SHU-CH Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Hi Everyone - It seems that in some respects this board selects out a lot of people who chose to get fairly deeply involved in our profession. I would like to put the question to you: what made you do it? Like some other states, we have suffered in New Jersey with an inability to rally the troops to support our state society. Working with AAPA, SAAPA, NJSSPA, PAEA, PAFT and anyone else who is willing to get involved, we are hoping to put together a one-day seminar for NJ PA students to talk about the issues confronting our profession and ways that people can get involved to make a positive change. The format will probably be similar to the AAPA's CORE events, but we are hoping that by keeping an event local and free, we might be able to draw more students than are typically able to travel to Washington. If you don't mind helping me to brainstorm: What caused you to get involved or keeps you involved? We know that you cannot work a miracle in a one day seminar, but what should we hope to achieve? How would you structure such an event? If you are a student, what do you see as the biggest obstacle to getting involved after graduation? (Time, professional committments, lack of something in your skill-set, etc.) It strikes me that DNP programs spend a ton of time teaching things like nursing leadership and management and I cannot helping thinking that is one thing that makes them much more effective advocates for their profession. At some level, I also wonder if our profession is cursed with selecting out "assistant" personalities who are inclined to be somewhat passive in the face of the rapid change now taking place in healthcare. If anyone has attended any great events or had coursework on leadership/advocacy in PA school, I would love to hear about that, too. I am hoping to ultimately produce an event that could be repeated annually or packaged up to be held at any other PA program that is interested. Many thanks! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted September 30, 2013 Moderator Share Posted September 30, 2013 Chris- sent you a PM with a potential lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToppDog Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 ...I also wonder if our profession is cursed with selecting out "assistant" personalities who are inclined to be somewhat passive in the face of the rapid change now taking place in healthcare... Interesting. I, too, have wondered about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted September 30, 2013 Moderator Share Posted September 30, 2013 Interesting. I, too, have wondered about this. I think many new students enter PA school as the path of least resistance. they could have gone to medschool but felt it was too hard and they want family time, etc instead of time invested in advancing their careers or profession. Before I get flamed I said "many" not all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HM2PA Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Ill preface by saying that I am a "pre-pa," however I have a pretty strong opinion regarding professional advocacy. In talking to numerous PA students over this past year I get a general I get three predominant impressions: 1) that many don't fully appreciate the weighty and direct impact that state legislature has in their future practice and 2) there is a cloud of ambiguity as to how state law is passed and amended. 3) finally I think there is a general feeling of "I'm new, what could I do?" This said, public awareness MUST go hand-in-hand with pushing any sort of legislative agenda... I would start by promoting local schools to require all their students have active memberships in both the AAPA and state associations... I just interviewed at GWU and they do an incredible job of engaging with the AAPA on issues of policy... I look at the history of the profession in my own state (Washington) and the trail was blazed by a few brave and bold MDs and has continued to flourish by means of PAs who are willing to engage the states Medical Association and legislature! Especially as the ACA is rolled out, we must engage and be proactive in ensuring the very best conditions for our future practice and thus care we render to our patients!!! In summary the best thing we can do is Instill a sense of professional pride and a strong notion that we CAN influence change in our states and nation!! I hope this is cohesive... In typing it out on my iPhone during lunch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHU-CH Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 HM - I think you hit the nail on the head. I'll tell you a story I always tell to any students I run across (usually to little effect). I had the chance to go to a lunch put on by a professional DC Senate staffer. He was talking about how little most legislators know about the stuff they vote on - they rely on staffers or public opinion for guidance. He told a story about running from the office to the Capitol with his boss and discussing upcoming votes. He told his boss a vote on "issue x" was coming for a vote. His boss asked if he had received anything from constituents regarding the issue. They had received 9 phones calls requesting he vote for it. He said ok, then I will vote in favor of it. Obviously, it was not a hot button issue. But still - 9 people who took the time to call influenced a legislator who represents almost 9 million people. I will never accept from a PA that one person cannot make a difference. Not quite 50 years ago, Eugene Stead was teaching 4 PA students in a doc's lounge and now there are 100,000 of us. If there is any profession that should believe that one person can make a real difference, it should be ours. Thanks for your input - that is pretty good typing for a cell phone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToppDog Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I think many new students enter PA school as the path of least resistance. they could have gone to medschool but felt it was too hard and they want family time, etc instead of time invested in advancing their careers or profession. Before I get flamed I said "many" not all. I would tend to agree with this for the most part, especialy in light of the fact that the student demographic has shifted to being around 80% female, of whom many might be trying to balance being providers along with being able to have a traditional family life. What I wonder about is if the premise put forth by SHU-CH is one that rings true. Is it becoming more common for ADCOM to favor the more meak & maliable student with little experience who is fine with being the doctor's assistant, & pick them over the non-traditional applicant (which used to be the traditional applicant) who has lots of HCE & has been around the block a few times? And, if so, is this because faculty increasingly want students who will tow the line & not challenge the status quo, or fight for the advancement of the profession in a manner that may upset the AMA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Febrifuge Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I think many new students enter PA school as the path of least resistance. they could have gone to medschool but felt it was too hard and they want family time, etc instead of time invested in advancing their careers or profession. Before I get flamed I said "many" not all. I think there's something to that. Heck, I myself have chosen a path that - for now, anyway - involves working about 16 hours a week in the UC, and being a stay-at-home dad. I have my own reasons, and to me they're good ones, and don't feel a need to explain or justify to anyone... and as an MD, I feel like that would be more of an issue. So one benefit to being a PA is that family and life-balance side. Then again, I'm the guy who independently went to my state representative and tried to get "Physician Associate" listed among the protected terms that can't be used without meeting the requirements in place to be able to use "PA" or "Physician Assistant." The rep was shocked when the lobbyist for the state PA association told him it would die a quick death if it were introduced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted September 30, 2013 Moderator Share Posted September 30, 2013 Is it becoming more common for ADCOM to favor the more meak & maliable student with little experience who is fine with being the doctor's assistant, & pick them over the non-traditional applicant (which used to be the traditional applicant) who has lots of HCE & has been around the block a few times? And, if so, is this because faculty increasingly want students who will tow the line & not challenge the status quo, or fight for the advancement of the profession in a manner that may upset the AMA? or because PA faculty themselves look like that and want students that look like them(female, inexperienced, etc)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Febrifuge Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Not in my experience, at least not in my class (2007-2009). Oh, sure, we had a ton of attractive 25-year-old women with Bio majors and not a ton of experience. But we also had a bunch of athletic trainers, a handful of EMTs besides myself, and some others more in the mold of the "old-school PA student." I think they made an effort to include people like that, honestly. Certainly helps explain how I got in to such a good program... ;) ... Is it becoming more common for ADCOM to favor the more meak & maliable student with little experience who is fine with being the doctor's assistant, & pick them over the non-traditional applicant (which used to be the traditional applicant) who has lots of HCE & has been around the block a few times? ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHU-CH Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 Did anyone have any formal coursework in leadership or advocacy in PA school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator True Anomaly Posted October 1, 2013 Moderator Share Posted October 1, 2013 Did anyone have any formal coursework in leadership or advocacy in PA school? I did not, but I actively chose to get involved with my state PA society as a student, especially with legislative affairs. I really think having a lobbyist speak at such a seminar is very helpful to break through the "right vs left" side of government we're all used to seeing in the news to show a (hopefully) unbiased look at how state and/or federal government offices work. Our state PA society when I was a student had a wonderful lobbyist who broke down the interworkings of the legislature in an impartial way that made it seem more accessible while also presenting it in a realistic way. Coupling that with the message that "PA's are the only ones looking out for ourselves in the legislative arena" I think helps solidify the reality of trying to advocate for PA issues in the greater medical world. Your own anecdote also provides a lot of perspective, and when I went to do the AAPA's "Day on the Hill" event a few years ago I also saw this first hand. Those legislative aides, no matter how young, are always hugely influential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Paula Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I think there's something to that. Heck, I myself have chosen a path that - for now, anyway - involves working about 16 hours a week in the UC, and being a stay-at-home dad. I have my own reasons, and to me they're good ones, and don't feel a need to explain or justify to anyone... and as an MD, I feel like that would be more of an issue. So one benefit to being a PA is that family and life-balance side. Then again, I'm the guy who independently went to my state representative and tried to get "Physician Associate" listed among the protected terms that can't be used without meeting the requirements in place to be able to use "PA" or "Physician Assistant." The rep was shocked when the lobbyist for the state PA association told him it would die a quick death if it were introduced. I copied your post on that and am reading it right now. I thought it was a brilliant proposal and wondered what happened. Too bad the PA association has a lobbyist that lives in the dark ages. I am keeping your proposal to use as a template if it ever comes up in my state and will be helpful for any PA name change. Your idea will not go to waste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Febrifuge Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Awesome, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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