I appreciated my internal medicine rotation in that it gave students a lot of autonomy and allowed us to operate as if we were the provider. This rotation challenged me to track multiple patients at once, round, trend labs and tests, and make consult calls. In doing so, I had a stronger grasp of what is expected in the professional working environment as a physician assistant. Furthermore, this rotation allowed me to see some cases I have not encountered before to ground my medical knowledge. This included conditions such as multiple myeloma, Gullain-Barre Syndrome, and Huntington’s Disease. 

Another unique opportunity my internal medicine rotation provided was access to the cardiology suite where I was able to stand in for TAVR cases and be a part of clinic. As we do not have a rotation dedicated specifically to cardiology, this was a unique opportunity to better grasp my knowledge in cardiology with real cases. Regardless of which specialty I go into, I believe cardiology is an invaluable body system to be familiar with to best treat patients.

Overall, internal medicine exposed me to a plethora of disease states and provided students to autonomy to act as providers. This solidified my confidence in navigating the medical field and to transition from a student into a provider.