Cast a Long Shadow

[sas5814]

Many years ago when my wife and I were dating I got an email from a young man who was a medic under me when I was an Army PA. He thanked me for what I had taught him and what I did for him. I was stunned because when I look at those years mostly what I see is what I did wrong and could have done better. It touched me...humbled me..honestly made me shake my head. I shared the note with my future wife who said “you have cast a long shadow.” While I wasn’t sure (and still aren’t) that I deserved that approbation the expression stuck with me. My wife is so much smarter than me…

 

Lately I have been reflecting on that expression and our profession. I am a regular on a couple of PA boards and every day I am amazed at the talent and energy and caring and compassion and intelligence of my colleagues most of whom I have never met. It can get lost in the doom and gloom if you don’t look for it.

 

Then I think of the PAs I have known (and I won’t name them because they would only feel uncomfortable and shake THEIR heads). My military colleagues..well I don’t even need to explain that. Providing care for our military members and their families under some very difficult conditions. Two of my oldest friends who have each given years and years of time to advancing the profession and who are, literally, 2 of the smartest people I have known in my life. My friend who spent 20 years growing and improving a PA program that, no doubt, touched hundreds if not thousands of lives.  One of my newer acquaintances who has always been way ahead of the times in his predictions and beliefs about the profession and has now begun to see things he predicted (and worked hard to facilitate) for 10 years come to fruition. Many friends who gave their time, sometimes a lot of time, to their state, specialty, or national organizations for no reason other than they wanted to do something to advance the profession. The friends who work in under-served areas taking care of folks nobody else wants to care for, in places few will go, usually earning much less than they could somewhere else. I can’t even count the number of colleagues I know who volunteered to teach PA students in their clinical rotations for no compensation. It really just goes on and on.

 

These days it is pretty easy to get bogged down in all the things going “wrong” with our profession. I think if we each take a little time to regroup and reconsider we can find a lot of things right with our profession. If you aren’t sure...if you aren’t sure where to look...just look for the long shadows. They are all around.

[TheLastStone]

Always interesting to read your posts. Being only an undergrad and EMT, I think about the future and the profession, in general, a lot. So seeing stuff like this is good. It's important to remember how far it's come. I can certainly appreciate Dr. Stead's vision and need for PAs, and seeing it grow the way it has gives me hope for my own future in the profession. I'm excited, and I hope to contribute a lot and help many that will come after me, like you and your colleagues have. 

[SoCalPA]

You're still casting that shadow. I don't know if it's being right in the middle of finals week for didactic year or the current situation of healthcare, but sometimes I ask myself why am I torturing myself? And then I read a post like yours and it brings it all back to me. In reality I can't see myself doing anything else.

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[PACJD]

Such a great post. I constantly come on this website and see posts about people talking about the negatives of this profession, lack of satisfaction, and regret. The last few posts have discussed "future of the PA profession" and "is it worth it" where people are trying to look for insight, but a few disgruntled individuals turn the post around into discussing how they made the wrong the decision, thus swaying people away from this profession. Then you have the people that constantly compare our profession to doctors, thus becoming aggravated when we are restricted in some way. 

What people fail to to forget is the good in our profession. PAs have a positive effect on others every day. We are a crucial, crucial part of today's healthcare system, no matter what way you look at it. We are needed, and our compensation (which is very high compared to other professions) shows for it.

i can't stress enough how the people who have bad attitudes on this profession are the ones who compare us to doctors. We are not doctors, so our salary, power, and title is restricted in some way. nonetheless we have an important and prestigious job that takes years of dedication to master. Patients come to us when in need, and we should feel honored that we are trusted to take care of these lives. 

[sk732]

When I was a medic in the Army, I can honestly say I know that I personally saved 3 people's lives...I used to teach a lot of combat first aid, TCCC and I also taught an out of area medical course for unarmed UN Military Observers.  A student of mine came back from a crappy tour in one of the worst shyteholes on the face of the planet and told the class I was teaching to pay close attention as he'd used literally everything we'd (we=my course staff and I) taught him.  When our side of the war in Afghanistan started up, I was getting the same thing back from folks I'd taught to be TCCC providers AND from the people they'd treated, often in very bad circumstances.

I never gave much thought to things I'd taught people over the years and how'd they'd potentially or actually use those things - it was my job and I did my best to impart what I knew.  Things we do, say, teach, often have a huge trickle down effect that we don't realize until later on down the road.  I too am humbled by what some of my proteges have told me they've accomplished over the years.

There is a saying in my karate dojo, listed on a poster of "Words to live by" that states "Share your knowledge - it's a way to achieve immortality".  

 

SK

[camoman1234]

15 hours ago, Michael Stone said:

Always interesting to read your posts. Being only an undergrad and EMT, I think about the future and the profession, in general, a lot. So seeing stuff like this is good. It's important to remember how far it's come. I can certainly appreciate Dr. Stead's vision and need for PAs, and seeing it grow the way it has gives me hope for my own future in the profession. I'm excited, and I hope to contribute a lot and help many that will come after me, like you and your colleagues have. 

"Being only an undergrad and EMT," You are in an elite field by "just being in college" and having a professional career that is VERY honorable. Please be proud of yourself and your accomplishments. This is help in advancing care to your patients, the PA profession, and your overall health. Good luck in school and keep up the good work of serving/keeping our communities safe.  

[TheLastStone]

5 hours ago, camoman1234 said:

"Being only an undergrad and EMT," You are in an elite field by "just being in college" and having a professional career that is VERY honorable. Please be proud of yourself and your accomplishments. This is help in advancing care to your patients, the PA profession, and your overall health. Good luck in school and keep up the good work of serving/keeping our communities safe.  

Thank you for that, Camoman. That's a good point that I suppose when I get tunnel vision on the destination, instead of appreciating the journey as much, I undermine my on accomplishments. I am very proud. It certainly can be tough at times, and I'm a tad bit older. I'll be around 29/30 when I apply to PA school, compared to a lot of younger students, but I really care. I've had other professions and worked various blue collar jobs. This one, however, pays me back more than just twice a week in my bank account; it pays back every time I'm on the truck with a patient that I help. I feel very fortunate, and I hope to absorb as much knowledge that I can get my hands on, and in my future classes and PA school, and to keep improving the profession that I have my sights set on very firmly. Thanks again.