Physician Assistants in Pharma vs. other business oppurtunities

[Spike5002]

Hello there.

 

I am starting this thread to begin a discussion regarding PAs that work, not only in the pharmaceutical industry, but in other areas of business. I currently work as a Neurology PA in a small private practice in Denver and have been doing so for about 3 years. I love what I do, but I can't help but feel limited in my ability to work TOWARDS something bigger and better. I am not saying that I am not happy where I am, but am curious at what others have done, potentially on the side, to help with ancillary income or to help grow themselves as professionals in a variety of different way.

 

This topic came to light recently when I was talking to a Medical Science Liaison for a large and well-respected pharmaceutical company. She had recently been promoted within her company, and asked me if I would ever be interested in such a career. She had a background in medicine but seemed VERY happy with her choice. Further research did show me that there was a much higher pay rate (though this is not my ONLY motivation) as well as offering a chance to work your way up in a large company. I feel like I have untapped resources at my disposal (my ability to work as a team towards a goal; organization; leadership, etc...) that I am not fully utilizing.

 

I'm curious as to what others think about branching out in this way. If you work part time as a PA (or have stopped clinical practice all together) what are you doing with your degree and experience in medicine. I am someone that likes to work towards something at any given time. I know I still have a lot to learn in medicine, but I also want to expand my horizons from a business standpoint as well. Please let me know your thoughts.

 

Thank you for your input.

 

 

Jordan

[jmj11]

Jordan, I know this is not what you are asking (you are talking about non-clinical roles I believe) however, because you are a neurology PA I thought I would comment.

 

I have worked in headache disorders for most of my career.  Seeing the dismal care that headache patients get, the huge demand for care and the enormous gap between what we now know about headache disorders and how to treat them and what patients get at the PCP or neurology level, I decided to create a business of a headache center.  We have two locations now and I am close to creating a third clinic with the addition of another MD headache specialist and a NP headache specialist.

While this work satisfies my entrepreneurial spirit and gives me non-clinic work (MBA type of work), I am still functioning 50 hours a week as a clinician.  I hope by adding more providers and increasing the hours of my present MD employee, that I can cut back on my clinical time and start to focus more on running a network of businesses. 

 

I also have some concepts in the works for virtual “curbside” consults for the world’s population of un-served headache sufferers.

[misadventuresinmedicine]

Several PAs that I know and I all got together and started our own side businesses in skincare. Several PAs, MDs, RNs now working part time or even not at all because of it.