Need advice-- Gaining Trust/Respect from Patients

[primadonna22274]

I am a PA and an MD. I really agree with what is said here! That post really sounded like an embellishment. I can say that my PA training helped me in medical school. But, the didatic coursework

in med school went into MUCH more depth. If Gordon's statements were true, I wouldn't have found it necessary to go to med school years later.

I'm on the residency interview trail right now. Every program director has asked me what I thought was the major difference between medical school and PA school. At one point it clicked: it's Step 1. I'm pretty sure that any PA who has passed PANCE/PANRE could pass step 2--but med school helped me smoke it (98). Step 1, though, is a totally different animal. I doubt most PAs could pass this beast without a prior basic sciences PhD heavy on the cell signaling and immunomodulators. Now we can argue all day about whether that stuff is truly useful in patient care, but that's the big difference.

[Brainlock]

I'm on the residency interview trail right now. Every program director has asked me what I thought was the major difference between medical school and PA school. At one point it clicked: it's Step 1. I'm pretty sure that any PA who has passed PANCE/PANRE could pass step 2--but med school helped me smoke it (98). Step 1, though, is a totally different animal. I doubt most PAs could pass this beast without a prior basic sciences PhD heavy on the cell signaling and immunomodulators. Now we can argue all day about whether that stuff is truly useful in patient care, but that's the big difference.

 I agree with you that the major difference is step 1. As far as cell signaling, I loved it!! I did some research in a cell signaling lab while getting my degree in chemistry (before PA school).

 

My specialty is psychiatry hence the username "brainlock." What specialty are you going into? If you don't mind sharing.

 

Good luck on your interviews!!

[primadonna22274]

I agree with you that the major difference is step 1. As far as cell signaling, I loved it!! I did some research in a cell signaling lab while getting my degree in chemistry (before PA school).

 

My specialty is psychiatry hence the username "brainlock." What specialty are you going into? If you don't mind sharing.

 

Good luck on your interviews!!

Thanks--interview season is winding down and I am ready to be DONE with that rigamarole!

I have a couple combined Med-Psych interviews left. I love Geri psych but not sure I really wanna suffer through 5 yr residency and maintain 2 boards...I would be 45 when I finished! I'm leaning toward the very happy unopposed FM program near me because of its versatility and not having to move would be a huge financial boon. Really liked the IM program 80 miles away though. The FM program near me is heavy inpatient and lots of Geri and has a hospitalist track so that's tempting.

[probasestealer]

 

(5) Some percentage of people will want to talk with a physician instead, even if you have won a Nobel prize for medicine. Don't get pissed off; just smile and take your leave. It will happen, but not very often. In an office setting, it is amazing how many will eventually get tired of waiting for the doc and just ask to see you. And then,you will be surprised how many of them will come back and ask for you as their first choice. My SP gets a kick out of it when he walks up to a patient's room and the MA has posted a note that the patient only wants to see me!

 

This will eventually get better. I remember getting asked, "how old are you" and "where is Dr B" a lot. These questions lasted about a year and as a rule people were just happy someone could see them.

 

I have found the above quote to be very true.