Anatomy Lab
My last day of Anatomy Lab was one the of the happiest days of my life. Truly. It’s up there with the birth of each of my children. When I heard that metal door slam behind me in that nondescript building on the street corner across from the main building where I took all my classes, I was awash in a sensation freedom I cannot adequately explain. I think I cried.
Anatomy lab was one of the most challenging parts of PA school for me and I think I still have a little PTSD from it. Looking back, I think I was just massively unprepared for the time and study that was going to be required for the class. When I entered PA school I had three small children, including an infant, was still breastfeeding, and was living– miles away.
Some people in my class had cadaver lab in undergraduate, and some had subsequently been TAs in those classes. So there were people in my class working on their third or fourth dissection. In my community college A&P class, we spent a few weeks dissecting a cat.
My dear friend wrote a beautiful article about Anatomy Lab.
Obviously A&P is essential to understanding medicine. I keep an anatomy book on my work bookshelf to this day.
How to Survive Anatomy Lab
1.Put in the time
You need time to navigate the bosy
2.Gather your Resources
You need some quality resources for anatomy. Again, the primary resources are your professors, lectures and notes. Don’t go broke buying a million things.
University of Michigan Medical School (google.com)
2.Study, Memorize, Repeat
Anatomy moves along systematically. Look over the basic information before you attend class. Try to stay engaged in class. Review that night.
3.Find Your People
Being alone in the anatomy lab is a little unsettling…but sometimes unavoidable. Better is to try to make a regular study date with some classmates. You do not have to study with your lab group, but you always can. I know some poeple but definitely try to spend a little time in the lab the week before a practical exam.
4.Make Connections
The best thing I did in anatomy lab was hire a tutor. There was a medical student at my school that even the professors referred to as “The King of Anatomy.” He was brilliant and funny and approachable, and had a wealth of resources at his fingertips.
5.Get In the Right Headspace
Anatomy lab will end. Don’t let it break you. Y
Continuing Medical Education
Physician Assistants are required by to log . State requirements vary but in Texas,
Many employers offer some CME reimbursement but if you use youralowance for licesnsure, professional memberships etc., you may find quickly that conferences with hotel stays, plane tickets and meals out but stretch your budget to thin. Plus there’s the added burden on the family of being away and having to arrange fro child care, reschedule afterschool activities, etc. Luckily there are some great options for the busy Mom PA-C
This little gem is the best CME deal I have found (besides Up to Date – see below). I’m a bit old school so I still get the print magazine, which surprisingly isn’t that much more than digital access. Every two weeks the great folks at AFP send you a thin magazine packed with practical articles. Your subscription comes with 24 annual issues and the ability to earn 130 CME credits. Every time I get one, I think, “Wow, I just had a patient with this issue this week.” It’s a little magical that way. As a APP you are eligible for “Allied Health Professional” rate about $100 than the cost for physicians. Subscription rates and details are here.
Say what? Earn CME for looking stuff up on the job? If you have a personal account for UptoDate that is exactly what you get!
I adore HIPPO. Back in PA school we negotiated a group discount for PANCE Board review. I would even use it in school to help understand a tough topic. There are a ton of options
Pri Med Conferences
Pri Med
Rosh Review
Diane Wagner
