What an end to our first year of PA school. This past week we went through the gauntlet that is APA 3, having to read various x-rays, skin conditions, EKGs and then diagnose a patient with a chief complaint that could cover anything we've learned over the past 9 months. And as things have usually gone in PA school, it all works out and we have officially become 2nd years.
With the completion of APA week and our third semester, we move into 6 weeks of well-deserved relaxation. Before those days of laziness or travel could begin, a portion of the class traveled to Mount Union to compete in the Ohio PA Olympics which brought together 400 PA students and practicing PA-C to play various medical-punned yard games. Through the event, OAPA helped raise $12,000 to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.
So on a beautiful July day, we hopped in a bus and made the trip north. The bus ride was filled with early 2000's hip-hop that had everyone cringing of grade school dances. After some napping, we arrived at Mount Union and made our camp as the events began to start.
Below you'll see photos of some truly incredible and kind people competing in some fun games and doing well in them. Enjoy!
This felt right. And has anyone noticed that this is an incredible pump up song? Impossible not to get the adrenaline pumping.
Above: What a group. The program couldn't have put together a better group of individuals. Each brings something better to the program and school.
Above & Below: Sunny drives to Mount Union. What you can't tell is that "Booty Wurk" is most likely playing.
Above: These three always look like they are up to something and it's usually something funny.
Above & Below: Infectious smiles as Charles serenades the bus to early 2000's jams.
Above: Olympic-worthy napping encouraged by a smiling Katie. Below: Head this way.
Above & Below: Kelli and Allison put a lot of work into the PA Olympics and here is Kelli bringing the trophy from last year's win.
Above: Stretching is absolutely crucial to success. Here is Kenzi giving Laura a hand. Below: The calm before the storm.
Above: A good group. Below: One of my favorite photos from the first year. Can't get over the happiness in the photo.
Above: Kaeli being Kaeli and Mikaela being the queen of background goofiness. Below: CVA tenderness?
Above & Below: The group headed to cheer on the basketball team.
Above & Below: Steps to success - lots of braided hair (apparently) and tight shoelaces.
Above: When the rules don't say anything about forming a mega-person for your basketball team. Below: Helping Joy down.
Above & Below: I wish I had taken more photos like these. Peep Mikaela being goofy again. Above is Heather and Anna and below is Mandy and Kenzi. Just some happy people.
Above: A photo of me and Heat. Below: Conor probably talking trash about the teams playing.
Above & Below: Staying loose is absolutely necessary so I suggested that the group form a massage train. We had a lecture over massage therapy so those are some highly shoulder rubs taking place. Tip: use your palms instead of your fingers, you tire out slower.
Above: Natalie and Emily practicing their form for their event. Below: The team running through a practice session before their event.
Above & Below: Our girls did really well in this game and as you can see by Laura's expression, it was blinding and terrifying speed.
Above & Below: The next event was C Diff Runs where you had to run with a potato between your legs and drop it into a bucket. It was amusing but again, the girls crushed it. Our team consisted of Laura, Joy, and Heather.
Above & Below: This is our Jenga team who were incredible. You know UD is doing something right when our team came in first place and beat practicing PAs.
Above & Below: Just some best spuds getting amped for their event.
Above & Below: Textbook form from an excited Heather.
Above & Below: Again, Heather crushing the event and being very proud.
Above: The girls doing some C Diff Runs. Below: A hungry group getting some food.
Above & Below: At the halfway point of the event, the PA students who helped plan the day were recognized and a check was presented to the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.
Above: Heather talking trash and Emily apparently thoroughly enjoying it. Below: Our team watching Brain Damage, an event where you load up a sponge and through it to your partner over a volleyball net who rings it out into a bucket until you reach a certain water level.
Above and Below: Charles and Maegan being the dynamic duo for Brain Damage. I'm pretty sure they were smiling the whole time. This is the point where Emily takes over for photos and does a great job.
Above & Below: This image was the general theme throughout the day.
Above & Below: Dexterity and brains - bound to make great PAs.
Above & Below: Emily capturing some great portraits of Natalie and Anna. If I'm not careful, Emily may steal my camera and fill the role as photographer.
Above: A very proud and excited Allison and Emily after crushing Jenga Trivia. Below: Anna, Katie, and Sarah getting in the zone for their event.
Above & Below: For this event, you had to carry a Q-tip (do NOT use these to clean out your ears, they only make things worse) with two toothbrushes from one toilet paper roll to the other. Each team member had to do this. Steady hands were required and our team did great. Possible surgeons in the future?
Above & Below: Sarah, Joy, Katie, and Anna had dead-eye focus.
Above & Below: Our volleyball team with textbook form.
Above & Below: A great day on the court and in a sunny day.
Above & Below: Smiling people. Above is Laura and Kelli - I don't think they bite but still approach with caution. Below is Charles. If there was an Avengers themed iPhone event, Charles would have come in first.
Above: When you don't stop for food and you sit in Columbus traffic for a good 30 minutes. Below: The progression of a tired Little Red Riding Hood / Laura.
Above: Thanks for that Zach and Mikaela, I never slept again after they tried to put a Swedish Fish in my mouth as I slept.
Above: Jonathan was my seat buddy and Amelia captured this photo of him dusting off the moves. Note Joy in the background being Joy.
Above: A tired Laura and Kaeli. Below: And they woke up for some bus ride games.
A blurry photo of a lot of PA students from all across the state who spent a beautiful July day together raising money and having fun.