Saturday, February 3, 2018

1st Rotation, Week 5-Butler, PA

I just finished my 5th week at Butler Memorial Hospital! I am way more comfortable now with the people at the hospital, the drive, and grossing in general.  I really feel like a PA here even though I am only a student in my first rotation.  I am the only person available to gross large specimens and cut frozens so I get the opportunity to gross everything that comes through the door.  I have grossed no shortage of colons and uteri so I am getting pretty quick at those.  I was worried I wasn’t going to get any larger resection specimens during my rotation but this week I got to gross a cystoprostatectomy!  This is a radical resection they perform when they are concerned about a larger bladder tumor invading into the prostate of a male. (The female equivalent to this specimen would be a bladder and uterus.)  The day before I grossed it they sent the ureter margins for frozen so I cut those and grossed the entire specimen the next day.  I was intimidated at first, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be!  I feel pretty lucky because they said they only get about 2 cystoprostatectomy specimens a year.  I also had my first mastectomy this week as well.  I really feel like this is an awesome rotation for experience and building confidence.


Last Friday, we had our first Path Review exam.  Throughout the semester, we have reading assignments for each exam and they are a review of what we learned last year.  We have an exam the last Friday of every month.  They are certification style exams so 100 multiple choice questions.  I think the exam was alright and fair and I am pleased with how I did for it being the first.  I wasn’t really sure what to expect but it wasn't too bad.  I only have 3 more weeks left at Butler and I can tell I am going to miss it but I am excited for the next one!

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