Off to the Races

Today was our first official day of clinicals. Since this is our first interaction with real, live people we are usually assigned to complete tasks that cannot hurt anyone. There are 60 students total in our graduating class and that is broke down into groups of 10 for clinicals. All 5 of the other groups have local grade schools as their clinical site, but our group is unique. We are assigned to the backside health clinic at Churchill Downs. This clinic is run by a Nurse Practitioner employed by UofL and is fully funded by unclaimed winnings from track side betting. (I was surprised to learn that there are MILLIONS of dollars in unclaimed winnings each year.) We will have the opportunity to interact with the backside workers and provide for their health care needs as well as help them utilize other resources available to them and their families. We will have an opportunity to observe and assist in procedures that the other groups will have to wait at least another semester to take part in. Of course, we still have some requirements that will have to be completed in the grade school (Semple is our assigned site) such as screenings for head-lice and scoliosis, but we are aloud (and encouraged) to interact on a more personal level with our patients in the clinic.

I'm excited to be starting this next phase of my training. I'm nervous about all that is expected of me. But each day I am more sure that this is where I am supposed to be.