In December 2023, Yale School of Medicine Physician Assistant (PA) Online Class of 2024 student Andrea Valadez, MLS, participated in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Advanced Surgical Physician Assistant Training Program. The UAB program is highly competitive, accepting just 18 students from across the country for the free weeklong course.
The mission of the program is “to provide qualified individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in both their clinical rotations and prepare them for a career in surgery.”
Valadez decided to apply after doing her general surgery rotation, even though she knew how competitive the program was, because she “thoroughly enjoyed” her rotation, adding “which is ironic because I was dreading it.” She explains she “wanted the opportunity to perform laparoscopic procedures and learn other skills that will make me a more competitive job applicant.”
For Valadez, one of the most rewarding parts of the program was learning skills such as advanced suturing, chest tubes, central lines, point of care ultrasound, and other bedside procedures that she was able to practice multiple times in relaxed, timed, and competitive settings.
Additionally, Valadez enjoyed spending time with the other participants and the UAB students who helped with the program. “Overall, the confidence I gained remains the most rewarding part of the program.”
Reflecting on her preparation for the intensive training, Valadez shares, “as any one of my classmates can tell you, being in the Yale PA Online Program requires an abundance of self-discipline. I found I was well prepared for the 10-hour days and the commitment it took to be successful in the training program.”
Before PA school, Valadez, who is a certified medical laboratory scientist, worked in microbiology and at a blood bank. Originally from a small town in Texas, she has lived in San Angelo, Texas, in the western part of the state, since high school. After graduating from PA school this spring, she plans to practice in her hometown in a hospital setting. “I hope there will be an opportunity available in surgery, but any position where I can utilize skills I learned in the Advanced Surgical PA Training Program would be great.”