boring?

I have (rightly) been asked whether things have been boring recently (since I've not posted since April...my, how time flies!). The answer is, "Not hardly!" Oh my goodness! It has been hectic to put it mildly. As is the case virtually everywhere, the volume of work continues to rise and everyone's working to their personal maximum (if not, I'd like to know about it!).

I still have a vacant position although I have interviewed a very promising candidate. I'm now awaiting confirmation that the position will be funded so that we can move forward and address the many staffing concerns that we have here (no doubt the same as everywhere else) that involve both the PAs and the Histology lab. I won't bore anyone with the details. Since regional coverage of PA duties hinges upon the funding of the position, I very much hope that the coin toss will go in our favour.

A new lab building for Kelowna (and possibly the region) is being planned and the ground-breaking occurred within the last couple of weeks. This is really exciting news. The building will have lots of space to expand the lab for years to come. We're having frequent all-day planning meetings and we have drilled down to the equipment phase of the process. Things are moving SO fast! One of the many good things that will grow out of this is that we'll once again be doing autopsies (rather than transferring them elsewhere). I'm very much looking forward to this (but feel that the other PAs may not share my optimism!).

The building in which the lab currently resides will be torn down very shortly after we vacate (June, 2012) and a new cardiac surgical building will be erected in its place. Given my experience with cardiac pathology, I also very much look forward to the arrival of cardiac surgery in our area (and the inevitable cardiac pathology autopsies...woo hoo!).

Telepathology has expanded in The Interior Health Authority; in December, we added a 5th scanner in Trail, BC (to the scanners in Vernon, Kelowna, Cranbrook and Penticton). Further, a live microscopy video conferencing set-up is being installed and will be active within the next week or so. Kelowna pathologists, thanks to scanned micro images, are able to present their findings with ease at clinical rounds on a regular basis. This is has been very well received by the clinicians. Weekly telepathology rounds continue and are appreciated by many of the region's pathologists. Our resident Dermatopathologist has signed out many cases remotely thanks to telepathology.

Personally, I'm looking forward to the 2011 bicycling season which will see me participate in two GranFondos (Okanagan and again, Whistler). I'm know that I will be able to improve on last year's Whistler time (look out Rick; here I come!). For training, I'm looking to joining a spinning class within the next month or so.

The CAP Executive Committee are working on formulating a final Core Competencies list and plan to liaise with the CAP AP Committee and the CAP Executive to ensure that we're all working on the same page. Other issues confronting the Section have to do with the certification exam, grand-parenting, a PA-specific application form, and other pressing stuff. The AGM Committee is working feverishly planning the Vancouver meeting for June of this year.