lbonafidel Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Hello All, I'm a pre-PA student, currently in the application process for PA programs, and would like to gain more inside perspective on the practices of a PA. Do any of you feel there are any major limiting factors to your practices as a PA versus a MD or NP? Are there any current barriers that make your profession difficult? All you input is greatly appreciated. Thank You! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 8, 2014 Moderator Share Posted January 8, 2014 DISRESPECT FROM CERTAIN PHYSICIANS WHO REFUSE TO DEAL WITH PAS.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JMPA Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 returning to work from vacation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator True Anomaly Posted January 8, 2014 Moderator Share Posted January 8, 2014 DISRESPECT FROM CERTAIN PHYSICIANS WHO REFUSE TO DEAL WITH PAS.... This is becoming my biggest pet peeve too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKPAC Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Of course there are limitations. There are limitations with everything in life. I don't find my job itself to be a limitation. Just because I am a PA and not an M.D. The truth is, I practice medicine. I have been in the same family practice for nearly 26 years. Prior to that I worked in the emergency room and prior to that I was an Air Force medic. Each job had good and bad and its own limitations. The limitations that concern me most are the limitations that keep me from taking care of patients. For example, my nurse must sometimes spend 30 minutes or more trying to get prior authorization for a necessary study on a patient. This is time spent away from patient care that makes me less productive. I think too much government intrusion into healthcare is going to be a bigger and bigger problem in the future. I agree that all people deserve access to healthcare, but I wish it could be done with less intrusion. One of the biggest limitations is the patients themselves. One thing I have found over the last 25+ years of practice is that people want to accept less responsibility for themselves. Too many people want the magic pill. They don't want to do the hard work of losing weight, exercising, and quitting their bad habits. They expect science and medicine to solve their problems for them with no work on their own. This is unrealistic. God helps those who help themselves. I have an excellent supervising physician. He is hands-off and lets me do my job. He is there when I need him. We have good administration in our hospital and clinic system. They let providers be providers. They care about patient care. The key to any job including medicine is working around your limitations. They are only true limitations if you let them become that. Don't be afraid of becoming a PA because of limitations of your title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parnemt Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 If I see another "limitations" post on PA forum I'm going to vomit bright red blood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody85 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 If I see another "limitations" post on PA forum I'm going to vomit bright red blood.Sounds serious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbingle Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 That PAs are good for anything the physician doesnt feel like doing. And varies, Plus seeing a good amount of patients every shift even if they ask you to go suture, staple, pelvic or poke something on one of their patients. Am expected to simultaneously be a confident, competent, professional provider w/ timely inpatient addmissions as well as assume a subservient role consisting of spastic requests to do "other" work. Makes me want to be a barista sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 returning to work from vacation Damn, I was hoping that would get a little easier once I graduate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyblu Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 That PAs are good for anything the physician doesnt feel like doing. And varies, Plus seeing a good amount of patients every shift even if they ask you to go suture, staple, pelvic or poke something on one of their patients. Am expected to simultaneously be a confident, competent, professional provider w/ timely inpatient addmissions as well as assume a subservient role consisting of spastic requests to do "other" work. Makes me want to be a barista sometimes. So, just say no. I don't take requests from MD's if I'm busy with my own patients. Sure, I'm a team player, but I'm not anybody's assistant (oh, the irony of the profession!) They can do their own pelvics, suturing, or whatever. I happen to love suturing and am often asked to do the more complicated or cosmetically challenging lacs, but that's because I'm really good at it. And yes, I often say, "No, sorry, I can't." The biggest problem I have with my profession is the name, and the little awareness, and the misconception, and the time it takes me to explain WTF it is I do and my role in patient care. This is the only time I wish I could say "I'm Dr. So-and-So" and not have to explain. I imagine NP's must get a lot of "You're just the nurse" comments, or something else that irritates them, but overall I feel people are much more familiar with the concept of an NP than a PA. Only a couple of times have I encountered a consulting physician who "doesn't talk to PA's". My reply is usually, "Well, I'm happy to give you my attending. Just to let you know, he has no idea what's going on with the patient because he has never laid eyes on them. If you want to know anything about the patient, just let the attending know you need to talk to the PA again. Thanks!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 9, 2014 Moderator Share Posted January 9, 2014 The biggest problem I have with my profession is the name, and the little awareness, and the misconception, and the time it takes me to explain WTF it is I do and my role in patient care. yup. something that helps is never let the word assistant cross your lips. you are a pa. what's that? describe it, just don't say assistant....it is not anywhere on my cv, name tags, etc. I attended a pa program, etc. no assistant ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjm7 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 yup. something that helps is never let the word assistant cross your lips. you are a pa. what's that? describe it, just don't say assistant....it is not anywhere on my cv, name tags, etc. I attended a pa program, etc. no assistant ever! This is my issue when people freak out about someone (medical laymen, at least) using "physician's assistant" instead of "physician assistant". While it irks me as well, the two titles really share the same connotation, though they sort of mean different things. Correcting them doesn't clear anything up. So when people get upset about the ('s), it makes them appear petty without accomplishing anything. An explanation of duties and responsibilities, however, can go a long way toward legitimizing a PA in a patient's mind. The point is, I think this is wonderful advice. Until "assistant" doesn't appear at the end of our title, the end result, the connotation, will be the same. Focus on our role, not our name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 And THERE'S the rub. State law says that the name tag, etc. HAS to specifically say "physician assistant" under the name of the individual and however many variations of alphabet soup appears after one's name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 9, 2014 Moderator Share Posted January 9, 2014 And THERE'S the rub. State law says that the name tag, etc. HAS to specifically say "physician assistant" under the name of the individual and however many variations of alphabet soup appears after one's name. all the PAs I work with have this on their hospital provided IDs: John doe PA-C Emergency medicine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARONEUS Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 If I see another "limitations" post on PA forum I'm going to vomit bright red blood. Had u been vomiting profusely earlier? Do u abuse alcohol? Do you have reflux for which you don't take meds? Do u have any abdominal pain or distention? (Anybody else come up with some more good ones?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JMPA Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Had u been vomiting profusely earlier? Do u abuse alcohol? Do you have reflux for which you don't take meds? Do u have any abdominal pain or distention? (Anybody else come up with some more good ones?) hx of liver disease? chemotherapy? radiation exposure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will352ns Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Been taking a lot of NSAIDs? HTN? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parnemt Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Now is not the time for questions my friends. You need to stop the bleed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parnemt Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Now is not the time for questions my friends. You need to stop the bleed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbonafidel Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Of course my intentions were never to offend anyone as I am very passionate about this profession myself.Thank you all for your enlightening input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will352ns Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Now is not the time for questions my friends. You need to stop the bleed! Alrighty, we will need a Blakemore tube and a football helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JMPA Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 ho;d on, lets not overtreat, is it trace bright red blood or profuse? esophageal in origin or gastric/pharyngeal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 12, 2014 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2014 Alrighty, we will need a Blakemore tube and a football helmet. nah, octreotide should do the trick.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JMPA Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 it was all red jello and fruit punch, false alarm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 12, 2014 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2014 it was all red jello and fruit punch, false alarm and beets, don't forget the beets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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