jflassing Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 Well, that is some water on the fire. I don't disagree with your comments about the challenges faced by a new PA in rural medicine. I don't think, however, that cutting your teeth in a city hospital is any more educational or better experience than what I'm gaining 45 minutes away from the nearest trauma center. I have physician supervision most days of the week and EMS to transport. The same decisions and challenges met in a city hospital are met here on a daily basis. The biggest difference is actually providing care to those patients who are generally more grateful to have you as part of their community. Last Friday I sent an acute CHF exacerbation 8 days SP AVR and another patient with worsening pyelo to the hospital for admission. I also sent a through-and-through GSW to the ED who never should have been brought to the clinic. Anyway, not sure if you're point was that a new grad isn't ready or whether the acuity is not as high. Regaring a potential lack of experience, I know I have a lot to learn and am learning exponentially more out of school than in, but I am completely happy doing so in a rural setting. Most importantly, I don't think I am learning more at a consequence of poorer patient outcomes. I just feel I'm learning more, period. I have former classmates that have yet to handle a patient on their own yet and still have docs signing behind every order they write. Guess what, they work for the most part in larger city hospitals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naynay222 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Thank you for posting that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest motoracer8183 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Very well said! I am from a very small town, and hope to help those folks in the rural communities. I had to raise a child before I started my dream of being a PA, I am now 37 and am excited to get it going. It is not about the money at all for me, its about helping others, I own 3 companies and bring in personally 175k per year from all three companies. hopefully If I get accepted into PA school I will sell those companies, and start living my lifelong dream!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoRN Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I've spent the majority of my life in the city, with briefer periods in small-town environments. Rural health care has been much on my mind of late (rural life in general), and something I'd like to start moving towards. This is good thread for reading and re-reading every so often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldje Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 OK...here comes the water on the fire. Sure the rural communities have there upside: safety, community, values...etc. But I think the rural FP's and clinics are the place for PA's that are.....hmmmmm... shall we say ready for pasture? I mean this in the nicest way, I one day plan to go to that pasture! But, you have to earn your battle scars, you have to pay your dues in the big cities, the crushing ER's with insane varieties of pathology and trauma or the inner city clinics. This is where you cut your teeth, this is where you pay your dues. Only after many, many years of this are you ready to take that level of knowledge and experience to the countryside and really bring those rural communities something they don't have access to....an intensely trained and battle hardened PA! I know that most of you on here fit that category and are ready for pasture...LOL. But, it worries me to see some posts on this thread from prospective PA students or fresh graduates who want to move to the rural communities. In my opinion, you are not ready. You don't possess the skills, the knowledge and the experience to fill that post. Not yet guys....you have to earn it and it's a loooooooong road. Quite interesting how you judge providers you have never met. If there is one thing I have learned in my short career and training it is that a PERSON makes a good provider. I have worked with plenty of docs with 30 years experience in places you would think provide the best experience. They practice terrible medicine (dont even know that a CMP gives you LFTs so they order a hepatic panel AND a CMP for screening labs). At the same time, a dedicated new grad has access to all of the information they need and a large consultant base in rural areas. Specialists understand your plight and are much more willing to talk you through a patient encounter than they are to tell you to leave them alone and send the patient. Where else can you pick up the phone and call UCLA infectious disease department and discuss with a professor how to treat a pregnant acute HIV infection?? You painted the picture with quite a broad brush. Perhaps an educated opinion deserves some more thoughtful insight and reason?? chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mph-pa Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Well, I am back on PA forum. I joined in 2003 but could not remember my username and password. This website helped me get through 3 years of PA/MPH program. Now I've been working 3 years in a rural clinic in Washington state. I think this site is awesome and remember a few of you (Mr. Bob, Banuchi, laughing angel) and look forward to being involved in inspiring others to become PAs and helping others become better PAs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncrawford Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I have to say this has been one of the most interesting discussions I have read. I really relate to the original post by Steve--- thanks for that. I'm a current PA student who will be graduating in August and planning to move back to Alaska, although I am young and could potentially see myself living in a variety of places (rurally) before moving back. I am not so naive that I plan to go out into the bush without a preceptor right out of school, but I do want to practice rural medicine. It really caught my eye that you said you were working at a Christian clinic. I'm wondering if their are a lot of opportunities out there such as that. I'm a little worried that by living in the more rural communities = working for the government in community health centers... No offense to those of you using the loan re-payment opportunities by the gov't... but I do not support that my grandchildren will be paying for most of these clinics in their taxes... Any advice on how to find non-government rural work??? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumn_george Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Hi Ncrawford :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassman Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Dear Mr. Stallings, I am in the process of developing a new PA program in West Virginia with an emphasis on Rural Medicine. Based on your experience, are there any resources that you may recommend that may assist me in developing this track, and how about incentives for students to pursue this area of practice? Any recommendations that you can provide will be helpful. Thanks much! Sincerely, Allan M. Bedashi, DHSc., MS, MPAS, PA-C. Founding Program Director/Developer Associate Professor West Liberty University Dept. of Physician Assistant Sciences 173 Campus Service Center P.O. Box 295 West Liberty, WV 26074 e-mail: abedashi@westliberty.edu Phone: (304)336-5100 May you have fair winds and following seas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY4now Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Perhaps you, or someone else here, can answer another related question for me. I am just getting started down my path toward being a PA. This is a career change for me. I am in my late-late 30's (read early 40's), and living in NYC. I have lived here for over 10 years, and when I graduate, I want to get out of the city and move to a more rural setting. The one question I have, however, is if there are "specialties" in the rural community, or if there are only family practice PA's out in the "boonies"? I guess that my real question is, if I want to specialize in something like CT surgery, neuro, immunology, etc., will I have to resolve myself to the fact that I will have to have access to a city to get work? I am dying to get a place with some land in the Catskills, but I am afraid that I would have to trek almost 2 hours to work in Albany/Schenectady. Any thoughts anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_PA Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 A well deserved bump for a nice thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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