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Pre Pre PA: am I too type A to work under a doctor?


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Please give me your opinion on this:

 

I hesitate to say that I tend to become impatient with people when they can't seem to process a given situation as quickly as I can. I am really frustrated with myself for thinking that I am superior to others in this way, but I think this personality trait is here to stay.

 

Anyways, a handful of my friends are becoming doctors, and I just can't see myself working underneath them without becoming resentful. I know I could become a doctor if I choose to, and I trust my own judgement way more than anyone else's; but the flexibility of the PA profession, and the personality of all other PAs I have met really jives with how I want to live my life. What do you think?

 

Thanks for your opinion!

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Well, you definitely sound like many pre-meds I've met :). Save yourself from constantly thinking "I should have gone to med school" years from now and just go for that MD. Although I do believe strong personalities like yourselves could be great advocates for the profession.. but that's me being selfish.

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Where exactly does "pre pre PA" fall on the education spectrum...If pre PA is undergrad, is pre pre high school grad?

 

You chose to use the word "resentment" and note that you trust your own judgement better than anyone else's. You cite that you become impatient when they can't think as fast as you can. While this frustrates you, you think it's a personality that won't go away (hint: just because you process fast, doesn't mean you are always right, or have the only answer)

 

The words you chose to write your note with paints a picture of someone who could potentially cop an attitude fairly quickly when challenged. The PA profession is constantly being challenged by both the NP world and the MD/DO world. Mainstream media even challenges the PA's ability to perform at an adequate level. This says nothing of the work setting and how your supervising physician may be.

 

My opinion is that you are not painting the picture of a person who can thrive in the world of team based approach to medicine. I see a person who will lead with a "directive" style and simply say "my way is the only way" and ensure that everyone below you caters to your whim. If I didn't know better, it sounds like you might like being a surgeon. Consider it....

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  • 2 weeks later...

Then go be a doctor. I would be a bit concerned about the fact that you have difficulty communicating with folks you think cannot "process" as fast as you. Most patients will not be able to process as quickly as you either....no matter what level of medicine you decide to practice.

 

It sounds like perhaps you need to focus on your communication skills, instead of being pissy that everyone in the world isn't as bright as you.

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Most patients will not be able to process as quickly as you either....no matter what level of medicine you decide to practice.

 

This is so true. If you don't think you can explain diabetes 12 times to a newly-diagnosed 70-year-old without becoming frustrated, or to a 7-year-old and her parents the SAME number of times, rethink medicine entirely. That 75-year-old might put up with your sass and might enjoy it when you shuffle him over to your RN, but I guarantee those parents won't feel the same way and you will get into trouble. Similarly, there is a perception that surgeons tend to get away with more because they spend less facetime with the patient... but I think this just makes them MORE impatient because they don't build up their tolerance of ambiguity.

 

Time for some hard thinking about the future.

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I think that if you need to ask this of yourself or for someone else's opinion you are not sure what you want to do. I think maybe some more introspection would be in order. Maybe get more exposure to the health care field and be sure that healthcare is what you want in the first place.

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