neversummer429 Posted July 5, 2011 I recently graduated PA school and took my PANCE two weeks ago...passed with flying colors, however, I can not find a family practice position anywhere in the southern maine, new hampshire, or massachusetts area. I send out resume after resume for the past 4 months and get the same response about we're looking for someone with more experience. I guess I just don't know what to do at this point. I already have another masters degree in health administration, and thought I would be pretty marketable, but apparently that is not the case. It is such a catch 22, because no one will hire a new grad, but they all want someone with 3 years+ experience. Any other new grads out there having a hard time finding jobs, or running into the same kind of problems?
unewillow Posted July 5, 2011 Perhaps you need to expand your options. Have you applied to any Internal Med positions, or if you are looking at outpatient groups maybe look at inpatient med. I wish you luck! When I graduated (May), I didn't find something until August, and then with credentialling couldn't start until October. It can be a longer road than you think.
sarraeo26 Posted July 5, 2011 Have you looked into a job with the National Health Service Corps? For a 2 year commitment you get $60k for your loans plus a salary, and that will get you the experience you need. That's my plan after graduation. Check out the loan repayment plan on their website.
sarraeo26 Posted July 5, 2011 Oh, you can do a lot more than 2 years if you want. A third year gets you an additional 40k for your loans and you apply to the clinics you want to work at just like any other job. Good luck!
Maverick87 Posted July 5, 2011 What about expanding your search into a different region? I'm sure there are plenty of jobs for new grads throughout the country.
Guest Swennerb Posted July 5, 2011 If your interested in going to Connecticut- Yale new haven hospital hires new grads, I have some friends who will refer you. There hospitalist medicine team is good.
unewillow Posted July 5, 2011 If your interested in going to Connecticut- Yale new haven hospital hires new grads, I have some friends who will refer you. There hospitalist medicine team is good. Just don't expect a fabulous salary because it's "Yale". You may get the name, but they aren't competitive AT ALL with their pay.
medic25 Posted July 5, 2011 Just don't expect a fabulous salary because it's "Yale". You may get the name, but they aren't competitive AT ALL with their pay. LOL; as one of my colleagues here said, "the name is nice, but you can't pay your mortgage with Ivy". That being said, the benefits are great at Yale, and as a new grad you're probably better off taking a position where you will learn than worrying simply about salary. I think a big academic medical center is usually the best spot for a new grad to learn, since you'll see a lot of pathology and the attendings are already geared towards teaching.
mostrike1 Posted July 6, 2011 I was in the same boat last year. I really had to expand my search criteria - geographically. I couldn't get my foot in the door in any major areas because they all wanted experience. It took me two painful months of living with the parents and going on interviews to find a family practice job that would take me on as a new grad. Amazingly, it is also located in a NHSC area and I was lucky to get the 60K loan repayment (loan repayment is not guaranteed however) . You can always expand your search "practice-wise"...IM, peds, geriatrics, ER, cardiology, GI, etc. -Check with friends/classmates to see if your resume can be improved (style, content, etc). -You could try writing customized cover letter for each job to send along with my application materials, highlighting why you would be a good fit . -I had good luck with recruiters letting me know about jobs, but I have heard of others not having a good experience. -During my search last year, if a job had listed they were looking for 3+ years of experience, I would call the HR department and explain my background/work history and ask them if they felt it was appropriate for me to apply or not. Sometimes it was a yes, others a no - but you never know until you ask! I would also follow up with a phone call to HR to verify they got all my materials 3-7 days after I sent it and use that opportunity to express my interest in the position. In short, just keep swimming, just keep swimming! Good luck with your search!
Guest Swennerb Posted July 6, 2011 There's going to be good and bad things any where you work- that's what I have learned. Part of being happy at work is understanding that concept, and trying to move forward with the job you have and making the environment work for both you and your employer. But, as a new grad you have to start somewhere- and chances are your first job wont be the one you work at the rest of your life. I say, take what you can- your first job might not be the "perfect" job you always wanted....I know it wasn't for me. I try to remind myself that at the end of the day, it is just work- it's not the end of the world and it's not your entire life. That's why work life balance is important, and something to always consider, and I think the bigger hospitals, it tends to be not as much an issue if you take some vacation- bc there's more people for coverage. As far as the ivy hospital thing,.. with the instability of our economy, not even PA's have it easy. I tend to believe the bigger hospitals can better absorb the potential losses of training new grads, or whoever- and in a teaching environment- less likely to attack a new grad who may make mistakes, as opposed to private practices.
unewillow Posted July 6, 2011 The improvement in benefits and resources/connections of Yale is one of the very few reasons I am semi-okay with Yale buying out the hospital I work for. I'm hoping that buy-out doesn't come with a salary cut or worse...the complete loss of my job :( But yes, a large teaching hospital, is ideal for getting your feet wet and getting that experience you need to find your "perfect" job, wherever or whatever that may be.
convulsed Posted July 6, 2011 I spoke on this on an older thread pertaining to the same subject , the job slump is regional. I heard CT and Tx is good . CA and NY not so much and I didn't look beyond those 4 states :(
GREATMDPA Posted July 6, 2011 I spoke on this on an older thread pertaining to the same subject , the job slump is regional. I heard CT and Tx is good . CA and NY not so much and I didn't look beyond those 4 states :( Really about CA? I thought CA was good being in the west and all.
medic25 Posted July 6, 2011 As far as the ivy hospital thing,.. with the instability of our economy, not even PA's have it easy. I tend to believe the bigger hospitals can better absorb the potential losses of training new grads, or whoever- and in a teaching environment- less likely to attack a new grad who may make mistakes, as opposed to private practices. Agreed; having moonlighted at traditional RVU-based community ED's, I think there is less pressure to simply move the meat and more of a chance to discuss the educational aspects of patients. To give you a recent example in our ED, several of the newer PA's had expressed interest in improving their ultrasound skills. Therefore we are being offered a week (fully paid) of an ultrasound rotation in the ED. Rather than seeing patients, you spend each day floating around the whole ED and ultrasounding any patient that may possibly need imaging, as well as doing tape reviews and case conferences with the ultrasound faculty. There have been other examples like this, which reinforces my belief that this is the best setting for a new grad.
myironlung Posted July 6, 2011 I had a really tough time breaking into it as a new grad. I think most do unless you have an "in" somewhere. I sent out applications for 2 months before I even got asked for an interview. I will say that networking is huge (unfortunate it has to be this way). Most times job offers come from the inside, word of mouth. I saw some stat about new grads in general (from all kinds of schools/majors) and they said the average time from graduation to being hired is about 7 months, so don't feel bad....there's a lot of people in similar situations.
Brian Wallace Posted July 6, 2011 This is not a physician assistant problem. This is a job search problem. This is common in every area of the workforce. New grads have no experience and can't get any without someone willing to help train them. What you really need to do is get to the interview and knock em dead so that they have to hire you regardless of experience. You need to get 48 days to the work you love by Dan Miller. He walks you through the job search process. These principles apply across all fields. It may not be easy, but there are lots of jobs out there and you will find something.
Hemegroup Posted July 6, 2011 This is not a physician assistant problem. This is a job search problem. This is common in every area of the workforce. New grads have no experience and can't get any without someone willing to help train them. What you really need to do is get to the interview and knock em dead so that they have to hire you regardless of experience. You need to get 48 days to the work you love by Dan Miller. He walks you through the job search process. These principles apply across all fields. It may not be easy, but there are lots of jobs out there and you will find something. Good advice ... having and using excellent references helps also.
physasst Posted July 6, 2011 Just to state, we have 40 some odd openings right now....here at Mayo that is, and they generally will take newer grads oopss. sorry, 39 openings right now... http://www.mayo-clinic-jobs.com/go/Advanced-Practitioner-or-Provider-Jobs/245397/?utm_source=catgroupwidget
physasst Posted July 6, 2011 Just to state, we have 40 some odd openings right now....here at Mayo that is, and they generally will take newer grads oopss. sorry, 39 openings right now... http://www.mayo-clinic-jobs.com/go/Advanced-Practitioner-or-Provider-Jobs/245397/?utm_source=catgroupwidget Also, there is a loan repayment option I believe for new grads, up to 25,000. Need to clarify that with the HR partner, but that's what I heard. Current projections, if my numbers are right, are for about 700 PA/NP positions over the next 2 years.
SRCumpston Posted July 18, 2011 I am having the same response in TN. I am a new grad who is from TN but went to school in VA. I moved back a few months ago and have been looking fervently for a job ever since. It has been an extremely discouraging experience. I finally have a few interviews this week. They aren't in the field I would prefer but they would provide a paycheck and more importantly, the experience that every other job requires. It's been much harder than I expected. Keep at it, stay positive, you'll find something. Good luck.
SRCumpston Posted July 18, 2011 I am having the same response in TN. I am a new grad who is from TN but went to school in VA. I moved back a few months ago and have been looking fervently for a job ever since. It has been an extremely discouraging experience. I finally have a few interviews this week. They aren't in the field I would prefer but they would provide a paycheck and more importantly, the experience that every other job requires. It's been much harder than I expected. Keep at it, stay positive, you'll find something. Good luck.
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