ktcan10 Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Hi, everyone. I did a search and couldn't find anything to specifically answer my questions, so please forgive me if this has been covered at length before. I'm a first-year PA student, and a thousand things might change before I get to the point of applying to a residency (so you might call this a little preemptive), but I have my eye on the Arrowhead (Riverside, CA) one for both geographical and professional reasons, and I was hoping for some advice on things that I could do throughout the course of my PA school education that might help strengthen my application for such a competitive program. I figured that I would turn to my fellow forum people first before calling the program, since it is SO far out from my time of application (and it seems like I have a billion exams between now and then, hyperbole excluded). I have a strong background in EMS coming in to PA school; I have been an EMT for a busy inner-city ambulance company running 911 calls for about 6.5 years. But basically, what do people look for with this type of residency? Is it grades? GPA in PA school? Recommendations from appropriate people? Specific focus on a thesis (I'm in a master's program right now)? Extra ER rotations in clinical year? Personal essays? Interviews / interpersonal stuff? Volunteer work during PA school in trauma/ER/homeless clinics/etc.? Thanks in advance for your help and guidance, as always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted August 2, 2014 Moderator Share Posted August 2, 2014 see some of the threads in the residency forum here. try to take electives in em related areas like trauma surg, anesthesia, peds em, etc. Arrowhead has a solid program. I highly recommend you continue with your plan to apply there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktcan10 Posted August 2, 2014 Author Share Posted August 2, 2014 Thank you so much for your opinion, EMEDPA! I value your experience and input. And if my program has a minimum of elective rotations, do you think it would behoove me to try to volunteer in a trauma service or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted August 2, 2014 Moderator Share Posted August 2, 2014 PM True anomaly here at the pa forum. he is an em residency grad and can give you some better hints for the application process than I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlietelesco Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I was just accepted for the upcoming class of Arrowhead EM residents. I think what they are primarily looking for are people who are interested in emergency medicine, interested in working hard to be good at EM, and looking to be in EM for the long haul. I was probably not a spectacular candidate on paper, I did not have a spectacular PA school GPA (3.22), I did my elective in the cardiothoracic critical care unit, went to PA school on the opposite side of the country and my background pre-pa school was as a physical therapy aide. My impression was that the program director was not looking for people who were EM stars, rather they know we come out and need help to get up to speed and it is their goal to help us get there with less struggle and take us to a much higher level than a typical PA would be after 1 year of working in the ED. Good luck with first year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktcan10 Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 @charlietelesco, Congratulations on your recent acceptance to the program!! That's so exciting! And thank you so much for the reply, your experience is really appreciated. It's nice to know that you stand a chance at getting into this residency without twelve electives in emergency medicine, especially since I don't have that many to spare! Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenofhearts Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 @charlietelesco, can you provide contact information (email address) about the EMPA residency program at Arrowhead? I wanted to ask a few questions regarding their program but couldn't find any contact information on the website. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlietelesco Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 From the website EMPA Fellowship AdministrationDepartment of Emergency MedicineArrowhead Regional Medical Center400 N. Pepper Ave,Ste. 1M107Colton, CA 92324Phone: (909) 580-2178Fax: (909) 580-1388admin@empafellowship.com I'm not comfortable posting personal emails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenofhearts Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Good luck, would love to hear about your experiences once you get the program started! All the best...I have a similar background to you and will be starting PA school next year, so I am looking forward to hearing about your journey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbingle Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 I believe you can apply for your EM medicine rotation for PA school there, if yourmprogram allows it, even if out of state. I did mine there 2009 (well worth it) and there were students from all over who had arranged their own rotations from different medical and PA programs. Would be a great way to get familiar with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcreek Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Helpful thread. Also a first year student. If I end up in EM, I'll definitely do a residency first, even though I worked in the ER for almost 4 years prior to starting my program. In most cases, EM is not a good fit for a new grad. I believe this even more after I saw a new physician coming from a 3 year EM residency get put through the ringer. It takes a thick-skinned person willing to put up with constant criticism, yet maintain confidence in their abilities to start a new career in this field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted October 26, 2014 Moderator Share Posted October 26, 2014 It takes a thick-skinned person willing to put up with constant criticism, yet maintain confidence in their abilities to start a new career in this field. indeed..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalPA Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 It takes a thick-skinned person willing to put up with constant criticism, yet maintain confidence in their abilities to start a new career in this field. Constant criticism from whom? Other healthcare professionals? or Patients? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted October 27, 2014 Moderator Share Posted October 27, 2014 Constant criticism from whom? Other healthcare professionals? or Patients? doctors(mostly off-service consultants although occasionally your own attendings) and nursing managers who think they are your boss, but aren't. EM, unfortunately, in many places is a specialty in which the senior folks eat their young....it's rare ( and a pleasant surprise) to find a place where PAs are respected right out of the gate without having to jump through a lot of hoops. I graduated almost 20 yrs ago and have had 7 different jobs(still have 3 of them), each better than the prior one. I think I have maxed out the local opportunities. I'm good where I am now and would need to travel to the east coast for better jobs at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcreek Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 ... EM, unfortunately, in many places is a specialty in which the senior folks eat their young....it's rare ( and a pleasant surprise) to find a place where PAs are respected right out of the gate without having to jump through a lot of hoops ... Oh man, is that ever true. Senior folks eating their young. Granted this is based on my own biased observations over the years, and many discussions with EM physicians - but it seems that when you come in as a new provider, you can expect to get the worst shifts, and the most flak (from supervisors to nurses) until you really prove yourself. You've got to know how to handle everything from a drug-seeker to acute peritonitis to a full code. When you leave your shift, you can bet they'll be discussing your treatment plans amongst themselves and whether or not they think you're pulling your weight. You've got to make a good impression from the get go. It's not PA specific and is same with MDs and DOs. But, PAs already have a bit more of a battle, especially from the more senior staff and docs who don't really understand or respect the profession. So much of EM is about earning respect amongst your fellow colleagues and consulting docs so that they trust your professional judgment and medical skills, and are willing to back you up. Certainly, the same could be said about working in many specialties, but I see this being acutely magnified in EM due to the nature of the work, the multi-tasking, the number and types of patients seen on a typical shift, and the constant reliance of others on the healthcare team to make it run smooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoRyou Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 It takes a thick-skinned person willing to put up with constant criticism, yet maintain confidence in their abilities to start a new career in this field. I would concur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treejay Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 egos ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbingle Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Experiencing some of the most difficult attendings, nursing and worst critics will make you better. Its a messed up notion but its true. (However, Excluding the critics who participate in Character assasignation just bc they can) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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