Case western CAA program interview
What's the most recent book you've read?
"I'm glad my mother died" "rich da poor dad" -how to live below your means "atomic habits"
What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
-biggest strength that is pertinent to the CAA career is my ability to scan vast amounts of information and condense it in a short amount of time. - develop this skill through years of being in honors english courses where there is a high volume of reading required weekly. -refined this skill with working as a research coordinator where I spend alot of time scanning preoperative patients to see if they qualify for different studies. - once enrolled we are expected to have chronolocial understanding of each participant enrolled for our kidney rejection studies, their biopsy time points, and any signs of rejection events or labs - its necessary to only pull out the most relevent information regarding the surgical cases mentioned. -prepare reports for each adverse event that happens to the patients and deduce based on spefic studies if a something like a headache or blood loss event is related to the research study. I also have a familiarity of how to scan for trends in labs like creatinine and have basic knowledge of negative indicator in biopsy reports. Having the familiarity with epic and this skill will allow me to chart accurately and quickly when working throguh cases on the job. -My greatest weakness that at times can be frustrating is that I am naturally an introvert in the workspace. -I have a tendency to be reserved and take on a disproportionate amount of work rather than feel like a burden to my senior team members. I often feel overcommitted to my patients and feel the need to be able to handle all the moving parts alone and be at all there followup appointments myself to draw the blood rather than send them to the laboratory which can lead to labs being lost at times.. This led to me being overbooked and unable to fully accomplish my tasks to the best of my ability. - In my two roles at the hospital, my failures and mistakes taight me to learned to speak up in when I know my workload is not possible with time constraints. -Another strategy I employ is to diarizing my tasks in my calender or on paper as soon as I am awarand ae socan visually block out my work day and see areas I need backup on. -lastly by keeping a frequent open communication with coworkers, we as a team are able to get a sense of outstanding tasks. IN my research role, I now initiate debriefings with team members when there is a big obstacle so it can be done faster with a collaborative effort in a timely fashion. I know there are many checks in the OR during surgery and call outs that must be performed for safety, I appreciate this about working on a surgical team and the clniical instructor I shadowed at lutheran demonstrated to me how CAA's graduating from this program are confident communicators in the OR.
Tell Me About Yourself
-detroit I have always been the kind of person who enjoys intricate challenges and my drive to be highly educated was heavily influenced by my grandmother who is a retired hospitalist" -I envied her vast medical knowledge and I chose to pursue human biology with a minor in pharmacology with her as my standard for academics. -after graduation, I felt the need to expand on the basics I learned. so I moved to cleveland to really emerge myself in the hospital setting and in a rigorous academic environment. -I work at cleveland clinic as a full time research coordinator working in kidney transplant studies . -Work is interesting and engaging for me because I'm utilizing the things I learned in my pharmacology and physiolgy degrees. on the weekends, -Outside of my work, I like train in powerlifting ((three lifts, the back squat,bench, deadlifts.) rack pull is my favorite and its an accessory but I think being able to carry the form and strength from this trainign wheels excercise to the actual deadlift is very rewarding for me) I am passionate about fitness because going to the gym relies having the habit formed rather than trying to find motivationto push through some slow days. Strength training really improves my mental fortitude in this way and I enjoy following a structured program. GOing to powerlifting meets is something that I have always wanted to do because it is something outside my comfort zone and I am a pretty small person now but I use to weigh 95, since I have been able to gain 20 pounds by powerlifting.
Do You Have Any Questions for Me? ODU questions
-i understand that many of the faculty are caas themselves, what areas do you know of where CAse was able to draw from those clinical caregiver experienves and develop this progrm to give it an edge over the other programs out there? -i am interested in joining student organizations and be a part of a mentorship program. IS this something case's program has in place? that sounds like it is within my expectations for program and thank you for providing that information to me, I have mentioned I want to work as a peer mentor if I am successful in becoming a student here. IS there other leadership skills not lsited in the Case website that you can tell me more about?
The interpersonal questions were what you would imagine to find in any interview setting: Describe yourself, strengths/weaknesses, why this profession, why this program. I would say to prepare for this section as you would a job interview but obviously tailor it to AA school and that specific program. The science-based questions were from left-field. At the time, I couldn't fully understand why or how the questions were relevant. I can see now (after starting an AA program) how the questions do in fact relate to this area of study but there is no way anyone is expected to know the answers to the questions they are asking. To a certain degree I don't think it matters how well (or horribly) you answer these questions but what matters is your composure. IMO, they are just gauging how well you manage pressure and stress due to the nature of the AA job. If you get flustered and crumble it can be very telling; if you BS your way to an answer with shrewd confidence it can also be very telling. My advice: talk through your thought process out loud so the interviewers understand where you are drawing conclusions from. Even if your answer is wrong, they can at least get a grasp of your intention and attempt to apply relevant information. Obviously, if you know the answer then be confident about it.
advice
What is your greatest accomplishment?
being able to teach others what I learned as a peer advisor and I think being able to have the background to be offered a interview. I think it reminds me of how much it took to get here?
What do you think are the qualities of a good anesthesiologist?
ex: Anesthesiologists need to be calm and level-headed, but more than that they need to be stellar communicators. They need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with their colleagues to ensure the patient is receiving the best care, but they need to be able to build a rapport and trust with patients. Anesthesiologists also need to be open to communication with themselves since they are relying on their own judgment and skills when performing a procedure. They need to be able to trust their judgment or be able to admit when they don't know the answer and how to ask for help.
What would you say is the most important part of patient care for an anesthesiologist?
ex: Patients need to feel they can trust us. They need to feel comfortable, informed and that I as their anesthesiologist am capable and reliable. To achieve this level of trust, the most important thing is to communicate with the patient, building rapport, answering questions and demonstrating that I understand their point of view.
What is the biggest challenge you foresee in an anesthesiology role?
ex:Anesthesiology is a demanding specialty, so I foresee one of the biggest challenges being burnout or feelings of being overwhelmed, particularly during residency training. As a med student burnout wasn't unheard of, so I developed ways to step back and take stock of a situation or learn what my limits are and what my personal signs of approaching burnout are.
How would you counsel a patient about the potential risks of anesthesia?
ex:I think it's important to use clear and simple language to explain the risks of anesthesia, but not to talk down to patients. I would review the risks of anesthesia and explain how the anesthesia will be administered for the procedure. I would also give some time for the patient to ask any questions of me.
Who is your role model and why?
ex:My older brother has always been a role model for me. He is a practicing defense attorney, and his commitment to his clients and to his own integrity are values I have always sought to emulate in my own career. Law can be a challenging career, and I often look to his example when having to make tough decisions.
They asked me about my ACLS/BLS instructing experience so if you have a clinical background they may ask about it. Think about what you took from those experiences and how they might help you in the program. This includes your shadowing experience. LEarn how to tlak about shadowing experience
google how to talke about shadowig what the acccepted applicants said about how shadowing helped
How does physiology background help me specifically in anesthesia?
list specific things we learned prior in class, diagnostic skills usefull for intial anesthetic plan loking for contraindications. read anesthesia made easy guide for somethings to link and talk about THIS IS WHAT MAKES ME BETTER THAN OTHER APPLICANTS SO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THIS
Where Do You See Your Career in 5 Years? 15 Years?
mentorship oppurunity as peer mentorship as a clinical instructor like MS janko was able to do for me. She continues to reach out and guide me through the process and it really emphasized how eager the CAA community is to help other join in the profession. As someone who thought education would a possible career, i think being able to act as a mentor to those who have a similar passion to me is very rewarding . I believe my drive to act as a mentor will aide in ODU's mission to (insetrt mission) and in the overall expansion of CAA programs in more states.
range of tasks and responsibilities that CAAs have
rewatch youtube vlog and list responsibilities review shadowing paraGRAPH
how do you see yourself as a person
someone constantly adjusting and evolving to bes tfit my role and in term take away important new skills to carry onwards into my next role or in imporvement of my current standing in my job.
What are your goals in terms of a career in anesthesiology?
specialites I am interest in. At the risk of speaking too far into the future, I do enjoy and have interest in the fields of OBstertrics anesthesia, and truama related. I want to be able to work in these type of cases to develop a sharp mind and grown my critical reaction skills.
What is something about me that people might not know
this question is trying to glean more than what is in resume -I think a interesting fact about me that always suprises people is that I was at one point part of the fencing and polterigist ghost hunting club in college. Even though it was only for about a year, I was able to try something new and really was openminded. It allowed me to have some pretty unique experiences and I try to carry that new freshman sight and mindfulness even now. TO constantly push myself to be involved with things even if they may not stick. In my medical career I've worked with alot of patient groups and shadowed in many sugergical specialties including trauma. As a high schooler the most intimidating experince for me at the time was walking in and trying to figure out who I was shadowing but also keep my presence small during the day so I didn't ge tin thier way. Now I know its important to use ,y time effectively to make an impression with good intentions. -And another thing I actually found while doing research for this program is that one of thte clinical sites listed is actually the hospital where I was born. .I think that stood out to me because if given the chance I would like to be able to expand the CAA influence in michigan and to be working in Obstertrics in the same hospital where I was born would allow everything to come full circle for me.
· Worst quality that may set you back?
I dislike having my attention split between multiple things but over the years I have learned to find ways to be very good at it. When I am overwhelmed I try to manage everything on my own and make mistakes. Speaking to people who have had more experience juggling multiple simultaneous studies at my workplace, I learned to recognize how to ask for staggered time lines, to diarize every task into a calendar, and how to ask for help and give that help back to a team member who is overbooked. In a clincal setting, I learned how to create a quick mental timeline and set cues for remembering to chart and check on certain patients. I think initially being in the OR will be unfamiliar and there will be alot of sounds and monitors to distract me but that makes me glad that Case's program allows students to have a quick start just 3 weeks into the program. I think it will allow me to grow quickly and learn how to organize my work flow.
What Inspired You to Become a CAA? What attracts you to the CAA profession? Why did you choose this Career path?
I had always enjoyed working with a pediatric population and really strived to gain exposure in pediatrics surgery through shadowing . By shadowing pediatric surgeons, I was able to get a glimpse how anesthetists served in the OR . My interest into when the anesthesiologist working allowed me to sit next to them during a intestinal malrotation surgery of a infant(when was this). That reallty made me more curious about the route be an anesthesiologist. I was able to learn more through speaking to peers who were strviing to be CRNAS and A pa pulmonary pediatrics doctor who had in the past considered it as a career hersel- that there was a concrete option to start my clinical involvement in the OR without going through a stagnant period of medical school training. While I appreciate the knowledge that goes into diagnosing a patient, I also prefer the workflow and responsibilities of an anesthesiologist assistant. Having shadowed a CAA at the Cleveland clinic I really felt a sense of familiarity with the team model in the OR. I enjoy working with midlevel providers and I find it meaningful to be able to guide a patient from induction to emergence of anesthesia using knowledge of different drug formulations and pharmacokinetics. It a role that requires adaptability based on the indications/contraindications in patients chart and I it is a stimulating career in this sense and fits with my career goals to be a healthcare provider in the OR. Being able to have variety, and work in a mentally stimulating enviornent is very important to me as a person and thats why I admire the lateral mobitlity of this job through specialties and the space it gives to continue personal hobbies. AA pros: -More variety in case types -Wider scope of practice outside of the OR, such as helping with rapid response/difficult airways -work life balance allows me to have time to decompress from work and give it my best effort during. - USE WORDS: induction, maintenance/prolonged focus on the task at hand, the emergence
Although CAA has little upwards mobility I appreciate the lateral mobility that the career has
I was told by a retired CAA that during their intiial years they chose more challenging open heart surgeries and as they got comfortable they optied to practice in more bread butter type of surgeries with lower acuity. I think being able to shift into differnt acuity spoecialties is nice depending where you are in life. Also having the opputunity to pick up skills in dealing with different patient groups if you ever feel like you are at a plateau and want a change.
What Do You Do for Fun?(uniquely you hobby)
My favorite thing to do after work is to go to thrift stores. I enjoy the idea of collecting pieces one by one rather than going to the mall or buying furniture online. A curated home feels more meaningful to me and it also helps me appreciate the things I have more. I use to be an avid retail therapy shopper and since I started thrifting I became alot more consious of wasting things and I learned to fix up own clothes when the fit wasn't right. I recently met an older coworker who has a daughter my age and she told me about what estate sales were so I am interested in trying to go to one with her. I love learning about how people repurposing old furniture and one of my plans to to flip apartments and properties in the future. My partner has a backfground in furniture installation and knows alot more than me so I am excited to learn. I think seeing my roomate fix a hole in the wall made me realize anythign can be learned on the internet.
What is the most important lesson you have learned in your medical career?
The most important lesson I have learned is that you can never be too certain. It is always worth double checking, getting a second opinion if need be and taking care with all the steps of care when treating a patient. In medicine even a small mistake or an overlook can have deadly consequences, so nothing is ever wasted by trusting your instincts if you have any doubt about something.
How did you prepare for this interview
To prepare: - I reviewed my own experiences and practiced on how to present these today in a coherant way -I wrote down my goals for the next five years and studied the faculty list for alumni achievements and what directions having a degree from this program allows - I reviewed critierias from Uchicago and to help with practice interview questions -ultimately these things pale to the roles that slowly have shaped me to be a competitive applicant todya. Learning a strong work ethic through university education and patient facing skills in my jobs will be the best things I can carry into my student experience in the CAA program.
What most excites you about the anesthesiology program?
· Don't say: "The PoliSci program is really great." Do say: "The opportunity to study under great thought-leaders in the political science department, such as Professor Selma Hershenberger. I'm amazed that I can learn from someone who was the former U.S. ambassador to Egypt." Include specifics that prove you've carefully researched the university and know precisely why that university is a great choice for you. · Question: What classes would you be interested in taking at [university]? Don't say: "Well, as a biology major, I'm really looking forward to Yale's biology classes." Do say: Research a couple classes before your interview. You don't necessarily need to memorize them, but it would be great if you could memorize some of the topics. Talk excitedly about a class you discovered on the history of pirates or a class where you listen to and analyze rap lyrics through the Race and Ethnic Studies department. Try to pick classes that you won't easily find at other schools. Thus, skip talking about "Intro to Engineering" and instead focus on one of the courses you'd take as a major in your fourth year. Electives are usually much more fascinating and much more unique from school to school.
How have you prepared for such a major inside and outside of the classroom?
· Don't say: "Well, I've taken Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra 2 Trig, AP Calc BC, and AP Statistics to prepare for a math major." Well, say that, but then go a step further. Do say: "Well, I've taken Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra 2 Trig, AP Calc BC, and AP Statistics to prepare for a math major. I also tutor math to freshmen at my high school, and am part of Math Olympiad, where I've helped my team win 2nd place at regionals. I've also researched how I would explore math at Harvard, and really think I could learn a lot from the Ahlfors Lecture Series." If you haven't had the opportunity to explore your desired major outside of the classroom in formal extracurricular activities, cite some of the reading you've done on the major, and what you found fascinating about what you learned. "While there are few opportunities in my community to pursue anthropology inside or outside of the classroom, I've studied people, culture, and history through many different capacities. For example, my history, foreign language, and literature classes in high school have introduced me to different cultures, perspectives, and modes of thought. And in Debate, I've delved into anthropology through debating both sides of various current events."
Tell Me About a Time When You Failed(need to relate back to why its important to CAA)
-Fired as a scribe -during the end of my sophomore year I was hired as an ER sribe. Its a very touch and go environment and was overwhelming for me as my first time working directly with physicians and nurses. -Although I was able to be top of my cohort in terms of medical terminology and being the quickest to digest all the information, I had trouble keeping up with chart histories and multitasking on multiple paitents. -due to the high volume of patients and how slow I was, my boss decided to let me go. I think at this point inmy life it was rock bottom for me because I always thoguht being fired from a job was reserved for the people who didn't put in the effort to imporve. HOwever, with jobs in healthcare, efficiency and accuracy is important and thats the biggest lesson I learned. -within a few months, I was able to be certified in ekg, pct and pheltbotomy. This made me a stronger candidate than before and I was able to be hired as a patient care technician working the med room at a brain injury rehabilitation center. -I was alot more mentally prepared and always picked up shifts on weekednsd to make sure I was able to be competent at my job quickly. I became a reliable workers and was able pass medications, administer respiratory treatments, and give basic wound care for a 20 patient building alone on the day shft. I think with this experience I was able to show my ability to accept criticism and improve. My supervisor at the rehabilitation center ended up writing me a very good recommendation letter for case's graduate program. -doing poorly in my first course in msmp-but being adabpatble utilizing resources, searching for solutions -
Who are you and what do you value in life?
:LIFELONG FORWARD GROWTH - in education, in fitness, and in taking on more roles outside of your norm to expand your insight into different areas · Higher education into medical science and being involved in changes in a career field. · Someone who enjoys methodical hands on hobbies, jobs but also being able to work in a high pressure environment and be challenged in emergent situations · I enjoy going to the gym and following a strict diet and program to perform. Goal for competition. Influenced by my peer who is a nurse in training in new York but still manages to get up at 5am to train every morning · Being taught discipline and delayed gratification patience through sport · I see my grandmother be a lifelong learner trying to get citizenship in a place where she doesn't speak the language and then volunteer at a nursing home here even after retirement. I admire how she fought stagnancy in her age and continued to research new treatments and stay informed. · Talk about joining AAAA and expanding legislation and helping move into Michigan home state. As of right now, I only see sites in Grand Rapids and Detroit Henry ford as rotation sites. I would like for there to be as great of an influence as in Cleveland and Columbus. ·
Of all the highly selective schools out there, why [university]?
Don't say: "It's so highly ranked!" or "I love the prestige of Harvard" or "Well, my mom is an alumni" (the last one's doubly bad, for it's also grammatically incorrect. Your mom's an alumna, your dad's an alumnus, and your parents are alumni). Do say: Be specific into what makes that university special. Do your homework before the interview and research your desired major, the school's curriculum (like Columbia's core curriculum or Brown's open curriculum), unique programs (such as pre-professional, internship, or study abroad programs). Think about what differentiates this university from any others. Perhaps hone in on their mission (Jesuit schools such as Georgetown, for example, focus on service and justice for all, whereas NYU values global experiences). If your parent is an alum, mention something specific about their experience as it relates to your future experience, if accepted. Instead of, "My dad really valued his education at Tufts," say, "My dad raves about Tufts' interdisciplinary learning. I'll take advantage of that opportunity for interdisciplinary learning by exploring both between schools and within them. Although I plan on majoring in engineering, I'm also passionate about drama, and I love how Tufts will let me explore drama as a minor and the surprising ways I can apply the discipline to my study of engineering."
What did you learn from participating in shadowing?
Don't say: Avoid anything overtly negative about the extracurricular, i.e. that your dad forced you to do it. Do say: Talk about the challenges you've overcome, such as getting cut from the softball team sophomore year but trying out again junior year after a hard year of training. Talk about the leadership experience you've gained, like recruiting 5 kids to join the debate team, or welcoming incoming freshmen to your high school as an orientation leader. Hone in on the skills you've gained, your accomplishments, the lessons you've learned, and the character traits you've forged. If you have concrete details, like how you shaved off time from your 400 meter dash after a summer of intense training, the money you personally raised for a fundraiser, or the number of students who joined your club in its inaugural year, include that information.
6. How Has Your other experiences or education Prepared You for This Role?
EDUCATION: -I hav minor in pharm stemming from my interest in different uses of drugs and what was newly deveoping medications wise -So with this degree I was able to have a basic memorization of common drugs and Mechanism of action. I believe this will prime me for the phamracology portion of the 3 week bootcamp that this program starts with. I have a higher than average understanding of physiology from my graduate program and I know this will also give me a leg up in recognizing contraindications for certain medications and knowing which will increase or decrease heartrate. My biggest takeaway from the masters in physio program isn't the specifics but the fine tuned deductive reasoning skills that its given me. I was able to apply this in my research coordinator job and its given me a headstart because I can comprehend a medical chart quickly and figure out why certain medications are given/ the level of rejection the patient is facing based on nursing and medical provider progress notes. \ I have started a review of my old resourves that I use to pass off to my students and am very excited to further see how my education in diagnostic clinical reasoning will apply in forming a anesthetic plan. I think having a high GPA in a program designed to be on par with those taken by a m1 level medical student proves I can work hard and be successful at the graduate level while balancing multiple extracurriculars and jobs. The education I recieved in clinical reasoning was more meaning ful to me. deductive skills and thoughprocesses were taught to me by the same instructors that teach the first eyar medical students at case westerns medical program. SO in a sense I think that prepares me to evalute a patients preop condition and form an anesthestic more effectively than say someone who may not have a prior exposure to physiology. I am familiar with different medications and their effects on different receptor types throughout the body such as
Why a caa and not a doctor? extra if they ask this or the conversation is not rushed.
I have had meetings with my graduate peer advisor in the program and he assured me that I would have been an equally competitve medical school applicant. I think when it comes to careers, there are multiple choices and I know that with effort I can be a great doctor or an anesthesiologist. I have taken the time to shadow both professions and this one aligned with my goals and preferences in the workplace more than did being a physician. I was offered initially a conditional interviews to both a medical school and here to both based on my scores in my graduate ediucation so i think at that point I was really able to decide and it was the most logical choice for me based on my prior education and current skill sets. My last interviewer also asked me if I would ever feel envy at the prestige that doctors recieve and theres a moral lession that was taught to me by my cubicle buddy Barbara at work. SHe was one of the first females to work in the company that developed the spectrometer. which is a device that measures light waves so she holds alot of respect in my book. working as a coordinator that often we arent acknowledged for all the background work we do. I think I see that in anesthesia as well. CAA, CRNAs arent often acknowleded by patients to the extent the surgeons are. ANd i don't find much deficit in losing out on that aspect. I am not published as an author in the studies I work on but I am able to grow my experience and still help patients be a part of something big and make them feel comforted before their kidney biopsy procedures. I think that having a strong sense of self is important and having good patient outcomes and skills developement is more meaningful to me than external gratitude.
Why do you feel you are a good fit for an anesthesiology role?
I have worked hard to develop the two most critical skills for anesthesiology, which are my medical knowledge and my technical skill. I achieved the highest scores in my class on my USMLE Step 1 exam and my technical proficiency was noted by all my clinical supervisors and attendings during my rotations. I never hesitated to practice my maneuvers and physical skills, and I interacted daily with all the patients I could to improve my skills with patients.
· Will you be a presence in the classroom? Are you enthusiastic about learning and intellectually engaged?
I think I always start off very enthusiatic with learning and it ebbs and flows. I learned to employ self motivations strategies llike peer learning and reflection on my accomplishments to realign myself and plan for the next steps/ create new short term goals. I stay engaged this way and also as you prompted, this is ,y way of being involved in my classroom and with peers. · I use to be the person who sat in the front of my classroom and tried to be a sponge. I learned to keep that aspect of my learning while also being more connected with classmates in grad school. Getting together to study and put my brain and resources together made me realize importance of peer learning. And it made me want to teach it to the new oncoming class and pass on my knowledge. As a peer advisor I was able to help students feel at ease with their current shortcomings and learn how to continue to bounce back with better study strategies. -reading comprehension break down text book into a few sentences. Story telling method worked more for me in terms of learning but in medicine it was also important to have quick keyword recall when it came to coming up with a diagnosis plan based on reported symptoms. Having a good grasp of both was important. · I try to journal about all the experiences in healthcare I have and I think so much learning can happen on site rather than in classroom. This is why I have such appreciation for this career path because it focuses a lot on immediate hands on competency. In real life there's no time to methodically try out all the solutions listed in a textbook especially in an emergency. I think it's more important to observe different professionals at work to see how they think and mimic those approaches until you find one that works best for you.
· Are you teachable, thoughtful, more collaborative than competitive? (theme)
While I think competitiveness is a very important element of schooling, I don't see it as something that should be with other students in the long run. I think being able to compare my own roles and see if with each one I was able to carry over a better work ethic is more important. In school I like a teaching environment that promotes collaboration and practice sessions between students. one of my most fond learning experiences was in my phlebotomy class when everyone would volunteer their veins to whoever wasn't getting enough needle sticks that day. Moving forward as a unit was more important to all of us and it really helped us all pass our certifications faster than if we each tried to gun for our own finish individually. (if faculty that works directly with students ask if they feel like that is the vibe of the past cohorts) Taking terms to teach and be taught by your peers is valuable and I know as a peer mediator, its the ultimate personal achievement when you can help out others in your field to get the same success you have more efficiently.
Tell Me About a Situation Where You Were a Leader
yes I can definately give you some insight in that regard. WOrking in neuro building as a patient care tech, I usually only one working the building along with were about two CNAs helping patients with ADLS throughout the night.ONe of my responsibilities was neurochecks and being on seizure precaution. one of the nights I was werking my one of my patients was on seizure precaustion. He was a retired PA and after having a bad fall down the stairs he had a condition where he would get seizures periodically around the same time points throughout the year. I was doing my rounds and he suddenly started stopped talking and lost his balance. I grabbed him but this was a almost 7 foot tall man and I I knew he was too tall to try to phsyically handle safetly myself so I quickly called for the CNA passing by with another patient and had her help me lay him down. and wedged a pillow next to him and the cabinet he was close to. I then told her alert the nurse on call and his wife and instructed the other patient to return to their room to provide the my patient privacy. I stayed with the patient and had my neurokit and checklist on me because It was around the time when he usually had attacks and it was relayed to me during shift change so I was able to do a motor exam with him as well as check his pupils, eye movements and mental status. I noted also the duration of the seizure and timestamped the document immediately while watching over the patient. I continued to observe the patient and had a CNA sit with the patient the rest of the night while I did 15 minute checks for the next hour while still doing my usual night time rounds. It was my first time seeing a seizure but I am proud to say that I handled the situation liek I learned during orientation and was able to keep the patient safe. Had there not been another person passing to help, I would have leaned the patient against the couch and stayed with him and called someone on my phone. And after this happened I had a delayed sense of panic but I think If it was another patient with no seizure history I would have called 911 immediately or hit the emergency staffing light because I at that point did not have medical clearence to determine if it was safe or not to just observe. I think being able to have been prepared at the time with my supplies and also knowing to shout for help and the steps to securing the patient's head away from solid surfaces showed I am able to react quickly and dictate during an emergency situation. - ------------------------- helping team work and multitasking well ----- SPecifically, in the clinical setting there was a case last fall in which I was working under a very overwhelmed nurse. This was during a major staffing shortage during covid and she had more patients than she was able to manage safetly. DUring the routine medication passes, I was in the room taking vitals and she was preparing medication when sufddenly the patient had difficulty breathing. The nurse examined her and upon finding that it was a panic attack, she dismissed the patient's worries when they asked the nurse to wait until her eouside was over. I spoke up and volutneered to stay with the patient after finishing vitals. I understood that the patient did not feel comfortable alone and that the nurse was venting her frustrations to them at a time that was inapproapirate. I told her I would verify that the medications given to the patient were taken once the patient calmed down and told her to move on to her next patient so she did not get further behind. ------------problem solving, resourcefulness-------- -as a PCT at neurorehabilitstion living center. TYpicpically we handle all narcotic and regular medication passes for residents as well as respiratory therapy and wound care in our own little office with a pixis. -noticed problem that specific medication had not been passed multiple times - through peg tube. and the staff before me had dismissed the problem saying it was not something we had time to take care of. must of us were undergraduate students/ did not have much training in peg tubes and feeding tubes / no nursing backgroundso i understand why my coworkers were extra reluctant. - I decided to call the patient into the med room during a time I had less commitments and was able to spend more focus to resolve the backed up tubing issue by researching online how to trouble shoot and milking the tube slowly/ diluting the medication with more water and I worked at it until the medication was completely administered. - It did not feel right to me to skip a medication becauseit was our responsibilty to pass all medication to best of our ablity -I passed on the knowledge to the next shift in shift report and after that the patient was able to get their metamucil more regularly. -I think through this experience I felt more confident in taking initiative and felt proud when I was acknowledged by my senior that I did the right thing.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in life and how have you overcome them?
· Don't say: "I'm pretty privileged, so I haven't really experienced any challenges." And don't open a can of worms by saying, "Well, my dad is abusive." Do say: Not every student has overcome a big challenge in life—and that's great that you've been so fortunate. If this applies to you, you can answer the question in one of two ways. 1) Focus on a little challenge you've overcome, like not making the play when you auditioned freshman year, so you joined the Speech Team instead. 2) Admit that you've been fortunate enough to haven't experienced many challenges, and describe how you've worked to eliminate challenges for others. For example, "I've been really fortunate enough to grow up in a supportive family, school, and community. That supportive upbringing has made me want to support others, so I am a mentor in Big Brothers, Big Sisters and am partnered with a very smart little girl who is from an underprivileged background." Let's say, in contrast, you've experience some significant life challenges, such as abuse, homelessness, coming out, racism, mental health issues, physical health issues, learning disabilities, death in the family, having a child at a young age, difficulty immigrating, parents' divorce, etc., don't drop that information on your interviewer as if they are your therapist. That being said, you can absolutely talk about it. For example, "I didn't have the easiest childhood, but I'm proud of who I've become. Because my mother suffered from mental health issues, she wasn't always a positive presence in my life and I had to take care of my three younger siblings. I started working at 12 years old to put food on the table, doing everything I can to make sure my brother and sisters have every opportunity they would have had if our mother had been more supportive." This student mentions the biggest challenge she's faced in a really mature manner—stating the facts (mother suffers from mental health issues, student had to get a job at a very young age) but not dumping private details on the unsuspecting interviewer. Focus on how you've become a better person as a result of this experience, even if the experience was incredibly, incredibly hard on you. Explain how you've become more empathetic towards others' struggles, you're an advocate for those who don't have a voice, you've become more mature, you are independently motivated to achieve your goals, etc.
· How interested are you in attending this particular university? How knowledgeable are you about this university's offerings? How do you believe this university's curriculum is a good fit for your educational goals?
· Having lived in cleveland for about 3 years now. I recognize how many medical career opputunities there are here within the cleveland clinic and University hospitals system. I moved here originally with the goal to attend case and work at the cleveland clinic and I knew that Case western has this strong affiliation with the main campus of ccf as well as the satellite locations. It offers both prestige and flexibility location wise post grad to have to association. Especially with the ohio location, it's a superior in terms of number of rotational opportunities. The mission of Case Western Reserve University's Master of Science in Anesthesia Program is to train the best anesthetists in the world. And I think the fact that it is paired a consistently top 5 hospital in the world proves that the caliber of students strive to match that level. Another reason to choose case for further education is the academic drive I feel here in all the student population. Compared to the different campus environments I have been in prior, this location in Cleveland is steeped in opportunity and everyone prioritizes their education. I think that attitude shows in the statistics of the CAA, and the program outcomes here AT THE CLE being above 95% pass on all boards. All of my peers from the masters program also are now in professional school or pursuing pHds in research., Having the name of case backing me on my masters degree also has allowed me to be trusted by my employers and secure a research job quickly after graduation and opened alot of doors in careers. I know that this program will do the same for me in the field of anesthesia. Pertaining to the curriculum specifically is the standard length of time to teach core courses but also includes classes that will prepare us for more than just what is needed- list off extracurriculars. The cohort is relatively small and So I really am honored to have a chance to interview for a spot. The curriculum fits my goals and my background because I have the medical physiology knowledge and prior minor in pharmacology I want a chance to be more proficient in pharmacology and be able to apply it clincally to a patient population. I know I want to work in patient care and this program will allow me to cumulate everything I learned to work as an effective member of the surgical team.
· Why did you not get conditional acceptance
· Time constraints and working full time job, I knew it would not be possible to retake. I have received acceptance and one other interview considerations so from that I made the decision to focus on showing my best face here in the interview and taking pride that as a holistic candidate I am competitive in my experiences outside of my standardized test score. I think losing my acceptance for an interview was a shortcoming but having this interview now tells me that the admissions committee respects my accomplishments in different areas. So thank you all for being here today to learn more about my path and aspirations. · I had initially score a 80th percentile in math and had always been an advanced math scolar so I put my focus in verbal which did show an increase. I don't think my efforts were in vain but I regret not taking the time off work to focus on the GRE during that time. -I evaluated the pros and cons and decided that in the end my time was better spent preparing for interviews. I ended up getting an accepted to one of the others schools I was interested in and I still was able to get an interview here without a retake of my GRE.
