karebear12892

Good afternoon, If anyone with at least two years of clinical experience (or anyone who has completed residency/fellowship) is interested in working for TeamHealth, please PM me. Any location/specialty is acceptable. Thank you!

It's definitely a great academic environment for someone who wants to remain in academics/research post-graduation, but most PA's don't go that route. I think you're making a great decision. Congratulations and welcome to the FMUPAP family!

I am a member of that "1 graduating class so far," so obviously I am biased. But if you want to become a PA (and it sounds like that's really the underlying decision to be made here), then you should have no reservations about attending FMU. I will reiterate what others have said -- employers don't care one bit where you go to school. Patients don't care where you went to school. Your supervising physician won't care where you went to school. It really doesn't matter one bit. If you want to practice as a clinician out in the community, all that matters is that you are licensed and certified. Everything else (GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, etc.) becomes irrelevant. If you want to teach at the graduate level or become involved with research/publishing, then it MIGHT help you. But it is certainly possible to do those things if you attend a public university. People have their doubts about attending a new program; it's natural. I chose FMU for financial reasons. Minimizing my student loan burden was my top priority when choosing a PA program. I was accepted elsewhere but this was the most affordable option. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat. My clinical rotations were phenomenal, I passed my PANCE with flying colors, and I've been accepted into my top choice EM PA fellowship program. Attending a new program (which wasn't even ranked, by the way) did not stop me from accomplishing any of that. On a related note, I did consider attending the Johns Hopkins EM PA residency. I actually flew up to Baltimore during a school break and shadowed a current PA resident. It quickly became apparent to me that the program was not at all for me. Everything about the program and the ED seemed to revolve around research, clinical trials, publications, etc. I've never seen an ED operate with such a lack of urgency. I felt completely out of touch with reality. When I realized that their priorities did not align with my career goals, I withdrew my application. The fellowship I've chosen to attend will take place at a hospital where most people who aren't in the Southeast have probably never heard of....and I'm completely fine with that, because I'm going to get incredible clinical experience, which is all that I'm after. It's very easy to become drawn to the allure and prestige of programs like Johns Hopkins, but I'd encourage you to reconsider your priorities and look past that. Figure out which path is most suited for your career goals, regardless of who is offering the degree.

It is entirely possible to have a dog while you're in PA school. I've had my beagle since I was a sophomore in college. I was worried he wouldn't get the time and attention he deserved while I was in PA school, but it was never a major issue. I lived in a dog-friendly apartment with no roommates. We'd go for short walks together in the morning, again when I got home from class/rotations, and again before bedtime. He stayed in his crate when I was not home. At first, I felt bad about leaving him in a crate all day, but he actually really likes it. It's not cruel as long as you don't use the crate as punishment and you don't leave them locked up for excessive periods of time. He has treats, toys, and an orthopedic doggy bed in his crate that is more comfortable than my own mattress. If you're going to run into an issue having a dog in PA school, it's more likely going to be the financial burden than the dog itself. Be prepared to spend money on food, supplies, veterinary bills, etc. Pet insurance was one of the best investments I ever made; I just wish I'd bought it sooner. If you can afford it, I say go for it! I love my little guy more than anything and can't imagine life without my best friend!

This is outstanding advice.

On the contrary, I think this was exactly what the AAPA intended to do -- choose an independent, unbiased research firm with no stake in the outcome whatsoever who would be viewed as an unequivocally objective third party.

I will not prescribe to friends and family. I'm happy to listen and advise, but I'll tell them the Rx needs to come from a provider with the ability to formally document the encounter and monitor progress/arrange follow-up. I'm a new grad and I realize there are PA's who do prescribe to friends and family, but at this early stage in my career it's just not in my comfort zone.

I haven't referred a patient to a chiropractor, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't. I do believe that there is merit to what they do, and I think the horror stories we've all heard about chiropractic services occur in a minority of circumstances and do not reflect on their profession as a whole. I would only feel comfortable suggesting this as an option to select active/healthy adult patients. No children or elderly. I think shared decision making regarding appropriate referral (PT, ortho, PM&R, and/or chiropractor) for the patient and the circumstance is sensible. Anecdotally, I sustained a minor neck injury while participating in CrossFit and saw a chiropractor. Five sessions later I was good to go. Can't say for sure whether it was anything he did or if it would've improved anyway by taking it easy on the weights, but either way I was satisfied with the experience and would consider going again.

Update: I had an epiphany this morning while reviewing the quotes one more time, and I've made a final decision thank you all!

I'm hoping someone can help guide me in this decision. I've reviewed several quotes and done lots of research on my own, but I'm having trouble deciding between two very similar policies, priced about the same, from two different agents. Would anyone who is knowledgable about this be willing to take a look at the two policies and help me decide which is best? Would rather not post the quotes publicly so PM me if you're able to help. Thank you!

Now ACEP is jumping on the bandwagon. At least they didn't call us "physician's assistants."

I believe they are still on probation, but I don't know with 100% certainty. I'm sure they'll address this during the interview!

Congratulations on your interview! Just graduated from FMU's first class in December. You are correct in that the interview process is different now than it was a few years ago. Can't go into too much detail but your day at FMU will likely include an informational session from the faculty, possibly financial aid (they've done this in the past), and tours of the facility from current (and maybe prior) students. If you have any specific questions about the program, feel free to PM me. Good luck!

I'm just gonna leave this right here. https://www.aaem.org/current-news/aaem-takes-a-stand-on-the-use-of-apps-in-ed

I hate NM studies for PE. Getting a report that says pt has a "low probability" of PE is not reassuring to me if I'm concerned enough to order imaging in the first place. EKG/POCUS to look for right heart strain....if present, would certainly help build a case for PE. If hospitalist still refuses to admit, I would transfer the patient elsewhere. If this patient has CKD, I'm assuming they have other co-morbidities too, which would likely make them a poor candidate for outpatient management. And if they're going to be admitted anyway, they might as well be admitted someplace with the resources available to further assess the suspected problem. Interested to see what others would do.