Physician Assistant
Day in the Life
Hi! My name is Marissa Meredith and I am a Physician Assistant (PA) Studies student just starting my clinical year. I’m currently on my OB/GYN rotation at a private practice in Wyncote.
On a typical day, I wake up at 7 a.m., have breakfast and get ready for the day. I have about a 30-minute commute, so I like to listen to the "PA in a Flash" podcast or one of our recorded OB/GYN lectures from didactic year. I arrive at the doctor’s office by 9 a.m. and go straight to reviewing the day’s patient charts. This helps me get familiar with who’s coming in, their history, and what we’re seeing them for. Often, we will call patients to talk about their lab results, or schedule them to come in for follow up visits.
From 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Ellen, the other PA student, and I take turns seeing patients throughout the day. We take vitals, update charts, and talk to them about why they’re here and the symptoms they’re having. After we finish the initial assessment, we present the patient to Dr. Mancini, who goes in with us to complete the physical exam. We’re involved in either observing or performing pelvic exams, looking at swab samples under the microscope, and discussing diagnosis and treatment options with the patients. At the end of the day, Dr. Mancini reviews important topics or interesting cases with us, often asking tough questions ("pimping") to check our understanding.
Around 4 p.m., I’m on the road back home and if I’m not too tired, I pick up where I left off on the lecture or just listen to music. Once I get home around 5 p.m., I debrief with my partner about our days, have dinner together and then I spend an hour or so reviewing material to reinforce what I’ve learned. Around 8 p.m., I’m ready to relax, which usually means playing Fortnite, watching Better Call Saul, or working on my 2,000 piece puzzle that’s taken over my kitchen counter. I wrap up the day around 10:30/11 p.m., and get ready to do it all again tomorrow.
Learn More About the Salus Physician Assistant Studies Program
