Now I love surgery. It’s what I do.
But during PA school I couldn’t stand it. Standing there, watching peoples backs. Ug No idea what was going on. I’d stand there dying, having no idea where we were in the procedure or how much longer it would be. It was the WORST. I would stand there and be all into it for the first hour, the second hour and then by the third hour I’d be fading with no end in sight.
One of the things I try to do when we have a student or even college kid observing is telling them how long the case should take. I try to tell them the basic steps. Almost all surgery follows a simple three-step framework.
1) Dissection
– The part where you get to where you need to get to. I think of it like prepping a house to be painted. You are sanding and scraping and spackling. You’re getting ready. This is the long boring part where it feels like nothing is happening.
2) Surgery
– This is the part were we fix what needs fixing. Organ cut out, baby delivered, bones fixed etc. The exciting, quick part. The actual painting of the house.
3) Closing
– This I where we put everything back together. Make sure there’s no bleeding and sew it all back together. This is the cleanup.
You can take anything and break it up into its component framework and make it easier to understand and remember. Some basic structure helps you hold onto it longer. That’s a big part of how I got through and excelled in PA school. It’s how I continue to crush my exams and help others crush there’s. It’s too late to get the August issue of The Physician Assistant Exam Scholar’s Newsletter where I covered breaking down heart murmurs and cardio meds, but there’s still time to get the September issue. Don’t let another issue go by. Plus I have a special offer for PAES members coming in September, but only if you’re a member.
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Physician Assistant Exam Scholars