TWR Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Just wondering what some of us have done after PA career ends? Did you sit back and watch the grass grow or maybe change career directions 180 degrees? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWR Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 137 people viewed this but not a single response? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted August 25, 2016 Moderator Share Posted August 25, 2016 I can tell you what I'm thinking about doing. I'll probably just teach. Whether that's at a PA school or just anatomy at a community college, not sure. Maybe a day per week in a free clinic as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatswain2PA Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 A few (very generalized) thoughts about why there are so few retired PAs. First, the first generation of them are really just at retirement age now, and these guys are some of the most hard-charging folks around so less likely to actually retire. The few of this "first generation" of PAs I know are still practicing (one went to DO school) or have died between shifts.Second thought, and this is just me thinking out loud....the vast majority of today's PAs are very young people who, arguably, took the "quick and easy route" to medicine (PA vs MD/DO). I wonder how much of this personality type do the long-term planning for retirement. Lastly - our profession (still) allows so much flexibility that there is no need for real retirement. Why retire if you can just work part time at a job you love and still get paid well? Just a few thoughts I had on the topic since I first read your question...As to me: Being a PA IS my retirement! I don't foresee me retiring from this job (unless legally or medically necessary), just working down. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Four years and ten months from now get back with me and I'll let you know. That would be 37 plus years and I hope to be done then. Depending on circumstances maybe even sooner. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWR Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 I think the main key for retirement is are you prepared first financially and second mentally? Winding down a few days a week is a start but I think most of us would (if wanting to retire) maybe use our wisdom and 30+ years on the front lines in a different fashion. Sometimes like a bad marriage of years ago you just stay because afraid of the unknown. It depends on your working situation which varies. Are you seeing 15-18 patients a day or 30. Do you get respect from those you deal with, etc.. All of the above my HO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 I am 25 yrs in and can't see retirement for another 20 financially. I do feel stuck. Some days I don't want to do this anymore. Owning a hardware store or a doggy day care comes to mind. I couldn't retire now if I wanted - too many obligations and a little debt. I am probably NOT financially prepared for retirement - yep, everyone groan - but stuff happens and you have to roll with life and deal with it. So, I can't really see life AFTER PA now unless I can find the financial ability to leave medicine altogether. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electric130 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Reality check, too bad we are not in the same geographical area....I have always wanted to open a doggy daycare. There is a local daycare that opened up in my area that is so well run, beautiful facility that my dogs go to. The owners are just awesome people and love the dogs. I know they are busy and doing well, and love what they do. I have been thinking about what I would like to do after PA practice pretty frequently these days. Ha...Ha...really though I know that I am at the top of my game right now as far as pay and skills being a PA and it would be foolish for me to completely stop practicing. I plan to work part time in a clinical position for the next 10 years, probably no more than 3 days per week and then at that point I would like to be done. I am also doing chart reviews from home very part time as well. I know many of you feel like this is akin to sleeping with a russian spy or death by boredom, but to be honest I actually really like it. I have flexibility to go to my kid's school for programs, no commute, and it is very low stress. My boss who is a physician is very appreciative and concerned with my work load...that has rarely been the case in clinical practice. My first five years out of school no way would I have wanted to do this, but at this point it is a great way to make some extra money to stash away and not add any more clinical days. I can see myself doing reviews maybe one or two days per week after I "retire" and we plan to spend at least a third of our year at Hilton Head Island on the coast of south carolina. I plan to do yoga, take lots of walks, bike and spend a lot of time with my dogs and be more involved with fostering dogs and volunteering at shelters. I could probably honestly leave clinical medicine any time now, we are close to where we can meet all obligations with my husband's income, I know these high earning years would be difficult to come back to though so I will continue on... Would love to see what others do once they are retired, some of you retiring soon need to come back to the forums and give us some updates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatswain2PA Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Forgive my ignorance here...but what does "doing chart reviews" mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electric130 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 I am doing approvals and denials for insurance carriers. I look at criteria and medical documentation and approve or deny accordingly. No pressure to deny or extra pay for denials, contrary to what some practitioners think. I am not ultimately responsible for the final decision, my boss a physician is the medical reviewer, he briefly looks over my reasoning for the decision and either pushes through or changes it if he feels differently. It is rare that he does not agree with my determination as he trained me in what to look for, but ultimately he is the one with his name on the review, I am really just helping him be more efficient. I have been on the receiving end of these reviews and have had to call to get things pushed through...so I know this is annoying to practitioners, but it is the atmosphere we are in. Honestly knowing what I need to document now has improved my clinical practice, I rarely have any imaging denied anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Owning a hardware store or a doggy day care comes to mind. No money there. You have to cater to people's vices. Open a casino, liquor store or a nudie bar. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seekingtruths Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 I am doing approvals and denials for insurance carriers. I look at criteria and medical documentation and approve or deny accordingly. No pressure to deny or extra pay for denials, contrary to what some practitioners think. I am not ultimately responsible for the final decision, my boss a physician is the medical reviewer, he briefly looks over my reasoning for the decision and either pushes through or changes it if he feels differently. It is rare that he does not agree with my determination as he trained me in what to look for, but ultimately he is the one with his name on the review, I am really just helping him be more efficient. I have been on the receiving end of these reviews and have had to call to get things pushed through...so I know this is annoying to practitioners, but it is the atmosphere we are in. Honestly knowing what I need to document now has improved my clinical practice, I rarely have any imaging denied anymore. Are these criteria made available to providers? I'm a new grad (not practicing yet) but would like to have this information so I can avoid unnecessary denials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Curious what reviewing pays. Is it per chart? By the hour? How did you come upon such a job? I, for one, would be greatly interested in something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 No money there. You have to cater to people's vices. Open a casino, liquor store or a nudie bar. Have you seen the prices they charge for doggie day care?!?! There's money to be had there for sure...people will pay generously for their pets. My empty wallet can attest to the money that someone is making. I would happily get in on the doggy day care business... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Have you seen the prices they charge for doggie day care?!?! There's money to be had there for sure...people will pay generously for their pets. My empty wallet can attest to the money that someone is making. I would happily get in on the doggy day care business... I know people that have spent like $2000 on their cat/dog for veterinary ICU type stuff. I'm old school. Like "Old Yeller." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 My husband still says he wants to be reincarnated as one of my fur babies because he will be fed better, have more toys and get to sleep closer to me..... Folks love their pets and I love animals. Doggy day care has great appeal!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Curious what reviewing pays. Is it per chart? By the hour? How did you come upon such a job? I, for one, would be greatly interested in something like this. I might like to fit it in while sitting on my Hawaiian lanai sipping coffee (Hawaiian grown, of course). Can't have too much income in retirement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moestown1016 Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 I don't think I ever want to retire retire but I also don't want to be working full time at the age some of my coworkers are working. I mean. Once I hit 50 I don't think I will be doing overnight any more. Idk. As long as you like who you work for and can pick up shifts here and there why not? I'm also keeping my eye on a travel job once I have all my kids and get them out of the house. That and read a bunch of books and drink a lot of wine... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatswain2PA Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 I am doing approvals and denials for insurance carriers. I look at criteria and medical documentation and approve or deny accordingly. No pressure to deny or extra pay for denials, contrary to what some practitioners think. I am not ultimately responsible for the final decision, my boss a physician is the medical reviewer, he briefly looks over my reasoning for the decision and either pushes through or changes it if he feels differently. It is rare that he does not agree with my determination as he trained me in what to look for, but ultimately he is the one with his name on the review, I am really just helping him be more efficient. I have been on the receiving end of these reviews and have had to call to get things pushed through...so I know this is annoying to practitioners, but it is the atmosphere we are in. Honestly knowing what I need to document now has improved my clinical practice, I rarely have any imaging denied anymore. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electric130 Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 seekingtruths-I would not focus on criteria as a new grad, a good nurse will help you with that, if you document well and practice good medicine it will work out. You will also with time start to learn what you need to document when ordering certain studies. RealityCheck--Average pay for a PA in my area is around 60/hour, pay was based on the local average so that is about what I make per hour doing reviews. I feel like it is very fair. Last year before taking this position I interviewed for a couple positions and was offered about that rate per hour for clinical work in my area. I am paid hourly, not per review. My work pace is reasonable, he encourages frequent breaks and when my kids are home I have no problem getting them fed and take them to the pool over my lunch hour. I would think that it would depend on where you are geographically as to what you would be paid. No benefits at all, but it is very part time and I can take days off whenever I like. I do have a set schedule of guaranteed hours though and am making around 2500 extra a month. I make 75 per hour plus bonus at my clinical position but that is a whole different ball of wax. Very high volume, at times very complex patients. Plus add in time for a long commute and paying for childcare. I just couldn't make myself work any more than 3 days a week doing clinical work so this works out really well. I also like that it is portable, once my husband and I both retire I do want to spend part of the year by the coast. I can set up my computer there and work a day a week if I want, that is tough to do with clinical practice unless you do locums which I am not interested in. I found the position when the MD that does reviews advertised locally for a PA He is a local MD that only does reviews and has set up an LLC doing this. He has been doing this for 6 years and has had two other PAs before me, one stayed for 5 years, they moved on for various reasons. As far as I know I do not think that insurance companies directly employ PAs. They seem to need RNs that send pertinent information to the reviewer, but an MD has to be the one to do the final review, so I cannot see them using PAs at least at this point. We could certainly do the job of the RN, but I wouldn't think that would pay more than 20/hour, which most PAs are not going to be willing to work for. I do think this is a great model for a physician to outsource some of their work and increase their volume, however I do think it is fairly rare and takes a very forward thinking MD that is willing to deal with employing others and training them. I honestly don't see many docs that do reviews being willing to do that. I was trained one day in person at his office and then started right off working remotely. I will be sure to message you if I do hear of any work with a doc that would be willing to train you remotely. It would not be difficult with skype or facetime. I do think there was another PA on here that did reviews briefly, I am not sure who he worked with though. As far as the doggy daycare....I think it is a great business model, my dog's daycare had 100 dogs one day at their daycare. It is a bit ridiculous, they have a pool and nanny cams so I can see what my dogs are doing while we are gone. I love it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick87 Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 Four years and ten months from now get back with me and I'll let you know. That would be 37 plus years and I hope to be done then. Depending on circumstances maybe even sooner. Damn dude. You've been practicing for longer than I've been alive....lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seekingtruths Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 seekingtruths-I would not focus on criteria as a new grad, a good nurse will help you with that, if you document well and practice good medicine it will work out. You will also with time start to learn what you need to document when ordering certain studies. ... Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezianna Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 Within a year or so I hope to retire after minimal time with the federal government, and work part-time locally and perhaps go back to a few locums gigs a year. Perhaps volunteer or work part-time as a docent at an historic site, give tours, etc. I have done this sort of thing before between locums jobs and it was just SO much fun, to be an educator as well as an entertainer of sorts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 I wouldn't mind teaching still but I've been bitten by the BS only bug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatswain2PA Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 I wouldn't mind teaching still but I've been bitten by the BS only bug. I'm with you. I spent twenty years teaching young people the art and science of maritime search and rescue. I absolutely love to teach, and I'm very good at it. But the political BS is very, very deep in academia. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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