thinkertdm Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 I think for some money is more important. For myself, it's not that important, but we all respect each others choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 I will refine my statement. I hate to hear any PA say that money is the reason they joined the profession or that money is the goal of any chosen profession over having a skill or a gift. You can do good work for good pay but, as I have stated many many times before - there is a ceiling and if you hit the ceiling too soon- nowhere to go. Of course, my education in the 90s cost 1/4 to 1/5 of what it does now. The salaries are not going to keep up with the schooling costs for PAs, MDs, DOs, etc. So, try to enjoy what you do and, for the love of all that is holy - BE GOOD AT IT! Work to live, not live to work. And yes, I have kids and 2 mortgages and all that other stuff life entails. I make enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted February 28, 2019 Moderator Share Posted February 28, 2019 I am one that will not go to work to the VA due to money to be honest I get about 90% PA pay for a 20 hour three clinical work day week. The VA offered me the same pay for a 5 day 40 hour week with out call. This is a 40+% pay cut (paid for with my family time and sanity) I love serving my country, an would love to work in the VA, but to take a 40% pay cut is just not feasible. If they even got a little closer I would e very very interested - but the numbers need to work - I do 95% of the doc job and am offered $120k when the docs are making about $200k/year (and I can make 65% of that in a 3 day work week) It is not about the money, it is about life balance and balance the family life with the work life is a priority, then the "subject matter" of work (where I work) plays a part...... I am pretty much out from under my loans ($126/m paid off in 2022) so it is not the loans either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted February 28, 2019 Author Share Posted February 28, 2019 I spoke with the HR again and now see *some* possibility of this working. I probably will be at the GS13 per her description but she said they cannot guarantee it at this time. She did mention that the legislation for increased pay for PAs did pass but this center has not yet implemented it and "its only a matter of time but we cannot guarantee that increase." so there may be room for this to work for me. The commute and pension are hard to pass on. I'm going to consider it over the weekend and aksed to extend my deadline by Monday and she agreed. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiovolffemtp Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 I did part of my training at a VA facility. I was amazed at the lack of urgency. All of the PA's & docs were union and worked 07:30-16:00 with a half hour for lunch. OT was not allowed. If a patient came in late in the shift they were completely left for the next shift. Totally different that what I see in EM. If it's late in the shift, you at least do a quick assessment, order initial workup and meds, and then sign out to an oncoming provider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkertdm Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 56 minutes ago, ohiovolffemtp said: I did part of my training at a VA facility. I was amazed at the lack of urgency. All of the PA's & docs were union and worked 07:30-16:00 with a half hour for lunch. OT was not allowed. If a patient came in late in the shift they were completely left for the next shift. Totally different that what I see in EM. If it's late in the shift, you at least do a quick assessment, order initial workup and meds, and then sign out to an oncoming provider. Union has nothing to do with it. The VA is socialized medicine that does not generate any money. Big Corp will make x number dollars per patient seen, they can make more by paying the nurses less, making people see more patients, etc. The VA does bill insurance a bit but for the most part, every patient seen costs money. Also, while each hospital and clinic has the big "VA" sign, they are all run differently. The administration for the most part lacks focus and can't manage a photomat let alone a medical center, and I see examples of laziness and inefficiency every day. But I also see it on charts coming in from the civilian side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk732 Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 6 hours ago, sas5814 said: If I won the lottery my employer would find out when they read it in the paper. I wouldn't even call. The hole would close in behind me quickly and in very short order it would be like I was never there. I have no allusions about how big a deal my departure would be. If I won the lottery, my employer would find out about it by the little yellow puddle outside their office with my ID in it +/- the email with a picture of me in front of a white board saying "I PHUQUING QUIT AS OF XYZ DATE". If they're lucky, the white board won't be their office door as I'm leaving them my ID. Might have to do that anyway if I get the job I just interviewed for ...which I mention because I would have to take a decent pay cut; however, I'd rather the pay cut with top up from my pension, a lot less stress, in a better work environment and nicer town than what I'm doing now for a disrespectful employer, in a shyte little town and working myself into a quad CABG or worse, into becoming a quad cabbage. $0.02 CD SK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted February 28, 2019 Moderator Share Posted February 28, 2019 16 hours ago, Joelseff said: She did mention that the legislation for increased pay for PAs did pass but this center has not yet implemented it and "its only a matter of time but we cannot guarantee that increase." So if this passed I would want to know the bill and language so that I can forward to my local VISN and ask them to hire me with a more competitive wage... anyone have more specific details on what his bill was, or a copy of it??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted February 28, 2019 Moderator Share Posted February 28, 2019 19 hours ago, Joelseff said: I can respect your opinion and I am all for altruism but the reality is money IS a factor maybe not THE factor. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk agree. it is a factor, but not the only one. If it was all about the money I could do high volume urgent care at kaiser biking distance from my house for > 250k/yr. instead I drive 66 miles to one CAH, and 115 miles to two others. I still make a great salary, but quality of life is important. my days of seeing 30-40 pts in 12 hrs are DONE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkertdm Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 1 hour ago, ventana said: So if this passed I would want to know the bill and language so that I can forward to my local VISN and ask them to hire me with a more competitive wage... anyone have more specific details on what his bill was, or a copy of it??? The VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 (here) makes changes to Section 7451(a)(2) of title 38 of the United States Code. This change apparently is moving forward and is only hindered by the aging computer system that manages 300+ pay scales: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyPA Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 On 2/27/2019 at 8:00 PM, Joelseff said: I spoke with the HR again and now see *some* possibility of this working. I probably will be at the GS13 per her description but she said they cannot guarantee it at this time. She did mention that the legislation for increased pay for PAs did pass but this center has not yet implemented it and "its only a matter of time but we cannot guarantee that increase." so there may be room for this to work for me. The commute and pension are hard to pass on. I'm going to consider it over the weekend and aksed to extend my deadline by Monday and she agreed. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk I wouldn't hold your breath in the bay area, even at chief grade (GS13). I'm probably biased, but for multiple reasons pay isn't top priority to me...I will be drawing an officers pension from the Army, and have all medical covered as well as low cost dental and vision, I suck at saving on my own, and I live in a low cost of living area. I also expect a disability rating from own VA claim that will be high enough to not be deducted from my pension, this will also get me free medical for myself at the VA. At this stage in my life, time off with the family is most important, and no where I have looked at here in Texas comes close to the VA. The pension + 401 is just a bonus, and you only need 5 years to get some amount of pension at age 60, albeit not al for 5 years, but something. Salaries in my part of Texas are stable but not spectacular (Austin area, a bit saturated) and they like to work in Texas so PTO is not what I would call generous. Also the position they offered me is telehealth, and for more than half of the time my commute will be walking up the stairs. A PA who works at the system said that if I qualify for GS13 or can get a waiver (it mentions 5 years, I have 4.5+, but meet all of the other qualifications in multiple categories) they usually hire at step 8 which works out to $105-108k which is reasonable for primary care in this area. He also said that when they figure out the Quality employment act he expects it to be about a $10k raise, but it still might be a year or so off. Sure I could make more doing urgent care, the one I will moonlighting at is $60 with a very generous bonus structure...$125k full time, conservatively $135-140k BEFORE any overtime. But UC...kinda sucks, and I cant see myself doing it full time for more than a few years. I will wait to see what the final offer is which you could do also, accept the position tentatively and then if the final offer with salary doesn't float your boat, tell them thanks but no thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.