New grad in Ohio with a new license

[zoecarroll16]

I graduated from Northeastern University in Boston in August and moved back to Cleveland, Ohio. I passed my PANCE at the end of September.Got married at the end of October and went on a honeymoon until mid-late Nov. I got my license on Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. I started my job search about 2-3 weeks ago and am feeling frustrated with this whole process. I have 3 active applications in at the Cleveland Clinic and several other applications active with other practices. There seem to be no jobs with University Hospitals that are willing to hire new grads (all the job descriptions say "Requirements: 1-3 years experience as a Physician Assistant". I have posted my resume on various sites and spend my entire afternoon searching sites like Indeed.com, DocCafe, etc. Slim pickings. 

 

Ideally I would love to work in family medicine, internal medicine. I am not holding out for the "perfect" job and I am willing to try most areas of medicine (with the exception of ortho…). I am going to start reaching out to people I know and networking, but any other ideas? I realize I may just have to be patient and wait to hear back from the Cleveland Clinic, but this unemployment period is doing nothing for my skills. 

 

And any job leads would be nice. I am willing to commute an hour or so for a job, so jobs in Akron, Canton can be included. 

 

Thanks for reading this. Just needed to vent/get some advice. Sorry for the novel. 

[winterallsummer]

2-3 weeks?? You have got to be more patient. I would say keep applying, use google to find various job postings, ask around anyone you know working in health care, and check local PA schools online job posting and also local aapa listings for your state.

 

Other advice would be have someone look over your résumé. Idk about your geographic location but if I had to guess, I would say you will find a fm or im job within 2-3 months or possibly less. Also look at state ran clinics, rural clinics with doc on site, under served areas, the VA, etc which are more likely to be in the need for clinicians.

[UGoLong]

The Clinic is the largest employer of PAs in the state, but not the only one. Several new grads have gone into ERs all over the place. Be patient and keep looking.

 

Good luck!

[Guest Paula]

It took me 3 months to find my first part-time job, then another month to find the second part-time job and within one year one of them became full time.  So be patient.  I live rural and there were definitely slim pickings for me too.  I had a 75 mile swath I searched and have commuted between 50  - 62 miles one way for work for the last 10 years.

[Randito]

Things may be very different where I live, but I started applying to jobs about 3 months prior to graduation and applied to around 20 positions. I had about 5-6 interviews until I found what I was looking for. In total, it took about 4 months. Very similarly, I valued oversight and learning opportunities over specialty. It seems that the larger the organization, the longer they will take to get back to you, with 4 week being fairly common. Just when you convince yourself that you'll never hear back from that dream job you applied to, that's when you'll get the phone call. 

 

Be patient. It sounds like you're flexible, but know what's most important to you in a first job. And keep reading/studying so you don't loose all the knowledge that allowed you to pass boards.

[bananapeppers]

I'm in Ohio too and it's been rough. It's tough finding jobs here as the job market seems to be more geared towards NPs.

[jdtpac]

I am on the Board of Directors of the OAPA and practice in Ohio for many wonderful and professionally satisfying years, more than I like to admit. Send me a personal e-mail at jdtpac@roadrunner.com and I will give you my phone number so we can discuss your issue and maybe I can help. I agree with the others when they tell you to be patient. The Cleveland Clinic provides excellent opportunities for new grads, but unfortunately like all big healthcare systems administratively they move at turtle speed. I don't agree with the individual who said most jobs are going to APRN's. It appears that way because they're more of them practicing and being trained in " fast-track" programs. I have had several employers who have hired new grad APRN's from these type programs only to be very disappointed and are now looking for PAs. 

 

I look forward to the possibility of discussing this issue if you choose. Take care.

[rev ronin]

Getting a job was obviously not your top priority, so why are you bothered by it not being instantaneous?  I mean, if any of your rotation sites had wanted to hire you, the delay while you took care of life affairs before starting your job search would have burned those bridges.

 

That gap in time raises doubts in the minds of potential employers about how serious you will be about your career.

 

Have you ever had a professional job before?  Ever done a real job search?  They don't happen overnight.

[Guest Paula]

Network, network, network.  Take jdtpac's advice and also get involved in your state chapter. 

[zoecarroll16]

Thank you all for your advice. I interviewed with the Cleveland Clinic on 12/30 and am waiting to hear back from them whether or not they want me for a second interview. The waiting is hard, though I am usually a patient person. I am anxious about losing clinical skills, though I am remedying this by volunteering (Free Clinic, Medworks). I have been applying to at least 3 jobs daily, networking, and following up. I appreciate your advice. 

[zoecarroll16]

I am on the Board of Directors of the OAPA and practice in Ohio for many wonderful and professionally satisfying years, more than I like to admit. Send me a personal e-mail at jdtpac@roadrunner.com and I will give you my phone number so we can discuss your issue and maybe I can help. I agree with the others when they tell you to be patient. The Cleveland Clinic provides excellent opportunities for new grads, but unfortunately like all big healthcare systems administratively they move at turtle speed. I don't agree with the individual who said most jobs are going to APRN's. It appears that way because they're more of them practicing and being trained in " fast-track" programs. I have had several employers who have hired new grad APRN's from these type programs only to be very disappointed and are now looking for PAs. 

 

I look forward to the possibility of discussing this issue if you choose. Take care.

Thank you! I have no words for how much I appreciate your advice. I will be in touch. 

[zoecarroll16]

Getting a job was obviously not your top priority, so why are you bothered by it not being instantaneous?  I mean, if any of your rotation sites had wanted to hire you, the delay while you took care of life affairs before starting your job search would have burned those bridges.

 

That gap in time raises doubts in the minds of potential employers about how serious you will be about your career.

 

Have you ever had a professional job before?  Ever done a real job search?  They don't happen overnight.

I have many reasons for approaching applying to jobs the way I did, NOT because getting a job wasn't a priority:

 

1.) I wanted to be sure to devote myself full time to studying for the boards rather than spreading myself thin and applying for jobs while still in clinical rotations and studying for the boards.

 

2.) I didn't want the pressure of having a job before I passed the boards. Studying for the boards and finishing clinicals was stressful enough. If I had a job that was dependent upon my exam results, it would have been even more stressful. While I can handle extremely stressful situations, I see no reason to make a situation more stressful than it needs to be. Sure, if I'd stressed myself extra by applying while still in school, I'd have had a job by now. 

 

3.) I burned absolutely no bridges. All my training was in Boston and the Boston area. Many preceptors were and are willing to write me letters of recommendation and I've kept in touch with them. HOWEVER, I moved back to my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio for many reasons, one of them being I would LOVE to return to the Cleveland Clinic (where I worked for 5 years prior to moving to Boston ONLY for grad school). 

 

4.) The only reason I got married and went on a honeymoon BEFORE starting my job search was because the licensure process here takes TEN TO TWELVE WEEKS! And you can't exactly start work until you're licensed to practice! Since I was not licensed, I figured I would just wait until after I got back from the honeymoon to apply and that way everyone wins. The employer doesn't have to wait around while I get licensed and I can go ahead and get married and go on a honeymoon without having to take time off work! And "that gap" is mainly from waiting for my licensure to come through (I did not get my license until 12/15/14), during which time I was ACTIVELY applying for jobs (and have been since mid-late November).

 

5.) The only reason I was bothered by it not being instantaneous was for reasons I've already mentioned. I am anxious about losing clinical skills, but have since figured out how to remedy this (volunteering as a PA in a free clinic and at health fairs).

 

6.) I am 34 years old and have had plenty of real world experience, which includes jobs searches and professional experience. I know it doesn't happen over night. I simply needed to vent as I was feeling frustrated. Even more so, I was looking for advice from people with experience, not for judgment. I am sorry if this comes across as harsh, but I definitely felt that you judged me. I get that 2-3 weeks is no time at all, but at the end I stated that I was venting and looking for advice. Aside from that, nothing about me and my life is obvious from my original post. I hope you can understand where I'm coming from. 

[PACProvider]

Getting a job was obviously not your top priority, so why are you bothered by it not being instantaneous?  I mean, if any of your rotation sites had wanted to hire you, the delay while you took care of life affairs before starting your job search would have burned those bridges.

 

That gap in time raises doubts in the minds of potential employers about how serious you will be about your career.

 

Have you ever had a professional job before?  Ever done a real job search?  They don't happen overnight.

 

This comment should be given serious reflection by the OP. We cannot know what the actual situation is in your world but the timeline and "Northeastern" origin has the appearance of being a dandy. You finished the PANCE at the end of September but didn't get a license until mid December. Could one not look for a position while awaiting the approval of a license and making plans for a wedding? If one wants a life of leisure and has the means to do so, I take no issue but complaining that the world doesn't respond immediately to the call for employment afterwards makes little sense.

[winterallsummer]

Why are people being so harsh with the OP?  She came here for advice and to vent, however it seems mostly she is receiving criticism.  We have no way of knowing if the OP is slacking, what she (and I am assuming she based on username, could be wrong) has gone through to become PA, or their personal work ethic.  We do not know what she may not be sharing.  Yes many of us had to "work harder" to get a job - applied while studying for boards, etc - I even had a same day to and from flight for an interview during rotations and had interviews while getting ready for boards and move back home.  But we are not the OP.  Everything is different.  Maybe she had other circumstances preventing her from multi tasking that she does not want to share online.

 

Sometimes it is easy to get a PA job.  My experience was 3-4 months of sending out 5+ applications nearly every day, talking to recruiters daily, flying for interview once, and having several phone/webcam interviews, before finally getting a couple offers and then picking what was the right fit.

 

I can relate to this frustration as can many of us.  Do not give up.  Keep applying.  And re-apply for positions you have already applied for.  Pick up locum tenems work until you find a permanent position.  Keep volunteering.  You will not lose your clinical skills - medicine has been compared to bicycling, you may be rusty after time off, but after a couple months, you will find yourself well equipped to help patients.

 

Keep applying and do not give up.  It took me 3 months to find a job.  I now have a job that pays well with a good schedule in the city I wanted to live near.  You will get there too, just keep being proactive, and by now you should consider expanding geographically where you are applying.

[rev ronin]

I missed the response before--sorry for not replying earlier. Your additional explanations do shed some more light on what's gone on so far. I don't mean to be harsh either, but when I see a post like this, my first thought is "How can other new PAs learn from this?" I think you've made a series of at least four choices by which you may have inadvertently shot yourself in the foot:

 

#1: Not getting clinical rotations in your target metro area--or at least your target state.  I cannot overstate the importance of being in your target geographic area for your last rotations: even if you don't get a job offer from any of the sites you work at, you will be able to network there.  I got my first job locked up in my next-to-last rotation, and then got another verbal offer from my last rotation.  Being in your target geographic area lets you interview in person.  So I stand corrected--you didn't burn any bridges with your rotation sites, you never were in a position to build any in the first place.

 

#2: Trying to work as a PA in Ohio.  I have nothing but respect for people who have to be there, and hear that the Cleveland Clinic is a fascinating place to work, but let's be honest here: Ohio PA practice laws and work environment for PAs are among the worst in the nation.  So, you picked something intentionally difficult--that shows character and dedication if you intentionally set out to do it, but poor planning and lack of research if you didn't take into account how difficult it would actually be.

 

#3: Waiting to take the PANCE.  You are in competition for every new grad-friendly job with every other new grad out there.  What can distinguish you from other new grads?  Among other things, the distance between graduation and PANCE pass date.  Is your relatively late PANCE pass date because you failed once, or because you're just thorough?  We know you were doing the latter, but employers might simply assume that the former is a possibility.  They will also assume you might have been an inferior student, who spent extra time studying to make up for barely passing, or might have been on a world vacation because your rich parents paid for it.  Any of a thousand scenarios could be possible, most of which are far worse than the reality you've presented.  All the new grads who bit the bullet and rushed through the PANCE? They obviously had getting out into practice as their highest priority and had the wherewithal to do so--or so the recruiters will assume.  By waiting, you've surrendered the initiative.  No one asks the rapid PANCE-takers what they were doing in the 10 days between graduation and passing the PANCE, but they will either ask you what you were doing, or, fearing that it might stray into protected class territory, simply not ask and assume the worst.

 

#4: Waiting to search for a job until you had your license.  Yes, licensing takes forever, but medical recruiting typically takes the months you would have needed.  Credentialing, background checks, paperwork... all of that could have been going on simultaneously with your licensing lag.  Now, you're going to be waiting that same amount of time for credentialing, etc. before being able to start practicing medicine for pay.  Regardless of whether having your license helps your job search (it does), doing the serial waiting instead of having all those processes happen at once has cost you net time towards full, licensed practice.  Again, your competition, all those other new grads applying for jobs, will have their paperwork in and pending, so given the long recruiting process time lag, their not yet having final licensure is only a minor speed bump.

 

So, I don't know if your PA program had a "transition to practice" lecture, but these points (well, at least the last two) really should have been covered.  If you had a program that had only local rotations, they wouldn't have any way to help you into Ohio, either.  Regardless, best wishes in your ongoing search!

[PACProvider]

Many programs provide their graduates with a regular email notification of job notices that were sent by employers to the PA program. Perhaps some of the graduates in Ohio are receiving these emails and would share them with the OP.

[taotaox1]

Op, considering your very short application process and the fact you have already landed interviews I would say you don't have too much to worry about. It sounds like it is going well!  It is a frustrating process. Just keep reading to keep your brain fresh!

Something to consider for any students who want to take some time off after school for whatever reason: There are lots of employers who have providers they know are moving on at certain times (or with future plans to expand). If you hunt around you can find people who will be overjoyed to pre fill that hole and save money on a costly recruiting process. It takes lots of cold resumes with messages explaining when you you will be available, and a little luck, but it can be done.

[Nonlegit]

Rev Ronin, although with the traditionally brusque manner, is correct (he definitely thoroughly explained his thoughts in response #15).

 

I'm currently a tech, so full disclosure - I obviously get jobs differently than providers. That said, my father was a business executive. I owe him a debt of gratitude for many life lessons, and most apparent are those of how to manage the business world.

 

This is NOT directed at OP, but a general response. I am shocked with my generation and their business expectations. I mean, I wore a suit to get hired at the sandwich shop at 16 years old, and still I see potential new attendings (about my age now, sigh) show up in 5.11 pants and a polo for a meeting with the EM management team including directors and hospital management (NOT A WORKING INTERVIEW).

 

It took me close to 6 months to finally get into scrubs at my current job, and for an obviously more complicated provider hire, I see posts on here all the time frustrated with a weeks long wait. There must be realistic time expectations, even if the health system goes on UNrealistic timelines, frustrating as it may be.

 

And the omnipresent "lack of hustle"; inability to use prior contacts (of which there are ALWAYS some), or incapability of generating new leads. I called the hospital - "Emergency Room please", got the unit secretary and asked for the manager who was on, got transferred no questions, two rings and I had a manager. I was granted an interview even though there was no positions, and boom I was essentially hired over the phone. All on the coldest of calls. More of an adrenaline dump than base jumping off of the top of Mt. Everest, but it has turned into the best job I have had yet. In addition, at the time I was already working at a pretty decent job, I just foresaw certain needs in my future. I will remember always remember that for next time.

 

I truly empathize with OP since really, they sound like an all-around good person, and they could have made none of these mistakes. Perhaps my words will come around and bite me in the ass with my own difficult job search. However, these threads come up all the time and despite rev ronins manner, he really hits the nail on the head. Its a competition. Win it.

[Nonlegit]

And one more point, and this won't be detailed as I reaalllllyyyyy want to stay as anonymous as possible on here, but I am in Ohio. There does seem to be more NPs around, and the laws are not that great here, however there are PAs at every level in my health system, and they look like they are doing just fine. I know for a fact that there is no hiring bias from the docs' side, although I can't speak for administration.