Contrary to my last post depicting my fatigue through this trimester, our choosing of student clinic placement today does present the light at the end of the tunnel. By selecting which clinic I will spend at least Tri 8 in, I am guiding myself toward the population I want to serve. Clinic is the final step of our program in which I will continue my education through actual practice as a student doctor. Here at the Florida campus, we have two separate clinics, the Pinellas Park Clinic, or PPC, and Health Education Center, or HEC. This is the first trimester where both clinics are going to have new clinicians starting next trimester, and thus, when choosing which location I feel is right for me, I have to make a judgment based on which population each clinic serves.

The PPC is a public facing clinic serving our community, and thus a wide range of conditions, exposing us right to the public. In contrast, the HEC is located at the school, conducting many more new patient visits not only for our own program, but for the other schools participating in the university partnership program, including St. Petersburg College (SPC). Both clinics provide valuable learning opportunities, and making the decision about which clinic is the one for me was not simple.

Ultimately, I don’t believe there is a right or wrong clinic to choose, and both clinics will shape us into proficient clinicians. For these reasons, I chose the PPC, which I know is the best decision for my education goals. I can’t even begin to express how excited I am for clinic, and look forward to continuing sharing my life as a student as we progress into this new phase!

Read more about Dylan’s journey toward earning his Doctor of Chiropractic degree here.