Mention geriatrics in interviews?

[allthingspa]

I'm a pre-PA student with great stats and I'm assuming I'll hear back about interviews soon. I work as a CNA in a nursing home and was wondering about PA's working in geriatrics (nursing home, ALF's, dementia units). I absolutely love caring for the elderly and was wondering how big of a job market is there for PA's in those facilities. Do they prefer NP's and only physicians visit? Where I work there's only a nurse practitioner and some docs..

 

It's definitely a specialty not many students seem interested in. On this forum, geriatrics isn't listed under specialties and in CASPA it isn't listed under what I'd be interested in post-grad. Patients are more vulnerable to rapid decline, end of life care isn't particularly glamorous, Medicare and Medicaid can be a hassle to navigate through, and they often present with more chronic illnesses and are on more medications.

 

What is the job market like for geriatrics? Can any PA or student who did a geriatric rotation give me feedback! Am I crazy for wanting to do this kind work?!

[Michigander]

I work in geriatrics. Some facilities prefer NPs but I see more jobs of all fields that are open to PA/NP.

Right now I'm only in SNF but in the past I worked in assisted living and outpatient clinic too. You're right about Medicare being complicated. I see people on admission, the doctor sees them a few days or a week later and I do most of the urgent visits. In long term care, the APP and physician can alternate visits. I really like seeing people with very different illnesses and phases of life. It's a great mix of successful recovery from illness/injury, pain management, end of life. I'm very autonomous and as a new grad that took some getting used to. 

If you have any other questions, let me know.

[allthingspa]

Thank you so much for the response!