bike mike

I think it would be very difficult for a PA to get credentialed to perform TEE's. Would be a cool skill to have though. Being able to do a decent bedside echo is a great skill in critical care. Can't tell you how many times I've needed to throw a probe on a patient's chests when they are circling the drain......or halfway down it and its nice to be able to get some good images when you are trying to figure out if they have a huge pericardial effusion, if their anterior wall is down, etc.

You can afford it if you are old and invested in the early 90’s before things got crazy.

The year I got in I had only applied to one school. Make sure you understand what they are looking for and make sure you line up with that.

Hmmmm. If he is worried about PA/NP's then he should spend a day in my CCU where our team of knuckle-dragging PA/NP's regularly take transfers from other facilities where docs throw up their hands due to a highly complex patient and we as APP's take over management of the patient and often turn things around. Yeah, I don't worry about guys like this because they would probably be shitting their pants if they spent a day in my unit.

Preceptors getting paid???......that's messed up.

Agree. And if some swearing offends you.......don't listen.

Agree with EMEDPA.....central valley CA is a dump. There is a reason that the PA jobs offered there usually pay a ton. On the plus side, I'm sure there is affordable housing in that part of CA. Oh, and Salinas in the central valley has a fairly high crime rate/gang activity. I would say if you are thinking of working/moving there spend a day in the area to get a sense of the place.

Looks good. I say go for it. Make sure you get everything they are offering in writing.

In my very brief period working in NorCal I was on a team with two RNs, two PAs, and one NP. Of the the four of us one of the RNs made the most - 180K. And no, she had not been working there for decades. Nursing union is very strong in CA.

First day after completing residency: responded to 4 code blues and was first assist putting one on ECMO.

NP's are not physicians.....period

A cellar rat in a winery

Chest pain = rule out STEMI, aortic aneurysm, and PE. Right thing getting the chest CT!

Pharmacology

I personally have worked in Atlanta and San Francisco. In Atlanta I have a lot of autonomy - up titrate or wean inotropes based on my clinical judgement, run codes, place lines, etc. In SF I literally worked as a scribe, was not allowed to manage patients on my own, and my job duties included changing dressings. I lasted 6 weeks before I walked.....ran out the door.