Med School for PA's

This is Joe, making a guest appearance on this blog to describe a little about what PA school is like here are D'Youville.

There are essentially three phases to my medical education here and you must successfully complete each phase before going on to the next. The first phase (which I am currently in) involves the "Basic Sciences of Medicine." This title is a little deceiving because there is nothing basic about it! These classes are Pathophysiology (the study of disease processes and how they effect each body system), Biochemistry (analyzing and memorizing the chemical reactions structures, functions and interactions of cellular components such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and other biomolecules), Gross Anatomy (this is essentially a six hour cadaver lab, three days a week, where we dissect every muscle, nerve, bone, and organ in an actual human body), and finally Medical Microbiology.

Currently, I am taking Patho and just got finished with a test that covered all respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, hepatic and renal disease (Liver and Kidneys), and finally Acid-Base disorders and diseases. It is stressful because my notes and slides filled a 3" notebook... And that was just three weeks of material! Luckily that test is over and I can concentrate on the last test before finals which will cover Pancreatic, Reproductive, Genetic, and Neurological Diseases which is some of the hardest material in terms of the physiology involved.

Outside of class time, I probably spend at least 15-20 hrs a week EXTRA studying the material. That means many long nights in library and most of the weekend studying. If you don't enjoy reading (and comprehending it), don't go into the medical field!

Another interesting class that I am taking involves Ethics/Bioethics. It mainly involves applying ethical theories to medicine as well as a lot of scenarios. Lots of good discussion and lots of papers to write! This first semester has been tough because I have not been full-time in school for a few years and the workload is very overwhelming. It's worse than a full-time job because the hours extend long past when class is finished for the day.

My schedule is set and next semester I will spend most days in lab for Gross Anatomy and Biochem! It may not seem fun for most people, but I really love hands on learning and I am grateful for those who have donated their body to medical schools so that I may have the opportunity to learn.

There is a lot I haven't covered... So any questions?