Sigh of Relief

Since making the decision to only apply to PA school, I have felt sooo much better about everything.  I don't feel as stressed about this summer - buying a house, taking a CNA course all while trying to study for the MCAT.  I'm even getting excited about this upcoming application season, even though I have a slim chance of getting in.  I know it sounds weird, but I don't know as much about the application process as I do the med school process, so it will be a GREAT learning experience and I'm hoping I can at least get an interview.

My Stats:
Overall GPA - 3.69
sGPA - 3.89
Patient Care Work  Experience = big fat 0! hours (CNA course this summer)
Miscellaneous  experience - tons of shadowing, 3 years volunteering at Hospice, volunteering with Salvation Army, 2 years as a Wellness Champion, and my various work experience.  

I don't think my app is too shabby, just need to get that patient care experience and ace an interview and I think I'll be good. 

Soul Searching and Final Decision

Ever since I found out I didn't get into KU I have been debating about applying to PA school.  I eventually decided that I would go ahead and apply to both programs, and hopefully get into KU.  The reasoning for applying to PA as well was if I didn't get into KU, I would then focus my efforts on PA school. Well, after a lot of debating and agonizing, I have decided to pursue PA school over medical school. I know that I am very close to getting an acceptance to medical school, but if I had both offers on the table and had to choose one today, I would choose PA school.  It is two years versus SEVEN at a fraction of the cost and I will be able to do the same things a doctor does, with a few exceptions.  The initials behind my name are not the reasons I am going into medicine, so really, the decision wasn't a hard one after all. Plus, being a PA-C will actually allow me more freedom in the area and field I want to practice, and I will still make a very decent living. If my circumstances were a little different - if I was younger or single, then I would stick with the medical school track, but I have a family and that changes things.  It limits the schools I can apply to and most importantly, I want to be able to take vacations and spend time with them sooner, rather than later. I don't feel as if I'm "settling" on a career because I will still be practicing medicine and I know I will love it.  I am a little sad I won't be "Dr. White," but the name isn't important, it just sounds cool.  :o) I feel as if a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.  I am at peace with my decision. 


Now I get to go home and burn sell my MCAT review books.

Back to the Grind

This week has been quite the week.  I both love and hate spring break -it's great to have a week off, but it's hard to get back in the swing of things, I'm exhausted!   I had my anatomy lab practical on Tuesday and ended up with another A!  Yay!  I have been reading and taking notes on the chapters I didn't finish over spring break (I did manage to finish one chapter), and this weekend I will catch up and start working on my condensed versions.  I have an anatomy quiz on Monday and the exams for both anatomy and micro are a week and a half away.  We are really getting into the meat of the material and there is so much to learn and remember.  I'm glad that there is only about a month left!

This summer won't be much of a break, however.  I will be starting my MCAT studying as well as a CNA course (hopefully) the weekend after finals, boo,  then I'll take the MCAT in July and will start looking for a part time CNA job.  Part of me is wondering if I should reapply to KU, but then the other part of me says "you got an interview last year, there is something about you they like."  I'm going to stick with it for one more try, unless I am not doing well on my practice exams.  There is no point in going through it if I can't bring up my score.

I know if I apply to WSU's PA program I have a pretty good chance of NOT getting in this year, but I still want to apply.  Why, do you ask?  Well, it will be a good learning experience.  I will learn how the application system works, what is needed to send in everything, how they process letters of recommendation and all the little details.  If I were to get an interview that would be a huge bonus for me, and would allow me to better prepare for next year.  I will be as prepared as I can be this time around, but I have a feeling that my lack of experience will keep me out this go around.  I might as well see how the process works.  The only thing I will be out is the money, and hey, there is always the chance that lightening will strike and I'll be accepted.  :o)

A Different Color

If you read yesterday's post you probably noticed the afghan I started to crochet.  I wasn't real crazy about the blue, and when I posted the picture I really decided that I wasn't crazy about the blue.  Soooo, I went home and dug through my yarn, had a brilliant idea to ORGANIZE my yarn by utilizing a couple of storage drawers that were no longer being used, and switched out the blue yarn for red.  Ahhh, much better.  I think the red works better with they shades of brown/tan I used.  Looking at the pictures gave me an idea to get some grays and use that with the blue to make a similar afghan - who knows when that will be though.  :o)

A Yummy Dinner!

Last night I went to the store and by the time I got home I was starving! So I cubed up some chicken put some extra virgin olive oil in the pan with some garlic and threw in some asparagus along with it.  I then added some garlic pepper, alpine touch and regular pepper and cooked it up.  I served it over rice, and boy was it delicious! 

I haven't worked out much this week because I have been really enjoying my week off from classes.  I know I haven't done much, but isn't that kinda the point?  :o)  I do plan to take Friday off from work and use it to study a bit, clean a bit and enjoy my last day of no classes for a couple of months.  I have a lab practical on Tuesday, so I have been studying for that all week and reading some, so it's not like I have been a total slacker.  ;o)  I managed to organize the cupboard where we keep our containers and lids, underneath the kitchen sink and even the pantry.  I think tonight I may drag out my summer clothes - it has been pretty warm the past month, so I think I can put away most of my winter stuff. I also started crocheting a bit, I haven't been too serious about it because I know I won't be able to do anything with it after this week, but I needed to get some crocheting in - I was going through withdrawals.  :o)

Here is what I have done so far. I have only done a few rows of the tan, and about 4 rows of the blue.  The rest I started last summer.  I am not sure if I like the blue or not.  I am kinda thinking I should have gone with the maroon on this one.  Hmmmm, I might just do that.

What a Week

Wow, this week has been a blur! Brad was home again this week until Thursday morning.  He FINALLY went to the dr. and they figured he had pneumonia, which explains the fevers, and it developed into bronchitis.  They asked him to stay home a few extra days to help his lungs clear up, so that is what he did. 

I got my grades back for my exams, and I got a 98% on my anatomy exam!!  I was super excited - until I checked my microbiology grade.  I got an 88%.  Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent grade, but I felt so much better about it than my anatomy exam.  This is a perfect example of how when I feel I did good on an exam I do bad, and when I feel like I bombed it, I do good.  :o/   But, then I learned on Tuesday he dropped quite a few of the test questions because they were over material that he said would not be on the exam, so I ended up with a 116%!  The class average for that exam was 55%, and only three people got higher grades than me - 92,92 and a 90.  There may have been one more in there, but 92 was the high, which makes me feel a little better.  I am definitely not looking forward to the next exam though! Genetics and antibiotics = lots to remember.

Next week is SPRING BREAK!!!! I am so excited!  Can you tell?  :o)  I still have a bunch of studying to do - anatomy lab practical the Tuesday after, and two chapters of reading/note taking each in anatomy and microbiology.  Even though I still have lots to do, I don't mind so much because I don't have to go to class.  This frees up so much time! 
 


Last weekend the fam and I went to the drive in and watched THREE movies for $10.  Safe House, Ghost Rider and Underworld: Awakening.  They were all really good, but Safe House was my favorite.  It was great to see Ryan Reynolds in another serious action role. 

BodyRock WOD

This past week I have been refraining from sugar and eating low carb meals.  I have to admit that I cheated a couple of days, but it was a crazy week.  I had a couple cookies the other day and I had a glass of wine last night and a Mike's Lemonade Thursday.  I am weak, what can I say.  :*) 

I do plan on doing the Show It Off Workout out today, and possibly the Hard and Tight Workout as well because I didn't get a chance to do it Wednesday.  I was hoping to do it last night, but I got home too late so I had a glass of wine and celebrated being done with exams for another month instead.  :D 

Last night during the micro class exam, a girl passed out from low blood sugar and stress.  I had already finished my exam, so I wasn't there when it happened, but it sure made for an interesting lab.  Last year there was a student in my genetics class that passed out halfway through lecture and caused quite a commotion. I wonder how often this type of thing occurs.