Liz's New Zealand Adventurings: March 2006

Thursday, March 16, 2006

at Heidi's house.

I'm definitely taking advantage of the wireless connection at Heidi's house and making a quick little posting while Heidi puts away the towels she just folded. Heidi's great.
We spent the morning at the rec center, running for about 40 minutes, and talking about the superiority of firstborn children. Well, perhaps "superiority" was not the best term. We laughed about our controlling and competitive nature as it pertained to younger siblings. Heidi told me about a recent arm wrestling competition with her siblings and how she and her sister had sat in deadlock for nearly five minutes - neither one wanting to give in. I distinctly remember telling my brother, when I realised he was growing taller than me, "You have to be nice to me now that you're bigger and stronger than I am." He only laughed a sort of evil laugh.
Heidi used to open her siblings presents at Christmas and birthdays. She was forced to keep a sizeable distance away from gifts until she could control herself. I think it was two years ago :o)
I was the self appointed birthday cake supervisor, placing the candles, lighting them AND blowing them out for the birthday child.
Heidi, her brother, and I were discussing the dynamics of this paradigm when Heidi shared this tidbit, "I've heard that oldest children are the most intelligent and it just decreases down throughout the children." Brother chortled.
What's with oldest children, anyway?

Sunday, March 5, 2006

"I think I am a good applicant for this position because..."

About a month ago I spent a Sunday afternoon online, applying for summer jobs. There resided in me a nagging feeling that I ought to have spent that time working on homework. However, I justified my behaviour as necessary and ignored the feeling (who wants to do homework anyway?).
The very next day (should've done the homework) I received an email forwarding an invitation for all pre-professional students to a group interview for emergency department scribe positions at the local hospital.
[after deciding to go to P.A. school and being informed of the necessity of having "clinical experience" to apply, I gathered that the BEST way of acquiring said experience is via scribe work. You don't have to have any credentials to become one and it's a paid position. the only real hurdle is that it's a semi-challenging position to sink your claws into...and believe me, that's what you do when you're finally offered the job...opportunities rarely arise.]
I figured I had nothing to lose by attending the group interview, so I went. Aislinn also came, along with about 30 other hopefuls, and we chatted up a storm while we waited for our number to be called. I knew this was one of three group interviews and when I was told that there were only going to be approximately 6 people hired, I wasn't exactly expecting anything. But at the same time, I was; I hoped I was what they were looking for.
It turns out that I am.
Two weeks later found me agonizing over the fact that they hadn't called me back for a second interview; I just figured I'd been turned down. I even rang Aislinn to see if she'd been contacted. But the call came. And to the interview I went, 12:30pm Thursday. Two current scribes and the head of hiring interviewed me. It was fascinating to be asked those typical interview questions about my appropriateness for the position, best/worst traits, handling "constructive criticism," etc. After only 15 minutes it was finished. I didn't know whether that was a good thing or not.
The claws flew out, when, two hours later I was offered the position. Rather, I should say, I was selected to apply. There are so many people clamoring for scribe jobs that the interview is held before the application process.
I've since picked up my paperwork and training manual. There's a hefty section on medical terminology (which I've already studied and thoroughly enjoyed) and my favorite pages: the "how to" of prescription writing. There's a whole language to learn for that.
Training begins within the next two weeks. After a week and a half of classroom instruction and a couple shadowing sessions, I'm thrown out onto the ED floor. Whoa. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!