Just Steve Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Today our class was visited by Larry Guffey, PA-C, retired. The focus on the visit was not dissimilar to a tribal meeting called by the elders to pass on the stories from our past. He was invited to speak to us and share his experience getting to MEDEX class 7 and his time as a PA after graduation. He's 77 now and self admittedly has lost some of his memory. He spent a few days putting together notes so he could tell his story the best he could remember it and his efforts were appreciated by all in attendance. He stressed the innate, natural impulse to take the privilege of being a PA and do good with it. To treat the patient as all those who walk through the door need and deserve help. It may not always be the help we as providers want to give, but they deserve our time and energy. It was a kind motivational story. Part of his motivational story was telling us that he helped, if not led, the push to form the Alaska Association of Physician Assistants. I found this tidbit to be pretty inspiring and I felt privileged to be part of his day today. As his story winded through the morning, he stressed again and again that he truly wished that the PA profession had an organized, professional mentorship program by PAs, for PAs. Not a training program at all but rather a support network where PAs can call up with issues like "I am freaking burned out" and receive some guidance and a kind ear from a seasoned peer who will listen to them. I am acutely aware that in today's world of "produce or perish" (my apologies to the academic world of publish or perish) where everyone is pushed for time, energy, and reimbursement, that being on call to counsel a fellow PA may be rather inconvenient. Not to mention the logistical nightmare of organizing a group of folks, or training them to any sort of similar guidelines...or if training is needed at all...The notion of organizing independently minded Type A personalities is full of seemingly uphill challenges. All that aside..what say ye? In today's digital age, we have places like this forum, the ease of email, and everyone and their two dogs has a cell phone in their pocket with a couple of buddies on speed dial. Is that enough? Or do you think that there may be a need for some sort of formal network..a place a PA can call up anonymously and look for guidance through mine fields like "I am dating a patient....I am burned out and hate my SP....I'm all alone in BFE and scared to death..." etc etc... Thoughts? ps...anyone know Larry Guffey from back in the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Today our class was visited by Larry Guffey, PA-C, retired. The focus on the visit was not dissimilar to a tribal meeting called by the elders to pass on the stories from our past. He was invited to speak to us and share his experience getting to MEDEX class 7 and his time as a PA after graduation. He's 77 now and self admittedly has lost some of his memory. He spent a few days putting together notes so he could tell his story the best he could remember it and his efforts were appreciated by all in attendance. He stressed the innate, natural impulse to take the privilege of being a PA and do good with it. To treat the patient as all those who walk through the door need and deserve help. It may not always be the help we as providers want to give, but they deserve our time and energy. It was a kind motivational story. Part of his motivational story was telling us that he helped, if not led, the push to form the Alaska Association of Physician Assistants. I found this tidbit to be pretty inspiring and I felt privileged to be part of his day today. As his story winded through the morning, he stressed again and again that he truly wished that the PA profession had an organized, professional mentorship program by PAs, for PAs. Not a training program at all but rather a support network where PAs can call up with issues like "I am freaking burned out" and receive some guidance and a kind ear from a seasoned peer who will listen to them. I am acutely aware that in today's world of "produce or perish" (my apologies to the academic world of publish or perish) where everyone is pushed for time, energy, and reimbursement, that being on call to counsel a fellow PA may be rather inconvenient. Not to mention the logistical nightmare of organizing a group of folks, or training them to any sort of similar guidelines...or if training is needed at all...The notion of organizing independently minded Type A personalities is full of seemingly uphill challenges. All that aside..what say ye? In today's digital age, we have places like this forum, the ease of email, and everyone and their two dogs has a cell phone in their pocket with a couple of buddies on speed dial. Is that enough? Or do you think that there may be a need for some sort of formal network..a place a PA can call up anonymously and look for guidance through mine fields like "I am dating a patient....I am burned out and hate my SP....I'm all alone in BFE and scared to death..." etc etc... Thoughts? ps...anyone know Larry Guffey from back in the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plener Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 i really wished I had met him--sounds like his fights whee the same as mine---we took it on the chins for all of you and did it gladly peter lener pa 72 years old and retired--incidentally i also met with PA students and told them of my experiences. this forum is fantastic--remember at about 3 years out it can be very stressful--i felt really bad over the years that i became difficult to mentor pa's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plener Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 if you have Larry Guffey's pa can you send him mine?--i pushed through the W.Virginia academy of PA's plener@gmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWR Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Nice timing. There is an organization of "Seasoned PAs" being organized as we speak called Senior Clinician Society. This was the brainstorm of one PA, Joe Hlavin and has been ramped up in one month thanks to the hard work of Joe and Bob Blumm. A website is in the making. Stay tuned but please voice your thoughts. It is being formed to utilize the many cummulative clinical and administrative years of practice of some great clinicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Man that's great. Larry is pretty Internet savvy so I will be sure to get website addy to him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator True Anomaly Posted February 5, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 5, 2012 This forum is probably the most "high profile" example of what you're describing. Coupled that with attending conferences and joining your state organization and specialty organizations helps foster that- it all rolls into one support network. There are several people on this forum (myself included) who started on this board as pre-PA's and are now out practicing and have kept up here for the entire time, and because of that I've met several wonderful people from the forum in person. To have that support network is invaluable. I do wish I've met more "old-guard" PA's, but where I work everyone became a PA in the past decade or 15 years. Those few I've met who paved the way I've always told how grateful I am for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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