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Scope of the PA in IR


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What are some of the responsibilities of an IR PA? Lately, I'm under the impression that the IR PA is mostly doing pre- and post- procedural consultation and plays no role in the actual procedures--which is the fun part, in my opinion. After about 2 years of training with an IR physician, what duties can an IR PA hope to have? Will they be assisting with procedures? Will they be able to performing some of the simpler procedures on their own?

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an IR PA can do pretty much anything the doc does.

 

I did it for a few years

 

 

Interventional Radiology. Responsible for procedures as delegated bysupervising physician inclusive of PICC line placement, Paracentesis,Thoracentesis, CVP placement, Dialysis Catheter placement (temporary andtunneled), Mediport placement, US guided thyroid biopsy (FNA), US guided LiverBiopsy, Shoulder and Hip Fluoro guided arthrogram, routine tube changes i.e.Nephrostomy tubes, G or G-J tubes. Assisting physician with CT guided biopsy(i.e. lung, liver, abdominal, vertebral), angiograms, new G or GJ tubes, andall other procedures. Responsible for gaining consents for procedures,H&P’s for patients requiring conscious sedation, pre/post procedure orderwriting, dictating in Powerscribe/PACS, and discharge planning/follow-up forany patients. Preliminary caseapproval/scheduling. Tracking ofresearch study paperwork. Teaching ofresidents and house staff.

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I have a surgical background. I joined an IR practice 9 mos ago and if I had it all to do over that is were I would have been. We have 4 PAs. Two of us rotate every 2 weeks. One does procedures and the other patient assesments and we help each other when needed. Our hospital reqiures assessments for sedation. This can be a pt with mininal health issue to the inpatient with multi coborbidities. We do all the medicare lumbar punctures, hip and shoulder arthrograms and myelograms (we have two Radiology Assistants that work in diagnostics). The difference is we can do their job but they cannot do ours. We also do Tunneled and non tunneled dialysis catheters, Port placemencts, IJs, CT guided liver biopsy and if a liver lesion is diffuse then we also perform those. Thoracentesis, paracentesis. We have 2 rad techs and an RN for sedation cases. The PA is the primary operator for Fluoroscopy and we took a basic radiobiology and protection class for credentialing. Our other 2 PAs only work part time and do patient assessments. We are working hard to give a voice to our PAs within our hospital....

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  • 2 years later...
  • 3 months later...

(Writing down pro's/con's while sitting at kitchen table late at night)

 

"Well let's see, I don't have to worry about hypothyroidism since I'm already there (check mark)....hmmm, wonder about cancer? (chew on pencil for a while)

 

 Generalized radiation exposure, maybe too old to start to have to worry about long-term risk. (check mark)

 

Salar.....(check mark)

 

Don't have to talk much with the patient/family other than to explain procedure. (BIG check mark with an elementary school sized pencil)

 

Hours...hmmm, I might want to ask them if there's any weekend or holiday call?  Med school position?  Nah, they can find someone to do it.  Par-tee!

 

Career duration of maybe 5-7 years, hmmm, wonder how long till I get vested? (chew on pencil for a while)

 

(Sets down pencil, looking at chew marks, wondering if I just ingested excessive amounts of lead)  Let's do it!

 

So much for the frivolity.  I can't believe I didn't interview for this position when I had the chance last summer, instead choosing to wait on some local FP group that threw a curve ball.  Darn!

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  • 6 months later...

How is IR working out for you?

 

 

(Writing down pro's/con's while sitting at kitchen table late at night)

 

"Well let's see, I don't have to worry about hypothyroidism since I'm already there (check mark)....hmmm, wonder about cancer? (chew on pencil for a while)

 

 Generalized radiation exposure, maybe too old to start to have to worry about long-term risk. (check mark)

 

Salar.....(check mark)

 

Don't have to talk much with the patient/family other than to explain procedure. (BIG check mark with an elementary school sized pencil)

 

Hours...hmmm, I might want to ask them if there's any weekend or holiday call?  Med school position?  Nah, they can find someone to do it.  Par-tee!

 

Career duration of maybe 5-7 years, hmmm, wonder how long till I get vested? (chew on pencil for a while)

 

(Sets down pencil, looking at chew marks, wondering if I just ingested excessive amounts of lead)  Let's do it!

 

So much for the frivolity.  I can't believe I didn't interview for this position when I had the chance last summer, instead choosing to wait on some local FP group that threw a curve ball.  Darn!

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  • 2 years later...

Anybody know of any jobs outside New York.  I've been a PA in IR for the past 10 years and it's easier to say what I don't do than to list the procedures I perform regularly.  In a nutshell I don't perform Embolizations, ablations, TIPS procedures, and kyphoplasties.  There may be some other but for the most part I've mastered most everything else.  

 

I'm looking to get out of New York.  Tired of Long Island congestion, cost of living and high (extremely high) taxes.  Anyone know where someone with my skills and experience might find a job as a IR PA?  

 

My credentials:

20 years as a PA

10 years in IR

New York State Licensed Radiologic Technologist

Military experience (US Army Captain - 2 tours of duty in Iraq, Bronze Star recipient)

 

Any leads are deeply appreciated.

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Anybody know of any jobs outside New York.  I've been a PA in IR for the past 10 years and it's easier to say what I don't do than to list the procedures I perform regularly.  In a nutshell I don't perform Embolizations, ablations, TIPS procedures, and kyphoplasties.  There may be some other but for the most part I've mastered most everything else.  

 

I'm looking to get out of New York.  Tired of Long Island congestion, cost of living and high (extremely high) taxes.  Anyone know where someone with my skills and experience might find a job as a IR PA?  

 

My credentials:

20 years as a PA

10 years in IR

New York State Licensed Radiologic Technologist

Military experience (US Army Captain - 2 tours of duty in Iraq, Bronze Star recipient)

 

Any leads are deeply appreciated.

http://interventionalradiologyjobs.sirweb.org/jobseeker/search/results/

 

this website SIRS (society of IR) has several PA job listings.

 

Any advice for new grads looking to get into IR?
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  • 3 months later...

Just wanted to give this a "bump" as someone looking to include an IR rotation in my upcoming clinical year as well as wondering if any PA programs are working on developing a postgrad residency in IR? I did a little bit with IR as an MA before coming to PA school and worked with an IR PA there, but it looks like perhaps I didn't realize what an amazing asset I had sitting next to me that I wasted not getting all my questions answered at that time!

Thanks!

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