New Grad Preparing for First Job

[RNewker]

Hi all! Not only is this my first forum post but soon I will be starting my first job as a PA in Primary Care/Urgent Care. I rely heavily on this forum to answer my many questions but could not seem to find a posting pertaining to this subject. I guess what I am trying to say is I am nervous to go from didactic/clinical year and studying for the PANCE to seeing patient's as a certified PA. I have confidence in myself to succeed but I was hoping for some tips to help boost this confidence. 

Thanks! 

[kingcoffee7]

As a new grad in urgent care I can say it's not to bad. I however have a doc with me that I can bounce questions off of. I recommend hippo urgent care bootcamp and their podcast as well. I use something from it every day. Get an up-to-date subscription if you don't have it already and be prepared to see 90% coughs and colds. 

[Joelseff]

With Primary Care, I advise you to read, read and read some more! Lol. Make sure you are UTD with USPSTF recs and know your basics. Also make sure you are shadowing a Doc or another Provider for at least a few weeks and always ask questions. UpToDate helps if you have it but really nailing down your basics with HTN, DM, HLD, Labs, Pharm etc.

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[ohiovolffemtp]

Medscape is a very good and free alternative to UpToDate.

[rev ronin]

The first year in primary care is about learning to explain things--making your own "tapes" to playback when you're explaining things to patients.  You probably already observed this in rotations--I was floored in my first rotation when an attending rattled off an OTC regimen for what I thought was a pretty rare/niche condition, but in reflection I noted that he probably had come across it once weekly for the last 10-15 years.

[UpperLeftPAC]

7 minutes ago, rev ronin said:

The first year in primary care is about learning to explain things--making your own "tapes" to playback when you're explaining things to patients.  You probably already observed this in rotations--I was floored in my first rotation when an attending rattled off an OTC regimen for what I thought was a pretty rare/niche condition, but in reflection I noted that he probably had come across it once weekly for the last 10-15 years.

This is really awesome advice. I have never worked primary care but when I first started practicing I worked hospitalist days and encountered a lot of the same chronic diseases. You don't really understand what's going on in a disease process until you can explain it in basic enough terms for the vast majority of patients, in my opinion. So many patients don't really understand what it means to have heart failure, for example... taking the time to create a sort of quick, concise script for patients is A) best for your patients and B) promotes continued learning and understanding on your part. 

[sas5814]

The most important advice I give anyone is know what you don't know. I've been practicing 30 years and that is still the most important thing I know.

Yesterday I had mom bring a baby with a weird rash. Derm is hands down my worst skill and after asking a lot of questions I still didn't know. I told her...fortunately for you I am a PA and not a physician because I don't mind saying out loud I'm not sure. We discussed possibilities and a treatment and follow up plan and mom went away very happy.