Question from a PA Student to Professional PAs

[Spike5002]

As is obvious from the title, I'm currently attending a PA program. I have a question for those of you in the field now about something I've been thinking a lot about lately. To start off, I want you all to know how excited I am to be a PA. It's something I have wanted for quite some time, and I am anxious to join you all in the professional world.

 

My question is this: is there ever a possibility of progression working as a PA. I use the word "progression" for lack of a better term. My thought is, after working as a PA for a number of years (say 10-15+), is there anything to work TOWARDS. I would like to know if there are leadership opportunities for practicing PAs (i.e. hospital administration/leadership over other healthcare workers). I know this may sound slightly strange, but I come from a family of very business-minded people - and I'm wondering if the possibility of promotion or increased responsibilities is something you can see as a PA.

 

Again, please don't take this question as me being unhappy with my choice of being a PA. It's merely a curiosity.

 

Thank you!

[EMEDPA]

There are certainly lead pa positions as well as administrative positions if you are interested in them.

in emergency medicine folks tend to increase their scope of practice and decrease required supervision over time as they mature in their careers. folks who want to can work solo coverage of rural emergency departments or primary care clinics with distant phone supervision and after the fact chart review. you can own your own clinic and hire a supervising doc to meet the min. supervisory requirements. you can always get additional grad degrees such as post grad public health degrees(mph , DHSc) or business degrees (mba, mha). if you want you can apply to the 3 yr pa to physician bridge program at lake erie college of ostepathic medicine. you can run for leadership positions in the aapa and/or state or specialty organizations.

[stoshdawg]

Great info. I wondered this as well.

 

I'm a little type A and didn't know if always working for someone else would eventually get to me. I too would like to create something of my own... whether it be earning a position with little supervision or creating my own practice with another physician as a distant supervisor. I've managed in a completely different industry (graphic design/marketing) over the last 4 years and enjoy that part of business.

 

My husband is an MD. Currently an Anesthesia Intern. Not sure if we'd want to work directly together but are there opportunities for us to contribute to our own business together with me being a PA?

 

I've been going back and forth between Dentistry and PA school and need to just pick one already! Any thoughts about that?

 

P.S. My husband pushes for Dentistry over PA school. But, I think he's warming up to the PA idea :)

[physasst]

There are a lot of opportunities. I am in the process (actually literally this evening) of finishing a webinar for the academy on PA's taking on healthcare administrative positions. Bill Hunt for example, is the COO of Catholic Healthcare West (8th largest healthcare system in the country) and is also a PA. We have PA's in flag officer positions within the military like my friend Mike Milner. There are a lot of leadership positions within your state and national PA academies, and this is increasing. Some PA's are quality officers in the respective institutions, some are heavily involved in research. Some in education.

 

The myriad of opportunities is to a certain degree almost endless. There are however, some limitations. PA's, without other degrees (MPH, MBA, PhD, etc.) will have a more difficult time acheiving some of these positions, then MD's. We need more PA's in leadership, administrative and research positions though. There's a couple of my thoughts at least.

[Spike5002]

Wow,

 

Thank you all so much for your answers. It gives me a lot of hope to see there are so many possibilities. I am the kind of person that likes to have something more to work towards. From the sound of your posts, there is definitely that possibility in many different areas. I have another question that I would be interested to hear your thoughts on.

 

Physasst mentioned that it would be beneficial to have an additional degree to make yourself, essentially, more marketable for additional leadership positions, etc... I have long been interested in getting a PhD in some field of study. Prior to my decision to become a PA, I was strongly considering getting my PhD in Physiology (in some aspect of physiology at least). My only hesitancy was my strong desire to work with people, and doing research as a career was a slight turn-off (I really only wanted a PhD so I could teach basic science classes in upper level undergraduate/graduate schools). I was wondering if anybody had any recommendations for additional degrees (PhD specifically, or any others you want to mention) that would be feasible to attain while working as a PA (full-time or part-time). If not feasible while working as a PA, any ideas you have on HOW to attain them reasonably.

 

Not sure if that made sense, but I think you catch my drift...thanks!

 

jordan

[physasst]

A PhD is NOT necessarily a degree that will get you into leadership positions. A PhD is a research degree, and is useful in obtaining academic positions...program director, professor, etc., but depending on what you want to do as far as leadership, which you will have to think about, an MBA, an MHA, or an MPH might be far more helpful. Also, consider a DHSc which is still research focused, but is applied research, and has an administrative focus. The point is that you really have to drill down, and think about what interests you. The past president of SEMPA, had an intense interest in a more administrative/executive position at the hospital she was working at, so she completed her MBA. Another friend of mine who is a commander in the Coast Guard, and is really in charge of an entire medical base, has not only his MBA, but a DHA in addition to his PA degree (he also got a PhD, but he's got a sickness). He's in charge of everyone, including the physicians on the base. IN FACT, in order to practice even once in a while as a PA, his SP is stationed at the Central Coast Guard Office, and not even on site. He outranks all of the physicians there, and there is a rule about a PA not outranking their SP....which I'm not sure how Mike get's around, as he is an Admiral. The point is, if administration, and true leadership positions are your ultimate goal, a PhD might not be the best choice.

 

Just for some clarification for you.

[EMEDPA]

Mike's sp is the surgeon general of the u.s., right?

[doubledown10]

There is always the DHS degree that's less research focused than the PhD, but agreed, the PhD will not automitically get you into a leadership position. I would suggest you focus on graduating from school, pass your PANCE and get some time on the job before you start looking at ways of taking on leadership roles. Not trying to be a jerk or insult your type A, but you gotta walk before you run and run everything.

[physasst]

There is always the DHS degree that's less research focused than the PhD, but agreed, the PhD will not automitically get you into a leadership position. I would suggest you focus on graduating from school, pass your PANCE and get some time on the job before you start looking at ways of taking on leadership roles. Not trying to be a jerk or insult your type A, but you gotta walk before you run and run everything.

 

Yes and no, the DHSc degree, which is the one I am completing has just as many research credits, and the same research structure as a PhD, the difference is, the TYPE of research. The DHSc is focused on applied research, and not translational or bench research the way PhD's are. So, I wouldn't say that it is LESS research focused, but rather, a DIFFERENT research focus.

 

Just for clarification.

[Spike5002]

There is always the DHS degree that's less research focused than the PhD, but agreed, the PhD will not automitically get you into a leadership position. I would suggest you focus on graduating from school, pass your PANCE and get some time on the job before you start looking at ways of taking on leadership roles. Not trying to be a jerk or insult your type A, but you gotta walk before you run and run everything.

 

Not a jerk at all. I'm not planning on doing any of this right away. I just like having something to think about as I continue to work and grow. I love working with patients too much to try and work towards attaining administrative/leadership duties too quickly. I would just like to know what is out there, so I can better prepare myself for "the next thing" sometime in the future. Thank you all so much for your input!

 

jordan

[cmslev2]

I've been a lurker here for several months and thought I this would be my first post. I'm currently completely my MHA and plan on continuing on to PA school (I like to do things backwards). Coming from an administrative leadership side of health care delivery, I would recommend getting involved with different working groups that expose you to the "bigger picture" of your clinic/hospital such as process improvement, clinical IT development (no IT experience needed!), quality improvement, etc. This will allow you to focus on clinical care but expose you to some more of the "business" stuff and provide opportunities for professional growth. Good luck with school and let's hope I posted this thing correctly, sorry if this is the third time you've seen this!