Administrator rev ronin Posted October 17, 2011 Author Administrator Share Posted October 17, 2011 I feel that I'm not ready to commit to long years of school! Realize that any medical field you go into beyond a pure technician level is going to be a setup for life-long learning. Not in the classroom continuously, to be sure, but you will be spending time and money on your further education indefinitely in any really good long-term worthwhile healthcare career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balsam88 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 They got the Seimens Vista's, which aren't much different that the Dimension's we had before. I don't really know why they've been cutting down on staff so much, maybe it was the budget issue they've been having for a long time, but still! They also got a "stream-lab" line so that's another reason maybe. They've been also increasing the number of generalists so everyone could work in all departments as needed. Indeed it's lifelong learning, and in every medical field it is. Even as a med tech I still took some online continuing-ed courses as a requirement to keep my membership and learned a lot of new things. Nothing in life comes easy but I believe that this is what I want to do and I'm not afraid to jump in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balsam88 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 They got the Seimens Vista's, which aren't much different that the Dimension's we had before. I don't really know why they've been cutting down on staff so much, maybe it was the budget issue they've been having for a long time, but still! They also got a "stream-lab" line so that's another reason maybe. They've been also increasing the number of generalists so everyone could work in all departments as needed. Indeed it's lifelong learning, and in every medical field it is. Even as a med tech I still took some online continuing-ed courses as a requirement to keep my membership and learned a lot of new things. Nothing in life comes easy but I believe that this is what I want to do and I'm not afraid to jump in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balsam88 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Yea they're awesome machines, at least much better than Dimensions, even though they do have some problems and service comes in often. The blood bank also brought in an instrument from ortho that does types, screens, DAT's, and even cross-matches. That was also a big change as blood bank was pretty much all manual work based. I'm still doing my research and talking to PA's and PA students. I'm even attending information meetings at different schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balsam88 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Yea they're awesome machines, at least much better than Dimensions, even though they do have some problems and service comes in often. The blood bank also brought in an instrument from ortho that does types, screens, DAT's, and even cross-matches. That was also a big change as blood bank was pretty much all manual work based. I'm still doing my research and talking to PA's and PA students. I'm even attending information meetings at different schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain1028 Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Honestly, when the docs I work for make $400-500K a year, I do wish (many times) that I would have done things differently. But, I also like not having the full responsibility of the pt on my shoulders, that is kind of cool. I have to admit, it is kind of lame for Pre-PAs to ask such redundant questions. I mean, if one just orders the Rodican book, all would have been answered for you. Or if you worked in a hospital you could just ask PAs there. Drops Mic.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paporzelt Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 this thread is just too much for me to handle. Why cant people recognize everyone has something to offer, and everyone has a weakness? I'm sorry but my class, it was the oldest students who had the hardest time learning, absorbing, and studying, and test taking. They had to learn how to all over again - from guess who? the younger students. They were the ones juggeling kids at home, morgage payments, and a few of them matriculated out of our class. even a former EMT with TONS of HCE. We also had a few young people, like right out of undergrad. I definitely thought they were a little green, but they were incredibly brilliant, and bright, and did so well of clinical rotations, that preceptors never knew they had no HCE, and they were often picked over med students to assist in things. Then we had the middle of the pack, like myself, age-wise and HCE. I entered school with over 15,000 hours of HCE. thats a full time job for 8 years. hands on, minor in office procedures, the OR, fracture reduction, wound care, and time spent talking with my patients (and yes i say mine, because i was part of a team, and they were all our patients). and guess what - PA school was never easy, and my first job was terrifiying to begin. Despite all of my background, and all my experience, i was what ALL PA students are when they graduate: a really well educated, intelligent person WHO KNEW NOTHING in the whole grand sceme of things. and i think my entire class, at graduation and the begining of their careers would agree. we still had SO MUCH to learn. Why cant the old timers remember their first month on the job and how terrifying that was, and that no matter how many splints you've applied, sutures you've removed, and patients hands you've held, and patients you've lost - none it was like being a PA. And for crying out loud - can we all agree, with current EMR systems, younger people absolutely have the upper hand with computer experience ( with the expception of some older IT people). So seriously, everyone has a strength, everyone has a weakness. and Rev - I know a lot of 40 year olds who have no empathy, common sense, or wisdom and a lot of them think they know everything because of life experiences. If you think a 40 year old, who has a morgage, a kid, and spouse, has "lived a realer life" than a 25 year old who grew up in a divorced home, perhaps with an abusive parent, or missing a parents all together, who lived in a family that struggled to get food on the table, but managed to get good grades and get into college - if you think that 40 year old has lived more, and will be more prepared? then you are really close minded and think old age contirbutes to living. I've met teenagers in the inner city who've lived a longer life than an 50 year old in the burbs. stop trying to say youre life has prepared you and that anyone who hasnt lived your life isnt prepared. At 28, Im a PA, in the first year of my career. And I'm just as prepared to do so as the 49 and 38 year olds i graduated with. I dare you to tell me im not. And I've got a lot to learn from the 25 year old who I work with who's been a PA for 2 years. Get off your high horse and worry about getting yourself through school and passing the PANCE. It's a reality - as PA's are in demand, more schools will pop up and younger applicants will apply. and those who cant hack it. will fail. BTW - where's all the hub-bub from the FNP community about accelereated RN to FNP programs? I have a friend who is in a 4 year program that took her from nothing to just getting her RN (BS), and directly into the FNP program. No HCE, she will have 2 years ecperince as an RN, but most of that will be while she's in the remainder of her program. And the FNP community seems to be very supportive of these programs.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneValgene Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 wow paporzelt...strong post. /thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
so ill Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I'm 27 and have worked in the lab for 6 years. How is the lab to PA transition for former lab techs out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taotaox1 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Well spoken Paporzelt. I have never understood how/why this self righteous rant became a sticky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmortell Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Agreed Completely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsey1201 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Thank you, paporzelt! As well, agreed! We all have the same goal of helping patients lead a better quality of life via our intellect, compassion, and empathy. Therefore, we should be in the mind set of encouraging one another on this forum. Not shunning those who are younger, or who have less hours of experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgerscharm Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Thank you, thank you paporzelt. I have spoken with many PAs about this issue and they have supported me 100%. So not every "older PA" is like this. The PA profession is a dynamic one and we need ones that are motivated to be a part of it, regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCSA Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Hmmm, this thread is Hilarious! So sorry it took me a year to get to it. Rev, you sure do know how to stir the pot. Paporzelt, regarding "At 28, Im a PA, in the first year of my career. And I'm just as prepared to do so as the 49 and 38 year olds i graduated with. I dare you to tell me im not" .......... Maybe maybe not. In twelve years you'll be 40, I'll make you a deal, come back to this post then and tell me which paporzelt is better prepared to talk someone out of suicide, or console the family who's lost a love one, or counsel without judgement a heroin addict how to avoid abscesses and disease transmission, or ask for the epi during a code with the same calmness you would ask for the salt at a meal, tell me which paporzelt will have greater acumen at knowing when and what and how to say the right thing, the 28 or 40 year old? Go on, I dare you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktalon Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 RCSA, you are not understanding the point. Of course the 40 year old paporzelt will be better at those things because he/she will have that much more PA experience at that point. What paporzelt was saying is that he/she is just as qualified as a NEW PA as other NEW 40 year old PAs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCSA Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Mktalon, Please do not tell crazy people they are not understanding the point, it makes them crazier then they were before you said it. Here's my point, being a great provider has got next to nothing to do with medicine. Counter intuitive I know but true. The things that make us great providers do not come from a book, many of these things come from life (that's code for experience) and they are terrible and I wouldn't wish them on anybody, but they temper us and humble us and make us better people. Can we listen to our patients? That is can we shut up long enough for them to tell us what's wrong with them (studies tell us no) I don't mean to push this whole age thing, I too knew everything when I was 28 only when I awoke on my 40th birthday I forgot it all and what was left in it's place was experience. I guarantee you, as smart as you are at 28 it is in experience that you will find your greatness. I'm not talking about the medical experience, I'm talking about someone who's had the bad days, the patients that despite your perfection and doing everything flawlessly go south quickly and irrevocably and you feel like you don't want this job for all the money in the world, or the other days when you get it right and people smile and get to go home to their families and you feel so good you'd do the job for free. The point, my good man, is if I had a 40 year old Paporzelt who had experienced all that and a 28 year old one who hadn't and they had both just graduated from PA School, they would not be equal. That! Is the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktalon Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I completely understand your point and half agree. I do know however that different people go through those kinds of experiences at different ages. Some don't wake up till they are 40 and some do when they are 16. It does have everything to do with experience, that we agree on. But each individual gains experience at different ages in life and thus age cannot be a generalized determinate for maturity or compassion or empathy. I think thats what paporizelt was talking about. I had my wake up moment when I was 30. Of course, when I'm 40 I'll be even more experienced and hopefully better at my job. But what paporezlt was countering was Rev pushing the idea that nobody is qualified for PA school unless they have reached some unspoken age, as if that age was the signifier of life experience. We can each only be judged by our own individual experiences and decisions. Yes, many times there is a correlation between age and maturity and experience. But not always, and Revs rant was so black and white in its definition of who belonged in the club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCSA Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) Then we agree on 95%, the 5% difference? That's not my take on Rev's original post. Though I do appreciate the discourse it's casued it seems to be like a sore tooth to alot of folks. Edited March 9, 2012 by RCSA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerlily Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 If you can't point to a specific patient care experience and say "this is when I decided I wanted to practice medicine", then you probably only think you want to be a PA. I must agree with all of the points except the one quoted above. This is only because I do not believe that everyone wanting to be a PA realized it after "the light bulb" suddenly turned on, at least not for everybody, at least not for me. I definitely am not one of those kids that was born knowing that I wanted to be a PA either. For me, it was my progressive understanding of the PA profession while working as a LPN in the Army. By the way, I included all my reasons in my personal narrative to CASPA. I hope that the item quoted above is not a strongly held belief by the admissions committee, otherwise I am doomed. It is also my first year applying. :sweat: Pre-PA: HCE (direct patient care): 6800 hours-LPN HCE (indirect patient care): 4500 hours-Nutrition Care Specialist Undergrad GPA: 3.44 Science GPA: 3.67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 27, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 27, 2012 Lily- with your experience and stats you should get in anywhere. Good luck-e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I don't think I ever had that light bulb moment either..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiaroscuro27 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Yeah, lily, you seem to be the ideal candidate and I would be surprised if you didn't get accepted to the program of your choice. I didn't even know the PA profession existed until I began working in healthcare. Then my research into the field sparked my interest. The PA profession is still a big secret to a lot of people; I'm becoming more aware of that fact every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerlily Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 EMEDPA, andersenpa, and chiaroscuro: Thank you all, this is reassuring. I live in WA, and I love the NW, so I am applying to MEDEX. Will post updates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkelsey Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I think that those under the age of 25 may have very legitimate reasons for choosing to become a PA over an MD. It is practical to look at time and money, and I found this research very interesting. http://faculty.som.yale.edu/keithchen/papers/GenderNPV_WorkingPaper.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primadonna22274 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Didn't read the whole paper but have read the synopsis. Quite frankly it rubs me the wrong way, in the same manner as it irks me to no end when young smart women tell me they want to be PAs instead of physicians so they can get married and have babies and spend more time with their families.... Now, admittedly, this is my trigger issue, considering I never had the babies and I never found it possible to work less than a minimum of one full-time job as a PA, but hey, I like to work. Medicine drives me. If it doesn't drive you, and you don't feel a strong desire to be an independent practitioner, PA is a very good gig. I think that those under the age of 25 may have very legitimate reasons for choosing to become a PA over an MD. It is practical to look at time and money, and I found this research very interesting. http://faculty.som.yale.edu/keithchen/papers/GenderNPV_WorkingPaper.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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