at that point was to try to get into a  program here in Connecticut and to stay here in Connecticut.

Savanna: Okay, so you kind of last minute decided to reapply, kind of forget the programs in New York, and you had proved to yourself that you could get into PA school, which is awesome. So, does that mean you went through the interview season pregnant? 

Nora: 

Yeah so I decided to apply to two programs. I got a call for an interview at the first program, that was at Sacred Heart, where I am now. At that point, I think I was around 7 months or so pregnant, so yeah I was showing as pretty pregnant at that point haha. Yeah it was nerve-wrecking for me, but they definitely didn’t treat me any differently at all. 

Savanna: So they didn’t ask you any pregnancy specific questions or anything? You didn’t feel judged? 

Nora: 

Not at all. I thought going into the interview, maybe they would have some preconceived notions like oh she’s pregnant, how will she be able to do this? I had talked to a PA I had shadowed for quite a while, and he told me that people might have that idea. But you need to just give the best interview you can and do the best you can. So yeah I felt very comfortable, very comfortable. The interview process went smoothly, considering I was like 7 months pregnant. 

Savanna:

Yeah haha great, so they accepted you? 

Nora: 

Yeah I got a call in January. I was so excited, and things really fell into place. 

Savanna: Ok awesome! So your mindset had to shift to “okay, I’m going to be a student with a baby.” So how old was your baby when you started PA school?

Nora: 

He was almost 6 months. My plan was to get him enrolled in daycare before I started school. He started day care at about 5 months so he could get used to that, and there wouldn’t be any surprises right at the beginning. But of course, my first week of school, he was sick! And I was like, oh that’s one of those challenges! Of course most programs have an attendance policy, even when something like that happens. That's when I started to really lean on my family for support. 

I think that's definitely one of the biggest factors for anybody in general, PA school is tough, and so having a good support system is important and especially when you have a child. You need that help. And so I did talk a lot with my family about it before. You hear that PA school will limit the amount of time you have for outside activities and how busy you are going to be, but you don’t really know what that’s like until you start, and that’s how I felt. I didn’t know my schedule was going to be so packed until I actually started. So there were adjustments in between. Who has to pick my son up from daycare, or who is going to watch him. I mean, if I was going to be able to make it home in time, I could pick him up, but if I can’t, then who is going to be able? Having conversations with my family to help them understand that this is not regular college, where I can take a class part-time, or skip class. This is different, and it’s going to be intense, so I'm going to need all the help that I get. And I'm fortunate to have a really great support system. 

Savanna: That’s definitely so helpful. I mean, we live by my family here, and it’s been great, even just working, to have them step in when necessary. You never know when they’re going to get sick or something like that happens. So it sounds like how you had, backup plan upon backup plan, thanks to your support system. How many people are in your class? 

Nora: 

There's 42 people in my class

Savanna:

Are there other parents? 

Nora: 

No, there are people who are married, but I’m the only one with a child.

Savanna: Oh gosh, got a little PA baby! Well, what have you struggled with, and what have you found that works as far as balancing time with being a mom and a student, having kind of that different family dynamic from someone who maybe doesn’t have those responsibilities? 

Nora: 

So initially, I think it was an adjustment for me because I graduated in December of 2013, or something like that. So it’s been quite a while since I was in school. And of course, it’s different because you’re taking so many credits and it’s a pretty strict schedule. So that was an adjustment for me initially. I'm a visual learner, so it's really important to me to be able to see things vs. just reading them. What I found to be really helpful for me was watching a lot of videos. There were times when I didn’t have the help I needed, like if family wasn’t available to watch my son, I would have to kind of balance along with him. A lot of my studying came from me watching stuff on Youtube or Osmosis, listening to podcasts, or other things of that nature. So watching videos, Picmonic, or SketchyMed – those things really helped me a lot, especially when I didn’t have help to watch him. He would be here with me, and I’d be watching those in the background. That’s the kind of learning I am, so that works for me. I think everyone should see what works best for them. I may be a good visual learning, but someone else may not like that. That has worked pretty well for me. 

Other than that, I wasn’t the type of person who studied every single day in undergrad. I would study when I had exams, basically. When I didn’t have exams, I wouldn’t really keep up with stuff. But in this case, you really have to! You have to go over what you at least went through in class everyday. That is still an adjustment for me, it is a lot of stuff including exams every week. For the most part, I try to go over at least what we went over in class that day. So that helps prevent you from getting too overwhelmed. 

Savanna: Okay, I'm going to ask a couple of questions that would be considered highly unethical in an interview setting. But have you felt hindered in any way by having a baby in PA school? Like do you think it has affected your performance, or like you said like, if you set your mind to something, you’re just going to make it happen?

Nora: 

I don’t think it has hindered me. I think that it did help me to adjust in situations that were unpredictable. There were a few times during the semester when my son was sick. There were also some times I had to take him to the ER, and then literally be in class in a few hours. I mean, it was hard, I’m not going to lie. There were times when I cried a bit, but I think that made me a little more motivated and it did show me that I could do things. If you had told me this a few years ago, I would’ve said there was no way I could do that. But it definitely showed me that I’m stronger than I actually think I am. So I don’t think it’s hindered me. I think it’s done the opposite. It’s shown me that I can multi-task better than I could’ve ever imagined, especially when I don’t have anyone to watch him. Having to manage that and having to study for exams, I’ve learned to better manage my time and that I can do that. 

Savanna: Okay, so one question that I get a lot that I don't feel like I necessarily have been able to answer well because I can't answer from a personal standpoint is – pre-PA students ask me when they should have kids. Should I try to have my baby right before PA school? Should I be pregnant in PA school or on interviews? I know you only have your experience to speak from, but what are your thoughts on that? 

Nora: 

If I didn’t have a child before PA school, I don’t think I would get pregnant in PA school. Just because it is so rigorous and you are sitting for at least 8 hrs at a time. You have breaks here and there, but you are in class 9-5. I also get stressed out and a bit anxious when exams come up, so I don’t necessarily think that is the healthiest thing for someone who is pregnant to go through. The chairs aren’t comfortable to sit for that long. And the mental stress isn’t the best while you are pregnant. Things happen of course, but to actually plan a pregnancy in PA school, especially during the didactic year, I don’t think that’s the best thing. I know some people do plan pregnancy during clinical year, but I haven’t experienced that. 

I think it's also a personal choice when to have kids. You have to realize that once you do have kids before or during PA school, you have to have people around you to help. I think that’s the thing that makes a huge difference, a support system, whether family or friends, you need to have people in your corner. In addition, there is a financial aspect of it as well. If you are using loans to live during PA school, you have to think about that as well because having a baby can be expensive haha. 

Savanna: 

You kind of alluded to it when you said your first week your baby was sick and there was an attendance policy, but you are held to the same standards as all the other students, despite having a child, correct? 

Nora: 

Yeah! We are all in PA school, and these are all choices that everyone made. I am a mom, and I made a choice to come to PA school. I could’ve just waited until my son was a few years old to come to PA school, but I made that commitment. It’s hard of course, when your child is sick, to come to school. But I realized I had to separate my mind mentally, put that away for a short while, and try to focus on what I am doing in school. Otherwise, you will get overwhelmed. Being a mom especially, I never realized how much you could worry about your child. Learning to separate things and have the time and place for it is helpful. After school, I do try to spend time with him and do not dive straight into studying. I put him to bed and then get back to school stuff. I think that has helped me feel better about things in general and being able to have time for him.

Savanna: 

No that's awesome. It sounds like you're doing well, and you also have time to talk to me on a podcast, so thank you so much! Any last parting words or advice?

Nora: 

I would say regardless of if you have a child or not, if this is something you want to do and you are determined, I think you can do it. People really underestimate the power of their mind and positive thinking. Sometimes you go through something, and you think, wow I actually did this, and I never thought I could do it. So I think you should never think something is not possible. I would always at least try. Who knows, maybe if I never attempted to do PA school, would I have regrets? I don’t want to have regrets later. Hopefully someone out there is inspired that being a parent doesn’t mean you can’t follow your dreams or achieve something. I always think I am not only doing this for myself; I am doing it for my family as well. And hopefully, that goes a long way to make a better life for my family. Also, my son will be able to look back and think that Mom was able to do this while she had me. And that will be a motivation for him hopefully.

Savanna: 

Well you are super impressive! I am sure he will be very proud when he realizes what you did. Well thank you so much for taking the time to share all your advice and stories. I don’t know that I could do what you are doing, but like you said, you don’t know until you are there! You are doing a great job.

Nora: 

I’m so glad I had the opportunity to talk about my experiences and hopefully motivate someone else. 

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How to Easily Learn Anatomy

Thanks to Anatomy Bootcamp for sponsoring today’s post!
Did you know there are ways to make your studying more efficient and even, dare I say, easier? It may seem impossible in the thick of schooling, but a few simple preparation steps will make your life better by lowering your stress when it comes to studying.

In today’s blog post, we’re going to break down a few action steps that will set you up for success using anatomy as an example, and specifically Anatomy Bootcamp. Why anatomy? It’s one of the main cornerstone prerequisites for physician assistant school and undergrad isn’t the only time you’re going to see it. Once accepted to PA school, you’ll repeat anatomy and physiology at the graduate school level, and it ain’t easy. It can actually be one of the most challenging courses, even with foundational background knowledge, because each structure has more structures and they all have multiple functions. You’ll need to know it all, and understand it all to apply to patient care, but let’s lay out some study steps. 

Before You Start Studying

Evaluate your schedule and look at the curriculum. Figure out what you need to know and when. Write it out in a list or planner so you have a visual aid to refer to and nothing gets missed. Identify a study resource or supplement, and figure out how much time it will take to get through the content. For example, Anatomy Bootcamp includes PDF outlines to go with bite-size videos, followed by Qbanks that apply your knowledge with actual cadaver images and explanation videos applicable to each question. While in-class lectures are oftentimes great, they also miss the mark on important content sometimes and don’t emphasize exactly what you need to know, which is why the next part is important - figuring out how you learn best.

How to Study Based on Learning Style

There are tons of online tests to help you identify your learning style, and watching someone talk about a PowerPoint may not be the best way you learn. That’s okay! You may also have some overlap in styles of learning, and utilizing resources specific to each of those methods will help you comprehend material faster.

The learning styles include Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic.

Visual learners like to see charts, images and diagrams. The interactive drawings used in Anatomy Bootcamp during the videos make great study tools for someone who likes to learn visually. Here is an example: 

Aural learning refers to comprehending material by hearing it, whether from a lecture or in discussion with peers. Teaming up with some classmates to listen to a short 3-10 minute video and then talking about the information is a great strategy to solidify information while studying. 

If you love to read or write, I’m right there with you. While going through each module, practice active note taking by jotting down and copying the drawings displayed in the lectures during Anatomy Bootcamp. When you go through the questions afterwards, you’ll be able to refer to your notes or take down extra information if there was an aspect you didn’t grasp fully with the first exposure. 

Kinesthetic learners like to put it all together and enjoy a multi-dimensional learning experience with application. For an Anatomy Bootcamp strategy, watching the videos and then using the Qbank to test the knowledge will satisfy your desire to stay engaged and hands on while learning. Especially with the cadaver images, you can make connections with what you’re learning in a dissection lab or on models/computer modeling during PA school. 

Whatever learning style you identify with, I encourage you to try out the others, especially when trying to learn a new subject. Quickly identify if a method isn’t working for you and look for new options and resources, realizing you may not get everything you need straight from the classroom.

Managing Time

The key to making the most of your resources and study time is managing your time effectively. You can study for hours and not actually learn the material if just going through the motions. If you set a dedicated schedule and allot a specific amount of time to studying, you’ll likely be more efficient than casually jumping around between resources and topics. If you’re not used to doing this, start with a small time period of maybe just 10-15 minutes and build your study stamina from there. With Anatomy Bootcamp, the modules and videos are short so you can fit them into small pockets of study time.

Remove all distractions, set timers, and allow yourself complete concentration in your ideal setting. What works for someone else may not be the best for you and that’s okay! Make sure all of the needed equipment is easily accessible. If you’re watching the videos in Anatomy Bootcamp, you’ll need a quiet area to listen or headphones. If you’re a notetaker like me, keep your favorite pens and notebook in a dedicated spot. A little bit of preparation ahead of time will make your process easier.

Go forth and study better! Share your efficient study skills and learning style in the comments, and leave your Anatomy Bootcamp feedback for other students who are struggling with anatomy and physiology.

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3 Techniques That Will Help You Overcome Setbacks on the Road to PA

People who want to become PAs experience a catch-22 of sorts: In order to ultimately succeed, you often have to fail, but experiencing failure can inhibit your future successes. Failure can cause feelings of helplessness, inadequacy, and demoralization, which can make you lose faith in your capabilities; when this happens, your ultimate goal may seem further out of reach, and you might even start to believe that your success is out of your control. 

Luckily, there are research-based findings on the best ways to overcome setbacks and position yourself for overall success. 

Be Open to Feelings Associated With Failure

It’s no secret people often ignore their feelings, especially when said feelings are stressful or otherwise unpleasant. Unfortunately, according to research, one of the best ways to learn from mistakes is to do the last thing you want—to embrace the negative feelings associated with failure. Throughout the PA process you will definitely experience failure at some point.

Common advice is that you shouldn’t dwell on your mistakes or beat yourself up after you fail, but this advice is somewhat contradicted in the current literature. People who allow themselves to feel their emotions regarding failure try harder to correct their mistakes, according to a study in the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making; a person who makes excuses and ignores his or her failures fares less well when it comes to learning from past mistakes. Our goal is improvement and growth, right?

Without making yourself feel terrible, realize that sometimes bad things happen, and to avoid them again in the future, you have to try harder. You can have self-compassion while still pushing yourself to succeed and motivating yourself to avoid similar failure in the future. Whether it’s a tough semester or being placed on a waitlist, most feelings of failure come from multi-factorial reasons. Use the self-reflection from those experiences to help you achieve success moving forward. Look for the good in the situation coming from those failure feelings. With a tough class where you didn’t get your desired grade, maybe you learned some more effective study techniques. By gaining a waitlist spot, that means your application was on target to get an interview, and it’s not a no. Find the positives and cling to those.

Let Your Feelings Spark Action

After you experience your feelings surrounding failure, get to work; break down the failure into two categories: aspects that were in your control and aspects that were not. Review your lists and see if you find any items improperly categorized. Sometimes, things that seem out of your control are actually not and vice versa. Can you improve your skills, planning, knowledge, etc. to take control of aspects that were previously deemed out of your control? With the list that remains (it might be unchanged from your first iteration), focus on all of the parts of a failure that are under your control. 

When you believe you can’t change the outcome of a situation, you often feel paralyzed, helpless, inadequate, etc. Conversely, the more you feel in control of a problem, the more likely you are to be motivated to tackle future challenges, according to research published in Core Psychiatry. In the event that you recognize things you could have done differently, take ownership of that and use it to spark change. Resolve to take small steps towards making changes in future situations, even if they seem like small things. Going back to the grades example - perhaps you will gain a self-awareness of recognizing when you’re struggling and instead of continuing to drown in the material, create an action plan to reach out for help from an earlier point.

Talk It Out With Like-Minded Individuals

Talking about failure may seem nerve-racking, but it’s one of the best ways to overcome setbacks and position yourself for future successes. Call someone you trust and allow him or her to help you process the loss while feeling supported. 

It can also be helpful to remind yourself that you’re not alone in your experience. For example, recently, Clara Jones, BSN, RN, posted the following on her Instagram:

I wasn’t an A student by any means. ⁣I wasn’t the type that didn’t study but aced my exams. ⁣I was the type that even though I busted my ass, I still failed some exams and barely made C’s on some of them. ⁣I failed my first skills evaluation for inserting a Foley catheter! Needless to say, I cried and thought nursing wasn’t for me.⁣ I missed most of my IV starts for the first couple of months. But let me tell you, these things make you want to quit and sulk, but how you respond to them challenges you and makes you BETTER …” 

Failure is a normal part of learning and progression. Surround yourself with people who are successful despite their past mistakes. Talk openly about your shortcomings and listen to others when they do the same. If you’re not already part of The Pre-PA Club on Facebook, it’s a great community of people in the same position as you. 

At The End of The Day

Unfortunately, the catch-22 of becoming a PA doesn’t stop when you get into PA school, or even when you graduate and start working in the field. Even after years of overcoming failures and learning an immense amount of information, you’ll still be subject to the unexpected. Medicine is always evolving and patients are all unique. As confident as you are, you’ll never be fully prepared. 

The techniques above are a good start for overcoming adversity on your journey to PA, but they are by no means exhaustive. If you want to become a PA, it’s important to know that your career choice will never be easy, but with the right attitude, it will be more than worth the challenges it presents. 

How to Run a Successful Pre-PA Club- Guest Post by Jada

First, congrats on taking the first steps to help other students. As you walk through your path to becoming a PA you will find that the support in this community is incredible and now YOU are a part of that support. 

 So, you want to run a successful Pre-PA club, where does one even start!? 

 Start at your university or even your high school for that matter and seek out the resources that they have for students. At, we had access to a student resource that would help us to start whatever club our hearts desired. If you don't have this, I suggest reaching out to a professor or a career counselor for some guidance. If you are in high school, I would do the same thing with a teacher. Use clubs that are already established, perhaps a pre- health club or a health/science related club to reach out to students who may be interested in a pre-pa club. If you can get access to an established club’s email lists or even go to a meeting you can share information about the new pre-pa club and what you plan to do.  

What exactly should you plan to do with a Pre-PA club? 

As the former president of the NC State Pre-PA club I can only speak to my experience and what worked for us but the beauty of starting the club is you can make it whatever you want. Hopefully what we did can give you some ideas and you can change/ add to them as you see fit. 

At NC State we met with our club once a month on the same day at the same time. Typically guests would speak for 30-45 minutes and the remainder of the meeting would be a Q&A.  

Examples of speakers and presenters to have at pre-pa club meetings:  

• Local PA schools- If your university or high school is close to a PA School, you can reach out to them and ask if they would be willing to come speak to your club. On the schools website search for an admissions counselor/ coordinator and email whoever is listed. More often than not, they are more than happy to come out. If the school is not local, you can set up a virtual meeting where they can facetime/ zoom into the club. They typically talk about their school, admissions and tips and tricks that they have found helpful to students. Some schools will even bring their own students to answer any questions that they club may have.  If you are interested in what one of these invite emails looked like you can find me on Instagram @JadaMarie.PA or email me JadaMariePA@Gmail.com  and I will send you the resources that I have. 

• Practicing PAs- Similar to inviting schools to come speak, you can also invite practitioners to come and speak about their experience and their journey to becoming a PA. Some speakers would offer advice and things they wish they knew and then answer questions from students. Again, if the provider is not local, they can video conference into a meeting. 

• Local places that students can get clinical hours- some home health/ nursing homes are always looking for extra help and they like to recruit pre-pa students. They would come to the club and talk about the positions that they have available and flexibility that they would offer students 

 Workshops are another great meeting idea! 

• Personal statement Workshops 

• GRE Studying Workshops

• Interview Workshops

• CASPA Workshops

 PA School visits: 

If you had a great turn out or a lot of interest in one particular school, you can try to organize a school visit to the PA School. As a club we visited Campbells PA program and had the opportunity to see the facilities and meet the faculty and staff. This was a great way for students to get a feel for the school and if they are interested in applying.   

Organization and Officers: 

We had a very simple structure in our club, but it worked for us! Find what works best for you and your school. 

• President: Responsible for organizing meetings and speakers and for sending email reminders to the club. 

• VP: Responsible for reserving rooms and helping with the logistics of setting up meetings 

• Secretary/ Treasurer: Responsible for handling the club dues and recording meeting minutes to send out later for students to reference or for students who missed the meeting

A Note about Dues: At NC State, the pre-pa club is under a bigger pre-health club umbrella. As a member you pay dues to the pre-health club and then funds are allocated to each subgroup. We used our money to get snacks for meetings and for club t-shirts. 

More Info/ Questions: 

I could write forever about this topic, but I tried to keep things condensed and easy to follow. If you have any lingering questions or if you want me to send you outlines of anything I mentioned in this blog you can find me on Instagram @JadaMarie.PA or email me JadaMariePA@Gmail.com. 

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Barriers This First Generation PA Student Broke Down - Guest Post by Jessica Gomez

My name is Jessica Gomez and I am a PA-S1 at University of California, Davis. I thought I would share a couple of barriers that I have overcome as a first generation student! I hope that this blog post inspires you to overcome any obstacles you face in life.

As the daughter of immigrants, I have faced several unique challenges that directly shaped my life due to the cultural hardships my family has had to overcome. For example, as a child, I was my parent’s linguistic and cultural mediator. This increased level of responsibility helped me enhance my interpersonal skills and understand the feeling of fulfillment one attains from helping others.

Being a first-generation college student is an honor and a privilege that my parents did not have. Throughout this experience, I could not turn to my parents for advice on my college applications, scholarships, or ask them for help in selecting a major.

Therefore, I struggled academically during my first year of undergrad education.

However, my parents instilled in me a hardworking diligent attitude! So, through hard work and perseverance I was able to overcome my failures. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent studying in my undergrad years to improve my GPA and taking advantage of every opportunity (volunteering, shadowing, and working as a scribe) to assure that I would reach my goal to become a PA.

No matter what your obstacles are keep at it! I deeply believe that we can achieve anything we MANIFEST in this world!

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Ultimate Physician Assistant Gift Guide - 2018

Wondering what to get for all of the PAs in your life? Whether Pre-PA, current students, or practicing PAs, we’ve got you covered with this 2018 Holiday Gift Guide. We’ve broken it down by category and you’ll find more practical options to go with some of the more fun choices. Feel free to pass this guide along to your family and friends to give them some hints about what’s on your shopping list. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means we get a small percentage if you make a purchase as no extra cost to you. This list is just in time for Black Friday so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for deals!

To Wear

Looking professional is a staple as a physician assistant! Medelita is my go-to brand for medical wear in clinic. A gift card will provide a choice between the various scrubs, white coats, or scrub jackets, but I’ll share some of my favorites.

Medelita offers free shipping, the option of embroidery, a 1-year warranty, and at-home try-on. What more could you ask for? I recommend any of the scrubs, and my favorite white coats are the Ellody or the Rebecca. If you’ve never bought anything from Medelita, you can set up a new account and get $20 off your first purchase over $70. Use the code PAPLATFORM4 for a 20% discount.

If you’re looking for something more casual, check out Medthusiast for the cutest and comfiest T-shirts and sweatshirts. Both Medelita and Medthusiast are companies that were created by PAs, which makes them even cooler!

To Read

For the Pre-PA Student - To help future PA students reach their goals, there are some must have resources out there to make the process much easier. The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs provides information about all of the current PA programs. This is a huge time saver because it can be difficult to track down that info. After applying, the interview is the next step, so the Physician Assistant School Interview Guide is a great present for anyone in the application process.

For the current or soon-to-be PA Student - There were 2 books that were extremely helpful to me while I was in PA school - the “green” book and Lange Q&A. I used these the entire time and particularly when studying for boards. I’ve also heard great things about PANCE Prep Pearls.

For anyone and everyone - Dr. Atul Gawande is my favorite non-fiction/medical author. His books should be mandatory reading for anyone in medicine. Better and Complications would be welcome stocking stuffers for any PA!

For School

While PA school is thankfully a somewhat distant memory for me, there are a few things I couldn’t have survived without.

A great computer. If you really love your PA student (or soon-to-be student), make sure they have a functioning laptop. I’ve heard great things about the iPad Pro and Notability for taking notes, so that’s a good option too. I started school with a MacBook Pro and ended with a Microsoft Surface. I wish I had my Surface at the beginning of my program so I could have taken notes directly on our never ending PowerPoints. I’m back to a MacBook now, but the Surface was great for studying for boards.

A functioning printer. Even though everything is online these days, I’m still a pen and paper type of person at times. I like to write things out and take notes by hand, particularly for last minute studying before a test. I have the HP Envy, and it’s wireless, and does the job.

A water bottle. I’m the first to admit I’m the worst at staying hydrated. At work I use one of the large Tervis tumblers to keep my drinks cold or a good Yeti cup. I love this water bottle that helps to remind you to drink frequently by glowing to help increase water intake.

Amazon Prime. Having 2-day shipping was a lifesaver during PA school and clinical year. When my feet and back were so sore during my surgery rotation, I was able to get some compression socks and better shoes on the way ASAP because by the time I got off work nothing was open and I just wanted to sleep.

For Clinic

If you’re in the market for a new stethoscope, and want one that functions excellently and looks sharp, check out the ERKA stethoscopes from Medelita. I don’t use a stethoscope frequently in dermatology, but my husband has claimed by ERKA as his own and uses it daily at the hospital. There are plenty of color options, and the tubing holds up nicely even with frequent use.

For a coffee drinker, Medthusiast has amazing ceramic coffee mugs with gorgeous artwork on them. These mugs will be the envy of everyone else in the office!

For CME

While I wouldn’t recommend booking a full CME trip for someone else, travel essentials are always a great gift. After going to a few conferences this year, I’ve realized I don’t have great luggage or carry-ons, so those are at the top of my list this Christmas.

Lecture halls at conferences are always freezing for some reason. While I dress business casual and professional when I go to CME events, I’ve been carrying my Medelita Ionic scrub jacket with me to keep me warm. It’s a great weight and still looks professional, so I’ll just leave it at my seat in between sessions. Mine is embroidered so I don’t worry about it going missing. These are available for men and women, and they fit true to size. This is also my husband’s favorite jacket to wear at the hospital, even more than his white coat. (And don’t tell, but even all of the non-medical people in my family are getting these jackets this year!)

At conference, I always take a good size purse or bookbag to lectures, and I have my trusty Lilly Pulitzer notebook and a ton of pens. You could create a little conference survival kit and that would be an awesome present. Don’t forget the candy and snacks!

For Fun

Makeup and skincare are always a nice present because who doesn’t love a little pampering. Put together a basket with some bath bombs, sunscreen, and skincare kit for someone who needs to relax a little bit. I’m the first to admit that I’m a product junkie, but most recently, I’ve been using the FRÉ Skincare line. Being a dermatology PA, I’m very picky about products, but these are easy to use, gentle, and leave my skin feeling fresh. The choices aren’t overwhelming and I love that I only have to leave the Detox mask on for a few minutes. You can use the code SAVANNA1 for 15% off, and make sure you’re following me on social media for extra deals (and there’s a really good one coming for Black Friday!)

For more of my recommendations and favorites, check out my Amazon list.

2017 Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Physician Assistants

If you have a physician assistant in your life, I know you want to make sure to get them the best present ever! We'll cover Pre-PA, PA students, and practicing PA presents, and it's not too late to make sure the PAs in your life have a present that they'll love. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. 

Pre-PA

Medthusiast is a great place to start for anyone in the medical field, especially since the company was started by a PA. Specifically, for Pre-PA students, they have some catchy shirts and these amazing anatomy mugs. 

There are plenty of books out there that any Pre-PA student would appreciate. Here are a few that I would recommend: 

The Applicant's Manual to Physician Assistant Programs - A resource with all of the information needed for applications about the various PA programs that are available. 

Better by Atul Gawande - Dr. Gawande is an amazing writer, and I recommend that anyone interested in the medical field read his books. 

The Ultimate Guide to the Physician Assistant Profession - A colleague wrote this book and it's a comprehensive book about what it takes to become a PA. 

If your Pre-PA gift recipient has a job in the medical field, scrubs are always a great present. A few on my favorite and more inexpensive brands are Med Couture, Maevn, and Nursemates Brand. 

A gift from The PA Platform is always a good option too! Whether it's a Pre-PA Assessment or a Mock Interview, make sure that your Pre-PA student is as prepared as possible to take the necessary steps forward in becoming a PA. The Physician Assistant School Interview Guide is also available for anyone who is anticipating an interview for PA school in the near future. 

PA Students

If you want to step up the scrub game for your PA students, check out Medelita scrubs. (If you don't already follow @thePAplatform on Instagram, make sure to check it out because there might be a giveaway coming up!) These scrubs will last forever and the styles are very flattering. If you use this link, you'll receive $20 off of a $70 purchase and you can use the code "PAPLATFORM4" for another 20% off. 

Another thing every PA student will need is a great PANCE review book. PANCE Prep Pearls is a great one that would be much appreciated by any student no matter their year in school. 

For a book that is more "fun" reading, Complications by Atul Gawande is a great option. 

For a PA student on rotations, the White Coat Clipboard will come in handy for keeping notes organized and having important information accessible at all times. Another small reference that was essential during clinical year was the Maxwell Quick Medical Reference. 

If you want to splurge, one tool that was extremely helpful during PA school was my Microsoft Surface. It's so much easier to take notes and write directly on the screen than trying to print everything out! 

Physician Assistants

Medthusiast also has shirts for physician assistants, and this is one of my favorites! 

Medelita also has some amazing white coats that can really up the game for anyone in the medical field. One thing that's cool about Medelita is that the company was started by a PA! There are tons of options and the fit and quality can't be beat. 

If your PA needs a new stethoscope, check out the ERKA from Medelita as well. 

For $20 off a purchase of $70 or more, use this link to set up your account, and use the code PAPLATFORM4 at checkout for an additional 20% off! 

You can also look and see if there are any CME resources or review materials that would be helpful, and I'm sure any PA would appreciate if you ask if there's something they've been eyeing. 

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Nurse Mates Review - Scrubs and Align Shoes

By now, you know that I am a scrub junkie and I love trying out all of the different brands on my mission to finding the best scrubs ever. I also want you to be able to make the best decisions possible when choosing your medical wear and equipment. Nurse Mates sent me some scrubs and shoes to try out, so keep reading to hear my thoughts. Some of the Amazon links are affiliate links so I'll get a percentage of the purchase if you use them! 

For the scrubs, I am wearing a Maci Top in Small and Brooke Pant in Small Petite, both in Navy. I've found that some scrubs tend to run small or the Petite versions will be too long, so I went with the Small size, but I think these actually run true to size. Whenever I order more, I'll go with the XS, but these still fit fine, and I've been wearing them to work frequently.  My most favorite thing on these scrubs are the pockets on the Maci Top. There are so many of them! Not only are there front pockets, which is where I usually keep my pens and phone, but there are also side pockets. It's awesome. 

For the pants, I really like the zippered pockets, which is nice for holding my credit cards when I run out to get lunch. The petite length with a 29 inch inseam is really great on these. I'm 5'1'' so I either need a shorter version or I have to get my pants hemmed, and ain't nobody got time for that. There is a tall version as well. The color is deep on these scrubs, and they've held up well in the wash with no noticeable shrinkage or fading. The price point on these scrubs is around $25 for each piece, which isn't unreasonable for a high quality set of scrubs with good fit. 

My underscrub long sleeve tee is the Willow Top in Smoke in XS. Underscrub is great for a few reasons. It keeps you warm in a cold office, and it gives you some protection from any stray bodily fluids that you may come in contact with. It also looks nice! This cotton based top is very lightweight and easy to wear under any scrubs. I love the color of this top and I've been wearing it as quick as I can get it washed. The little embroidered heart on the sleeve is a cute touch too. This top is around $18. 

Now let's talk about the shoes. These are the new Align Velocity shoes in Grey, and these are my absolute favorite! Nursemates got it right with these. I've experimented with many different shoes since I've been working in medicine, even when I started as a CNA, and I've developed some requirements: lots of support, comfortable all day long, and look cute and professional. These shoes check all of the boxes. I had been switching between Danskos and regular tennis shoes, but the Danskos were kind of hard and made my feet hurt if I wore them too much, and the tennis shoes didn't have the best support. 

I was skeptical that these shoes would offer enough support based on the appearance, but I was proved wrong, and since I've gotten these, they are all I've worn to work and often outside of work when I'm just running errands. I would 100% recommend these shoes if you're looking for something that will be comfortable and stylish. They are easy to clean and resistant to stains and water. There are many other colors and styles of the "Align" line of shoes from Nurse Mates, and I have my eye on the slip-on style now that I know how great the support is. These are around $90, but so far they've held up well and totally worth it. The elastic lace in the shoe can be replaced with traditional shoe laces as well. 

I hope that helps to give you some more information if you're looking for scrubs or shoes, and I would love to hear your opinions in the comments below!

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Hey there! Check me out over here!

As I've shared in the past, I'm a H.I.P Ambassador for Medelita, which is a medical apparel company that was actually started by a PA!  Part of being a member of that community includes contributing to the Medelita blog. 

If you've been following me for a while, you know that I went on a medical mission trip to Kenya previously this year. The post I wrote for Medelita is titled "What I've Learned From International Medical Missions."  So if that's an area you're interested in, make sure you check it out!  They have a great blog, and you'll find some other posts from some of the PA students who have done guest posts here as well. 

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Medelita + ERKA Stethoscope Review

While Medelita has become well-known for their scrubs and lab coats, they have more recently entered the medical equipment field. As a HIP Ambassador for Medelita, I was able to give their new stethoscope a try. 

Medelita teamed up with ERKA to create a high quality stethoscope that is an easy competitor for any well-known stethoscope.  ERKA originates from Germany and has been around for a long time.  They are well known for their stethoscope design and amazing functionality. 

Aesthetically, the ERKA stethoscope is so nice. There are tons of color choices to choose from including black, red, lime green, violet, ceil blue, pink, light blue, burgundy, dark green, navy blue, light grey, and rose pink. I went with the light grey because I wanted something neutral, and if you were to see my T-shirt drawer, you would find about 10 grey shirts (it's a problem). This stethoscope is very comfortable in the ears and easy to throw around your neck. They also come with a very nice storage case. 

There are 3 different types of stethoscopes available.  The Finesse2 is $100 and is equivalent to a Littmann Classic III. The Precise is $156 and is equivalent to a Littmann Cardiology IV. The Sensitive is $178 and is equivalent to a Littmann Master Cardiology, and this is the type that I chose because it's most similar to what I trained with. 

When it comes to sound quality, there's no doubt that the Medelita stethoscope is of the best quality. I don't use a stethoscope frequently in dermatology, so I sent this one with my husband to the hospital to try out.  He's an internal medicine resident, so it's important that he has a great stethoscope. He was impressed, and now it's uncommon for me to find that my stethoscope has gone "missing." 

Medelita always offers free shipping and free returns. If you’ve never purchased from Medelita before, use this link to get $20 off of your first $70 purchase when you set up a new account, and use the code PAPLATFORM4 at checkout for an additional 20% off! There's also a 5-year warranty on these scopes. Let me know if you check them out!

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Maevn Scrubs Review

You guys are probably getting tired of hearing about my favorite stuff, but I feel that part of my responsibility to is to make sure that you're well-dressed and look nice as you pursue your dreams.  So today, I would like to introduce you to Maevn Scrubs Eon Collection. 

I love that my daily uniform consists of scrubs, but sometimes I want to mix it up and try different ones. It's important to me that I'm comfortable, well-covered, and able to move easily. I also like my scrubs to fit well. One day I didn't have any clean scrubs, so I borrowed a pair of my husband's generic unisex ones, and I just felt a little frumpy all day. I went all out and did a video review of these scrubs, so if you want to see that, you can check it out at this link, or at the end of this post. (Fair warning - I'm so awkward.)

These 2 sets of Maevn scrubs were provided to me for free in exchange for my honest opinions. So let's go! Some of the links I've included to these scrubs on Amazon are affiliate links, which means I'll get a little bit of credit to buy more awesome scrubs if you use them. No pressure.  The Eon scrubs are interesting because they are made with special "COOLMAX" fabric that is supposed to keep you cool and dry, and also resist wrinkles and shrinkage. For reference, I'm around 5'1'' and 115 lbs. 

This first pair I got in navy since that's the color of my daily uniform. And since I've been seeing these fancy Eon waistband scrubs all over Instagram, I was pumped to try them out. After wearing these a few times to work and washing them a few times as well, I can honestly say they hold up to wear and tear. They have been christened with exploding cyst already, so we're good to go.

The top I'm wearing is the Sporty Mesh Panel Top in XS, and the color of these is "True Navy." This top has some mesh panels (that aren't see through) and lots of pockets. I do feel like it's a little bit long for me, but that hasn't stopped me from wearing them. I don't usually tuck my tops in, but I wanted to show off the cool waistband on these pants.  The pant style I'm wearing are the Waistband 7-Pocket Cargo Pant. I was told that these can run a little small and instructed to consider ordering up a size, so I'm wearing a small petite.  The length is perfect, and the size fits well too. These are very comfy with the waistband, and still have a drawstring, but also lots of pockets.

I do have to say that I love this color. It's almost a gray or slate blue version of navy, as opposed to being in the blue family. Even other people in my office commented on how nice the color looked and noticed that I had some new fancy scrubs. 

Now for the wine scrubs.  This color is my absolute favorite. I love it. If I got to choose a color to wear everyday, it would be wine (or maybe gray). The style of this top is the V-Neck Pocket Top in XS. The pants style is the Full Elastic Zipper Pocket Cargo Pant in XS Petite. These are a much more traditional style of scrubs, and the fit is true to size. Still tons of pockets too. Whenever I'm due for scrubs again, I'm planning on ordering this style in the navy color.  

Overall, I would definitely recommend these scrubs, and I do plan on getting more in the future. I may get my husband some of the men's versions to try out too! 

Comment below with your favorite scrubs! 

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Medelita M3 Ellody Lab Coat Review

I'm really excited to announce that I am now a HIP Ambassador for Medelita.  That means that I get to share all of their awesome products with you, and tell you more about why I love them so much. One of my favorite things about Medelita is that it was started by a physician assistant! I love fellow PA-preneurs, and it's really cool to see the impact that Lara Francisco has been able to make in creating high quality medical wear. She took the idea of seeing a problem and finding a solution to the next level. 

In this particular review, I'm wearing a Medelita M3 Ellody Petite Fit Lab Coat. For reference, I am around 5'1'' and I'm wearing a size 2.  In normal clothing, I usually wear a 0-2/XS or Small, and I've found that these run very true to size, and that the size chart provided is accurate. 

When I first graduated from PA school, I was so excited to also graduate from my short coat to my long coat.  It's a sort of rite of passage. I was also extremely eager. I visited the local scrub store, looked at the 2 options available, and picked the one that was the better of the 2.  I can't say I was super impressed with the quality, but at the time it didn't matter that much to me. I was a PA! 

Once I started working, I noticed that my supervising physician's coat was a nice, crisp white and just looked a little better than mine.  After a few washes and a couple of months, my white coat was starting to look a little dingy and the already thin fabric was just getting thinner and thinner.  I asked her about it, and she said it was by a brand called Medelita. 

I looked further into Medelita, and I knew I was ready for an upgrade.  I was a little nervous about ordering a coat without trying it on, and since it would be embroidered, I wouldn't be able to return it. I used the size charts, took some measurements, and took the plunge. Best decision ever.  

It's important that your first impression with patients is a good one, and usually that comes from your appearance. I know that I tend to look young for my age (because my patients tell me everyday), so it's even more important for me to look professional.  Your white coat can do that. It lets the patient know what your role is, and gives confidence that you are there to take care of them.  Or it makes pediatric patients cry, but usually it's the opposite effect. Even if I see a new patient, when I walk in with my white coat on, they instantly know who their provider is. 

When I received my white coat, I was so excited. The fabric that Medelita has crafted is so nice. It's thick, bright white, and actually repels liquids, which is nice in a field like dermatology (think Dr. Pimple Popper).  The Ellody coat is perfect for me because it is a petite fit designed for women under 5'4'' and has a great tailored fit.  But if you are blessed with height or a guy, there are options for you too!  Medelita has many different designs and styles, so you should be able to find something to suit you.  My husband (internal medicine resident) is still jealous that my coat looks better than his, so I may end up having to get him one too. 

On these coats there are plenty of pockets to hold any equipment you may use on a daily basis, and the pockets are large enough for an iPad. There's no need to dry clean, and even after many washes, my coats have maintained their fresh white appearance, and the embroidery hasn't faded at all. These coats may be a little more pricey than some other options, but I can guarantee you'll be happier with the quality and durability.  The current options range from $128-162, but be on the lookout for discount codes by signing up for the Medelita email list or checking their Instagram. 

For $20 off a purchase of $70 or more, use this link to set up your account, and use the code PAPLATFORM4 at checkout for an additional 20% off! 

Medelita offers embroidery on their lab coats and scrubs.  There's the option of 2 lines of print, and 3 different fonts and 18 colors available. It costs an additional $12 or is free for orders over $175. There's also an option of having a logo uploaded on the right side of the coat. 

This coat was provided to me for review, but I can honestly say that I have been a customer with Medelita for a while, and I don't see that relationship ended for a long time. I will never recommend anything that I don't fully endorse and that I wouldn't pay for, and I can promise you will not regret your decision of purchasing a Medelita white coat. 

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Guest Post from Jamie - The Unexpected Expenses of Interviewing and Attending PA School

This post was originally posted by Jamie on Reddit, but has been published here with her permission.  I'm really excited to introduce you guys to Jamie.  If you haven't ever heard of Reddit, you're missing out!  The prephysicianassistant sub-Reddit is awesome and a great place to get questions answered.  And FYI, some of the links in this post are affiliate links with Amazon, which means Jamie gets a couple of cents if you buy something, you don't pay more, and we can keep giving you awesome information for free! 

The Hidden Costs for Physician Assistant School

I wanted to write a post about expenses because a lot of this stuff caught me by surprise. Please keep in mind while reading this that these are expenses specific to my experience and my university. I imagine many of them will be pretty universal, but some may differ by school.

A few that are universal about interviewing:

• Purchasing your interview outfit. You need to dress professional – that means a full suit for men, and either a business dress (sheath dress, or something similar) with a blazer (think Claire Underwood from House of Cards), pencil skirt with a matching blazer, or pantsuit for women. If your interview is over the course of two days, inquire to your program about the attire. Your actual interview day will always be professional, but you may be able to get away with business casual, or even casual on the meet and greet day. Regardless, you can’t wear the same professional outfit both days, so you need at least two nice shirts.
• Cleaning up before the interview. For example, I got my hair cut because my hair was kind of crazy looking. Looking clean and put together will give a good first impression. I’d love to live in a society where we aren’t judged by our appearance, but we don’t, and you have to look nice. You just need to look somewhat put together, but even a $12 haircut will add a bit to your interview costs!
• Potential hotels or transportations: maybe you need to fly to the schools you applied for, maybe you need to stay in a hotel.
• Days off work: if the interview falls on a day you usually work, you will have to miss a day of pay. While that doesn’t literally cost you any money, it does take away a day from your paycheck. Consider switching shifts with someone if that makes a big difference in your budget for the week or month.

A few that are universal (probably) regarding school itself, once you’re accepted:

Vaccinations: Hep B is the only one you can decline at UDM. Others are required: rubella, measles, mumps, varicella. For UDM, you must have titers done to prove that you are immune to each. It’s probably smart for them to do that because I had vaccination records of Hep B and rubella/MMR, but my titers came back negative. I had to re-do those.

Physical: Typical physical + Tdap and TB test (If your TB test is positive, you then have to follow up with a chest x-ray or you can ask your primary care provider for a blood-based TB test instead)

Dress code: Some programs require a specific scrub color or require only professional attire - if you have to buy either of those, that will cost you a decent amount, especially for nice dress clothes. Definitely check out Marshall's or TJMaxx if you're on a budget. My favorite dress clothes come from Express, but I wait until there are sales and I have a coupon. Thankfully I'm able to wear any color scrubs, and I have a ton from being a CNA!

Equipment: (Do not buy these based on this post, but wait until you get a list of requirements from your program! Yours may differ or they may require specific brands or something. Just gives you an idea of what to expect.)

• You will absolutely need a stethoscope. A nice Littmann Cardiology III runs about $150, a little more if you engrave it or something, a little less if Amazon has some sort of sale or you pick an ugly color that no one buys.  You can absolutely buy a cheaper one or a more expensive brands, but this is the most recommended by the MDs and PAs that I have spoken to, both in real life and online. I love mine, it’s my favorite color and it was engraved with “Jamie Nicole”.
• Diagnostic kit: Otoscope/ophthalmoscope set. Welch Allyn comes highly recommended and is VERY expensive. Somewhere between $300-$1000 depending on the handle material and used/new condition. You could definitely buy a cheaper one from Amazon or something, but you won’t be able to see as well and may need to borrow a friend’s for exams (I’m on the fence about buying one).
• Lab coat, probably. Sometimes 2. Usually embroidered with program name, your name, and PA-S or sometimes just student.
• Pen light (okay, you can buy this one if it makes you happy, it costs like $2 – some other cheaper things are latex-free gloves if you have an allergy, tongue depressors, gauze pads, alcohol wipes)
• Sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff) – these aren’t too expensive and a lot of you probably already have one for some reason or another.

Some that might be unique to UDM, but may happen to you:

• Fingerprinting (Michigan legislature changed RIGHT after I paid to be fingerprinted, and the State will no longer release finger print information with criminal records, so UDM dropped this requirement and half of us had already paid for it and had it done, so that sucked. Way to go to the procrastinators! Your program may not make you do this, or they may pay for it, or you may not have to do it at all).
• Drug testing (You will absolutely have a drug test, but your program may pay to have it done instead of making you pay for it).
• Criminal Background Check (same as drug testing, it varies by program who pays for it).

MISC

• MOVING: If you get into a program away from home and need to move, you may need a wide variety of things! You might live with your mom now and need furniture for your first solo place. You might have a place already but need to rent a moving truck. You might have to buy all your friends pizza or beer or both for helping you assemble Ikea furniture.

Feel free to comment with anything I may have missed or things required for other programs!

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Hi all. Thanks for reading! I'm Jamie Murawski, a physician assistant student at the University of Detroit Mercy. I have a Bachelor of Science from Grand Valley State University. I'm a Michigan girl through and through. 

I'm growing my online presence in the PA community through Reddit, where I moderate /r/prephysicianassistant along with some other pretty cool PA students. I also have an Instagram where I pseudo-blog about my journey (@jamienicole_pa.s). Please feel free to follow me or message me with any questions, I'm happy to help!

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Med Couture Scrub Review - Activate Collection

Scrubs are a big part of my life.  I spend at least 50% of my life wearing scrubs since I work as a dermatology PA.  It's really important to me that my scrubs are super comfy, long-lasting, and I like for them to look nice too. 

Scrubs can be hit or miss.  While I've found some great pairs at Wal-Mart, I've also ordered some pretty terrible ones from Amazon or scrub stores.  

I was really pumped to get the chance to try out a type of scrubs that I've never worn before by Med Couture.  This company prides itself on being both fashionable and high-quality.  They have a few different collections of scrubs, including Activate, MC2, and Med Couture.  They offer scrubs for men and women, and also have maternity scrubs, petite and tall, underscrub, jackets, lab coats, and even scrub dresses.  (I don't know that I'll ever need the dresses one, but good to know!)

The scrubs I was sent to try are part of the new Activate line, which advertises 4-way stretch for an active lifestyle.  (These scrubs were provided to me free of charge, but all opinions are my own!  I only want to share things with you guys that I support, and I want you to have all the info before deciding if you want to buy!) The top I'm wearing is the Med Couture Activate In-Motion V-Neck Top and the pants are Med Couture Activate Transformer Cargo Pants.  For reference, I'm 5'1'' and I weigh 115 and I am wearing an XS in the top and XS Petite in the pants. 

Let's start with the things I love!  First of all, these scrubs feel awesome right out of the package.  I would describe the fabric as silky with a good bit of stretch.  I'm constantly bending down to took at the bottom of patient's feet or to make sure there aren't any funny moles hiding, so I need my scrubs to move and stretch with me. These scrubs are also very light and super comfy, which is awesome for our hot Georgia summers.  The style and fit is spot on - really flattering without being too tight or boxy.  There is an abundance of pockets, and even some with zippers and snaps.  I've been loving using the front pocket as a dedicated spot for pens, and the zipper pockets are nice when I'm running out for lunch and don't want to take my usually massive purse with me.  

The color is also definitely a true navy.  I typically wear navy scrubs at work, and I don't want them to be too light or more of a black navy, and these are perfect.  They have some cool lime green accents too on the drawstring and some of the pockets, which I appreciate! The other thing to note is the cost of these scrubs is awesome.  They range from around $20-30 per piece, which isn't bad at all for scrubs that are durable and have a good fit.  

My only complaints, which aren't really a big deal, is that the petite pants are almost too short.  Like maybe they needed a 1/2 inch more.  The inseam on the petite pants for this particular type is 28.5 inches.  That being said, I would rather have scrubs almost too short instead of a foot too long that I would have to get hemmed.  I alternate between wearing Danskos or my Nikes, and for this pair of scrubs, I'll stick to my tennis shoes because they're a tad too short with Danskos.  

I think I would also size up on the top personally.  I have what could be called an hourglass shape (AKA - I do have hips.) so the top was slightly tighter around the hip area, but not enough that it would prevent me from wearing these scrubs or even enough that I would want to exchange them.  

If you're interested in purchasing any Med Couture scrubs, you can check out their online scrub shop or order them on Amazon to use that awesome Prime free 2-day shipping.  Also make sure to follow @medcouture on Instagram so you don't miss out on any promotions! Comment with your favorite scrubs so I'll know what kind to try next! 

**This post does contain some affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I get a few cents to keep my site running!  

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Physician Assistant FAQ: What is "lateral mobility?"

When pre-PA students are asked about why they want to become physician assistants, there is a term that gets thrown around a lot - "lateral mobility."  I want to explain what this mean and what it actually looks like for working PAs.  

The idea behind lateral mobility is basically a flexibility in choosing specialties, and the ability to move between specialties if desired.  For example, I work in dermatology currently, but if I ever decided that I wanted a change (not happening FYI), I could potentially move to any other area of medicine if I could find someone to hire me.  So I could go to primary care, urgent care, or even cardiology.  Because PAs are trained on a general model, the knowledge base provided in school and tested on boards is over a little bit of everything.  And even if a PA works in a certain area, we are expected to stay up to date with the other areas of medicine because the current model for recertification includes all areas of medicine.  This is not beneficial for PAs like me because dermatology only makes up 4% of the PANCE or PANRE (boards).  

This differs from physicians because at the end of their 4 years of training in medical school, they must make a choice of a specialty to pursue in order to get further training.  This includes testing, research, and a match process to find where they will train for an additional 3+ years during residency.  Some fields even require further training in fellowships that are an additional 1-3+ years.  After all of this training and time, it can be extremely difficult and time-consuming to change specialties.  

During interviews, many students will discuss this ability to change areas as the reason they want to become a physician assistant, which is fine.  In the real world, most PAs tend to choose an area and stay there, so it's not like PAs are moving around all the time.  That would require additional on the job training, and it is more ideal to gain experience and then continue in that field.  If this is a reason that you are interested in becoming a PA, it's great to mention that in your interview or personal statement, but think beyond this one factor.  Try to focus on what the profession actually entails on a daily basis and why it would be something that you enjoy on a daily basis.  

If you're a PA who has changed specialties, I would love to hear your opinion on PA flexibility.  

1 Thousand Instagram Followers = Giveaways!

I made a promise a while back on Instagram that if @thePAplatform hit 1 thousand followers, we would do some giveaways over this weekend and next week.  And you guys did it!  It actually happened while I was in Africa, but now's the time!  I'll be posting most of the giveaways on Instagram, so make sure you're following me there.  Next Thursday I'm heading to the big AAD dermatology conference so I'll be sharing a lot of pictures while I'm there next weekend!

Leave a comment with what you'd like to win in this giveaway or others in the future!  

To make sure you don't miss out on any giveaways or updates, follow me on Instagram: 

@thePAplatform

My trip to Kenya!

Last month I had the privilege of going on a 10 day trip to Kenya!  It was through the ME to WE organization, and I cannot say enough about how amazing it was.  The purpose of the trip was to provide dermatological care to people of the local tribes.  We also got to participate in some unique cultural immersion activities, like visiting local homes and the local market.  I'm going to share some pictures from my trip today, and I have a lot of posts that will be coming up so I can tell you all about my experience.  I would encourage you to take any opportunity you may have to go on a mission trip!  

I'll be sharing more in the coming weeks, but if you want to see a video of me kissing a giraffe, check out my Instagram - @thePAplatform 

Physician Assistant Blogs

While there isn't a ton of information out there in the blog world, and many of them do not stay recent, if you look hard you can find some good posts.  Here is a list of the blogs I've been able to find, so let me know if you run a site or know of any others!

I'm A PA - A site from the AAPA, and their blog does update a few times a month, and you could write for them if you have an interesting perspective.

Jay the PA -  A firsthand look at what it takes to become a PA from the Pre-PA stage to being accepted and starting school!  

With Ashley Kay - Ashley is a current PA student sharing her journey through school.  She has beautiful photography on her site as well! 

White Coat Clutter - Stephanie is a PA who is transitioning to dermatology and shares a ton of tips for Pre-PA students and current PA students. 

Life as a PA - Andrea is an amazing Pediatric ICU PA who is very open about sharing her lifestyle and giving back to the PA profession.  Make sure to follow her on Snapchat too! 

PA Student Essentials - A site run by PA students and the SAAPA

Meghan in Medicine - Meghan is a soon-to-be PA student who is doing an amazing job showing the details of how she's accomplishing her goals.  

The PA Life - Jourdyn is a current PA student at UW-Madison blogging about her time while in PA school.  

Reddit Pre-PA - Not exactly a blog, but more like a forum to ask questions to an active community and look up information that others have asked about in the past. 

PA Boards - This is a great resource with so many options - podcasts, blog posts, PANCE review, YouTube videos, and even an app!  

Musings - The JAAPA blog.  This is a great resource to stay up to date with issues facing PAs.

ADVANCE for NPs & PAs - They have a few different blogs, including one for students and one for new grads.   

Lauren Does Life - A new blog with an awesome looking site.  Lauren has just started her clinical year of PA school and it looks like there are some great posts coming in the future!  

Lindsey's PA Blog - Lindsey is currently a PA student at Albany College and has been writing periodically about her experiences there.  

Hay the PA - Hayley is a PA student at University of Kentucky and she has a beautiful site where she shares tips for both PA school and living a healthy lifestyle. 

PAs RISE - A resource for pre-PAs, PA students, and physician assistants where they have access to interesting reads, mentorship, and FOAMed (free open access medical education).  This site encourages the PA community to contribute their thoughts, expertise, and opinions while shining a spotlight on the advances PAs and students are making within the community.  

The Organized Undergrad - Follow Emily's progress through undergrad as she works towards a profession in the medical field, and tries to make decisions between pursuing PA or MD.  

Medicine & Manicures - A great combination of PA school and fashion.  Kristina just graduated from Campbell University's PA program, and she will be a derm PA as well!  (Best choice ever.)

PA Fanatic - Brittany is transitioning from a Pre-PA to PA-S, and sharing all of her tips and advice along the way. 

Physician Assistant Blog - A blog with unique posts that are a little different from the typical things other sites write about.  The authors also wrote the PANCE/PANRE Study Guide, which is a resource to use during school and when studying for boards.  

AP the PA - A new blog from Aashna, a student who is about to start PA school.  Great information so far!  

Pre-physician assistant blog - A bunch of interviews with various students and PAs.  Especially helpful if you're interested in schools in Texas.  

New PA-C Here - Not updated recently, but she posted a good bit during school about her experiences 

Trust Me, I'm a PA Student - A well-researched blog from a current student at UTSW

The White Coat Investor - The best blog for financial advice if you're working in medicine. Not specific to PAs, but definitely helps everything to be slightly less confusing and provides great resources.  

Physician Assistant, Finally There - Not updated recently, but a lot of information from school and resources as well.

Women in Surgery - This is not specific to PAs, but seeing as there are plenty of women PAs and PAs doing surgery, it's a great reference.

Food, Fitness, & Family - Although the title may not seem to fit, this is a blog of a current PA student and how she survives.  And shes's a mom!

PA-C Hustle - A PA and mother, and how she balances both jobs. 

PA Journey - Follow along with a PA student on the journey to becoming a PA.  

xohollyd - Holly is currently in her didactic year of PA school and provides updates on her blog so you can see what it's like to go through PA school. 

Stethoscope and Sparkle - Follow Erin through her time in PA school, and look for all of the advice she has for Pre-PA students 

Apple A Day PA - Demi is currently in her clinical year at Florida International University in Miami, and she blogs about her experiences and offers advice for clinicals. 

White Coat Dreaming - Alex is in her 3rd year of PA school and on the tail end of clinicals.  She has some great advice from fellow students and throws a personal touch into her posts too. 

Lynzy and Co - Definitely more of a lifestyle blog, but Lynzy is a mom, but also a part-time PA.  She does a great job showing how she balances life. 

The PA Pursuit - Chelsea is a PA student who has beautiful pics on her site and her Instagram as she offers advice to hopeful PA students. 

White Coat Whitney - Whitney is a second year PA student sharing advice about PA school and for Pre-PA students. 

PA-Cents - A new kid on the block that is discussing all things having to do with the financial side of PA school and being a PA. If you have any questions about money stuff specifically for PAs, make sure to check it out!

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Book Review: Still Alice

I finished Still Alice by Lisa Genova yesterday, and it surprisingly didn't turn out to be quite as sad as I had expected!

The premise of this book is a psychology professor at Harvard is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's and it goes through her journey from pre-diagnosis, diagnosis, and progression of the disease, as well as her family's reactions.  As an intelligent woman, Alice has a very difficult time with coming to terms with her disease.  This book paints a very accurate picture of how Alzheimer's may affect both a patient and the patient's family.

Alice starts by normally living her life and will just occasionally have some lapses in memory, but it's not until she gets lost on a route she runs daily that she realizes something is wrong.  Alzheimer's starts with the small things and slowly progresses to be a debilitating disease.  This book gave me much more empathy and understanding as to why Alzheimer's patients experience some of the symptoms they do.  Distrust was a big one, and I love the way this book showed how that can happen.  The brain is so powerful that it's almost scary.

Still Alice

By Lisa Genova

Buy on Amazon

When first finding out about the possible diagnosis, Alice's husband says, "I think you jumped the going to see a neurologist.  He looks at your set of symptoms and sees Alzheimer's, but that's what he's trained to see, it doesn't mean he's right."  This stood out to me because I think this is how a lot of patients feel when they go to the doctor, so it's our job to instill trust in our patients so they feel that we are treating them as individuals, and not just a disease.

As a PA student,  Still Alice gives a great view of patient-doctor relations and multiple Mini Mental Status Exams (MMSE).  These are simple tests that can be done to judge a patient's cognitive function, and the decline is seen very clearly in this book.  It also discussed treatments that are being used currently for Alzheimer's. Alice describes it this way - "Alzheimer's disease was an entirely different kind of beast.  There were no weapons that could slay it.  Taking Aricept and Namenda felt like aiming a couple of leaky squirt guns in the face of a blazing fire."

This book gave me hope that the research being done presently will result in a cure and better medications for Alzheimer's, and hopefully sooner rather than later.  This article shows that they have found changes of Alzheimer's occur much sooner than symptoms show up, so treatment could be starting much sooner as well.  In Alice's case, if treatment had begun earlier, it could have potentially slowed down the disease process.

I definitely recommend this book for anyone in the medical field or interested in medicine, or anyone who wants a better understanding of what exactly Alzheimer's entails.  A movie was recently made from this book as well!

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