Be Realistic

Since my last posting, I have received a lot of emails encouraging me to continue writing as well as asking me for advice. I'm trying to respond to each of your emails individually but it is difficult. It's mostly difficult because my yahoo address is overwhelmed with SPAM and it's hard for to me go back and find the emails if I didn't respond on the spot. So, have patience with me...I will try to get back to you! And I'll be posting a new email address to fix this problem...I guess having the same email address since 1994 is to blame!

I've gotten many personal questions asking for my opinion on whether or not YOU should go to PA school. I will not attempt to answer that question for anyone. It's a highly personal question and my blog is an attempt to let you know the "behind the scenes" world of PA school. I think there is enough information on this site to give you an idea of what it's like. The BEST analogy I've heard about PA school is this: PA school is like taking a drink of water from a fire hydrant!

PA school will require all of your time and attention. You will have more information crammed into your brain than you thought was possible. It's uncomfortable at the time but you get used to it. At this point, almost 3 years AFTER finishing PA school...I MISS IT! I miss the daily grind of information being crammed into my brain. I miss the intensity. I miss the challenge and most of all...I miss my PA school friends. It's a surreal experience and when it's over and you enter back into the real world, you realize how exceptional the experience really was.

The best advice I can give is if you're thinking about becoming a PA...get to know a PA. Shadow a PA. There are way more websites and blogs out there now dedicated to Physician Assistants than when I thought about entering PA school...so do your research. Get your facts. Call your local PA programs and ask them questions. Most importantly, figure out the finances. Do not quit your job on a whim to go to PA school. Think it through thoroughly. School loans are a blessing but you WILL have to pay them back as soon as 6 months post-graduation...so be realistic. Figure out the numbers, get on craigslist or indeed.com and search the PA jobs in your area. Get an idea of the salaries in your area, factor in your loan repayment and once again, BE REALISTIC.

I don't know your reality. Only you do. Make a list of pros and cons. Keep it simple. Keep it real. You'll find the answer.

Be Realistic!

Back to the Blog!

It's been 2.5 years since I graduated PA school.

WOW...time flies.

I stopped blogging shortly after I graduated and I'm still not quite sure how or why that happened. Other than to say it was a very intense time in my life filled with a myriad of decisions that had to be made and the realities of heading back out into the "real world" were quite overwhelming.

I sure have kept busy though working as a PA. Here is a brief synopsis.

Job #1: HIV/STD Research Clinician-
I worked with a team of physicians and researchers on the development of microbicides to prevent the spread of HIV and other STDs. I mostly worked with female patients and conducted more GYN exams than I had ever hoped for! This was a Mon-Fri, 9a-5p, job and I worked there for 1.5 years. Stay tuned for more...

Job #2: Adolescent Medicine at a Juvenile Detention Center-
This was a part time job that I worked on the weekends. Basically, I worked with a medical assistant and was responsible for the health of kids in jail. I would also conduct physical exams on the kids that were newly incarcerated. In order to get to their cell...they had to be physically examined by me. I worked there part time for 1 year. Stay tuned for more...

Job #3: Addiction Medicine-
I worked in the Psychiatry Department on the detox floor. I treated patients going through opiate and alcohol withdrawal. It was a 10 bed unit and I was the sole medical provider with a team of 3 nurses. This was a full time gig, I worked 3 twelve hour shifts a week. After 3 months at this job, I decided to change my full time status to per diem status... Stay tuned for more...

Job #4: Orthopedic Surgery-
My current full time position. It's been 6 months and counting! I work for a private orthopedic surgical group in a NYC public hospital. I do morning rounds, see patients in clinic, first and second assist in the operating room (OR), complete consults from the ER and other units in the hospital. I also take "call". This, by far, is the most unique PA job that I have come across. I currently work two 24 hour shifts per week. I start my day at 7am and end the next day at 7am. I am "on-call" after 5pm. I have a call-room that consists of a bed, TV, computer, fridge, microwave, ortho library and is bigger than my current apartment! Some days I am awake for close to 24 hours....other days it's the complete opposite. I never know how the day will go or when it will end...if the beeper goes off at 3am...it's my responsibility.

So far, orthopedic surgery is the best fit for me. I really enjoy the physical, hands on approach with the patients as well as the fact that the majority of my patients WILL get better. Having a patient in excruciating pain from osteoarthritis fully recover from a hip replacement is simply miraculous! Scrubbing in and assisting in the operating room is still a humbling experience for me. I often catch myself thinking, "How in the world did I get HERE?!?!"

All in all...choosing a career as a PA was the best decision for me. The transition from being a PA student to now has been a pretty STEEP learning curve. I am just now starting to see what being a PA REALLY means.

Perhaps, that is why I am back to the blog! After 2.5 years working in the real world as a certified physician assistant...I finally have something to say!

Stay tuned for more...I promise!