New PA Burnt Out After 6mos Needing Advice...

[Maverick87]

Thing is I don't think working in a specialty is much better.

 

I interviewed at a urology practice before taking my current job. They saw 40-70 patients per day plus rounding and 1 week of what was described to me a grueling call every month.

 

What's interesting in my practice is that because we have complicated patients and I'm able to address each of their concerns, most of my visits end up being either 99214 or 99215. In addition to this, it's practice policy to do annual physicals for each patient (which reimburses well).

 

So despite the fact that we have a pretty low patient load, we're profitable and expanding. My position was new and we just hired another new grad PA whose position is also new. And, get this, my supervising physicians prefer new grads because they like to teach.

 

In any event, my point is that every place is different and, based on my experience, it's more management-related than specialty-related. This is one of the problems with heavily bureaucratic institutions: the workers are usually promoted through the ranks over the years. Some are promoted because they know someone in a high position. Others are promoted based on merit until they reach their level of incompetency. They stay in that position for years.

 

Other, smaller practices that are failing have terrible billing practices. I do think it's possible to succeed as a small practice in this climate, but your billing needs to be on point. And most health care providers are not good businesspeople.

[ColoradoIMCardsPA]

OP, my best wishes and sympathy to you... It does tend to get better over time no matter what PA job you're doing, as you learn the ins and outs. If you switch jobs, just try to do your due diligence to make sure it will be a better situation. Consider a medicine specialty like cardiology, nephrology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, ID. Some of those jobs are cushy compared with primary care (besides cutting out the BS). You may be more marketable to a specialty if you hold out in your current job for at least a year or preferably two. But that's not set in stone and sometimes practices have an urgent need for someone and won't be as picky. If you get a job offer, try to shadow for a morning to see what it's really like before accepting. Don't quit your current job until you have another offer. And don't let any negativity come out in interviews... put a positive spin on your current role even though you're not feeling positive. (Easier said than done.) Good luck.