Day in the Life
Physician Assistant
My name is Samonne Palazo and I am a first-year Physician Assistant (PA) Studies student at Salus University. I received my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Eastern Oregon University. While I had worked at an assisted living home during my summers in college, I needed more patient care experience, so I decided to take two years off after undergrad before applying to PA school. I continued to work at the assisted living home and as a medical assistant at a rural family practice clinic. Living in a rural area, seeing the demand for rural providers, and how well the PA fills that need, is one factor that led me to pursue the PA profession.
Here is what my typical day looks like:
6:00 a.m.: My alarm goes off, but I always hit snooze a couple of times before getting out of bed. I have my first cup of coffee while I am getting ready for the day. Business casual is my new wardrobe unless it’s lab day, then I get to wear comfy navy scrubs.
7:00 a.m.: I have a quick breakfast, make my lunch, pack up my school bag, grab a to-go coffee mug, and walk to the school. I live close to the school which is very convenient.
7:30 a.m.: I like to get to the library when they open and get my usual study spot and review before class.
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Morning lectures, same spot, every day. By now I am usually on my second cup of caffeine (coffee or black tea – thank goodness there are Keurig machines in the library).
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Lunch! I am definitely hungry at this point. My friends and I like to get a break from the classroom and usually have lunch in the cafeteria or library; if it’s nice enough we may go for a little walk outside.
1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: More lectures and usually more caffeine. Lately, we are in class until around 5:00 p.m., but it varies and depends on if there is lab or not (I am in the first Physical Diagnosis (PD) lab group, so I end Thursdays a little earlier than some of my peers).
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: I go home for dinner, change into comfy sweats, and take a little mental break before I head back to the library to study for the evening.
6:00 p.m.: Study, study, study. You definitely don’t want to fall behind.
10:30 p.m.: By this time I am contemplating if I am still productive or if I should call it a night. I go home and unwind, check in with family and loved ones back home, and then finally… sleep!
PA school can seem overwhelming. There is a ton of material and it may seem like there is no end in sight, but I am now just over halfway done with my first year and I cannot believe how fast the time has gone! I take it day by day, and I know in the end all of my hard work will pay off.
