Show Assistant gains insight insi ht from experience in China ft Connie S. S Burrup Staff Writer HE healing touch of campus campus campus cam cam- T THE pus Physician Assistant PA Connie Dillin is apparent apparent apparent ap ap- ap- ap parent from the first glance Her gentle yet very direct manner of handling the myriad medical complaints of students is a unique blend of medical expertise gentle counsel and holistic education As a Physician Assistant Dillin practices medicine Patient assessment treatment programs and prescriptions are all part of her job ob The PA program was launched at Duke University to handle the needs of returning Vietnam Vietnam Vietnam Viet Viet- nam medics whose medical training and experience exceeded exceeded exceeded ex ex- ex- ex the role of a registered nurse but fell just short of medical doctor certification A PA may work in nearly all phases of medicine under the direction of a licensed physician Dillin has been associated with medicine since her high school years Experienced as asan asan asan an x-ray x technician family J X practice r tJ nurse V e an and UCLA trained sex therapist Dillin worked as an in the Los Angeles area for nearly two decades before pursuing herPA herPA her herPA PA degree While investigating the limits of her career she fell into the PA program mAt m. m At first I thought I couldn't do it it i said Dillin At age 35 Dillin took up the challenge of the PA program program program pro pro- gram at the University of Southern California I didn't know I was smart until I was 35 years old said Dillin I should have been a doctor Dillin comes to with more than her degree from Her lif life experience and world travel have only increased increased increased in in- creased her understanding of the healing process Dillin has spent brief tenures with the local of Peru the Mother Teresa Clinic of India and the Indian Tribe of the Central Mexico Desert Her travels have taken her to Egypt Japan and throughout Europe Dillin believes We are defined by our medical ill ill- nesses look at everything as part of a process and part of the circles of growth Our life flows in circular patterns Many times we find ourselves in the same places yet farther out but just looking at it from a different perspective Dillin Dillin's r recent cen t tri trip p to China further reinforced her belief that a blend of traditional traditional traditional western medicine combined combined combined com com- with holistic treatment of the mind and body is the most successful approach to healing and wellness Her most recent sojourn involved involved involved in in- a week two stint in China trav traveling as part of a PA education group representing the People to People Organization Organization Organization tion out of Spokane Washington Dillin explained that the People to People Organization Organization Organization Or Or- is a profit non-profit cultural cultural cultural cul cul- cul- cul tural ex exchange hange group started during the Eisenhower ad ad- ministration It offers educational educational educational experiences by facilitating facilitating ing travel for various organizations to other countries Sponsored by the China Association of Science and Technology the group spent time learning about the Chinese medical system It is a tiered three-tiered system said Dillin the village township and provin provincial al She likened it to our city county and state levels Dillin enjoyed the village medical experience the most II At At least 80 of the needs of the community seemed to be met at this level said Dillin There was a unique blend of Western medicine and traditional traditional traditional Chinese medicine that includes acupuncture ture and massage Jt Although in China the belief is geared more and more toward Western technology technology technology tech tech- patient treatment is still traditional Chinese They do incorporate both the western and traditional in ft 4 I x oaf d' d fI y t k wc I j joV I oV Y 1 F v a gentle way said Dillin Sh She also credits Utah with moving closer to the holistic practice of medicine A positive positive positive tive aspect of the healing practices of the Mormon culture culture culture cul cul- cul- cul ture is being open to different medical reasons for illness Dillin was saddened somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what on her trip to Ch China na by what appeared to be a lack of spirit among the people Dillin Dillin Dillin Dil Dil- lin believes the years of communism communism communism com com- and isolationism have taken their toll on the culture China has lived in isolation for many years The people st still ll seem isolated themselves as in in- The adults who had gone through the Cultural Revolution their children are college students appears appears appears ap ap- ap- ap pears to be a dragon that tha t is ready to roar commented Dillin in all an ner her travels to various countries none of them felt like China Dillin was very upbeat about the people she met and the food experiences she had We ate sea snakes gritty little little lit lit- tle Ue sea cucumbers snails and shells a lot of seafood We were treated like royalty she said We would ask what the food was and our tour guide would smile and say something from the se sea or ortry ortry ortry try it and Ill I'll tell you a astory astory story laughed Dillin Dillin believes her experience experience experience ex ex- this spring in China solidified many of her personal personal personal per per- beliefs The liThe trip was about feelings and knowing what your feelings are at the time not one day later We must trust our intuition that it is right and good There are aregood aregood aregood good answers there We should feel the feeling when the feeling is there she saidI said I think I am bringing back a amore amore amore more content feeling about my own integration of my traditional and nontraditional tradition non al training in medicine Due to the nature of many of the medical complaints of the students at Dillin believes her experience makes her a better practitioner of medicine Ive had my rough moments that path leads me meto meto meto to greater insights 1 ts into people on that intuitive level to have the insights to know what wha t a persons person's sickness sickness sickness sick sick- ness is revealing Dillin is in the campus clinic in the College Center every day that school is in session from at least 9 y am a.m. until 2 pm p.m. Because Dillin has had many similar life experiences to the traditional non nal students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents who attend attend- she has some sage advice My liMy recommendation to the students on campus campus- take care of yourselves Learn how to listen to yourselves Be in touch with your feelings and move into a certain flow of life where you are not fighting it Its just like rapids in a river You impede yourself if you struggle If you relax and flow you can get out of it De Decide ide what you can change and what you cant If youcan youcan you youcan can be in that central flow you can move through life with much greater ease |