1. I'm officially a 2nd-year PA student (aka, PA-S2). I must say, I had so much fun changing my email signature from saying PA-S1 to -S2, and being able to have the -S2 on my security badges for the hospitals. It represents 1 extremely long, arduous year, full of tears, frustration, feeling overwhelmed almost as often as I brush my teeth, completed. It also represents moments of satisfaction, especially those during my clinical rotations, when I am reminded of WHY I put up with the frustration and feelings of being extremely overwhelmed: I will have the health care needs of my patients in my hands, and will have the knowledge and tools to help them.
Students from previous classes have always said that this summer between 1st and 2nd year is the most glorious summer you'll ever experience in the CU PA program, because it actually somewhat resembles a normal summer. So far, that has proven to be true. We finished classes in May, and other than the 2, 2-week clinical rotations that we've had to complete, all of the other time until August 29th is ours. It's such a great feeling being able to sleep in, and not have to freak out about a nap-time that inadvertently went WAY longer than 30 minutes, as you'd set your alarm for more study time. I know, that with just over a month until August 29th, I really need to enjoy the time I have remaining, because 2nd year will be just as unforgiving as the first.
Now, onto those clinical rotations. After spending countless hours in the classroom, there's such immense satisfaction that comes from being in the clinical realm, and having the opportunity to "practice what they preach." I am surprised at how much more comfortable I feel seeing patients now, as my first time in clinic was nerve-wracking, and an experience in overcoming the feeling of being an idiot.
This summer, I was scheduled for my required surgical rotation (more on that in the next post), and an elective. For my elective, I chose Pediatric Endocrinology, and was split between the outpatient clinic at the Children's Hospital, and the 2nd part of the rotation was going to Camp Colorado, Diabetes Camp 2011. My week at TCH was so much fun, as endocrinology is one of my favorite areas of medicine, and the practice environment at Children's is just so much fun, and definitely favorable to students. All of the providers jumped at the opportunity to have me see the interesting patients that they were treating, and eventually throw me and have me see some on my own.
Diabetes Camp, on the other hand, felt like a foreign language emersion program. Camp Colorado is one of the many camps that the American Diabetes Association puts on around the country every year, so that kids living with Type I Diabetes have the opportunity to thrive in an environment with other kids dealing with Type I, and to just be kids, doing camp things. Often times, normal summer camps just don't have the capacity or knowledge to deal with the day-to-day requirements of a camper with diabetes, and therefore, a lot of these kids wouldn't otherwise be able to experience summer camp.
Camp Eagle Lake was absolutely gorgeous!!! I still can't believe I got credit for my clinical rotations for this!
Beautiful view of Eagle Lake, just after an afternoon rainstorm :)
Beach-front lifeguard chair
Like I said, the week that I spent at Diabetes Camp truly felt like a total immersion program in a foreign language. I learned more about blood glucose testing, blood sugar highs, blood sugar lows, insulin types (rapid-acting, intermediate-acting, long-acting, Lantus, Humalog, Novolog, etc.), insulin pump therapy, and giving injections than I could have ever learned in the clinic setting, where, when these kids do their follow-up appointments, things are going pretty well for them on the day of their appt. I also saw first-hand the effects of too much exercise, not enough exercise, crazy teenage hormones, altitude, and 5 pita grilled cheese sandwiches on blood sugar levels. Let me just say, it was one crazy week, but I learned so much about diabetes management, and will most definitely be returning next summer for another round!
I was so incredibly humbled by the 268 campers there, and especially by their parents; I was completely exhausted after just 6 days of 24/7 diabetes management for my 7 campers...this exhaustion doesn't even scratch the surface of what the parents of these campers must feel every day, worrying about their child's blood sugar levels, getting up at 2am to test them, and give them a snack if their sugar is too low, and bolus them with insulin if it's too high. However, I was extremely lucky to have a med-staff partner who not only has done camp before as a staff member, but she has been living with Type I for the past 8 years, and taught me so much, and very willingly answered all of the random questions I had for her!
After briefly recovering from my endeavor in endocrinology, it was off to my required surgical rotation in Orthopedic Surgery, in lovely Greeley, CO (stay tuned).
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