On Friday I said
goodbye to my first clinical rotation site. Turning in my badge was a
bittersweet moment. On the one hand I had completed my FIRST EVER clinical rotation,
but on the other I had become so comfortable at St. Clair and really enjoyed
going to work each day and loved working with all the employees. I've never felt so
accomplished, yet sad at the same time.
If I had to give
one word to sum up my grossing experience at St. Clair it would be
"hysterectomy". I would have never thought that I would have
grossed 14 hysterectomy specimens by the end of my first five weeks. It even got to the point where one of the
Pathologists walked through the lab one day and said "Nicole, every time I come in
here you have a uterus at your bench!" Don't get me wrong, I was able to
gross plenty of other specimens as well, but each day didn't feel complete
unless there was a uterus involved.
I am so
appreciative that they let me have a try at a variety of specimens, including
the bigger, more complex ones. I was able to see and learn a lot in my first
five weeks (but still have a lot more to see) and I definitely have gotten the
hang of dictating. It was an awesome feeling every time I was able to
gross a specimen without referencing a textbook or past dictations. This
rotation definitely gave me the confidence I needed and was an awesome
foundation to the start of my career as a PA. I couldn't have asked for a
better first rotation!
This next week
I'll be at UPMC Shadyside Tissue Bank - more to follow!
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