"University of Florida Physician Assistant School has been an incredible year in my life, one filled of growth and self-discovery.
The key to PA school is balance, studying, and a passion for learning to best treat your patients. As a current second year, the hour-less studying during first year definitely pays off when you enter clinical year and begin seeing and treating your own patients."
~ Lauren Kelley, Physician Assistant Class of 2012
"One thing I found particularly striking early on was the opportunity for mentorship and experiences in every facet of medicine. Faculty are welcoming to students of every level very early on. If you think you are interested in surgery, go scrub in on some cases. Want to be a pediatric infectious disease specialist? Go tag-along in clinic a few days. Is leadership your 'thing'? Opportunities exist for that. Mission work and community health? Local and international efforts on the student, resident, and faculty levels are everywhere. Interested in Academics?
Try your hand at medical education in terms of direct teaching of students or research. No matter what your interests there is essentially an open-door policy from the faculty at large and you can get involved in a very meaningful way. Explore these opportunities early on both in terms of interacting with the clinicians in their own specialties and in your own career decision making endeavors."
~ Christopher McAdams, Medical Class of 2012
Life in graduate school is a definite change from undergraduate. The focus is more on understanding topics rather than learning various facts about topics. The goal of graduate school is to help people think critically and develop problem solving skills. For some this may be a difficult adjustment, especially with classes being more short answer and less multiple choice. I considered it a welcomed change because it allowed me to really grasp material and develop a true sense of what learning is all about. The answers are not always there and it is up to us to find them. Grad school at UF is a dream for a graduate student. Aside from affordable living and warm, sunny weather, the variety of research is vast. I am in the Biochemistry department, but I work in the areas of physics, mathematics, chemistry, and biology. Being able to diversify and learning how to think outside of the norm are underlying traits of good research and I have been blessed to be in a program that emphasizes these things. The best thing I believe about the program is that while a majority of your time is dedicated to lab work, it (the program) acknowledges that it is not healthy to dedicate all of your time. As a result, IDP has set up the Graduate Student Organization (GSO), a group run by students dedicated to helping students in various aspects of their graduate careers, including social activities to help alleviate the stress of a young researcher. UF itself is a powerful research institution and students from other graduate programs are always promoting social gatherings like barbecues, pool parties, trips, even local competitive sporting events and teams. The best advice I could give to graduate students is to focus 100% in lab, and in class, but don't spend too many late hours. Most professors will not tell you how much to work, and it is not uncommon to spend long hours on occasion, but good work habits are just as important, and spending 12 or 13 hours every day is not healthy. Give your brain a break and do something fun, provided you focus and work hard during your time in the lab.
~ Dayne West, Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Science Entering Class of 2008
"Medical school is like a roller coaster with its ups and downs and a possible queasy feeling to go along with it, but just like a roller coaster, you can get through medical school with the initial momentum you build. The initial momentum is made from your inspiration to become a doctor, your life experiences, your desire to help others... all this will get you through the tests, the rotations, and everything else and leave you with an exhilarating feeling of reaching heights and goals you did not think possible.
So Final advice: Enjoy medical school - it's a once in a lifetime experience. "
~ Yooni Yi, Medical Class of 2013
