"What is grief?"

During a Grand Rounds lecture called Grief 101, Dr. G posed this question to a silent room. Not a single word popped into my mind to describe this feeling, though I had known it for the past two years.

This month, we are stepping away from our usual student blog posts to bring you a two-part series: First-year students Polly Hurlburt and Kris Miller sat down to discuss Kris's groundbreaking role as the first Black president of the Duke PA Program's student society, the Stead Society.

 

Part 1: The Path to Leadership

 

“Challenging but rewarding.”

This is how many new parents and physician assistant (PA) students alike describe their experience. Now, imagine doing both at the same time. It may be twice as challenging, but it’s all the more rewarding.

One of the main reasons I chose the Duke PA Program is its holistic approach to medicine. The curriculum focuses on the social determinants of health as well as the clinical reasoning required to practice medicine. Both are important to me, as I have been on both ends of what it is like to not be “the perfect patient.”

From September 28-30, 2023, I had the honor and privilege of attending the 2023 AAPA Leadership and Advocacy Summit (LAS) in Washington, D.C. I joined over 200 advocates from 41 states and was one of 75 students and 129 first-time attendees! PAs and PA students visited 191 Congressional offices to promote PA representation and discuss two pieces of vital PA-relevant legislation.

My name is Tesakiah Harjo, and I am THAT physician assistant (PA) student you always worry you might end up being. I generally did well in school, and then PA school hit me like a brick wall. I never really had to study in undergrad. I always did well on exams and was lucky enough to get into Duke on my first try. At the beginning of preclinical year, I expected to have to put in the work, but I did not foresee the struggles I would face – and ultimately, overcome.

My own recent experiences have made me realize how little I used to comprehend and appreciate the magnitude of the challenges that people with disabilities or chronic illnesses face daily, but also how important it is to ask for help when we need it and acknowledge the support we receive.

“165/95, that’s a bit elevated,” I say to the patient, a gentleman in his 50s, after checking his blood pressure. In Spanish, he tells me he’s nervous since he’s “never really seen a doctor.”

Before starting at Duke’s Physician Assistant Program (DPAP) in August of 2022, I had never seen a health care provider who looked like me. As a pansexual transgender man, I have experienced discrimination from physicians, nurses and health insurance companies. Now, as a PA student, I have the opportunity to share a little piece of my journey into the health care field.

Another year of the Burton Elementary School annual health education event is in the books! ... The afternoon started with a skit where Minecraft character “Blue”, played by Divine Mengue, visited the Physician Assistant, played by Maddie Parker, and took at trip through the body meeting germs and exploring the body.