Otoro120 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Hi everyone, On a post titled 'Where are all the male PAs ?', I saw this response that kind of surprised me, as someone who's been told that being a PA would allow for much more free time to 'explore other avenues' or for family and friends, as opposed to medical school, residency, and onwards. They're going to medical school. Or, perhaps more appropriately, the mistaken belief that being a PA allows you to both have a career in medicine and have a family in ways that med school and residency do not has drawn more women into PA school, vs. not being in medicine at all. Since this flies in the face of what others (mostly fellow undergrads, to be fair) have told me, I was wondering if anyone could elaborate on how this belief is mistaken? Is the increased free time as a PA vs a medical school student/MD a myth (or negligible at best)? As a traditional student, I've been trying to decide between PA school and med school, and part of the reason PA school attracted me was the prospect of more 'free time' to spend doing other things. Thanks, and I'd appreciate any responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted February 3, 2016 Administrator Share Posted February 3, 2016 In my experience, which is family-medicine based, PAs are hired to do the same jobs as MD/DOs, with no additional time allocated for patient care or anything else: You have to produce like the docs do, but get paid less than half as much. There is no more extra free time. Residents in any specialty can and do have kids during residency, and survive OK, especially after the first year, especially in family medicine. EMEDPA will probably chime in about how many more shifts ED PAs work compared to ED MD/DOs... again, for a fraction of the pay. I have no idea where the notion got started that PAs have more time to spend with their patients, but if that was ever true, healthcare administration has certainly abolished it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delco714 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 In my experience, which is family-medicine based, PAs are hired to do the same jobs as MD/DOs, with no additional time allocated for patient care or anything else: You have to produce like the docs do, but get paid less than half as much. There is no more extra free time. Residents in any specialty can and do have kids during residency, and survive OK, especially after the first year, especially in family medicine. EMEDPA will probably chime in about how many more shifts ED PAs work compared to ED MD/DOs... again, for a fraction of the pay. I have no idea where the notion got started that PAs have more time to spend with their patients, but if that was ever true, healthcare administration has certainly abolished it. Maybe more pt or per diem going on..but outside that.. Whew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Our shop 21 Docs and 7 PA/NP. docs work 3-4 days some only until noon. We work 8's 10's and 12's 5 and 7 days a week and are often asked (told) to cover Docs all the time. I was just loaned out to one of our smaller clinics because a Doc took 2 weeks off. I saw his full schedule. Not one reschedule and covered his inbox and labs. Then another doc at the same clinic took a week off (my 2nd week) so I had to cover her pts and inbox labs etc. Whenever we call off or are using PTO, they ask the PA/NPs first to cover then ask the docs to volunteer which is dumb (no one volunteers) it's like asking "who wants to swallow knives for a week? Anyone? Oh, no takers... Ok." and since no one volunteers they reschedule our pts and we deal with our inbox when we get back. Most of us PA/NP though cover each other when we are out because we feel bad for each other. But I definitely put in more hours than my MD/DO colleagues. Sent from my S5 Active...Like you care... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted February 4, 2016 Moderator Share Posted February 4, 2016 I probably avg 180 hrs/mo. most em docs do 144 or less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyNameWasUsed Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Um there's definitely a difference between working 36-40 hours a week as a PA at age 24 and making 100k a year vs being a 3rd year med student at age 24 making negative income per year lol. In the long run, you might have a better life as a MD. Just gotta ask yourself what your 20s and early 30s are worth to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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