6 Weeks To Pass the PANCE

Hand writing notes has been my go-to strategy since my freshman year of undergrad and when something just won’t stick, I write it until it does.

PA SchoolAsia SullivanFebruary 6, 2019pass the PANCE, study for PANCE, study for PANRE, study for PA school, PA school boards, PA certification, PA recertification, pass PANRE, PANCE study schedule

Rotation Recap: Family Medicine

“I now understand why many people encourage primary care as a first job on which to build a strong foundation as a clinician before going into speciality care.”

PA SchoolAsia SullivanDecember 26, 2018family medicine rotation, physician assistant family medicine, primary care rotationComment

Rotation Recap: OBGYN

Before I started my OBGYN rotation, a former labor and delivery nurse told me that she absolutely loved obstetric work because, “It’s the only time people are happy to come to the hospital.”

PA SchoolAsia SullivanOctober 18, 2018OBGYN rotation, OBGYN clerkship, pa student womens health, pa student OBGYN rotationComment

Rotation Recap: Trauma ICU

I always thought of myself as a Christina Yang to the core but this month really brought out the Izzie Stevens in me.

PA SchoolAsia SullivanJune 14, 2018icu clerkship, physician assistant icu rotation, trauma icu rotationComment

Rotation Recap: Psychiatry

During this month, I internalized one of the most powerful and profound lessons I have ever learned. My preceptor changed my opinion and preconceived notions about patients (and people in general) with one small sentence.. “Everyone is better than the worst thing they’ve ever done.”

PA SchoolAsia SullivanMay 16, 2018psychiatry clinical rotation, psychiatry clerkship, psyche physician assistant, PA student psychiatryComment

Rotation Recap: Plastic Surgery

My experience did not disappoint and I was able to first assist a variety of procedures including 10 hour TRAM flap cases, breast reductions and augmentations, liposuction of almost every area of the body, upper and lower blepharoplasties, abdominoplasties, and countless injectables.. Botox, Juvederm, Voluma, you name it!

PA SchoolAsia SullivanApril 18, 2018plastic surgery clerkship, plastic surgery physician assistant, plastic surgery medical schoolComment

Rotation Recap: General Surgery

Don’t wait for your surgeon to yell at you because the camera has fogged up and you’re just sitting there. Be proactive! Have laps ready to dab away blood, suction ready.. You get the idea.

PA SchoolAsia SullivanApril 1, 2018general surgery clerkship, general surgery physician assistant, physician assistant clinical yearComment

Rotation Recap: Pediatrics

I could tell them all about their baby’s glucuronosyltransferase activity but had no idea how many wet diapers they should be making per day! The realization that I had no idea what was normal for babies hit me hard and I spent much of my time asking my preceptor things like how to choose a baby formula or how often a 2 month old should be eating.

PA SchoolAsia SullivanMarch 7, 2018pediatric clinical rotation, physician assistant pediatrics, physician assistant student, medical school pedsComment

Rotation Recap: Inpatient Medicine

A typical day for me included rounding on the patients by myself before my preceptor arrived, writing progress notes (more on that later), and then presenting the patients with my assessment and plan. I also performed detailed H&Ps on new admits and dictated discharge summaries.

PA SchoolAsia SullivanFebruary 22, 2018inpatient medicine rotation, internal medicine clerkship, medical student inpatient rotation, internal medicine, physician assistant clinical yearComment

Rotation Recap: Emergency Medicine

By the third week, I was suturing and performing I&Ds solo and on my last week, my preceptor let me get a taste of being an actual provider by putting in my own orders for labs and imaging, deciding whether or not to admit my patients, and perhaps the most commonly used skill for any medical provider → charting, charting, charting. (CYA, am I right!?)

PA SchoolAsia SullivanFebruary 1, 2018emergency medicine rotation, emergency medicine clerkship, medical student emergency medicine, emergency medicine, physician assistant emergency medicineComment

Rotation Recap: Cardiothoracic Surgery

PA SchoolAsia SullivanJanuary 10, 2018cardiothoracic surgery rotation, pa surgery rotation, cardiothoracic surgery PAComment

17 FAQ About PA School

To celebrate, I compiled the 17 most commonly asked questions about PA school that I received this year. I started the blog to do exactly that, spread interest in the profession, inspire others to pursue their academic dreams, and provide a resource for pre and current PA students.

PA SchoolAsia SullivanSeptember 20, 2017requirements for PA school, getting in to PA school, GPA for PA school, prerequisites for PA school, PA school statistics, clinical experience for PA school, GPA for medical school, how to get in to medical schoolComment

3 Stacked Study Tips : Couture In Clinic x BoardVitals

While it is true that “grades aren’t everything,” exams are an inevitable part of a professional program and let’s be real… it feels SO good to get that A!

PA SchoolAsia SullivanSeptember 15, 2017study for medical school, how to study, how to study in PA school, how to study in nursing school, study hacks, study tips, study tips for PA students, how to study in graduate school, study with boardvitals

How to Tackle the CASPA: Beginner's Guide

When I was in the process of applying, I felt sort of lost. There were no clear guidelines to follow or lists detailing every step of the way. Now, having crossed the stormy CASPA waters and come out on the other side as an excited, accepted PA student, I know that there is no perfect recipe for acceptance but there are certainly some key ingredients, which is the basis for this post.

PA SchoolAsia SullivanSeptember 13, 2017caspa, when to start the CASPA, applying to PA school, how to get in to PA school, CASPA help, what is the CASPA

PACKRAT Preparedness

Before taking the exam, I did some googling for information about it but did not find much. There are endless resources and blog articles regarding the PANCE but not much about the PACKRAT.

PA SchoolAsia SullivanAugust 15, 2017PACKRAT, PA school PACKRAT, take PACKRAT exam, PACKRAT exam, PANCE PACKRAT

Top 4 Study Tips for Any Learning Style

How do I study? After a lot of consideration about what I do that works, and what I have done that doesn’t work, I’ve come up with these key things. I understand the varieties of study methods ( btw, I reject the idea that everyone has ONE “learning style”) and I believe that these strategies are applicable for any focused study session.

PA SchoolAsia SullivanApril 19, 2017study for medical school, study for PA school, study in PA school, how to study in PA school, how to study in nursing school, how to study in graduate school, study tips for PA students, study tips for med students

Couture in Clinic x Medelita: LGBTQ in Medicine

“My sexuality accounts for one of the thousands of things that people know about me, and it’s not all that I am. By honoring the diversity in all of us, we create a happier, healthier society!”