How hard is it to find a PA job

[elipscombs]

Once you finish PA school how hard is it to find a job? Also what type of starting pay is normal for the south, say Florida or Georgia? And can you get a job Monday-Friday?

Thanks

[dshearry]

Sigh...I was hoping there were at least a few replies to this thread. Any Professional PAs out there care to chime in?

[rev ronin]

How about a current student and long-time denizen of these parts?

It depends.

It depends on the target area saturation, how picky you are, how well you interview, if you have relevant experience, etc. Just like getting INTO PA school, there's not one universal answer; as people are different, so will their job hunts differ.

[sai786]

^
good answer.

I'm a new grad and I can tell you that it is definitely not easy. After applying to 26 positions I got called to interview at 2 places and was not offered a positon. I've been licensed and am just trying to find a job now.

[dshearry]

^
good answer.

I'm a new grad and I can tell you that it is definitely not easy. After applying to 26 positions I got called to interview at 2 places and was not offered a positon. I've been licensed and am just trying to find a job now.

That's pretty scary. Are you applying for specialty positions or just anywhere?

Thanks, rev ronin. I know there are no absolutes and as with the PA path no two applicants will necessarily have exactly the same story, I was just hoping to hear from those who have been through the process (like sai786 - thanks BTW) what I could possibly/perhaps/maybe expect.

[PASHA]

Plenty of jobs. Everybody in my wife's class had a job offer months BEFORE graduation! Pay differs anywhere between 75K to 100K. It depends. Good luck.

[myironlung]

depends on the area, i found it more difficult around major metro areas. it's also difficult if you are willing to relocate because usually the group wants you to already have a license, but you don't know what state to apply for a license because the job isn't open yet...so it may pay to apply to a few states that are on your hot list and bite the cost. they also say the summer months are extra slow. the 26/2 ratio is pretty common to the people i've talked to, for me it's prob up to 40/4 (although these were all internet based, some were older postings).

you're most likely to land a job through networking with past preceptors or friends already in the system. also the pa program usually has some connections that you may want to explore.

[Jason09]

I went through this 3 months ago. Basically it comes down to how picky you are. There are 3 things you will have to list in importance... Geographic location, pay, and specialty or not. The more flexible you are with 1 or more variables the easier the job hunt will be. There are plenty of jobs out there, just have to be flexible or have a long time to look for a job. I knew I wanted to be in the state of FL (but wasn't limited to a specific city) and be in EM. To keep a back up plan I was going to consider urgent care centers if EM didn't work right out of school. The only stipulation for pay was to not get a typical low ball new grad pay. I was lucky/ perseverant and landed an EM position that is working out nicely. Just keep grinding with applications/follow-up calls and things will work out.

[dshearry]

Thanks for your replies.

[lightbearer06]

The secret is you cannot usually pick both the location and type of specialty. This is probably less true for FP. I wanted EM so I picked three states to apply in and sent out resumes to many different places. I also networked. I asked one of the physicians whose blog I was reading whether his hospital had any openings for PAs. They did, and I interviewed. I had job offers from 3 places and decided, not based on salary, but based on potential experience.

[sai786]

I haven't been picky specialty wise. However, I do live in a saturated area and am not willing move right now. Well, I've applied to nearly every PA positon listed. At first I was also applying to NP positions. There are jobs out there- everyday I notice about 2-3 new openings. However, I think most employers want experienced PAs. I'm sure with a few years of experience under your belt you'll be offered a lot more positions. Oh yes networking and contacts are a huge help in landing a job.

[medman2007]

make sure to rock it in the clinical rotations; be the "superstar"; come early, stay late. take the pimping in stride and keep a good attitude = make good impressions, valuable contacts who are willing to contact colleauges and get you in the mix. Vast majority of PA job openings (in my area at least) are not thru want ads, websites, etc, but via word of mouth, contacts, and MDs telling other MDs, PAs, or NPs "hey, I'm looking to expand here" or "couple of PAs are moving on and I need to replace" , etc