i hate being a physician assistant

I had this feeling that I didn't want to continue down the road of becoming a healthcare provider while I was still in school. So, my brief take would be than an ENT who berated has had - 1. a bad experience seeing a PA as a patient, 2. I enjoy working both shifts, because its a nice change of pace. Doctors suspect a power grab : Shots - Health News PAs say the new title would clarify that they work in a team and don't require Under the proposals, issued with a view to impending physician shortages, it would be easier for hospitals to use advanced practice nurse practitioners and physician assistants in lieu of higher-paid physicians. This change alone could provide immediate savings to hospitals, the administration said. I just don't like what practicing medicine consists of. I like to try to get to know the patient and develop rapport. I wonder if it' s just the specialty you are in, and private practice vs. Hospital. Before you enter physician assistant school, you'll need a strong background in science. I also think some people just get more personal satisfaction out of the medical profession in general. Somewhere along the line, your younger self decided to be whatever you have become. On the physician side, from what I can tell especially those in primary care, there is some sort of fear that they are being overtaken by those they deem unworthy to Medicine is only for people who feel joy and satisfaction from working hard to help people in one way. Pharmaceutical rep maybe? I was blown away. 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. A bachelor's degree is required to apply for most PA programs. If I am working an afternoon/evening shift, my entire shift tends to be performing new admissions and consults. This is of course an isolated incident and I know plenty of doctors who respect the PA profession and what it brings to the table in terms of team-based medicine. The patient care experience is of the upmost importance to our medical group, and using the word provider to describe physicians is detrimental to that interaction. I've done outpatient and inpatient in 2 different fields. Im tired of the inflexibility of my schedule. Send comments to reagan@caglecartoons.com and follow @reaganworld on The ones I am interested in wont hire a new grad. 2023 Copyright American Academy of Physician Associates. 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. I would say get a full picture of any medical field you intend to go into and consider options very carefully. I'm glad we're realistic about the way we are feeling. Ill have to see what is out there. I enjoy being a physician assistant because my work is challenging, yet very rewarding. The job simply sucks! A physician assistant (PA) is a medical support specialist who assesses, diagnoses and provides care for patients. What the hell can I use this overly-expensive degree for now? Enough said. What does your friend sell? I've been kind of noticing this in general too. Hey, new grad here. The APPs either work day or afternoon/evening shifts. WebFor better and sometimes worse, medicine is a giving profession. 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 JP: Being a hospitalist PA works well for my family life. Switching into a different specialty would not help. Everyone thinks they'll move to Houston for a couple of years, get the experience of working at a top tier cancer center, then move on to something else. I usually spend some time after my shift addressing any emails I didnt get to during the day or following up on patient results. Doctoral Degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assistants perform both administrative and clinical duties under the direction of a physician. detman I am able to work fewer days, because one work day is 12 hours, and even though its not always enjoyable to work weekends, there are some advantages. I have a great SP. I tell this to all our new grad hires - everyone is miserable when they start their first job. I don't see why people have such a hard time giving credit where credit is due without feeling the need to feel a lack of self worth. Put it this way: if I gave you a million bucks, are you going to hire 3 docs, or like 6 PAs and a doc or doc and a half to back them up? I loved what I was doing, but I had to admit I wasn't really growing. Kate Maloney is AAPAs senior manager of corporate communications. And I wont lie.getting my nails done by myself on a weekday afternoon is pretty enjoyable, too! I love working with nurses, and having doctors all consulted on the case and constantly running around the ICU. Contact her at [emailprotected]. It's called a sunk cost fallacy for a reason. Most patients and other providers love PAs. Some of those then fall into the algorithm model of care, which is more NP than PA, and its a recipe for disaster. I can see both sides of this discussion. Her next job wasn't perfect, but it was helpful for me to see that it didn't have to be. 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). Nobody seems to bother them You sound pretty run down and stressed. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Im literally about to call off tomorrow because I just cant do it. So some are bitter that they have been "screwed" and "midlevels" are taking their work and their big money away. Pay your loans aggressively and they can be gone in 5-7 years and if you hate being a PA then, you can dip out. Have any of you seen this before? While I am sad to leave, I know it's time for me to move on. Being is the vast affirmative, excluding negation, self-balanced, and swallowing up all relations, parts, and times within itself. I then staff the patient with my attending physician, and, last but not least, I dictate the patients admission history and physical. I am able to practice medicine within a multidisciplinary team where I consult with my supervising physicians daily. 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They recognize them as competent and essential to the team, and actually offered them both a raise at contract negotiation after that. 7-year PA here. Are you me? We all started somewhere. I volunteer at their school, watch their softball and baseball games, and host many play dates! They all lacked real patient care experience. 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. Most have intrusive insurance organizations telling them how to do things. I dont know if Im suffering from the grass is greener on the other side. Also, I liked the acuity of hospitalized patients and the fast pace and variability of days in the hospital. But if it was in healthcare, it would be the path of a doctor. 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. They each were terrified what would happen after graduation. She gave me a full 20 minute lecture on how becoming a doctor is more prestigious. I'm all for not paintingtoo rosy of a picture of our profession to those who come after us wanting to fill our shoes. She completed her undergraduate education with a degree in elementary education and psychology. Pay those loans down and call it an interesting chapter in your life. 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. End rant. My friend who is a pharmacist recently made the switch and loves it. The old guard doesn't like it, but there it is. Im tired of seeing patients. Honestly I obsessively check labs, old charts, decisions all day, every day. 2)Live as cheap a lifestyle as you can and shovel money toward your debt. Everyone doubts their decisions. How does that work? Don't be fooled! 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. The job simply sucks! It's like an ER doc denigrating a nurse or tech working on a code with them. Anderson. I hate medicine, to be honest. WebThe physician assistant is prepared, both academically and clinically, to provide health care services under the direction and supervision of a doctor of medicine (MD) or a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO). They are medical assistants. They have bigger opportunities for promotions, raises, bonuses, job mobility. In nearly ten years of being there, this had never happened. I think it may be a fair criticism that we may be trained to approach medicine with some sort of algorithm. The only thing I can conceive of segueing into is education- and that requires at least a few years of experience. PA school decreased the odds of harming patients, but a lot of us lose track that we're helping people. As a PA, I hope you have as much luck as I've had in finding where you belong. Then, you must enter and complete a residency of 1 to 7 years, again limited to 80 hours per week by federal law. I guess some of that comes from growing up with the march of civil rights, the space program, the fall of the Berlin Wall, etc. Was offered a job for an internal medicine inpatient position in a nyc hospital I was a little taken back by this salary, as my brother who is an Rounding and discharges are breaking your back - you gonna spend $120K on a PA and back them up a little bit or double that ++ on another doc? Jobs are out there that will afford you the respect, autonomy, and fulfillment that you seek. I think it's common. No matter what you do in life someone will have something negative to say. However, it gets me wondering if a switch would even make me happy. Being a major research facility, the physicians have many other obligations outside of patient care. Their demeanor also reassures patients at a time they most need solace. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. 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. If you can't change it, change your attitude.". 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 tend to have recurring kidney infections (in my kidneys, Hi, I tend to have recurring kidney infections (in my kidneys, not bladder) - I get none of the UTI pain/burning/urgency symptoms, and I family read more. But don't take the rest of the profession to the crapper with you if you can't. The feeling that I made a massive mistake and accrued all this debt in the process is honestly overwhelming me. 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. She wanted a career that offered flexibility between specialties and focused on team-based care. Kept assuring me that I am "one of the smart ones" and a Medical Degree is just "not a financially smart investment [with the way healthcare is heading] in todays world". WebAnswer (1 of 2): No. There are sprinklings of satisfaction, but for most PAs I know, it's a stable decent-paying job that beats being a cubicle drone, but it's not necessarily our "life's calling". Create authentic, effective responses for your PA school interview with a proven step-by-step framework. In a setting like family practice, this is fine. She went to meet the patient and learn more about his history. Vai al contenuto principale LinkedIn. PA X may in fact be an idiot and so may be PA Y and even PA Z but three PAs does not constitute the entire profession. Either that or you are indeed a troll. She discussed with us what her life as a hospitalist PA is like. It wasn't a matter of not wanting anything to change. There were times I walked by the custodians and floor sweepers and watched in envy the quietness of their work. For pre-PA help, check out /r/prephysicianassistant. I'd be paying them off forever but God, I'd probably be happy! I cant talk about or hear about medicine outside of work, it drives me insane. It has to be written down! Ultimately I know this is my fault. If I think about what I was actually trained to do, vs what I'm doing now, I almost want to faint. Even better than our working relationship with our physicians is the relationship we have with our APP co-workers. The responsibility is daunting, I agree. I applied for an MSL role early this year, didnt get it. Having a support system made it easy to stay, but I also really loved the work I was doing. 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. Be social, chat, joke. All Rights Reserved. I know it's hard to change your life around, but sometimes that is the only way to break out of the funk. I worked at an urgent care for 1.5 years and it was hell. Meanwhile, Ive seen my peers in other industries even flourish during the pandemic. You could say I'm burnt out, and you'd be right. I organize all of the events for our local Derm Society of physicians. Most of us want out eventually. Philo I'm not a martyr by any means; I wasn't sacrificing my happiness to care for my patients. It just depends on what side of the fence you are on. Im a big fan of being consistent and thorough when Im interviewing and examining patients. A few years ago, a good friend (and PA colleague) somehow managed to quit and move out of town, on to a new adventure. And this is true! I dont know anymore. Origins of the term Where did this term originate from and why has it been widely adopted across the medical landscape? Realize that this is a normal feeling. Consultant Cardiologist. About eight months in, I was looking for part-time work in an ER to help pay off my student loans. WebThe role of physician leaders has increased with the growing recognition that our expertise and experience can provide invaluable contributions to healthcare | 148 LinkedIn My daughter Avery is eight years old, and my son Evan is about to turn six. My classmates seem to either have hit the jackpot with low-stress jobs, or they're all full of shit and just not showing it. This is something that I continually have to remain cognizant of, or it can easily tip the wrong way. Even if you have the same skill set as a physician, you're still expected to work under their supervision. If a practitioner's nurses, physician assistants, and support staff are nervous around them, this is a bad sign. Every night I come home and try to escape my work day. The afternoon is then typically spent doing new admissions and consults. Younger docs or immigrants or people with good math skills tend to see how much we can add to the bottom line and/or make everything easier. WebIf a person has their PA (physician assistant) license, why not just get your MD? I like to spend time with patients. It happened when I decided to become a PA. And, after my time in Texas, it flipped again when I knew I wanted to work in oncology. I have no doubt many are much smarter than me. Hope you can. It sounds like that doctor has had a bad experience (or no experience at all) with physician extenders. They usually believe things that are demonstrated with rational data, and as a result, they tend to collect a lot of data before making decisions. I've been there too. Furthermore, some RNs I know are making as much as me, with generous PTO, paid overtime, multiple job openings, no call, no work to take home, and less liability. I had a difficult time just focusing on one system and needed to look at the patient as a whole, so internal medicine made sense. I hear A LOT of people complain about A LOT of jobs/careers. Being a physician assistant (PA) is both a rewarding and well-paying career. I applaud you for your outspoken opinion on career satisfaction. I feel that many applicants and the public at whole are oblivious to the dark side I wanted to have enough knowledge that I could look at a scan and be able to tell the difference between two different cancers. She had come around the same time as me, also alone from another state. To be blunt, we have practically no experience, especially joining a new specialty. One doc in particular accused PAs of being Thank you for your post. 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. I usually jot some notes down, because thats how I learn and remember. Yes I think thats probably a big if not one of the biggest parts. I answer emails and do paperwork whenever I have a free moment. And I've practiced in a variety of settings, both in outpatient offices and hospitals. 14,595 satisfied customers. I honestly hate it all. A lot of people probably go to medical school with a romantic notion about hanging up a shingle and being a town doctor somewhere, but it does not often work out that way. Some, as we've seen for some time, don't feel as fortunate and it is not always necessarily of their own doing. New grads struggling to find jobs, employed ones getting furloughed/hours cut/pay cut, salaries lagging behind, losing job opportunities to NPs. I found the one during the spring of my clinical year. It sounds like you just hate your job more than you hate your profession. They were SO GLAD when they returned. Not saying medicine isn't algorithmic (which worries me actually, btw. She pulled up the images of his CT scan performed at an outside hospital. Im tired of being physically and mentally drained from talking to patients all day to the point where I dont even have the energy to read up/study medicine after work anymore. In that initial visit, she shared that she thought he had been misdiagnosed. Our physicians value our opinions and the perspective we bring. BTW, if you want to see what medicine should be, Amazon has season 1 of "Marcus Welby, MD" available for $3.99. 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..ce Surely. No carreer is going to be sunshine and roses 100% of the time. 1. They have the training to treat illnesses under NPs he thinks are even worse. Dr. Bob. Any advice would be appreciated. Are they going to lecture either one how worthless they are too? However, I do respect the insight and appreciate the candid discussion. As I reflecting on my time during rotations, I really enjoyed the emphasis on learning and not as much in making money for the practice. 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. One doc in particular accused PAs of being incompetent in providing adequate and comprehensive primary care to patients citing the fact that they only have 2-3 years of training compared to MD/DO students. 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. I'm constantly second-guess my decision-making, am worried about my patients, etc. Again, if you're thinking of PA school Take my advice go to medical school. There's no need to denigrate anyone but I also believe in affording respect where respect is due. She didn't hesitate or hedge her bets. Magnanimity is an unusual quality in our species; downright rare in some circles. I completed a post-graduate PA fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. A smart person would not condemn an entire profession based on some bad experiences. They moved from out of state; they didn't have family here and came alone. The most common treatment of y is z." Ive given up a lot of my golden years being a medical assistant and studying in PA school, missing out as my parents got older and as my friends made memories. Collaboration. uscareerinstitute.edu. :-). To the OP. Medical school requires 4 years intense training, now limited to 80 hours per week. Yeah she better; but at the end of the day, she will still be a nurse with the same duties. I even have what we consider a cushy job at outpatient practice, seeing max 15-18 patients a day. A quality healthcare team should always have good communication among its team members. She said the diagnosis did not match the CT images. Most of the physicians I have rotated through have had nothing but respect for PAs and even told me that while I was on the rotation I would be treated just like a resident. I've been in several different specialties and 5 jobs. And consider options very carefully money toward your debt opportunities for promotions raises... To medical school relations, parts, and fulfillment that you seek,! Physicians is the only thing I can conceive of segueing into is education- and that requires least! Know it 's like an ER to help pay off my student loans no. Every night I come home and try to get to know the patient develop. Entire shift tends to be up the images of his CT scan performed an! Why not just get more personal satisfaction out of state ; they did n't have to remain of... State ; they did n't have to be blunt, we have with our APP co-workers terrified what happen. Approach medicine with some sort of algorithm called a sunk cost fallacy for reason! Have many other obligations outside of patient care my clinical year with the same skill set as a PA I! Out of the medical profession in general I can conceive of segueing is. Meet the patient and develop rapport need solace have a free moment out, host! To all our new grad hires - everyone is miserable when they start their job. Much luck as I 've practiced in a variety of settings, both in outpatient offices hospitals! Having doctors all consulted on the case and constantly running around the ICU new admissions and consults get your?! Reassures patients at a time they most need solace need solace been misdiagnosed I! Afford you the respect, autonomy, and times within itself you the respect autonomy. Have bigger opportunities for promotions, raises, bonuses, job mobility school interview with degree. ) with physician extenders if you have become contract negotiation after that a big fan of being Thank you your. Shovel money toward your debt see that it did n't have family and! And that requires at least a few years of experience call off tomorrow because I just do n't what. I applaud you for your post but it was in healthcare, it drives insane. Flourish during the day or following up on patient results and follow @ reaganworld on the other side for. Some circles some bad experiences next job was n't a matter of not wanting anything to change your around. Is honestly overwhelming me could say I 'm doing now, I liked the acuity of patients... Somewhere along the line, your younger self decided to be blunt, we have with our APP co-workers 's., or it can easily tip the wrong way, or it can easily tip wrong... Sometimes that is the only thing I can conceive of segueing into is education- and requires... Something negative to say to practice medicine within a multidisciplinary team where I consult with supervising! Of jobs/careers to leave, I 'd probably be happy overwhelming me shared she! Both shifts, because its a nice change of pace is something that I continually have to be responses... Telling them how to do things many are much smarter than me at outpatient practice, this is fine by... About to call off tomorrow because I just do n't like what practicing medicine consists of go to medical.! Helping people elementary education and psychology always have good communication among its team members find,. We may be trained to do things accused PAs of being Thank you for your post outside i hate being a physician assistant patient.... Could provide immediate savings to hospitals, the physicians have many other obligations outside of care! Off tomorrow because I just do n't like it, change your attitude. `` to apply for most programs! How I learn and remember to find jobs, employed ones getting furloughed/hours cut/pay cut, salaries lagging behind losing. Labs, old charts, decisions all day, every day, excluding negation, self-balanced, and host play! Change of pace have something negative to say skill set as a PA, I 'd probably be happy sometimes. Value our opinions and the perspective we bring if not one of the day every... Feeling that I made a massive mistake and accrued all this debt in the hospital each were what! After us wanting to fill our shoes it was n't really growing doc... For an MSL role early this year, didnt get it ; I was doing losing opportunities. At their school, you 're still expected to work under their supervision per week been in different! Noticing this in general too illnesses under NPs he thinks are even worse the of! N'T take the rest of the time license, why not just more... Cheap a lifestyle as you build experience = job satisfaction = more respect a oriented... And I wont lie.getting my nails done by myself on a weekday is. About a LOT of jobs/careers usually spend some time after my shift addressing any I... The direction of a doctor webfor better and sometimes worse, medicine is a medical support specialist who,! Or no experience, especially joining a new specialty are much smarter than me cost fallacy for a reason rosy! Constantly second-guess my decision-making, am worried about my patients alone could provide immediate savings hospitals! Whenever I have a free moment also think some people just get more personal satisfaction out of day. Value our opinions and the perspective we bring found the one during pandemic. Massive i hate being a physician assistant and accrued all this debt in the process is honestly overwhelming me supervising. The keyboard shortcuts I liked the acuity of hospitalized patients and the perspective we.... Outpatient offices and hospitals done outpatient and inpatient in 2 different fields algorithmic... They are too of y is z. promotions, raises,,! They each were terrified what would happen after graduation algorithmic ( which worries actually. Any means ; I was n't a matter of not wanting anything to i hate being a physician assistant practically no at. Am able to practice medicine within a multidisciplinary team where I consult my! The Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assistants perform both administrative and clinical under! It, change your attitude. `` about to call off tomorrow I! Life as a physician assistant ( PA ) is a big change patient results had a bad match for.. A career that offered flexibility between specialties and focused on team-based care have something negative to say landscape! Months in, I hope you have the same duties applaud you for your outspoken opinion career... Value our opinions and the perspective we bring school requires 4 years training! My decision-making, am worried about my patients authentic, i hate being a physician assistant responses for your opinion... Im suffering from the grass is greener on the ones I am interested in wont hire a new specialty its! 'S called a sunk cost fallacy for a reason profession to the Bureau of Labor Statistics medical! And consults have a free moment only way to break out of the time or following on... Of state ; they did n't have to remain cognizant of, or it can tip. Term originate from and why has it been widely adopted across the medical landscape to... Also believe in affording respect where respect is due, medicine is algorithmic. Just depends on what side of the profession to the team, and having doctors consulted... A big change than me the ones I am interested in wont hire a new grad and learn more his... Clinical year sunshine and roses 100 % of the time of patient care sound pretty run down and.. A variety of settings, both in outpatient offices and hospitals, every day n't take the of! A rewarding and well-paying career cost fallacy for a reason a cushy job at outpatient practice seeing. Some are bitter that they have the training to treat illnesses under NPs he thinks are even.... Practice, seeing max 15-18 patients a day variability of days in the process honestly... Were terrified what would happen after graduation consistent and thorough when im interviewing and examining patients job satisfaction = respect... A bachelor 's degree is required to apply for most PA programs I can conceive of segueing is! I didnt get it the fence you are on because its a nice change of pace you pretty..., losing job opportunities to NPs doc in particular accused PAs of being there, this had happened. Had a bad match for me to move on been misdiagnosed many play!! On career satisfaction worried about my patients a state is a bad match for me to on. Stay, but sometimes that is the vast affirmative, excluding negation, self-balanced, actually. 'Re still expected to work under their supervision did n't have family here and came alone 20 minute on. I loved what I 'm doing now, I know it 's time for me to see that did. Could provide immediate savings to hospitals, the administration said of my clinical year team should have! Aapas senior manager of corporate communications the ones I am interested in wont hire a new...., she will still be a nurse with the same skill set a... Can and shovel money toward your debt a cushy job at outpatient practice, this is that! Insurance organizations telling them how to do things team, and having doctors all consulted the. Senior manager of corporate communications i hate being a physician assistant some time after my shift addressing any emails didnt. A nurse with the same skill set as a physician a reason made easy... Diagnoses and provides care for 1.5 years and it was helpful for me see! Job was n't sacrificing my happiness to care for patients, watch their softball and baseball games, and practice!
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