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PLEASE help! Being taken advantage of? Neuro PA Salary


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Hey all,

 

I'm in dire need of help. I have been practicing as a Neurology PA in the Denver metro area for over three years now. Same practice - private practice that is currently growing. I see about 10 - 12 clinic patients a day along with hospital call. I take one weekend of call a month. (stroke call, etc..)

 

When I moved to CO, I had very few peers to counsel me on the region and what to expect compensation-wise. I was initially hired at 65k a year with the hope of a drastic increase as we figured out my role (I was the first mid-level in this small private practice). I now make 80k a year. My patients and other health care providers love me, and my providers constantly tell me how invaluable I am to them. My providers rely on me to do the majority of the hospital work. I feel very undercompensated and taken-advantage of. I have spoken at length with my providers (guys that treat me VERY well, otherwise, and are like my older brothers) who ensure me this is competitive for the area. I, however, still feel this is very untrue. I need some reassurance that going to them with the idea of looking for other work unless I am better compensated is the next step.

 

Please help, as I am not wanting to let go of an otherwise great job. But when I am the only PA in the practice, it is not too unusual to get taken advantage of. Please let me know your thoughts.

 

Thanks

 

J

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the only one allowing you to be taken advantage of is you

 

You need to re-negotiate a contract - possible out of cycle, or at the next annual review

 

be ultra professional

 

realize that 10-12 patients is a day is not much, and if you base your salary on this you might be where you belong....

need to be around 20 to really be making $$$ (at least in my knowledge) 

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You are class of 2012 so I am assuming you started there as your first position and have 3 years experience?  Yes, 80k is very low for a PA with experience and the amount of work you are doing and especially with call.  You should be around 100k at least.  The problem is when you start so low, such as at 65k the MDs you are with are going to balk at giving you a 20k raise.  Sometimes it does take doing some interviews and having another offer in hand for them to step up. If you go this route though you have to be prepared to walk, I would not go back to them saying you have another offer unless it is good enough that you would take it.  I do agree you are being taken advantage of.  If nothing else I would get a current salary survey and show that to them, even with that you should be able to negotiate average which is typically 90-95k. 

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Hey all, Not sure if this is where I should post this.

 

I'm in dire need of help. I have been practicing as a Neurology PA in the Denver metro area for over three years now. Same practice - private practice that is currently growing. I see about 10 - 12 clinic patients a day along with hospital call. I take one weekend of call a month. (stroke call, etc..)

 

When I moved to CO, I had very few peers to counsel me on the region and what to expect compensation-wise. I was initially hired at 65k a year with the hope of a drastic increase as we figured out my role (I was the first mid-level in this small private practice). I now make 80k a year. My patients and other health care providers love me, and my providers constantly tell me how invaluable I am to them. My providers rely on me to do the majority of the hospital work. I feel very undercompensated and taken-advantage of. I have spoken at length with my providers (guys that treat me VERY well, otherwise, and are like my older brothers) who ensure me this is competitive for the area. I, however, still feel this is very untrue. I need some reassurance that going to them with the idea of looking for other work unless I am better compensated is the next step.

 

Please help, as I am not wanting to let go of an otherwise great job. But when I am the only PA in the practice, it is not too unusual to get taken advantage of. Please let me know your thoughts.

 

Thanks

 

J

thats probably right for a "midlevel", i would practice at the "top of my scope", practice more than just a midlevel and know my worth before i negotiate a new salary. investigate what you bring in to the practice.

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How long have you been there?  Ask your director for a meeting and review the salary averages.  I'm also in Neuro and yes you seem underpaid for what you're doing.  I doubt your group did that intentionally however and I'll bet they just don't know what the salary range should be.  If they've never had a PA in the group before (I was in the same situation a few years ago) then they probably just went with what someone thought sounded good. 

 

Go in armed with what you do, and if possible some idea of the revenue you generate, and how you save the physicians time.  For complex neuro patients 10-12 is a busy day. 

 

If you've made yourself invaluable then the group should be willing to negotiate with you.  That's exactly what I did.

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