First job for scared new grad

[UnconfidentnewGrad]

Okay. So I have been having trouble finding a job out of PA school. I graduated in December. I applied to a few residencies and fellowships and made it to the final round of one of the residencies but ultimately was not chosen. (This process took 2.5 months of my life= 1.5 months waiting for the interview and 1 month waiting for the results).

So now I am 7 months out of school and without a job. The biggest problem is that I struggle with confidence. I did very well on all my tests in school but I feel like 2 years in school wasn't enough for me to be ready to practice medicine. Unfortunately, all of the fellowships and residences have deadlines that have passed so I am trying to find a job that will be welcoming of a new grad and be training heavy.

I have a few interviews/job offers but need some advice of which would be best for me.

One job primary care. They will give me 1-2 weeks of shadowing the doctor then 2 months of working in the same clinic with the doctor who I can utilize for questions. After that time I would be solo at one of the clinics. Pay is okay 90k but job is in California which is kind of expensive. 

One job is Urgent care. Shadowing for maybe 1 month then would be solo "sometimes" at 2 of their locations. But able to call doc at other locations if I have a question. Better pay and benefits than the primary care job. But I have read on the forum that Urgent care may not be the best for a new grad to start in. 

One jobs is endocrinology (I am scared this may be too specific for my first job and I may not be able to get out of this specialty if I end up not liking it). 

Any advice of which I should take if offered the position (knowing that I am a new grad who struggles with confidence)? I wish there were more residencies and fellowships for pAs!

 

Thanks!

[wookie]

I'm completing my first year of employment as a PA in emergency medicine and I wouldn't feel comfortable being a solo provider. I probably wouldn't feel comfortable in family practice or urgent care either. 

[UGoLong]

I’d probably try endocrinology and apply to fellowships next year. It’s a more bound set of problems to work and learn and shouldn’t pidgeonhole you too much in your future. Plus the mechanics of seeing people, ordering tests, adjusting meds, etc should help you build confidence. And you might end up enjoying it.

 

 

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[MT2PA]

Of the three, the endo job is likely to provide the most training.  Specialties are usually aware and understanding that PA school is fairly general and if they are willing to accept a new grad, training will be involved.

Honestly, based on what you're saying here, you won't survive/thrive at the primary care job or UC job.  It's not clear if you are lacking the confidence just recently or since you graduated - but now you are 7 months out of training which is more than a typical new grad (i.e. someone who graduated in May and is starting a job in August...usually only about 3 months lag time).  All of that is to say - don't take a job that is going to kill your confidence further or that you'll leave in 3 months and find yourself even further from graduation with little experience to show for it.

 

[sas5814]

Look for a position where you will be working with other providers. Don't look at positions where you get a short train up and the you are on your own.You can use your colleagues (to a point) as a sounding board and backstop.

Confidence comes with experience. You shouldn't be trying to get experience working solo. That is a bad plan.

[goalsofaPA]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think your confidence is lacking due to the fact that you put all your eggs in one basket hoping you'd get into a residency, while many of your classmates are already working as clinicians. While 7 months is a bit of a gap compared to the average new grad, the fact you have 3 job offers is still an amazing feat. If I were you, I'd take the endocrinology job just because I think that's where you'll learn a lot of 'medicine' (i.e. managing DM, thyroid, etc). Once you get a bit settled there, try doing UC per diem to keep up with your procedural skills. By then heck, you may not even need to do a residency.

 You went through PA School, remember that. Not everyone can go through the rigorous didactic and clinical year like we do.