SPI

Standardized Patient...Interviews? I don't even know what the I stands for, but those three letters have been the cause of serious fear and trembling this semester. Tomorrow at 12:30 I will be told to enter a room that is actually set up to look like a doctor's office and I will take a patient history and do an initial examination of an actor who is paid to act like a patient with some kind of injury. While I do this, there will be cameras and on the other side an unknown faculty member watching and evaluating me. Pretty much the scariest part of the semester considering all that could potentially go wrong the first try. Really, I am sure it will be fine, but there is some unavoidable anxiety that goes with the situation. It is super funny to watch the stress level of the class rise (probably even funnier when I am not one of the individuals experiencing it).

Anyway, one of my classmates sent this scene from Grey's Anatomy out to the class. Perhaps it won't be funny to the rest of you, but it cracked me up because it is probably how my dreams will be tonight. This week we met with some students that are training to be Physical Therapist Assistants and one of their students was being evaluated in a similar situation and in that scenario the patient coded (aka their heart stopped beating, start CPR). Pretty much- my worst nightmare (physical therapy clouds my dreams these days). I know none of it will happen and everything will work out fine tomorrow because even if I fail on my first try, I get a second chance. Nevertheless, it's that unavoidable anxiety.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eF1gmkmoIs