SubmersibleSandwich Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 If anyone read my last post, it was regarding me deciding between PA school and an opportunity at a medical sales job. I recently came down for a week to see the place, to explore the city this sales job was located and to get a better idea of what this job entails. I shadowed some reps in the OR and every time I shadowed them and saw the duties that came with the job I kept finding myself feeling hesistant. Granted I’m sure some of this was because of the fact that I’d be moving to a new city and out of my comfort zone. But every time in the OR during this trip, I couldn’t stay in the present and I found myself missing my job as a trauma tech in the ER working directly with patients, getting hands on clinical experience. Not sure if it was the homesickness or my intuition but something in my gut kept telling me that this was the wrong move and that I belong amongst direct care of patients. I kept feeling that once into this sales position I’d immediately regret my decision and crave more than simply medical sales. Sure there’s A&P involved and science based medical knowledge that was required, but there wasn’t any true patient care. If anything it’s more indirect care as the patient is under anesthesia and doesn’t even know the reps are present. Looking back to when I left my job in the ER, and how I decided to explore the path of medical sales, I realize my mind was cluttered and I was focusing too much on the $$$ and income potential of reps and continually comparing it to the salary of PA’s. My plan was to try it for two years and give it a shot and see if I like it or not and at the worst make some money for PA school. But here I am and haven’t even started and having all these red flags go off in my head. And for the past six months since deciding to explore medical sales I have been trying my hardest to suppress my thoughts of PA school, finding myself jealous of friends that were just starting their first year, and preventing myself from going back to the ER because I was afraid it’d sway me back to PA school before exploring medical sales. And all this time the tiny voice in my head was growing louder and louder. And at the end of the day, if these aren’t red flags I don’t know what is. After this time I realized how much I truly miss patient care and helping out those in need. And In terms of the bigger picture I think about my passion for medicine and the science behind it, and having all that impressive knowledge that comes with it. When I think about this and factor in my desire to be able to care, treat and diagnose it’s evident to me that it this all outweighs my foolish desire to make as much money as possible as a sales rep. So I have trouble coming to terms with the idea of me putting off PA school for another two years so that I might be able to make good money to pay for school and risk being in a position that I’m unhappy with considering I’m eager to start PA school sooner rather than later as I’m 25. So here I find myself possibly back to the drawing board flip flopping between career paths when I think I know in my heart what I want. This is getting exhausting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hustleforthePAC Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Solution: work Monday thru Friday in medical sales and do one shift in the ER on weekend, that way you accumulate $$$$ and direct patient care experience. Sincerely, Sales manager/b2b rep with numerous awards that is now pre pa and has not given up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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