jima Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Hello, I would like to ask you, experienced PA about career plan. I am currently 2 offers (not finalized yet) from two different specialties. One is internal med, another one is oncology. For me, salary, learning opportunities, location(not too far from home) are all equally important. But as a new PA, I should think for a long term and where the job leads me to in future. My preference is internal medicine and all its subcategory, so both internal med and oncology is within my interest. If both are relatively close to my home, similar salary range with benefits, which one I should take? Is PA job in oncology a dead end career, or it has potential to expand? Is it easy to switch to different specialty? The thing is oncology practice is willing to train me for a while until I become independent, but I am not quite sure how much educational opportunity I can get at internal med practice. If someone gives me any thoughts & advice, I really appreciate! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmj11 Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 People will tell you that the Internal Med is the best for a new grad, and I agree in principle. However, if you really want to do oncology then do it. I started my career in sub-sub specialty. Yes, years later when I switched to FP + ER, it was a very steep learning curve for several months. But you can learn it. Then I switched (for just a year) to rheumatology and it too was a steep learning curve. But this should not be a deal breaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyblu Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I say if you absolutely love onc, then do onc, but knowing that all other things being equal, a future job looking for an experienced provider in another field will likely pick a PA with more general experience. Meaning, if down the line you want to do EM or ortho or whatever, it might be hard to compete with people who have a background in IM or FP. Does that make sense? If you don't have a particularly driving desire to do onc, then a more sensible choice would be IM. You'll learn not necessarily more, but a broader spectrum. So if your heart is in a narrow specialty, go for it. But if it's all the same to you, go more general for a couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jima Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 jmj11 & skyblu Thank you for your advice! Your voices are very real and I will take it to my consideration big time....But I am still unable to decide... In my mind I know I should be trained more in IM to be well-established PA and IM doctor would be a great mentor for me. But I feel I would be more settled in the position in bigger institution. I am very tired of some substandard offers I have gotten in past few months since I started looking for a job. The oncology practice is offering me $85,000/year salary, malpractice, 2 weeks vacation, license fees coverage, health/dental/vision and 401K, etc. It's a bigger multiple physician practice. IM is owned by a very knowledgeable/academically EXCELLENT doctor, who said he will match up the salary to aforementioned offers. But I do not think he has health insurance and 401K for me (have not talked about it yet, it's under negotiation, but assuming not being offered as it's a single doctor practice.), but malpractice and license fees reimbursement. I am also worried if anything happens to the owner doctor, the practice can not exist without him. (I have seen in 1 practice, the sudden death of owner doc caused the practice not be able to function with PA.). I like to be settled for at least a while. I am thinking for long term job stability and security as well..... Any additional thoughts?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I am in a somewhat similar position in a way. About to grad and also have a love for hem/onc but considering going hospitalist since it'd be better training. I think ultimately I would go the hospitalist route if I knew the doc I was working with would truly be willing to teach/mentor me. But >4-5K pay loss would probably push me towards hem/onc if that specific situation arose. Not sure if this is helpful for you but that's where I stand on it. Is there any possibility you could shadow at either practice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted April 13, 2014 Moderator Share Posted April 13, 2014 any offer with out health insurance and a full benefit package should be declined immediately and stated to the person that offered it the reasons why This "bennies" are worth 20-30k I would say between those two if they are truly equal (pay and bennies) go for IM - one doc practices are interesting in that you will learn his way of doing it and he has a vested interest in training you - which all can add up to a great first job. Big practices expect you to hit the ground running and as new grad that is tough - also, ONC is not dead end (lots of IM if the docs are managing the whole patient) and in that job you will learn many different ways to doing things. Honestly I would take the offer from ONC (with all its details) to the IM doc and say if you match it (all of it) that you will accept Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Hold on a second. Just because there is not a benefits package doesn't mean that the employer doesn't take that into consideration with regard to the hourly rate or annual salary offered. In some respects this is no different then a contractual employee. This statement is not based upon the examples specified here but in fact it's more of a generalized statement. As mentioned previously, a solo physician practice should not be excluded due to security concerns as a result of potential death since it can be accommodated for by a life insurance policy on the employer, paid for by the employer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jima Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 winterallsummer, I do not think I can shadow the practices prior to the employment, as the time is tickling to accept it or not, and also currently working at 2 clinics (one of them has lower standard of care and I like to get out ASAP, I knew it from the beginning as the interview, but took it knowing it will be a short term.) as a part time PA, I think I know what they are about from the interview, I have hour long interview with both places. ventana, I am inclining to oncology as well, but I am going to send my proposal to the IM doc and see how see responses. At this point of my life, financial benefit for next 3-4 years is as important as career potential. GetMeOuttaThisMess, yes, if IM doctor adjust salary d/t lacking benefits, I would seriously consider it and may take the position. I might even discuss it with my accountant too. Thank you so much everyone for great advice! I feels I am very close to my decision. You guys are very helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyblu Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 What about moonlighting with the IM doc? Or being part time with him? Would he consider that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jima Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 skyblu, I decided to go with oncology, but I will keep good relationship with IM doctor, so that if I have extra time in future, I would definitely consider doing IM per diem job with him or other IM doctor. I was talking to a senior PA (in practice for 6 years) I work with and he told me something similar to yours. Thank you for good advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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