Ashley123 Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 I will be graduating PA school in 2 weeks and have had my first job offer. It is at an urgent care office (which is what I really want to do) but after 90 days of orientation I would be working ALONE at a new office. No MD's or PA's will be working with me at the office. The only help I will have is my supervising MD's phone number if I need anything. This seems a little scary to me? Am I being overly nervous? Also, the offer is as follows: 30/hr for the first month then 40/hr after the first month 1000 in CME They do not pay for Licensing or DEA, no paid vacation/sick time Insurance is expensive but has no deductable Malpractice paid Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason09 Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Well to be honest I would tend to stay away from an offer such as that. I will tell you why. I started working in the ER as a new grad 1 month ago and I am also on the 90 day "orientation" period with closer supervision. Then I will be "on my own" but I will always be working with at least another PA and 3 docs at any given time. I would not recommend being alone as a new grad especially for a mediocre salary at best. The risk vs benefit is not in your favor. It is too easy for new grads like us to miss things or tx things inappropriately and we all know if you miss one thing a lawyer is waiting in the wind. I know your patient population will generally be low acuity but that doesn't mean a patient can't come in with a higher acuity problem or present atypically. Even for a salary of 65 with a stellar benefits plan I would still be a little skeptical about this offer as a low experienced practitioner. Also when I am working I am learning new things daily from other practitioners. I would be willing to bet there will not be much information sharing at this job location. This is just an opinion from a fellow new grad so take it as you will. Hope things work out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcdavis Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Realize that I am a little more experienced than you, and have a pretty dogmatic opinion about junior PAs in any sorta autonymous position, but I will restate it, in TGE strongest terms I can. RUN LIKE HELL. this is an extremely dangerous and potentially disastrous position for you to be in. The art of urgent care is the ability of separating that which can and should ge treated from that which should be referred , from that which should be sent by ambulance to the ED. and you, to be blunt, don't know which is which yet. Get you a job in a teaching hospital or in a larger family practice where you can glen how medicine really works by de eloping a RELATIONSHIP with your SP, and getting under the tutelage of a senior PA or physician mentor. At the very least, your inexperience in a solo clinic will leech out into the medical community in reflection of your personal inability. At most, it potentially hurts TGE hole profession. PA school has taught you how to fly a kite. This job offer wants you to solo a twin engine cessna. Pass. Quickly, firmly, unequivocally. davis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 You are NOT being overly nervous when considering taking this offer. I don't know where you are living or what your pre-PA level of patient care experience is, but the offer itself in terms of pay and benefits is not great . Throw in the huge responsibility they want you to take on being a solo provider at urgent care, and it is just a really, really bad idea IMHO. My background is 3 years experience in family practice/urgent care where I was solo for the evening urgent care hours. Fortunately, I had PAs working in the adjoining ER 3 minutes away who had years of experience under their belts working solo ER and were some of the best help/teachers/mentors I have ever had. They were more than willing to come over and take a look at something or review a patient with me. Plus I had docs during the FP hours willing to teach. I am no longer at that job, but even with the experience I gained from it, I still will not consider any position where I work autonomously with no fellow provider on site - either doc or PA/NP. I agree with rcdavis and Jason09 on this - stay away from this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebero Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I did it for 8 months two days a week and mine was worse as i was alone from day 1. I struggled a lot. Basically there is no opportunity to grow and learn. Why take such a huge risk and limit your opportunity to grow?don't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deenyj Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I also was just offered a job at an urgent care center where two days/week I would be by myself, the other three a doc would be there. I am a new grad, though have 18 years of experience in the medical field, ten of which was as an Med Asst in family medicine. I am being offered 55/hr with malpractice and health ins paid and 2 wks PTO. Very low CME and licensure stipend. I felt hourly pay was too high and something must be wrong but I have been told maybe it is because of location...smaller sized town with not a whole lot going on there. I don't know though, makes me nervous that something might be wrong that is unseen at this point. ANy thoughts?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulPA Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 First be very careful taking a job with no senior PAs or docs on site as a new grad. I agree with RCDAVIS you've been taught to fly a kite not a plane. There is a learning curve and you need to have guidiance. That and well not knowing the Salary the offer does not sound that great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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