Can you answer these three questions: 1. What is the most common cause of anemia in the elderly? 2. Although heparin affects all coagulation tests, the MOST sensitive test is what? 3. What physical sign is indicative of acute cholecystitis? Thankfully, MBKU students were able to answer these and other medical-related questions ranking them second out of five teams.
Each year hundreds of PAs gather in Palm Springs for the CAPA Conference. MBKU faculty, students and staff spent the weekend in Palm Springs participating in educational programs and networking opportunities. Also among the annual events is the CAPA Student Medical Challenge Bowl where teams of PA students from universities across the state go head to head to test their knowledge.
“Ashley, Eugene and Meghan are all members of our inaugural PA class, so this is the first time we’ve had students compete in the Challenge Bowl,” said Judy Ortiz, MHS, MS, PA-C, DFAAPA, Dean and Professor, College of Health Sciences and Director, School of Physician Assistant Studies. “We’re so proud of our students, but not at all surprised that they achieved a second place standing. We have some of the brightest young minds attending MBKU and this honor reinforces the favorable feedback we’ve already been receiving from our preceptors.”
Although Ketchum was the smallest of the five schools, the sea of purple shirts was hard to miss at the event. At one point, MBKU students from both years could be heard throughout the room chanting, “Ketchum, Ketchum, Ketchum.”
“I’m so proud of our students,” said Sandra Fineman, PA-C, Principal Faculty. “The excitement in the room was palpable and I know that Marshall B. Ketchum University will be a school to contend with for years to come.”
“It was an honor to represent our entire university in this year’s Student Challenge Bowl,” all three students agreed. “It was a nerve-racking experience, but we have great faculty who took time to not only teach us, but get to know us too. That type of environment makes all the difference and we just couldn’t let them down,” said Eugene Yamamoto.
In case you were wondering, the answers to the three questions above are: 1. Iron Deficiency; 2. Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT); 3. Murphy's Sign.