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Wanting to do a residency and I am NOT a new grad


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Hey all!

 

I have been a working PA for one year now, and I am interested in doing either a critical care or EM residency. I have worked as a neurosurgery hospitalist for the past year in a facility, when I was hired to work in the clinic and first assist in the OR. Neither is a regular task for me by any means, and the neurosurgeons have no control over it. Basically the administration issues have made the experience frustrating to say the least. I also accepted the position with the reassurance that the neurosurgeons were happy to teach a new grad with very little experience. This also has not been the case, if not the opposite. I understand the learning curve is high with inpatient medicine, especially ICU just coming out of PA school. One of the neurosurgeons has said they should only hire NPs w multiple years of ICU nursing experience, which does not apply to me obviously. This neurosurgeon has threatened my job security in the past, due to my lack of experience.  One of our midlevels has recently left, and the admin has not taken steps to hire, which means eventually I will be placed in charge of ICU without proper training or assistance.

 

I then took it upon myself to start moonlighting w urgent care last summer to help transition out of NS. I worked as solo provider a couple weekends on a "party island" suturing lacs and providing IVF to the intoxicated residents, which was great fun and skyrocketed my confidence. through this opportunity I now work urgent care 1-2 days a week as solo provider.

 

I have a strong desire to do mission work, disaster relief, ER, critical care, and actually understand it. I want to do so much with this amazing career! A residency has been in the back of my mind for several months now. I would love to hear from people who have gone for a residency as an established PA already, as I am a little nervous. I feel that my experience could give me a boost in the interview process, however I am unsure how to present my neuro experience in a positive light in my personal statement, etc. Any thoughts would be wonderful thank you!

 

Mary

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A residency is beneficial no matter where you are in your career. The pay will be worth it if you are looking for autonomy and increased level of responsibility in taking care of patients.

 

I am one month into a twelve month residency (surgical). I have honestly learned more procedures, seen more sick patients, scrubbed into/first assisted in high acuity cases, than I did in my whole PA school clinical rotations (and I had pretty good rotations!).

 

The downside-- I wake up at 4:15am every morning and sometimes I don't finish my last note until 7-8pm at night. But the didactic curriculum, inpatient rounding, cadaver lab, research component, and skills/sim labs are worth it in the end! Good luck in your career and don't hesitate to PM me with questions

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