The Road to RDH: Clinical Boards!!

IS THIS REAL LIFE?! I passed both anesthesia clinical and hygiene clinical first try!!! I'm ecstatic. I can't believe this is real life! Look out residents of California! I will find you, and I will clean your teeth! :D

CLINICAL ANESTHESIA (Apr 21)
I'M ANESTHESIA CERTIFIED! I got to the exam site early, so I was able to do my exam early! This meant I was done with it and holding the most beautiful purple piece of paper I had ever seen before my exam even was scheduled to begin! My clinical anesthesia patient was so great. She's one of the juniors (Seniors now!!) at UCDH and so willing to help out. I have been really blessed to have such amazing, kind, and flexible patients! I will admit, I was perfectly fine walking into the building but I got nervous at the last minute. I told my friend Lisa I was scared. She immediately grabbed my shoulders and shook me and yelled "YOU CANNOT BE NERVOUS. IT STRESSES ME OUT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NERVOUS THEN I HAVE TO BE REALLY NERVOUS BECAUSE YOU ARE NEVER NERVOUS!!!!!!!!!!!" (Lisa is in my carpool so she saw me the days leading up to, as well as the days of my written exams. I wasn't scared. I knew what I knew and saw no reason to stress out about it.) This was just the wake up call I needed so I shook it off and went to my exam cool and collected. As with most things in life, confidence is key.

CLINICAL HYGIENE (Apr 23)

10 of my peers failed, most of which due to poor submissions. It made me a little nervous to walk past their disappointed faces as I entered the exam. I made a last minute adjustment to my patient submissions, to make them a little more difficult. Thankfully, my first patient submission was accepted and I was able to do everything on time. Being able to administer anesthesia without anyone watching me was CRAZY! I know I wouldn't be here holding this glorious golden paper without my amazing clinical instructors. I swear their voices were in my head telling me what to do throughout my entire exam. I feel so blessed to have been able to take my exam right where I have been practicing hygiene for the past twenty months. I just pretended it was another day at clinic, and went for it. My friend Brittani and I were able to take our exams at the same time, so we were there for each other when we received our news. We were so excited that we gave each other a huge loupe-crushing hug. R.I.P. loupes... You served me well.

OFFICIALLY DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!