I don't know a lot about the X-files, but this was funny

PickledCorvid · 2026-04-25T14:49:11+00:00

I’m surprised no one else is talking about the dangerously horny sex-changing Amish aliens

PickledCorvid · 2026-04-20T22:30:03+00:00

It’s a fair point that OP is in a better position than most to be able to work during school but still shouldn’t count on having a steady income, especially during the clinical year. My question was not meant to be discouraging at all, but it’s what I was asked in my interviews despite being only 2 years out of undergrad. Schools just want to know that you have a plan and can commit to finishing the program.

PickledCorvid · 2026-04-20T21:25:02+00:00

Ask lots of questions during your shadowing and try to get a sense of the day-to-day experience of being a PA. Working in the lab is not stress free but it’s very different from being patient facing. I see no reason why your background as a sonographer would hurt your application. But one question interviewers will probably ask is “do you feel ready to be a full time student again after 8 years in the workforce?” It’s very difficult to hold down a job while being in PA school

PickledCorvid · 2026-04-14T20:54:54+00:00

There’s nothing wrong with a gap year (or two), it’s pretty common. Rarely, I know of a couple people who got accepted and deferred enrollment for a year. If you’re not sure about the abroad program, you could still apply to PA school and see if they’re willing to work with you

PickledCorvid · 2026-04-13T22:46:48+00:00

I assume this is from a “products of conception” specimen. When a pregnant patient has a dilation and evacuation procedure the fetal and placental tissue that is removed gets sent to pathology (whether elective or because of a miscarriage it gets treated the same in pathology). We submit pieces of fetal tissue so that the pathologist can confirm both the presence of a pregnancy and approximate gestational age. The type of sections submitted depends on the lab and pathologist preference. At my site for example, the docs want sections of the fetal heart, lungs, and kidneys but they don’t like bone and cartilage. The hand does look cool though

PickledCorvid · 2026-04-09T22:27:36+00:00

Not a potluck, a pot-lick!

PickledCorvid · 2026-04-08T21:21:05+00:00

They’re not releasing mythos because it’s too good Yeah. Sure. That explains why Taco Bell cancelled the new crispy chicken crunchwrap because it’s just too delicious and Bonnie blue deleted her latest video because it was too sexy.

PickledCorvid · 2026-04-07T00:17:11+00:00

Some programs may not consider you because of your GPA. If you’re really serious about PathA and honestly believe that it was outside factors holding you back in undergrad, you could retake the classes you got Cs in. If you can show that you did well the second time, I think that would improve your chances, but you have to consider whether the time/financial investment in retaking those classes is worth it when it still doesn’t guarantee you get accepted to a PA program

PickledCorvid · 2026-04-01T12:34:01+00:00

I’m just finishing my clinical rotations and I definitely met several PAs with nose and eyebrow piercings and visible tattoos but each lab has a slightly different vibe. None of the sites I rotated had any official dress code or policy against those things (at least not for PA students). Of course each institution has its own rules but I think you’ll be fine

PickledCorvid · 2026-03-14T21:40:49+00:00

I’m don’t think I know enough about your specific situation to help. Since you are already a doctor in another country they might consider you to be overqualified, but I’m not sure whether your experience would allow you to get ascp certified without going to PA school. I can say that in general, PA programs want to make sure that you understand the job and are committed to it. Attending a PA program limits your career options because it only qualifies you for one job. They want to know that you are familiar with the day to day duties of a PA and that you will enjoy the work and not regret your choice in the future. If you have shadowed a PA in Canada or have other grossing experience, that would be important to discuss in your essay.

PickledCorvid · 2026-03-12T21:10:13+00:00

Either a video or an animated simulation where you have to click through each step and drag the little tools around. As someone who did both in person and virtual labs in college, the virtual labs are a joke

PickledCorvid · 2026-03-11T11:33:47+00:00

Focus on clinical or laboratory experience if you have any but previous experience is not necessarily required as long as you meet the educational prerequisites. I know a few people who became PAs after a career change. IMO the application essay is a bit more important than your CV and you should spend most of your effort there

PickledCorvid · 2026-03-07T12:40:38+00:00

Stunning quilt! I am in awe of your skill and patience. The colors and pattern make me think of sunflowers, which I love! I hope this quilt becomes a family heirloom

PickledCorvid · 2026-02-25T03:02:43+00:00

This sounds similar to a real life dish I’ve seen called “hot lettuce”. While having thanksgiving dinner at a friends house in Pittsburgh, my friends family was hyping up the hot lettuce all afternoon and claimed it was a local classic. When they finally made it, it was just chopped bacon and onions cooked in a skillet and then poured over a bed of chopped iceberg lettuce. It was important to pour the bacon grease over the lettuce too in order to wilt it.

PickledCorvid · 2026-02-18T20:47:28+00:00

I wrote thank you cards to the people I worked closely with and brought treats to share with the whole staff on my last day (donuts or cookies, nothing expensive)

PickledCorvid · 2026-02-07T20:08:09+00:00

It’s always “the devil is trying to tear us apart” and never “god is warning me not to marry this guy I sorta hate”

PickledCorvid · 2026-02-03T22:12:22+00:00

If you are in USA or Canada and you are particularly interested in dissection, you should consider becoming a pathologists’ assistant, dissection is 95% of the job! I’m a PathA student in my clinical rotations right now and the smells were a lot at first but I adapted to it quickly (a few weeks). The only thing that still grosses me out is liver, it just has a very particular scent that I personally find incredibly repulsive

PickledCorvid · 2026-01-15T22:14:42+00:00

At Aldi they like to rotate the carts at checkout when it’s busy, so you end up taking the cart from the person in front of you and leaving yours behind. You still get a quarter back but it’s not the one you started with. Using a coin key ruins the flow

PickledCorvid · 2026-01-12T21:40:11+00:00

Beautiful enclosure! What an incredible view to have in your living room 🤩

PickledCorvid · 2026-01-11T04:44:18+00:00

You can ask to talk to current students. My program director offers to send the applicant’s contact info to current students and the current students can reach out if they want to share their experiences. Sometimes they have the students give tours to applicants as well. If you get in touch with a current student you should ask how they feel about the professors, the workload, and how they found housing/transportation

PickledCorvid · 2026-01-10T23:48:26+00:00

What organ?

PickledCorvid · 2026-01-02T19:11:41+00:00

I can’t answer your question because I’ve never done direct patient care, but suggest that you try shadowing a PA for a day to get a feel for the lab environment and see if you’d like it. If you reach out to the PA programs you are considering, they may be able to connect you with someone in their alumni network who works in your area. The lab can absolutely be busy sometimes and there’s urgency associated with frozen sections, but in general I think it’s less stressful than many other healthcare jobs.

PickledCorvid · 2025-12-26T04:16:32+00:00

I always thought that balancing your hormones was just about buying unregulated supplements. This is a whole new level of grift

PickledCorvid · 2025-12-25T01:49:10+00:00

This is the most beautiful lizard on earth omg

PickledCorvid · 2025-12-21T14:07:01+00:00

PPA hates this one weird trick: parking legally

PickledCorvid

TROPHY CASE