Clinical Correlations Final Reflection

I certainly appreciated having this course as an opportunity to learn about real-life clinical cases and work on the essential skills needed for future practice as PAs. I was able to practice developing a list of initial differential diagnoses, and then narrowing it down to a couple more plausible options. I was also able to focus on the actual skill of presenting, including projecting in an appropriate manner as well as using correct tone. Additionally, this course provided me with an opportunity to sharpen my research and teamwork skills, both of which will certainly come in handy as I embark on clinical rotations. I believe that this semester I gained confidence in presenting each of the topics and improved in selecting which material to present in a succinct and efficient way. In terms of resources, I certainly gained experience using PubMed and Cochrane along with other sources of high yield evidence. I definitely used UpToDate for a vast majority of my cases as it provided me with the most recent data regarding the pertinent topic. I imagine I will continue to use UpToDate throughout clinical year as it is imperative to be as current as possible to provide the best possible patient care. I would advise the lower-classmen to take advantage of this Clinical Correlations course as best as they can in both the summer & fall sessions. Although it seems like a “light” 1 credit course among heavier multi-credit courses, it should still be taken just as seriously as it provides you with the underlying skills/tools necessary to be an accomplished practitioner.