Comprehensive Review Week

            One of the most dreaded weeks in PA school is our comprehensive review week, or as many of us call “Hell Week”.  Essentially, we get lectured for three full days about everything we learned in PA school.  At the end of that week we have a two part 250 question written exam, clinical skills testing, and a patient encounter.  The clinical skills testing portion is on the skills we learned during the school year.  Many of you may remember my entry on splinting and casting. This was one of the skills we had to perform.  Others were injections, suturing, catheter placement etc.  The point of testing on this section was to show our skills in these areas that we had performed on our rotations.  For myself, I felt very comfortable with venipuncture because I done this skill about 15 times a day in my OB-GYN rotation.  There were other skills that I felt not so comfortable with. 

The patient encounter was the one that my classmates and I worried about the most.  I am sure you are all thinking, “Jen, you have seen patients all day long and will in the future, why are you worried now?” I can tell you all that I do feel comfortable with diagnosing and treating patients; however, when you are being watched and timed it can be nerve wracking. There was a 20-minute time limit to do a full history and physical exam, and then 5 minutes to present your findings, assessment and plan to the grader in the room.  My experience with this patient encounter was better than expected.  In the real world I know I could have done better.  It really is true that you know more than you think you know.  I think that I delivered one of the best presentations of a patient that I have ever given in my life.  It was short to the point and I had the correct diagnosis and treatment.  Rotations really prepared me for this. Sure, I made some mistakes as far as adding additional physical exam components that were unnecessary to do.  These were due to nerves.  Even now I still laugh about some of the things I did that day. 

            In the long run, comprehensive week is finished.  What is even more bitter sweet is that these were the LAST tests I will ever take in PA school.  At the end of the day, all of us went out to celebrate. The only thing I have left now before graduation, 23 days away, is my dermatology elective and presentation.  I am so excited!! Happy July 4^th everyone!