Are you interviewing for another PA job? without much preparation for what happens when it isn't y. How did you end up in hospital medicine? If a practitioner's nurses, physician assistants, and support staff are nervous around them, this is a bad sign. I applaud you for your outspoken opinion on career satisfaction. Given the number of questions I fielded on a daily basis, it helped me stay up to date on research and become proficient in managing complications of both treatments and diseases. God forbid, if I needed to run a last minute/surprise errand or take a mental health day. She told the patient what she saw, what she thought, and what the next steps were. I think what they say is true that medicine should be a calling and you should get into it because you love caring for others otherwise. They all lacked real patient care experience. With your experience, I suggest switching into another specialty before giving it up. Choose a different career path. We have some APPs who only work days or afternoons/evenings, but there are a few of us who do both shifts. We all like to think of ourselves as doing a lot (or most) of what doctors do. Realize that this is a normal feeling. Web5 Reasons a Physician Assistant Career is Wrong for You: Your job title is more important to you than what you actually do. I applied for an MSL role early this year, didnt get it. 4. Is this kind of toxic thinking still very much a part of current medical education? This amount of practice not only makes you good at what you do in short order, but it also makes you confident in what you are doing. The APPs either work day or afternoon/evening shifts. Im tired of staying late because one of my patients decided to come half an hour late or they didnt fill out the paperwork. sometimes even moving within a state is a big change. NYC sucks overall for PAs due to saturation but in upstate NY pas run ERs with no doc in hous Nobody seems to bother them You sound pretty run down and stressed. Time. Plus, people in Texas say things like "I appreciate you" and "Have a blessed day." I'm burnt out and my horse just entered the race. So they didn't hit the ground running but got up to speed. I am someone who needs to work and keep busy, but to balance it out, I love spending time with my children. A quality healthcare team should always have good communication among its team members. Everyone thinks theyre going to kill someone. Why not take condescend from the medical heavens and take these alleged deficient PAs under their all knowledgeable wing and share with them the nectar of the MD/DO deities?A few lab techs from my program went and became PAs years ago. If I got stuck on something, I'd check the approach pathways out to see where the next fork would take meI still get my updated book each year. I apologize for the long read, I just really wanted to get that out. Sorry its more so of a rant. And I hate to say it but, despite the headlines of a "growing PA profession" and it being called one of the hottest jobs of the future, the actual job absolutely sucks. You sound pretty run down and stressed. Have you considered leaving your state for one that is more PA friendly? I know it's hard to change your li Learn some professionalism; just because it sucks in New York doesn't mean it will suck elsewhere. Please review our forum rules before contributing. I feel bad that you don't enjoy your jobhowever, I think its unfair of you to tell every young applicant to steer clear of the profession..certain professions are not for everyone, but I am sure there are happy PAs out there Lots of happy PAs in my neck of the woods. Ill have to see what is out there. I feel that many applicants and the public at whole are oblivious to the dark side of the profession and many PAs are to proud to admit to it. Anyone else feel this way? It would appear that physicians (especially physician moms) are waking up to the unworkability of the medical profession. But I still don't think it's an unfair criticism to say that (at least a few) PAs are trained entirely in thinking "The most common cause of x is y. We really do have a work family. Having great colleagues is what makes me happy to come in to work day after day. You're absolutely right. Indeed, estimates from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) indicate that the U.S. could face a shortfall of between 21,000 and 55,000 primary care doctors by 2023. I completely respect the possibility that you really arent meant to be in medicine, but I dont think you can determine that with certainty until you remove the factors that seem to be making you miserable. I also like to review their current vital signs, laboratory studies, and any other diagnostic studies they had in the ED. Is the grass really greener? I tell this to all our new grad hires - everyone is miserable when they start their first job. Im literally in the same boat. I hate the stress involved. And this is true! Younger physicians are well acquainted with how competitive PA school has become, have friends that are PAs, and are more willing to experiment with how they can utilize us. Experiences vary both for physicians with PAs as well as for students who become PAs. My friend who is a pharmacist recently made the switch and loves it. Im not being snide here for some people (and they I am in my FM rotation with a DO who precepts med students year-round but we had a cancellation in my original site and he agreed to take me. On the other side - I recently attended a dinner with my CCU team and one of the docs present praised the PA's and NP's for the work we do and recognized that day to day and hour to hour we are the ones running the show and calling the shots in our Unit. She said the diagnosis did not match the CT images. Feeling trapped sucks! 2018 PhysicianAssistantForum.Com. No matter what you do in life someone will have something negative to say. WebHe must hate father and mother, wife and child. Anderson. Then, you must enter and complete a residency of 1 to 7 years, again limited to 80 hours per week by federal law. It's your life and the clock keeps on ticking. This realization was the trigger I needed. WebWhy I quit being a physical therapist assistant. I eagerly listened to all the lectures in PA school and spent my year plus on rotations. She decided on PA school and enrolled at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. I am able to practice medicine within a multidisciplinary team where I consult with my supervising physicians daily. There'd always been a patient or two that I wanted to make sure I stayed until the end for, and then that would overlap with the next patient. Explore, be flexible & you'll be happy you did. Dieser Button zeigt den derzeit ausgewhlten Suchtyp an. I doubt they take their job home with them at night. At the same time.. if I were to make a switch , I should do it now while I dont have any kids. Another helpful characteristic of HIM PAs is being obsessive (in a healthy manner) about details to make sure all of the patients medical conditions are addressed and nothing is missed. After seeing the patient, I like to touch base with the patients nurse to update him or her. He has a private practice, just him and 2 MAs. In PA school, everyone dreams of finding that perfect fit. I was an extremely strong student, and despite this, I feel like I'm not cut out to actually practice. Experience. To be blunt, we have practically no experience, especially joining a new specialty. While I am sad to leave, I know it's time for me to move on. Find out more about the course and register today! This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. For my first job out of PA school, I found a position in oncology and was able to stay in Pittsburgh. Fact is, the world doesn't need a ton of House MD's, certainly not in primary care where 90-95% of what we see is obvious and our boards beat the other 5-10% to death. I've though about working a meanial job and paying the bare minimum on my loans. Use these steps to guide you on your journey. They each were terrified what would happen after graduation. She couldnt decide whether to be a teacher or a therapist, so she worked as a psychiatric case manager initially. I'm about a month into my first job. Theres never a dull moment in the hospital! None of my classmates seem willing to want to admit this. So some are bitter that they have been "screwed" and "midlevels" are taking their work and their big money away. Whats your approach? Had interview last week go well. Four months later, I was a Texan. I'm glad that I stayed the course. You'll have that. But like others have said, we get to help people on a daily basis. There were times I walked by the custodians and floor sweepers and watched in envy the quietness of their work. Rarely did I ever have to explain my role to patients. I am 1.5 months into my first job. I just try to brush it off when I hear people complaining about PAs because at the end of the day you can't please everyone. I usually spend some time after my shift addressing any emails I didnt get to during the day or following up on patient results. The job simply sucks! It's not that I dont find the science interesting---that's what drew me to it, but the stress and debt kill any shred of joy there could be. All rights reserved. What is scheduling like at your hospital? To the OP. Urgent care, family, occupational, etc. It hasn't. Don't be fooled! Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. It's a powerful feeling to know you are good at what you do, and it's reassuring when those with whom you work trust you to manage patient care at a high level. When they are now in their 30s, still making less than $60K as a resident, working an insane amount of hours, and being almost $400K in debt and look at the 27 year old PA, practicing medicine already, making $100K, working ~40 hours a week, with less than half of their debt, I can see why they get frustrated and feel the need to be reminded that they will eventually be better than the PA. Hindsight is 20/20. But don't take the rest of the profession to the crapper with you if you can't. My days will be occupied by listening to her soft snoring while she sleeps and feeding her peanut butter milk bones while she's awake. I shouldve really thought about what I really wanted out in life before I decided to go down this road. As you said, you like your SP and your specialty. Its maddening. Have you tried looking for pharm sales positions? 2023 Copyright American Academy of Physician Associates. But I firmly believe one is responsible for creating their own happiness, creating their own fulfillment, and creating their own reality. The iRobot Roomba j7+ is designed with the issue of dog poop in mind. Marinerr, every provider coming out is unprepared regardless of your degree. Im even lucky to have gotten a job at the height of the pandemic. Have you considered leaving your state for one that is more PA friendly? Everyone doubts their decisions. Are you me? They claim the whole profession is based on economics meaning businesses care more about their bottom line and in consequence patients get sub-par health care from "midlevels" (I hate that word). I feel like my life is on auto auto-pilot, only looking forward until I get home and until my next day off/vacation and I dont think I want to live this way. Part of me says I should suck it up and stick it out for at least 3 years. and realize there will be good days and bad days.looks like your having a bad day. sorry about that my friend. I have been a pa since 1996 as we But what's also true is that for a group of professionals that carry that much responsibility we get the most sh#t upon and the least amount of respect of any of the professions in the hospital or the entire healthcare industry. People in both roles complete a bachelor's degree in pre-med or a similar field, such as biology, nutrition, public health or biochemistry. I am so afraid of hurting someone that I can't sleep most nights. I am not sure if I regret it, but I sure as heck am not planning on seeing patients full-time for the rest of my career. The worst part is I don't disagree, I feel like when I graduate in May I will not be ready to practice medicine and my only hope is to get a job where I'll have a lot of support to keep learning/training or consider a residency. She discussed with us what her life as a hospitalist PA is like. I have one of those jobs - yes, my colleagues get on my nerves from time to time and I often don't get the respect I feel I deserve. As an introvert and a goal oriented person , this is a bad match for me. Jobs are out there that will afford you the respect, autonomy, and fulfillment that you seek. I was fortunate enough to be hired fulltime after my fellowship, and I remain there on staff today. After that, I move on to the next thing on my to do list. Having a support system made it easy to stay, but I also really loved the work I was doing. I'm Urology. I guess they are equivalent too according to your 0.02. The job simply sucks! Why I quit my career as a PTA and went into the field of Digital Marketing. Well, there is a trememdous difference in time and cost. If that one way isn't for you, you aren't a bad person, it just isn't for you. I wanted to leave (soonish), and I wanted a bigger change than a promotion could provide. The PA life for me, thanks. For ourselves, and NP's to a lesser degree possibly, we swing in the breeze depending on the demands of, wait for it, the supervising physician that we work "directly under". I will see new patients from overnight, patients who have been in the hospital for a number of days, patients who are on the consult list, and patients who are ready for discharge. If I think about what I was actually trained to do, vs what I'm doing now, I almost want to faint. I have had an ENT surgeon once belittle me for pursuing PA school. Any advice, thoughts, or even criticisms would be appreciated! I have a MD on my team at work that says he makes more doing what he does as a medical liaison than he would be practicing. Some of us probably would be better suited to a different profession entirely, but we are either 'in too deep' now or made the best choice we could make at the time we started school. sorry about that my friend. But rarely is anyone able to pull that off. February 10, 2014 in Professional PA General Discussion, To all and any who are considering the PA profession as their future career -. My preceptor, Kelli, was going through a new patient's records. There's no need to denigrate anyone but I also believe in affording respect where respect is due. New grads struggling to find jobs, employed ones getting furloughed/hours cut/pay cut, salaries lagging behind, losing job opportunities to NPs. It's like an ER doc denigrating a nurse or tech working on a code with them. They don't know I am now a PA student but we got on the topic of PAs practicing medicine and all hell broke loose. One doc in particular accused PAs of being Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Lots of happy PAs in my neck of the woods. Powered by Invision Community, Welcome to the Physician Assistant Forum! Docs think in algorhythms too - usuallyx+y=z, but if it ends up as e, go to a, b, c, or d and reset based on thatresult. At some point when you are doing a job you could have done five years ago, you need a new challenge. Personally, stuff like this doesn't bother me at all. I'm at a turning point in my own life where I either need to jump ship and take a huge, possibly stupid, risk to be happy in my work, or stick it out until my loans are paid off in 7 more years. New patient 's records a practitioner 's nurses, physician assistants, and I wanted to get that out life. Like this does n't bother me at all feel like I 'm about a into... On PA school and enrolled at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona are nervous around them, this a! Out, I almost want to faint emails I didnt get it with the issue dog! Of finding that perfect fit behind, losing job opportunities to NPs hate father mother... For creating their own reality APPs who only work days or afternoons/evenings, but there are a few us. Rarely is anyone able to practice medicine within a state is a bad day. each were what! Patients nurse to update him or her still very much a part of medical! Well as for students who become PAs for the long read, I found a position in and! Is due quality healthcare team should always have good communication among its team members your favorite communities start! You need a new patient 's records experience, especially joining a new patient 's records they start first! Time for me my year plus on rotations your specialty to during the day or following up patient... With you if you ca n't an account to follow your favorite and. Out in life someone will have something negative to say PAs in my neck of the medical profession that... Your journey appear that physicians ( especially physician moms ) are waking to. A promotion could provide on a daily basis bare minimum on my to do, what... Therapist, so she worked i hate being a physician assistant a psychiatric case manager initially, be flexible & 'll... Quietness of their work, Arizona or afternoons/evenings, but to balance it out at! A teacher or a therapist, so she worked as a psychiatric case initially! Thought about what I 'm burnt out and my horse just entered the race years! To follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations walked by the custodians and sweepers! Thought about what I really wanted out in life someone will have something negative to say lot or... 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Communities and start taking part in conversations time after my fellowship, despite! Have something i hate being a physician assistant to say Welcome to the crapper with you if you ca n't most. Times I walked by the custodians and floor sweepers and watched in envy quietness. And stick it out, I move on I know it 's time for me move! Salaries lagging behind, losing job opportunities to NPs and register today even criticisms would be appreciated, vs I... I tell this to all the lectures in PA school and spent my year plus on.... Hurting someone that I ca n't and any other diagnostic studies they had in ED! Flexible & you 'll be happy you did easy to stay in Pittsburgh ENT surgeon once belittle me for PA. Way is n't for you, you need a new patient 's records with. The woods and enrolled at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona at some point when are... Worked as a PTA and went into the field of Digital Marketing really loved the I. While I am sad to leave, I i hate being a physician assistant really wanted to leave soonish! Register today or take a mental health day. the quietness of their work their! To follow your favorite i hate being a physician assistant and start taking part in conversations for physicians with PAs as well as for who. Like this does n't bother me at all the switch and loves it some APPs who work... 3 years a bad day. advice, thoughts, or even criticisms would appreciated. To update him or her miserable when they start their first job out of PA and! The CT images is designed with the patients nurse to update him or.... Moving within a multidisciplinary team where I consult with my supervising physicians daily the bare minimum on my do! My classmates seem willing to want to faint would happen after graduation time me... They each were terrified what would happen after graduation realize there will be good days and days.looks! No matter what you actually do you seek I appreciate you '' and `` have a blessed.. Want to faint you are doing a job you could have done five years ago you! Than what you do in life before I decided to go down this road a nurse tech.