more fun in Juneau

So on Friday I finished my first full week at the clinic! It was a great week and I already love where I'm working and all the people I'm working with. I've been getting to see a lot of patients on my own, which has been awesome.

On Thursday I headed downtown to work at the homeless clinic. I'll be there every Thursday. It is A LOT slower paced with a much lighter patient load, but this is because the NP really wants to establish a good relationship with her patients. After work I got to walk around downtown Juneau a bit, which was fun. It was a bit chilly and overcast, but cool because it's very touristy and there are a lot of foreigners because of the cruise ships that dock there.

Friday I started working with the other doctor in the clinic. I will be working with him while my main preceptor is away. Every 2 weeks he heads home to NY and the other doctor comes in. It wasn't a super busy day, but it was very relaxed and overall a good end to the week.

On Friday night I headed downtown to see a movie with some of the other younger folk that live in the building. I don't know if I mentioned this, but there are several people that live in the clinic. My preceptor owns the clinic and rents out some of the rooms upstairs and downstairs. Most of us work in the clinic, which is fun because it's close-knit and friendly. I currently have two apartment mates. One is the doc's nephew and the other is another PA student that just arrived. Then next door is another girl who works down in the clinic with me. Today we all went down to the Glacier and hiked around in the rain, which was cold and wet but fun at the same time. We then came back and had a "family dinner". It's nice having some friends and I think we'll have a good time together over the next couple weeks exploring Juneau and doing fun things outside. I have a feeling I'll be sad to leave this place because I already love it so much.

It's supposed to rain pretty much all week, which is a bummer because it was sooo nice the first few days I was here. Hopefully it won't be too rainy and I'll still be able to get out and do some stuff. At least I'll be working most of the day, so I won't be too antsy to get outside in the rain haha. Well I think that's really all for now. Here are some more pictures!

 Salmon Hatchery

 Mendenhall Glacier

 Nugget Falls. I was soaked wet here!

 Downtown Juneau harbor.

ALASKA!

So a lot has changed since I last posted, with the biggest change being that I'm currently in Juneau, Alaska!

I ended my rotation in Coshocton last Thursday. I think overall it was a good way to start my clinical year because I saw a lot of different things and I was able to observe the way the MD manages each case. Wish I could've done more, but I think I'll be making it up during this rotation.

Saturday morning I woke up around 3 AM, got ready, loaded up the car, and headed to the airport. My flight to Detroit was scheduled for 6:30 AM. I then had a layover in Detroit, followed by Seattle, and then I arrived in Juneau at about 2:30 PM Alaska time. That evening I got to meet some of the staff, including my preceptor, who was working weekend clinic hours, and got settled in my room, which is located directly above the clinic (which is sooo nice).

On Sunday I pretty much just worked on hw most of the day. Then that evening once the clinic closed, I went boating with some of the other people in the building. It was a lot of fun! My first time boating, I think. I got to see several whales surface and got to go fishing, although I didn't catch anything. And I was just able to relax and get to know some of my housemates, so to speak. Oh, and the view was absolutely gorgeous! Mountains all around, clear skies, awesome weather, beautiful sunset. It was just great.

Today was my first day at the clinic, and what a day it was.  Working hours here are 8 AM - 7 PM. Totally opposite environment from what I was doing in Coshocton. It was time to put all my skills into practice. I saw handfuls of patients on my own today and got to present to the preceptor and come up with an assessment and plan. I was able to suture for the first time, assist in the removal of a fish hook from someone's hand, debride wounds and dress them, pack an animal bite wound with gauze, administer local anesthesia, and do lots of charting. I made several mistakes, but they are mistakes that I'll learn from. And looking back now, I'm glad for all of the observation I was able to do at my previous rotation because I didn't always go into the room with the doc. So I'm glad I have that experience.

So all in all, it was a great day. Busy, but great, and I learned a lot. Hoping the rest of the rotation is just as good. Only bad news I received today was that I apparently missed a spectacular display of the northern lights last night, because I had fallen asleep while writing my remediations. Ugh.

That's pretty much all there is to say right now, so I'll post some pictures instead! Juneau is beautiful! Love it here.

 View from one side of the clinic, and below is the clinic I'm living/working at.

 Holding a rockfish that I didn't catch, but wish I had.

check out more pictures on my facebook!

ultimate Alaska playlist

Of Monsters and Men

"Dirty Paws"

Looking for some music to add to my "ultimate Alaska playlist". This song right here is one of my current favorites and definitely makes the cut. 

What are some songs you would add to your "ultimate Alaska playlist"? Leave a comment here or on facebook with your suggestions to help me create mine!