Botox All Around

Disclaimer: This is a long one & might take a couple of sittings; I know that it would for me because I'm self-diagnosed with ADD! But read to the end because there's a good point.

So, way back in September when I was still a lowly PA student, I began taking my resume around to dermatologist. Which, if you know me at all, is a huge feat because that is WAY out of my comfort zone! Most of my classmates were shocked to hear that I was doing that. Usually in the medical world, a good job comes by word of mouth or if you're really desperate, a job posting. And, I did apply to a few jobs by the latter means, because well, I was desperate for a job. It's quite overwhelming when you are getting ready to graduate & you have those students loans, which have amassed to the cost of a house, looming in the background with no way to pay them back. Well, I decided that I would find me a job even if it meant turning into a door to door saleslady.

I interviewed for a few of those online postings or ones sent to us from school; urology (think ED & kidney stones), pediatric urgent care (sick kiddos with impatient parents), neurology specializing in headaches (which really would give me a headache everyday) & a part time derm job whee I would have to travel to Parhump & Mesquite (but I was willing to sacrifice for derm). But what I really wanted to do was dermatology, & those were the offices where I took my resume around to. I went to one office & stood in an empty reception area for 15 minutes before walking out. Another one that I visited told me that the physician didn't work with PAs, but my favorite part of that office was the dolls dressed in crocheted dresses lining the tops of the file cabinets with a "dolls for sale" sign posted close by. A few I just dropped off & that was the end of it.

However, there was one, Dr Samlaska, who took me by surprise; I was just planning on dropping off my resume, but when I went into the office the receptionist told me to hold on a minute. Well, out walked the doctor, & he asked me to come into the back to talk to him. He told me he wasn't currently hiring at the time (due to moving his office) but to check back with him around the first of the year. In the mean time, I did a rotation in dermatology & absolutely loved despite the fact that it was a bunch of acne, warts & pre-skin cancer stuff. It was the first rotation that I actually looked forward to going to everyday.

My brother, Rick, kept on telling me that I needed to get back with Dr Samlaska, but my pride was getting the better of me. I really wasn't in the mood to get turned down for yet another job. At the time, I had had an offer from the pediatric urgent care (but I just couldn't do that job) & was a "close" runner-up for the urology job (I found out the day of my board exam that I didn't get it).

The night before my boards, I got an IM from one of my classmates that he had found me a job in dermatology! I can't tell you how excited I was! He didn't know the details, but he had heard about it from one of the PA department administrative assistants at school. He had told her that I wanted to work in derm & to let me know before she sent out word to the rest of the class. So, I contacted Mrs C that night, but she didn't have the information which was coming from a PA who had graduated two classes ahead of me. She got me the info the next day; I emailed the PA; she sent me some info; I sent her my resume; & she sent it on to the dermatologist. The info turned out to be this Dr Samlaska. I called the office a couple of days later to follow up to make sure he had received my resume, & I was put on hold. The doctor got on the phone, told me that he hadn't had time to look over my resume yet, but he would get back to me. He called me two days later & asked if I could come in for an interview.

I went in for the interview, & it went soso. I had come to the conclusion after the failed urology attempt that I wasn't a good judge of an interview. He told me he had to talk to a couple more PAs who had worked in dermatology, but he was leaning more towards a new grad who he could train his way. He finished by saying he would be in touch with me, & that was that. The following week I got a call from him while I was in the temple asking me to give him a call back on his cell phone when I had a minute. Oh ho ho, an answer to my prayers. Well, he didn't answer nor did he return my call that day. The next day I called him again because I figured it must be a good thing that he gave me his cell number, & I had to leave a message yet again. He FINALLY called me back that afternoon, apologized for not getting back to me sooner, & told me that he was leaning towards hiring me but he wanted to work with me first to see how much I knew & if we would work well together. So, I was to have a week long working interview.

Ummm...can you say slightly stressful!!!

Needless to say, I was pimped everyday for information on different dermatological skin diseases. Let me tell you right now, that there is a HECK of a lot more to dermatology than just acne, warts & skin cancer. I knew of some before from working in derm prior to PA school, but not nearly the extent that is out there. I'm currently riding the short bus of dermatology & I think I might even be wearing one of those special helmets to protect my miniscule brain! It was an exhausting week; I would work the full day & then have to come home to read up on what I had seen that day. I saw more variety in that week than I did in my ENTIRE month of my derm rotation. It was crazy! Well, Friday rolls around & in the world of derm that means a half day, & he pulls me into his office to ask me what I think. I told him that I love (insert one of those nasty hearts here) it!!! And his response was that he was going to give me a try because I'm motivated.

WooHooooo!!! I was slightly excited.

Now I'm just waiting for my license (which takes about a month) so I can officially start working. I'm going in most days & shadowing & getting the lay of the land. It's going to take a looonnggg time for me to get it all down (Dr Samlaska told me it could take up to 3 years!), but I'm enthusiastic about it & know I'll love every minute of it. Well almost.

OK, so here's the good point: I feel deeply blessed, actually more than deeply, but you get the point. It's extremely difficult to get into dermatology & for it to happen as a new grad is rare. However, I know that Heavenly Father knows where I'm suppose to be & I trust him. I think he knows that I wouldn't have the enthusiasm for diabetes or high blood pressure like I would for a zit. It's not to say that I wouldn't care about them, but you need to be someplace where you want to be everyday & that for me is derm. I know why those other jobs didn't pan out; he was saving the right one for me. I went into this job search not expecting a whole lot. I knew that if I didn't get the job then it wasn't meant to be. I felt that I needed to stay in Vegas, & I still don't know what the exact reason is for that one. But I have faith that it'll all be revealed to me in the end. I'm where I'm suppose to be at this time in my life & doing what I'm suppose to be doing, & as a result, I'm being blessed for it! Heavenly Father DOES hear & answers our prayers!