Life with Me • PA Bre

I’ll start this off by saying that being a student-athlete is difficult, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. There is a lot of time management and sacrifice that takes place. I believe it is all 100% worth it. Being a student-athlete has allowed me to grow in ways that I didn’t even know were possible. If you are a student-athlete, SHOW IT! You have so much to offer. As collegiate athletes, we are often advised to take “the easy route”…pick a major that does not require as much time, work, or homework so that more time can be focused on practice, games, and training. I knew that competitive volleyball would end for me after my four years, so I was adamant about joining an athletic program that was at a school I loved…and thankfully I found this in the beautiful city of Seattle. I was lucky to be a part of a program that encouraged my career path in the medical field. However, this meant earlier mornings, later nights, pretty much living in the library, A LOT of time manag...

It's easy to get lost in the chaos of studying/stress and forget to take care of yourself. I know I am very guilty of doing this and this is something I am still working on. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Here is some advice from medical students who are going through it as well: ↠Physician Assistant Student-Lorae, PA-S1: "Aside from trying to exercise and eat healthfully, I attempt to stay healthy by remain in positive. I am a huge believer in mindfulness and the power of your thoughts-and with a constantly busy schedule, I don't have the time or effort to dwell on negativity. By thinking positively, growing from failure, and turning the bad into good, I keep my mind (and my body's physiological response!) in a good place. And in the long run, it makes a big difference" ❉ Instagram: @lorae.the.pa ↠Medical Student: "It's important to help each other out as much as we can. Especially when talking about mental health we are all in the same boat. We are all very ...

I could hear his heartbeat on the monitor as nurses and physicians rushed around to prepare a young, epileptic man for intubation. It was 8:00am and I was shadowing an Emergency Department PA-C. The doctor called out for a 6.0 tracheal tube and a straight blade to visualize the larynx, while nurses were announcing the IV injections they were administering. As one nurse shined a light into the pharynx, the physician assistant supported the head of the patient while the physician inserted the straight blade and strategically placed the tracheal tube. I locked eyes with the patient’s wife and gave her a look of hope as she reciprocated it back. That day at the Emergency Department, I was reminded of a statement by Dr. Atul Gawande , “ Success requires making a hundred small steps go right - one after the other, no slipups, no goofs, everyone pitching in.” The teamwork that was present through the calm nature and composure of the PA in the emergency room, and his ability to listen and w...