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My current physician has offered to pay for my PA school if I work for him after I graduate. Does anyone have any experience with this??


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This would have saved me some heartache had I known to ask it....Hindsight...

 

I resigned from 1 job to accept what I thought was an amazing offer from another doc.  100% of medical/dental, CME, $25 pay increase, no call, etc...awesome right?  Not so much when I discovered she has never worked with, nor supervised/mentor a PA before.  We lasted 1 month together.

 

So ... What was the disconnect?

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To many disconnects to even mention, but I can say the biggest issue was when she changed the terms of the employment contract one month into it. What was supposed to be "Come in, finish your work, and take off when you're done, and I'll take over" turned "Come in at 6, take your lunch, take your lunch at 12, stay until 5.". Even though she doesn't allow me to see no more than 15 patients because she's so afraid of losing her license.

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A Lawyer who has worked with PA's is going to be more useful that a lecture in PA school ever will be when it comes to this stuff. 

surgical and medicine ENT I could see being attractive to an IM setting after a few years experience. I do not think you would be stuck. I think it would a challenge to go from ENT to GI but stranger things have happened and AAPA has some data on avg PAs switch area of medicine every 8 years. 

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To many disconnects to even mention, but I can say the biggest issue was when she changed the terms of the employment contract one month into it. What was supposed to be "Come in, finish your work, and take off when you're done, and I'll take over" turned "Come in at 6, take your lunch, take your lunch at 12, stay until 5.". Even though she doesn't allow me to see no more than 15 patients because she's so afraid of losing her license.

Thanks, just curious. With more and more PAs entering the work force, more physicians are going to need to learn to work efficiently and effectively with us. I'm looking for lessons learned.

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It sounds like you're leaning toward proceeding which I don't disagree with.  I have a HUGE caution for you that I just thought of.

 

When you get accepted to PA school, you'll be very tempted to orient your training toward the ENT specialty.  Obviously you will do a rotation with the Dr. who will be hiring you.  But I would encourage you to make sure you focus your training elsewhere and make sure you get the full scope of the education that is out there - you may have already thought of this, but I figured I'd mention it anyway.  For example, if you get an extra elective, don't to anything related to ENT.  Do an extra inpatient rotation or an ICU rotation or something like that.  Focus more on the general medicine rather than ENT specific things (for this reason I might even recommend staying away from an extra ER rotation because so many of the ER complaints are ENT stuff). 

 

My $.02.

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That's a really good thought, Ace.

 

Julie, it seems to me like you may have possibly "caught a unicorn." This situation is unique, but it seems surprisingly solid, and if it works, it's pretty much the dream. They get a colleague whom they know understands not only the medicine but their practice. You get a sweet job, and zero stress about finding one after school is done.

 

I think more than anything, sitting down over some coffee and donuts with these two docs and hashing out a bunch of "what ifs" could be helpful. Let them know that you're trying to mentally project yourself forward to a point in time when you're not their MA, you're their PA colleague -- and you love the thought of that -- but as a (future) professional, you want to be smart about entering into this business relationship.

 

Because nothing is worse than people who like and respect one another, working together under terms that someone isn't happy about. Having a fun workplace with great people in it is amazing; it's like a family. This could be non-stop awesome. But that same family feeling can result in the kind of hurt feelings and resentments that plague Thanksgiving dinner at countless places around the country, know what I mean?

 

So, talk about crazy, unlikely worst-case scenarios. What if one of them gets Lyme disease, and they have to hire some moonlighting resident to help with surgeries? What if they like that person and want to hire them, too? What if they decide to sell a 25% interest in the practice to some squirrelly tech-sector investor group that buys them cool equipment but requires somebody to be on call 24/7 to help the CEO with his deviated septum issues? Have they thought through how to make use of the group's PA in a way that's fair and makes life better for everyone -- including the PA?

 

Being first-assist to two different surgeons actually sounds pretty great, but look out for the thing where Doc A likes things done one way, and Doc B thinks that's stupid. Doc B might bring it up when Doc A is the lead, but it's still Doc A's procedure so whatever. Working with the PA at 1:00 in OR 3, Doc B might decide now is the time to expound at length about what's wrong with the technique, and how he doesn't want to see it again, ever... and now in OR 2 at 3:00 you get to join Doc A and do things the "wrong" way.

 

Also make sure they understand that a PA isn't just an "extender" but a clinician with skills and strong suits and a developing clinical acumen of their own. It's great to mold someone in their image, and it's true you'll learn more by doing than in school... but would they accept it if you develop a style that is valid, maybe even better, but just isn't derived from their style? Are they going to really want you to spread your wings and fly at some point? Not so much leaving the practice after x number of years, but staying and doing things your own way to some extent.

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Guest Paula

If this all works out, you could at some point be made a partner in the practice, if it is still privately owned by the time your education is done.

 

The real issue now is to apply for and be accepted into PA school.  Do you have your bachelor's already and all the right pre-req's?

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The Skeptics and Negatives...

 

Even though it reads as if most of us are skeptical and negative, reality is, we only think of issues so that we prepare you, the decision maker, to make an educated decision with solid foundations.

 

 

Contingencies...

 

Better be safe than sorry. Analyze your options and make plan A, B, C...Z.

 

PA school is serious stuff. people DO fail, even bright ones. while some programs allow you to come back 1yr later for remedial and to continue on if you pass the class, not every one who comes back succeed. 

 

Your 2 main questions should be, for what ever the reasons may be

 

1- What if I do not complete PA school?

2- What if he does not continue to support me financially? 

 

 

The More He Spends, The More He Wants Back?

 

 I understand your education cost would be >100K, but is there any other way you could try to reduce the cost? like finding a state/city/public college, get financial aid, have your parents fund your books etc... these options could only help in your contracts as your sponsor wouldn't have to spend much... thus leaving you room to still enjoy your education w/o constantly thinking that " I owe someone, I better pass this class and finish this program in 24 months."

 

Everyone's different. For instance, I recently told my boss that I am leaving the practice for another specialty at a better place that offers better benies. One major reason was that I commute 2hrs to and from work. Him being a great businessman, offered me 4 options to stay: 1) help me buy a car. 2) help me buy a condo. 3) help me rent a place closer to work. 4) He'll buy a practice that's closer to my home and have me work there.

 

All were great options and it was very nice of him to offer when he didn't have to, but I still decided to move on. 

 

 

Wrapping up...

 

Like I said, weigh your options and definitely find ways to cut your education cost. I have co-workers w/ ~100k loans. I have <50k loan. I have same degree as them, do same job, and make the same amount.  I graduated from public college, they went to "private/fancy school".

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All good advice above.

I had a PA student in almost your exact situation (substitute derm for ENT). Her employer in rural GA sponsored her entire PA education including books and a modest living stipend in exchange for an agreement to work for him as a derm PA for 5 years after graduation. She's still there 6 years later and is really happy, and has never regretted her decision to accept the offer. Debt can be disabling--the lack of debt very liberating.

If you really really enjoy ENT and can see yourself being fulfilled as a PA in this broad specialty, I would take it. Good luck.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

 

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Primadonna22274 Thank you for that information! I'm glad to see it has been done before, and that the PA is happy!!!  If you are still in contact with this PA, I would love to reach out them to discuss their contract and agreement. Please let me know :)

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  • 4 weeks later...

I am in somewhat of a similar situation. I just started PA school and I met with the CEO of a group (surgery that specializes in one area) that I've worked with for a couple years now regarding them paying for my school. Now that I'm actually in school and learning about all other fields, I'm not so sure that I want to work for them after school and I'm looking at other fields. The area they specialize in would limit me in the future should I want to change fields and I feel like I will lose everything that I am currently learning. Having them pay for your school is definitely a great deal. But if I were you (this is what I was going to do), don't take money prior to starting school. Take out loans and then after you finish school, get the money and pay off the loans if you still want to work with them. I was concerned about getting tied up in a deal that in the future I was going to hate (minus being debt free) and being stuck in a field that I might not want to stay in until I retire. Good luck! 

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  • 1 year later...

I would pass on this offer, although consider this physician a great mentor and reference!

 

You don't know where life will take you. You don't know what kind of PA you will want to be until you start rotations and ... probably.... not until after your first job or two.

 

This kind of thing is like a noose if you want out... and l, unlike a scholarship or being committed to the military or whatever, you have a personal relationship also on the line.

 

Pay your own way and enjoy the freedom that comes with it. If you decide to work for him, great - you're out nothing - demand tuition repayment! :)

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