{First week of senior year}

It sounds so weird to say that I'm a senior.  I'm in my second year.  I made it through my first year.  I NEVER thought that I'd be able to say that.  I have a feeling this year will FLY by!

So, I have clinic here at WSU on Tuesdays.  This week, we were able to get kind of reoriented with clinic, package up our new instruments and make some set ups, go over emergency procedures, pass off our sharpening PE while being able to sharpen up my VERY dull instruments from first year, and be able to practice exploring and probing on each other.  Overall it was a pretty relaxed day, and was a good way to start off the year.  I am excited to be in senior clinic, and think that the instructors are going to be really great.

Today, I went up to the VA in SLC.  The first half of the day was an orientation with TONS of information, making me feel completely overwhelmed and confused.  Then, we saw our first patients of the semester in the afternoon.  I was able to see a very nice man who was 3 quads of a class V.  It was good to be able to get back in there and work with the ultrasonic on a TON of calculus on the LA, as well as get off a TON of plaque and food debris.  I love to be able to look back after I'm done cleaning them up and see what a difference I made.  Such a great feeling!  I still feel very lost and confused on how the charting/notes go on the computer, etc.  I know that will come with time and will be second nature.

I really like the instructors up there, and feel like they are really there to help us.  The clinic is very nice and a lot bigger than I had pictured.  It feels good to be able to work with these great veterans, and provide them a service that they so deserve.  So, overall, today was a good experience.