Today I was reminded of just how glad I am that I am done with PT classes forever. During the 2nd year of PT school (which would have been last year for me), all students are required to take an elective. I obviously took the CSCS elective (and passed the test!), but one of the options is a sports medicine elective where you get to learn about all different types of sports injuries and how to treat them. Today, my CI was the guest lecturer for that elective so the students from the 2nd year class that are taking that elective came to Wildwood this afternoon at 4:30 to listen to his lecture. My CI asked me if I would like to sit in on it and I gladly said yes, because that meant I could give my mind a break for 2 hours and lay back and do a whole lot of nothing while he gave his 2 hour lecture. Well, wouldn't you know that he decided to give the lecture in a dark room where I just wanted to fall asleep and then ended up going over by a half hour, so we didn't even get to leave until 7pm. Let me just say that working 7:30am (leaving my house at 6:30am) and not getting home until almost 8pm is a LONG day...I guess I was meant to sit through that lecture just to be reminded of how glad I am that I am done with classes forever.
Speaking of stress, although we were done with patients at 4:30 today, it was probably one of the more hectic days on the schedule so far, especially since my CI is starting to have me be pretty much independent with the entire caseload. This means approximately 4 evals/day (each including about 10+ pages of paperwork...ugh) and approximately 18 other patients on top of that. If it weren't for the amazing people I work with, I would never make it through. I think some of the rehab aides are the only reason I keep my sanity.
All in all, I can still say that I'm glad I'm having this experience. I am getting my butt kicked daily. Some of the benefits of this are:
- I have more appreciation for any future job that I have in which I am only scheduled to see one patient at a time.
- Working 8-4:30 will seem like a vacation.
- I am finding the motivation to study for boards, based solely on the fact that this clinical has made me realize all of the information that I have yet to learn.
- If I ever become a clinical instructor in the future, I will have more understanding and compassion of what my students are going through.
- I am learning more on this clinical than I ever did in 3 years of PT school.
- I have made good friends at this clinical, and with any luck, will be able to keep in touch with them after the clinical is over.
- If I am so lucky to be offered a job within a 30 minute (or less) driving distance from home, I will take it in a heartbeat.
I love Wildwood, the people that work there, and the patients...but I am a) too tired to drive there any more days that I have to and b) not a big fan of the whole 2-3 (or sometimes 4) patients at a time scheduling so that half the time our patients aren't receiving the quality of care that they deserve...
11 more working days, one inservice presentation, and one service project until spring break and then Montpelier!
No comments:
Post a Comment