If you’ve never seen Napoleon Dynamite, you might want to put it on your schedule this weekend. I’m sure you could use a laugh.
“I don’t even have any good skills. You know like num-chuk skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills. Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!”-Napoleon.
This line popped into my head because I’ve been writing about skills. Not bow hunting or num-chuks (hmmm, maybe that would be fun), but rather skills that students use every day.
Things like gaining content knowledge, studying (for use of knowledge on an exam), test taking, and anxiety management.
Those are skills. The great part is that you can improve your skills. That means you aren’t stuck where you are. You can get better. A pitcher may not be able to throw 100 mph, but he can get better at placing his pitches and fooling batters.
If I were a courtroom litigator, you’d better believe I’d take public speaking and persuasion courses. If I were a transcriptionist, I’d be taking speed typing classes. If I were a surgical PA, I’d be going to courses on robotics and advanced suturing. I’m always looking to improve my skills. The payoff is just too big.
When you learn a skill, it’s with you forever. You get better at test taking, and on every test for the rest of your life you get a higher score. If you get better at studying, every hour you spend studying is worth more forever.
I learned to snowboard when I was 14.I went a bunch in high school and then a few times in college, but not once since then. Last year my wife and I decided to take the kids. It was like riding a bike. We wound up on Black Diamonds in New Hampshire (Waterville Valley for anyone who lives up there).It was awesome, and after a few runs it was like I’d never taken a 20 year break.
Learning skills is where it’s at.
Skills are why I went from foot and ankle to multi-specialty surgery. Sure, I could have stayed in foot and ankle and had a nice little career, but I wouldn’t have learned any new skills. My surgical skills would have frozen 10 years ago. Now, I’m adding to them still almost every day, and because of that I’m marketable no matter where I go.
If I’ve sufficiently whetted your appetite, check out the Physician Assistant Exam Scholars. The August newsletter is all about skills, in particular, study skills. I’m going to show you why you might be overworking and underperforming. Why the advice of stay up later and work harder is usually awful advice for PA students.
I’d love to help improve your skills and your grades. Join me here:
Physician Assistant Exam Scholars
Brian Wallace