Final Reflections of Didactic Year
“Resistance is greater right before the finish line.”
June 23rd, 2021 was a regular day for some, but for me, it was a day full of bliss and excitement! It was the last day of my didactic year and I could officially say had made it to clinicals! During the difficult didactic year, dreams and vision of the clinical year kept me going; it was the metaphorical sparkly light at the end of the tunnel. Looking back, Physician Assistant (PA) school is truly one the most challenging ventures I ever willingly embarked upon, but also by far the most rewarding. This past year consistently pushed me to the limits and pressed the bounds on what I thought was possible. Even though I was capable and confident in my abilities, there were many moments where imposter syndrome and doubt slipped into my mind, but through each hurdle, I learned to adapt, grow and rise to the challenge. I learned to turn my fear into faith and began to full-heartedly trust the process. With time, I realized that I was exactly where I was meant to be.
“It is the support that sustains us on the journey we started.”
I genuinely believe that you can achieve anything you want as long as you have support, perseverance, drive, and, of course, coffee. In hindsight, I certainly was not alone on this journey. The community we have here at the Duke PA program is one of a kind. Every step of the way, I had the constant support of the faculty and a close-knit group of classmates who quickly became my best friends. Daily, there was at least one person I could turn to to cheer me on, make me laugh, or remind me that I was almost there! Regardless of the circumstances, they were the ones that kept me sane and were always there for me when I needed them the most. Within this short time, the people I met at DPAP became part of my family. Therefore, I can say one thing with certainty; your classmates will be your most vital asset and resource over this year. Remember, “Alone, you are strong, but together you are stronger.”
“Work hard, be kind and amazing things will happen.”
Trust the process, seriously just do it. Let's face it; PA school is a major feat to take on. There will be moments where you are lost and nothing seems to make sense. Sometimes, your classmates seem to know every answer and are firing away in the Zoom chat feature. This can be discouraging, but take it with a grain of salt. Everyone comes with knowledge from different backgrounds and has their own timing, and yours will come too. You will get there if you give yourself some time and grace. Don’t doubt yourself; you are capable of so much more than you think you are. Once I finally committed and started to trust the process like everyone told me to, things began to come together. Now, you may not remember every detail about a specific condition, but you will be amazed by the vast amount of material you cover and retain at the end of the year. This system has been tried, tested, and proven to be reliable. Your professors know exactly what they are doing, and they chose you because they know you have what it takes.
“Never get so busy that you forget to have a life.”
After just one year, I have certainly not mastered the art of PA school. Being a PA student means you have to adapt and roll with the punches. What you do one week may not work the next, and that’s okay. You learn to evolve and grow with each challenge you overcome. Over the past year, I learned a lot about prioritizing and managing my time, and I feel this is the most valuable skill to grasp. Time is practically gold in PA school, so use it wisely. It was tough at the beginning with finding that perfect balance between going out with new friends, still doing well in school and just simply taking care of myself. Honestly, I didn’t have it together all the time. There were days when I worked unbelievably hard, but on other days, I would give myself leeway and enjoy the little things. I say all this to show you the full picture of what it is really like during your didactic year of PA school. So yes, give it your all, but please don’t sacrifice your wellbeing and burn out.
When you come to the Duke PA program, you will be surrounding yourself with some of the most intelligent, caring, hilarious, and determined groups of people who are all on the same path as you -- to become compassionate and competent providers. 12 months later, I still feel just as honored to be a part of the Duke PA program as I felt the day of my acceptance.
So far, on this journey, I have gained and experienced more than I could have ever imagined. I can see that this program has prepared me for my clinical year ahead. Regardless of how physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging school has been, it has all been worth it. I am so grateful for the skills I have gained as well as the friends and faculty that I have made life long connections with. No matter how hard it gets, remember that you have prayed for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and the chance to positively impact someone's health and ultimately their life. I am truly looking forward to getting involved with the communities and patients that I will encounter and am excited about starting to practice medicine in my clinical year.
What I wish I had known before starting the didactic year of PA school
Tips and tricks:
- For me, the hardest part was deciphering what information was important and what material I could spend less time on. After a couple of exams, I noticed that the objectives loosely followed what was asked on the test. Each unit will have a list of objectives; this is a blueprint for you, so take advantage of it!
- Prioritize the high yield information. I realized that if you get too detailed you will get overwhelmed with the material. So, I would start broad, hit all the major points and the details will fall into place later once you build your knowledge.
- Buzzwords are your best friends; anything that has words like “gold standard”, “red flag,” “most common,” or “pathognomonic” is sure to show up on the exam. I wish I had figured this out a lot sooner, but once you recognize these words and correlate it to the disease or condition, you will be a PA rock star.
- The best advice I can ever give about studying for PA school is to make connections. The moment you start to connect the dots, you are heading down the right path. I think categorizing information makes it easier to recall during the timed exams.
- Buy used equipment and don’t spend a fortune; just make sure it works.
- Leave the competition behind. You all made it here together, now is the time to form bonds and work as a team! Forget about making better grades than everyone else and focus on being a good PA for your future patients.
- The didactic year is a group effort; do not try to do it alone; there simply is too much information and too little time to take on that burden by yourself.
Marissa Barrett-D'Amico is a second-year student with the Duke Physician Assistant Program. Email marissa.barrett@duke.edu with questions.
Editor’s note: Duke Physician Assistant Program students blog twice a month. Blogs represent the opinion of the author, not the Duke Physician Assistant Program, the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, or Duke University.