strong stomach

[nev]

Well...it looks like I will be heading to PA school in the future. I love medicine so much (not coz of the money!) because of the profession. But there is one thing which is backing me off....at times , I tend to be dizzy when I look at a person stuffed with tubes and other similar situations (especially involving the kidneys). Does this mean that my dreams are over... Can I overcome this?
Please help.

Thanks
Nev

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[PharmDr.]

I am going to have to be honest. Why are you even going to PA school? I have friends who would kill to have your spot and can handle the "gross" parts of practicing medicine. Yes, you could and you could not overcome things like that. Are you an undergrad that has had no healthcare experience and got in b/c of your grades? I think you really need to think over why you want to be a PA. There are a lot of unpretty things that you will be involved with. The need to help others should be a large motivating factor for practicing medicine and the "gross" aspects are looked at in a medical sense.

 

[lawguil]

It is entirely different looking at a "gross" situation when you look at things from the perspective of a practitioner, although, it's never fun looking at somebody who may be suffering. I think you can overcome your situation if you are a caring compassionate person. Do make sure that you know what your getting yourself into - it's not at simply as "Well, it looks like I'll be headed to PA school in the future." Good Luck, L.

 

[chicoborja]

Dont listen to PharmDr.....he's a young idiot who likes to cause trouble....if Pa is something you wanna do then go for it.....being comfortable around what you consider unnerving things is something you will have to overcome......a good way to do that might be to get a job as a tech at a local hospital in order to desensitize yourself to those situations that you will need to become accustomed to.......before apllyin to PA school you'll need to make sure your overall GPA, as well as science GPA, is very strong in order to be a competitve applicant.....all programs prefer previous healthcare experience; however, some require it for admission.....you just need to get your feet wet so to speak and see if you can adapt to the situations that make you unsteady.....if you can manage to do that and can also thrive in your classes then go for it!

 

[Febrifuge]

I second the idea of a tech job. That would be a good way for you to experience first-hand the phenomenon of "getting used to" gross, bothersome things. If the idea of tubes sticking out of a body bothers you, it could be a serious issue, but 99.9% likely it's simply your sympathy with a suffering person. If you can watch a Foley, an IV, or a chest tube being put in, and understand why and how it's a good thing, these troubles will probably ease. (...and if not, then you didn't spend 7 years and $150,000 to find out!)

 

[hospPA]

I think you can get over it. Without getting too graphic, I used to have extreme nausea with anything associated with male urological procedures, exams, anything. I am male, which is probably the reason for this. Thinking about it made me severely nauseous. Stupid, I know.
Well, I began to work in an ER as a tech and began to get over it. Not quickly, but gradually.
I am now completely over it. What finally did it was that I didn't want to have any more kids and my wife wouldn't get her tubes tied, so ........................... Boy, did I need some hard core ativan for that!!!!

Hang in there!
Pat

 

[nev]

Thanks for the replies, but let me make something clear...I WONT back off from PA school because of gross material....I just wanted to know how to overcome it and you all have helped me a lot.
Thanks
Nev