It's GRADUATION TIME!!!! I Did It!!!!

[spectre]

Haha! awesome! :D you could see your grin from a mile away in that video :D
Congratulations dave!

[Night Vision]

you def looked better than the forty year old outdoorsman  :D :D

good job MrDavePAYJ

[Cdnlouie]

Congratulations Dr. Yellowjacket! Great job! Your the man!

[YellowJacket!]

A belated "THANKS" for all the well wishes!   :)   :)   ;D   ;D

I finished my first rotation in Critical Care/Internal Medicine and had a great time during that rotation.  I've not been around ROV much lately because I have been doing my Cardiothoracic Surgery rotation and the hours have been crazy but the experience has been awesome. 

I started out doing mostly observation/learning and minor surgical procedures then moved on the vein harvesting for bypass surgery and then to First Assistant during bypass surg and valve replacements.  I have also had some awesome experiences as a solo 1st assist.  I have had a lot of experience too working the camera for "VATS" (minimally invasive video assisted thorascopic surgery) and love doing that.

The funny thing is my preceptor is on my case about being slow when I close the chest and legs but the surgeons laugh and tell him that I have some of the best looking wound closures and should go into plastics.  CT surgery is where my heart is though - pun intended.  :-)

The irony of what I am doing is somewhat like working on a V-twin TWO valve/cyl with a bouble bbl carb.  I've been able to assist in several valve replacements but have yet to do one on my Vision....   ::)

Now, just 9 months to go and I start delivering babies in two weeks.

David

[QBS]

Hi Dave.  Just ran across this thread.  Kathy and I are very proud for you.  You've definitely got the "Doctor" look down pat.  Just to think, we knew you way back when.  Congratulations and Very Well Done!

[Cdnlouie]

Thanks for the update, great to hear of the terrific challenges you have overcome and the interesting work you are doing now, I hope you can enjoy your lovely Vision again this year.

[YellowJacket!]

WOW!  How time flys!

After 2 1/2 years of Physician Assistant school I have reached a critical point in my journey.... Clinical Summative week.  It is all that stands between me and graduation now and while it will be mentaly and physically challenging, I'm up for the task and ready to move on to my last 6 week clinical ratation - Emergency Medicine.  Once done with CSE week, I'll be back at the hospital I used to work at, doing my final rotation in the ER.  It'll be an intense 6 weeks of learning and working long hours but I am so excited about it and ready...since I've already completed a trauma surgery rotation.

CSE Week begins tomorrow and I have tons of exams to take and the bar is set high.  They will only let us complete the program if we score 80% or above on the exams (both written and practical) we are given only one chance to remediate and I hope I won't have to use it.

Hopefully the board review course I took last week will have paid off and prepared me enough.  The good thing is the review course gives you an idea of how well you will do on your boards and with my score on the practice board they predicted that I shuould pass with 98% certainty.  My base score was well above the mean but all I have to do is pass... the overall score on the boards means nothing.... just pass or fail.

After graduation on December 15th, I'll have a couple weeks to prepare for the boards which I'm taking on January 2nd.  Funny thing is, my advisor told me to wait and unwind, but I want to take them while everything form the review and CSE is still fresh on my mind.... plus I need a job.  Being unemployed for 2 years has taken its toll on me.  Also once I'm licensed, it may still be several months before I can work ans my employer will have to "credential" me with the facilities I'll be working at and the insurance companies I will be billing, so it loks like it might be march or april before I actually see a paycheck...

Anyway, wish me luck... I'm finally in the home stretch!!!

Thanks,

David

[fret not]

(crowd erupts with applause)!!!! ;)

We're all enjoying this for you, David.  Congratulations and good luck.

[Rick G]

Congrats , David , we are all proud of you!

[Tiger]

Go David go... 8) We are ALL, right behind you brother 8) 8)

          8) ....... TIGER ....... 8)

[calipanda]

congrats! I am considering PA school as well!

[PwrManDan]

Congrats!!! 

[admin]

Tiger is right David, we are all behind you, you can do it, hang in there!
is "break a leg" appropriate here ?    8)
any of those hospitals or med centers will be damn lucky to have you
working for them.  don't forget, you have plenty of good references here
if you need them  :)


-Ron

[YellowJacket!]

Thanks guys.
One round of major exams down including my "OSLER" which is a mock patient with an unknown problem.  You have to go through a full history and exam then come up with the right labs and rads to order (both too much and too little cost you points) and then arrive at the correct diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.  Its timed, video recorded and graded very strictly.  Wasn't my best performance but I still did well.
Exams today on labs and radiology.

@calipanda feel free to PM me your contact info if you need to know more about school.  I'll be glad to give you as much info as I can.

David

[Aelwulf]

Belated congrats!  Sounds like it's progressing well. :) Good luck up to December!

P.S.-If you didn't get the one with the backwards arms I would've protested, just sayin'...

[YellowJacket!]

WOOOOHHHHHOOOOO!!!!! I Did it!! I am now a Physician Assistant!!!  Graduation is Saturday the 15th.  I finished my last week of intense exams after finishing my ER rotation. I'm all done now and have the week of to relax before graduation.

I am scheduled to take my board exam Jan 15th so after that I will be a board certified PA.

This has been such a long time in the making and I have finally reached my goal..... I'm extatic!!!

Right now I have to overcome the "experience required" in order to get a job at either a large cardiology office or multispecialty practice.  Wish me luck!

Thank you so much to everyone for all the encouragement over the years.  :-)

David

[Night Vision]

my attaboy goes out to you! good job

[fret not]

PA. Doctor Yellow Jacket sir, hearty cheers and kudos, and just remember that nothing succeeds like success!  Keep your Intent focused and follow it.  We are all proud of you, and you are a credit to the human race.

[Tiger]

SUUUUUUUPERB news my friend, superb 8)

Hard work and dedication pays off, once again... 8) 8)

           8) ....... TIGER ....... 8)

[Rikugun]

Great Job David! It's always nice to hear of a fellow ROV member's success.  :D Your family must be so proud of you!

While all tests can be nerve wracking, based on you hard work and results so far, I'm sure you will have no problem with the board certification.