Back to the construction zone

Now that Ob/Gyn is over (sadly, I might add), I have moved onto another specialty that has been a favorite of mine: orthopedic surgery.  I find it funny (more in a ironic sense than anything) that I seem to have been a poster child for keeping an open mind during PA school: the 2 specialties (Orthopedics and Ob/Gyn that I never (not in a million years) thought I'd be interested in (Orthopedics just scared the crap out of me, as evidenced by my prior posts on the subject)) were the 2 specialties that I've fallen head-over-heels in love with, and the ones I can't imagine spending my career doing anything but.  Even though I am fairly certain that I will spend my career in Ob/Gyn, I am still insanely excited to be assisting in surgeries involving power tools again.  Orthopedic surgery is so dynamic and fun, and PAs get to do so much, both in clinic, and in surgery.

My week was a nice, slow introduction, after the hectic schedule that I kept during my Ob rotation.  I had the long Labor Day weekend off, and my first day back in Ortho. was a surgery day (YAY)!  The one thing I didn't quite remember was just how heavy the lead vests weigh (woof; didn't have to deal with those in Ob)....so standing on my feet for a 2 hour surgery was much different this time than a 2-hour salpingo-oophorectomy in Gyn.  But, other than that, it was a phenomenal first day back.  I saw my first hip surgery (so amazing) and few other routine type procedures.  The rest of the week was spent in clinic, and I had Friday off.  I know next week will definitely be back to non-stop, busy carousel of seeing patients, and 2 more days of surgeries, but it was nice to start off slow, especially since I'm dealing with a completely different area of anatomy.  Being focused on the anatomy of the pelvis is so much more different than dealing with the anatomy of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, etc.  Much more territory to cover with this one.  I'm certainly going to be kept on my toes this month!  It was so much easier when I was a kid, and the foot bone was connected to the leg bone, was connected to the hip bone. 

Goodbye to Ob/Gyn...for now

I finished Ob/Gyn yesterday, and am still sort of in shock that it's over. It was truly the best rotation for me: the one where I learned the most, did the most, and realized the most about myself and where my future is heading (yes I'm getting reflective there).

Surgically, I think I've come farthest during this rotation. I was challenged by my preceptor's partner, during a c section I was assisting in, to learn one-handed knot-tying during the time of my rotation. I took the challenge head on, and finally got to show off my skills during the last c section I scrubbed in on with him yesterday. It was a nice closure to the rotation for me. And again, every time I scrub into a case in the OR, I learn more about the nuances that make surgery what it is.

The variety of cases and patient ages is wide, which makes it fun and interesting every time I go into clinic. In-office procedures, birth control counseling, prenatal appts, Gyn annuals, and the surgeries/c sections on top of that. Ob/Gyn combines my interests in endocrinology, surgical cases, seeing patients in clinic, and having a wide range of ages.

Overall, it was an amazing rotation to have, where I learned and did a lot, and realized exactly where I belong. Next up: fun with power tools (orthopedic surgery)!