NY4now Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I am just getting started down my path toward being a PA. This is a career change for me. I am in my late-late 30's (read early 40's), and living in NYC. I have lived here for over 10 years, and when I graduate, I want to get out of the city and move to a more rural setting. The one question I have, however, is if there are "specialties" in the rural community, or if there are only family practice PA's out in the "boonies"? I guess that my real question is, if I want to specialize in something like CT surgery, neuro, immunology, etc., will I have to resolve myself to the fact that I will have to have access to a city to get work? I am dying to get a place with some land in the Catskills, but I am afraid that I would have to trek almost 2 hours to work in Albany/Schenectady. Any thoughts anyone?:;;D: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted March 11, 2011 Moderator Share Posted March 11, 2011 oh man - spoken like a true NYC resident..... yes we do have advanced medical procedures and hosptials outside of your little city - I have done IR (dangled wires across peoples hearts and bx just about every solid organ in the body), chronic pain management sub specialty, no kiddin ER, primary care all when living in a "small town" 300 bed teaching hospital, no CT there but level II trauma.... Yes you can live in the "boonies" and be cuttin edge... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marilynpac Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Well you're pretty much right. The smaller hospitals aren't equipped to handle CT, Neuro surgery and don't have the license to do it anyway. You're just going to have to stay in a major area if that's what you want to do. You probably won't even be able to find a job in that anyway if they know that you live to far away to be on call. My area doesn't even have a cath lab.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marilynpac Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 By small hospital, I mean 50-75 bed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY4now Posted March 11, 2011 Author Share Posted March 11, 2011 Now, now....don't be so offended...born and raised in a small town, my dear....and as I recall, I have to go to a metro area to get an MRI, or CT, etc....I don't know how much you know about NY state, but there are really only a few metro areas, and other than that, it's small towns. The thrust of my question was whether or not I would have to make sure to stay closer to a metro area to be in a non-primary care setting. I can't imagine a doc in a town of 15,000 being an onco specialist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marilynpac Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Now, now....don't be so offended...born and raised in a small town, my dear....and as I recall, I have to go to a metro area to get an MRI, or CT, etc....I don't know how much you know about NY state, but there are really only a few metro areas, and other than that, it's small towns. The thrust of my question was whether or not I would have to make sure to stay closer to a metro area to be in a non-primary care setting. I can't imagine a doc in a town of 15,000 being an onco specialist! No offense taken... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 There are community hospitals that have specialty services. Major med ctrs will also have satellites in rural areas. If you want to be in a university type setting then you will need to be in a city. Otherwise the non-FP options are there, maybe a little more limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Border Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 check out www.berkshirehealthsystems.com they are in western mass in a rural area, 50 min from albany ny but are a level 2 trauma with neurosurg but no CT - rural lifestyle but sort of big hosptial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I guess it depends on HOW rural and HOW specialized you want to go. I live in a Suburban area (Not rural-we have electricity :;;D: ) and I work at another suburban area with a level 1 trauma center. I work in PM&R/Spine. I dunno how it is in NY but I couldnt imagine not finding a PA specialty job in the 'burbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshie1 Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Clearly "rural" is a relative term ! Population 7000, 15-bed hospital .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marilynpac Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I lived in a town of 700 for almost 20yrs, we even had electricity!!!!! But we had no stop lights, library,..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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