Summer is Over

Class starts back up again today. I’ve had a hard time getting back into the swing of studying; especially because this has been my view for the past couple of days.

Ft. Lauderdale

The fact that our first test is in 3 days is starting to freak me out.  This week we will be covering 3 chapters regarding cellular pathology, inflammation, and tissue renewal and repair.

Also I want to share with you a secret on how I got through the first semester: Coffee

Before starting grad school I was never into drinking coffee. Sure I would get a Frappuccino from Starbucks on a few occasions, but the idea of a regular cup of hot coffee disgusted me.  After the second week of grad school I realized I needed something extra to wake me up for early morning conferences and study sessions.  At the time my roommate's shiny new Keurig seemed like heaven! At the end of the first semester I decided that I wanted to stop drinking coffee. I didn’t like the feeling that my body was addicted to a substance (yes I’m aware I'm talking about caffeine and not an illegal drug).  So after I finished my last K-cup I went cold turkey.  This first week back at school will be the ultimate test to see if I can survive without it!

I’ll be back after this week to give you my first impression of the summer class and to let you know if I caved and started drinking coffee again.

1 Semester Down, 5 to Go!

We finished up our first semester on the 10th and I have done absolutely NOTHING since then (it feels great).  I’m very proud of my classmates and myself for surviving!

Some light reading

We have 2 weeks off before starting our 12 credit hour Mechanisms of Disease class. This class entails reading a chapter a day from Robbins’ Pathologic Basis of Disease.  So while the majority of college students will be lying out by the pool this summer, I’ll be cramming my brain with 1368 pages of pathology.  On the plus side, I’d much rather study Pathology all summer than something like Organic Chemistry (my arch nemesis in undergrad). I'll provide more details on this class once it starts!

With my remaining days of freedom, I’m headed down to Miami with my mom and grandma to relax on the beach!

Saying Goodbye to Our Cadavers

This past weekend was the memorial service for our cadavers.  The families whose loved ones donated their body to science were invited to celebrate that gift.  It was a beautiful service where students shared their experiences and were able to express their gratitude.

The boards list the names of the individuals who donated their body for the 2012-2013 school year. 

I was surprised to see just how many individuals had donated themselves. I’m sure these individuals impacted many lives while they were living and now they have continued to do so even in their passing. They have impacted the lives of future doctors, dentists, physical therapists, and pathologists’ assistants.  With the knowledge we have gained from them, one day we will be able to change the lives of those still living.

So a big thank you to Albert and the three other cadavers that I was able to study from this semester. I know I will be a better PA because of their generous gift. I cannot thank them enough!

WVU PA Class of 2014