Category: PA
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Clerkship Tips: How to Administer a Mental Status Examination
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The Mental Status Exam (MSE) is essential for evaluating psychological functioning in clinical practice. This guide explores its components, significance, and tips for effective implementation in patient assessments, making it a valuable tool for healthcare providers across various specialties.
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10 Examples of Outdated Heart Health Advice
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Cardiovascular diseases are a top cause of death worldwide. Health guidelines have changed as medical research has advanced our understanding of risk factors, like smoking. Staying updated on current research helps people make informed decisions about heart health and adopt practices to prevent heart disease and support long-term cardiovascular well-being.
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The Best Resolutions for Healthcare Students in 2025
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Welcome, future clinicians and caregivers, to 2025! While it may seem old-fashioned, setting resolutions is more than just making a list to forget by the end of January. It’s about sculpting your path to becoming the best version of yourself, both personally and professionally, while setting the stage for a…
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Dispelling Disability Myths: Helpful Insights for Aspiring Healthcare Professionals
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According to the CDC, approximately one in four US adults will experience a disability at some point in their lives. Despite how common disability is, people with disabilities face ongoing misconceptions and biases that contribute to existing disparities in healthcare access and quality. It’s crucial to address and dispel these…
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The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a PA: What You Need to Know
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PAs, or physician associates (or assistants), are licensed clinicians who provide medical services to patients of all ages and stages of life while under the supervision of an MD or DO. As this essential profession becomes more popular and the number of PA training programs increases, let’s take a moment to…
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Understanding Substance Use Disorder: A helpful guide for health professionals
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Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a health condition involving a patient’s uncontrolled use of a substance, such as alcohol, drugs, and medications, that affects an individual’s daily life by impairing their physical and mental health, along with social functioning. There are about 20 million people in the US (approximately 6% of the total…
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A Quick Reference Guide to Male Reproductive Health Disorders
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Despite the importance of reproductive health in relation to overall well-being, many people avoid discussing it due to stigma, cultural norms, fear of judgment, lack of awareness, privacy concerns, and apprehension about medical intervention. Yet several reproductive health conditions significantly impact not only a male patient’s physical health but also…
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Top Ten Health Conditions That Are Easily Misdiagnosed
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An accurate diagnosis is the cornerstone of medicine and the basis for any treatment. Nonetheless, a misdiagnosis can happen to any clinician due to a variety of issues, including overlapping symptoms or referencing an incomplete medical history. Let’s look at a quick case study to consider the challenges and potential…
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A Quick Mental Health Treatment Guide for Clinicians: Classic Psychotherapies
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When contemplating the concept of psychotherapy, it’s not uncommon to conjure up images of a grand office space adorned with an extravagant leather sofa, where a patient reclines while reflecting on past childhood experiences. While this depiction may be prevalent in pop culture, it’s essential to recognize that psychotherapy includes…
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Digital Health Tools: Empowering PAs for Better Patient Outcomes
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Digital health tools are changing how we do healthcare. Let’s take a look at the fascinating realm of digital health and discuss the profound impact technology is making on healthcare as we know it. With newer technologies in place, healthcare systems are enhancing workflows, boosting communication, and enabling more personalized…
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Making the Most of Clinical Rotations as a PA Student
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You’ve officially made it through the didactic phase of your physician’s assistant program. First of all, congratulations! Now comes the next challenge: clinical rotations. Think of rotations as learning how to read; the didactic phase was learning the alphabet. Now, you’re in the next crucial phase of applying what you’ve learned to become…
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How to Use Osmosis to Study for the PACKRAT Exam
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In PA school, one of the standardized exams that the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA®) gives accredited programs to administer is the PACKRAT®. The PACKRAT is a 225-question exam covering almost everything you learn in PA school, from psychiatry to pediatrics to pharmacology. Typically offered at the end of the…
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Social Determinants of Health: Health Care Access and Quality
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“I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems if I am to care adequately for the sick.” Dr. Louis Lasagna, 1964 We all want…
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PANCE® Question of the Day: Gynecology exam
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Prepare for the PANCE with this question! Learn about osteoporosis screening using FRAX score. Understand when to assess fracture risk in postmenopausal women, even if they’re younger than 65. A 58-year-old woman presents to her gynecology PA for her yearly well-check. She has no current complaints. Her last colonoscopy was…
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PANCE® Question of the Day: Hepatitis B
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Prepare for the PANCE with this comprehensive topic on pulmonary function testing (PFT) in asthma assessment. Follow the case of a 62-year-old man with psoriasis and a family history of hepatocellular carcinoma presents with positive HBsAg, negative HBsAb, and positive anti-HBc IgG. What’s the best next step in management before…
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PANCE® Question of the Day: Hepatitis C
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This week, we are sharing another PANCE®-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 49-year-old man with cirrhosis and vomiting blood. Explore his symptoms, physical examination findings, and lab results to determine the most appropriate treatment. Learn more about this critical medical scenario. A…
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11 Tips for Taking a Patient History
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A comprehensive medical history is vital for an accurate diagnosis, developing personalized treatment plans, and establishing a good rapport with your patients. On today’s Osmosis blog, let’s take note of some helpful tips for recording a high-quality medical history.
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PANCE® Question of the Day: Pulmonary function test (PFT)
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Prepare for the PANCE with this comprehensive topic on pulmonary function testing (PFT) in asthma assessment. Follow the case of a 29-year-old man presenting with dyspnea and dry cough, with a history of childhood asthma. Explore the vital signs, lung auscultation, and laboratory findings to determine the most likely PFT…
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What Is Intersectional Healthcare and Why Is It Important?
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Today we’re discussing the concept of intersectionality and how the intricate interplay of diverse identities impacts an individual’s experiences, and the need for clinicians and caregivers to recognize and acknowledge each patient’s identity to provide the best possible healthcare outcome.
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Emotional Intelligence for Clinicians: Practical tips for future health professionals
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Dr. Amin Azzam recently hosted an Osmosis webinar offering valuable advice on the importance of emotional intelligence and resilience in healthcare. In today’s Osmosis blog, we’re sharing his top-notch advice and discussing the crucial role EI, EQ, and emotional well-being play in today’s healthcare landscape. It should be no surprise that characteristics…
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The Top 10 Medical Advances in History
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Explore the Top 10 Medical Advances in History that have transformed healthcare and significantly improved global life expectancy. Key innovations include antibiotics, discovered by Alexander Fleming, which revolutionized infection treatment, and insulin, which has turned diabetes from a death sentence into a manageable condition. The development of vaccines has eradicated…
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PANCE® Question of the Day: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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This week, we are sharing another PANCE® style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 30-year-old man with a history of depression presents to his primary care PA with symptoms of negative mood, emotional detachment, and irritability following the death of his partner officer.…
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A List of Essential Osteopathic Medical Education Journals
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Osteopathic medical education research improves teaching and training strategies, helps determine effective policies for the field, and shapes the future of clinical practice. Read on to learn more about current osteopathy-focused journals in today’s Osmosis blog.
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How to Maintain a Good Work-Life Balance as a Physician Assistant
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Physician assistants, or PAs, are often unsung heroes in healthcare. In addition to supporting doctors in the office, PAs decrease physician workloads by handling tedious tasks like suturing after a long session of surgery or taking on administrative duties such as managing prescriptions. PAs also provide doctors with the ability…
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What’s in a Name? Why PAs Want to Evolve from Assistant to Associate
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In May 2021, the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) voted to pass a resolution to change the official title of “Physician Assistant” to “Physician Associate” after years of research and debate. Here’s why they’re making the change. A brief history of PAs In the mid-1960s, physicians and educators were…
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The Best Medical Podcasts
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Medical podcasts provide a cost and time-effective way for physicians and medical students to learn more about the field of medicine. Whether it’s keeping up to date on the latest research or learning how to avoid burnout, the best medical podcasts provide countless learning opportunities that help you become a better…
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Active Recall: The Most Effective High-Yield Learning Technique
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Are you maximizing your study effectiveness? Many students rely on familiar techniques like reading textbooks, creating flashcards, or watching online videos without realizing that these methods may not be the most efficient for exam preparation. Research indicates that a significant number of students, including those in demanding fields like medical…
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Product Update: Quiz Builder for USMLE, COMLEX, and PANCE
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No two students learn in the same way. The problem is, a lot of the time, you’re expected to! At Osmosis, our mission is to help you get the best learning experience possible so you can focus, retain, and thrive. That’s why we’re launching a completely reimagined version of our…
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How to Study for the PANCE Exam: Tips from an Experienced PA-C
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Passing the PANCE® exam: It’s the last milestone to reach in becoming a full-fledged physician assistant. Pretty exciting, right? But also nerve-wracking, as this transition from student to certified PA is a hurdle of questions: What is the best way to study? How long should you practice? And how do…
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How to Take Notes Faster in Medical School
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Taking notes in medical school can be messy and time-consuming. With so much material to write down and memorize, having a strategy for effective note-taking can make a difference in your performance in medical school.