7/20/09: The heart bone is next to the skin bone, right?!?

Day 2 I of this rotation I look at my preceptor’s calendar. Over 2 weeks of the 6 weeks I will be in Alaska he would be off on fishing trips, grizzly bear viewing trips, and a multitude of other trips. The limited days we were working sometimes had as few as 2 patients scheduled, and on any given sunny Alaskan summer day, half of the patients would cancel or not show for their appointment thinking that fishing is much better thing to be doing on a sunny day.

I cautiously called the PA program clinical team (knowing I was opening a can of worms: but with no idea how big the can was) to ask about other clinics I might be able to work with another clinic in Anchorage to bolster my educational opportunity. This request was quickly turned into a desperate search for another clinic when I was told I would not have enough patient contact hours at the dermatology clinic and I would have to repeat this rotation after my expected graduation date. For 2 days I was in a constant state of logistical juggling to make something work out for this rotation until I heard that “ooops, actually dermatology should have enough patient contact hours and you are all good.”

The ball had already been put into motion in a couple directions for alternative clinic experience, one of which was the Alaska Heart Institute. With the reassurance that my derm rotation would suffice, I was able to piecemeal together a combination of dermatology and cardiology into the same rotation!!

The process was a painful rollercoaster ride, but the net result has turned out to be an amazing opportunity!!