MusicalPA Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Hello All, My husband and I have been contemplating the new VA scholarship for PA students that was posted in the financial aid thread. They pay your tuition and a monthly stipend. For a minimum 2 year commitment. It would be for the last year of my husband's schooling. It essentially would amount to about 51,000 dollars in tuition and stipend plus all the interest we would be saving not having to pay loans on that amount. We were trying to get an idea of how much the VA would pay a new grad, but the answer I got from the scholarship program specialist is that there are too many variables(education, experience, and locality) to give a good range. So I did some digging. According to www.opm.gov a PA with a master's degree with no experience as a PA would get you the GS-09 level. Also based on some website, cost of living adjustments range between 14.35%-35.75%. It seems the average for most of the country is around 15-16% cost of living adjustment. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0600/physician-assistant-series-0603/ So I went onto usajobs.gov. Typed in Physician Assistant, put the GS-09 level in a filter which says the pay range is between $49,765-$64,697. Based on their "Steps" a person would start on Step 1 to Step 10, So 64,697 is their Step 10. After 1 year experience you would move up to GS-11 and the following year GS-12 it looks like. GS-12 pay range is $72,168-$93,821. When you look at the job postings, a lot of them say "starting at" whatever wage that is higher than the minimum, but are they only taking PA's with experience that would be at a higher GS level? So my question is, is the scholarship even worth doing? If a new grad starts out at 49,765 plus COLA right out of the gate, it seems like you could essentially pay off the loan within 2 years with that big of a pay gap compared with finding something in the private sector. And of course there is no guarantee on location or specialty for those 2 years even though they ask for your top 5 choices. It seems that they have good benefits, but not so much to off set that amount of pay difference. Does any one have thoughts on this? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiovolffemtp Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Only data point I have on actual PA compensation was a PA/ParmD I met while doing a training rotation at a VA hospital. He made $87K/yr in 2012 with 1-2 years experience. I was offered more than that as a new grad doing EM in 2013 - $87.5K for 1750 hours/year before bonuses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPZ Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Good question! I am applying to the scholarship, but I will be a first year. Based on the pay scale, I calculated that it would only be worth it if the scholarship covered my 24 months of schooling. Otherwise, not so much. The living stipend helps defray additional costs incurred, but even if you add the money saved for one year $1,100 X 12 = 13,200 to the lowest pay 49,765 you get 62,965, which is still way below what a new grad can expect to make their first year in the private sector. If you add on the potential for being inconvenienced by having to move who knows where, yikes. I will only apply this cycle because I figure I can always live with my parents for two years once I graduate and pay off my debt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicalPA Posted April 19, 2017 Author Share Posted April 19, 2017 Only data point I have on actual PA compensation was a PA/ParmD I met while doing a training rotation at a VA hospital. He made $87K/yr in 2012 with 1-2 years experience. I was offered more than that as a new grad doing EM in 2013 - $87.5K for 1750 hours/year before bonuses. If this is the case then I would think the scholarship is worth it. But it seems such a gamble with the info that I had found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted April 19, 2017 Moderator Share Posted April 19, 2017 VA is a horrible payer They offered me over $50,000 LESS then I was currently making for working MORE hours They are over $40,000 below the top of scale for local hospital system (oh yeah and we are in an under served area so PCP fields get loan repayment when working for this system) VA is very PA unfriendly in my area..... I am a Vet with a rating and they hardly care..... 15 years of trying to be hired by them and finally gave up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HJK Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 After two years in Ed for VA, still arguing in low to mid $90k. Left. Best decision ever. When rotated in WV while in school, all the PA I shadowed were in GS 13 with 9/10 steps. All had over 10 years. Good living if so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicalPA Posted April 19, 2017 Author Share Posted April 19, 2017 Good question! I am applying to the scholarship, but I will be a first year. Based on the pay scale, I calculated that it would only be worth it if the scholarship covered my 24 months of schooling. Otherwise, not so much. The living stipend helps defray additional costs incurred, but even if you add the money saved for one year $1,100 X 12 = 13,200 to the lowest pay 49,765 you get 62,965, which is still way below what a new grad can expect to make their first year in the private sector. If you add on the potential for being inconvenienced by having to move who knows where, yikes. I will only apply this cycle because I figure I can always live with my parents for two years once I graduate and pay off my debt. Are you basing your numbers on only doing a 2 year commitment? I've heard that for whatever 1 year they pay, you do 2 years. So if you get the scholarship for both years of PA school you might have to commit to 4 years. I could be wrong though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 During my brief six month stint (travel was the real killer) I went in as a 12/10 with 30 years exp. and was at ~$100K or some such in IM. Shortly after my leaving, the other three PA's were bumped in the Amb. Care clinic to $115K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPZ Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Are you basing your numbers on only doing a 2 year commitment? I've heard that for whatever 1 year they pay, you do 2 years. So if you get the scholarship for both years of PA school you might have to commit to 4 years. I could be wrong though. Yeah. I spoke with the contact for the scholarship. I haven't decided between two programs, one 24 months and the other 27 months. He said 24 months = 2 year service commitment and 27 months = 3 years. So definitely not 4 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicalPA Posted April 21, 2017 Author Share Posted April 21, 2017 Yeah. I spoke with the contact for the scholarship. I haven't decided between two programs, one 24 months and the other 27 months. He said 24 months = 2 year service commitment and 27 months = 3 years. So definitely not 4 years. That sucks that an extra 3 months of school tacks on a year commitment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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