NPR's "All Things Considered" - Unemployed PA

[Royal Flush]

I've been a lurker around these forums, originally I was gunning for Pharmacy school but the lack of job opportunities and a few days of thinking made me realize I wouldn't be happy as a pharmacist and that I would be doing it solely for the money - something I realized isn't worth doing. Anyways, not starting a new thread about my future just yet, this is just a little introduction about me as a pre-pa student.

 

As I was driving home yesterday, I was listening to NPR's program, All Things Considered and they were talking about the poverty rate that has been rising. I heard this and I got... Not worried but curious on some input.

 

"I'm Billie Jackson. I'm 31, and I have two degrees. I have a physician assistant degree and a hotel-restaurant degree, and I can't find work at all. I've been looking for work since May of 2008. My husband's [sic] been out of work for a year and a half."

That was all they had of her story, then they listed a few other people who were in bad shape as well that weren't as educated.

 

I know its a vague statement, she might only have a bachelors, and there are probably a number of other things that might contribute to her not being able to find work as a PA. Personally, simple (indeed.com) searches around Houston have given me a decent amount of results. Expanding shows that there are a good amount of PA opportunities nationally, keeping in mind this is just indeed.com/craigslist, nothing too serious.

 

I was just wondering, what do you guys have to say about job prospects? The thing that really pushed me out of pharmacy initially was the job prospects. Regrettably, I should have realized I wouldn't have been a happy man even if I was making over $200K while working as a pharmacist. From what I've seen, someone who is dedicated to their professional goals will make it happen. If you live in Texas and the last available job that you are guaranteed a seat is in a remote Alaskan area, personally I would move to Alaska. Hopefully it doesn't come to that sort of situation and currently, I don't think it will for a while.

[EMEDPA]

She probably is unwilling to leave a very small geographic area for family reasons. having a bs as a pa wouldn't stop her from getting a job, not leaving the town she was born in might. I get unsolicited job offers almost daily. there are lots of pa jobs out there.

[jmj11]

I've overheard medical assistants calling themselves "physician assistants," so that's a possibility.

 

We don't know the whole story. I once posted for a PA position and did the interviews. I was surprised how many PAs were unemployed, and, based on their interviews were unemployable.

[aigetay]

Physician Assistants

 

That is the Outlook Occupational Handbook, which is monitored and ran by the feds. It has PA's at a projected 39% growth! Which is through the roof compared to other fields right now. I'm not sure if there has ever been a better or easier time to find a job as a PA.

[EMEDPA]

Physician Assistants

 

That is the Outlook Occupational Handbook, which is monitored and ran by the feds. It has PA's at a projected 39% growth! Which is through the roof compared to other fields right now. I'm not sure if there has ever been a better or easier time to find a job as a PA.

YUP, THERE WAS....when there were only 50 programs or so there were 7 jobs for every new grad....supposedly the # is 4 jobs/grad now with 150 programs...

[Avalon]

I am a very recent graduate (mid-August) and thought I would add my experience. I live in a fairly rural area on the East coast, about an hour from a major metropolitan area. I have applied to a total of 12 jobs (nine in the rural area and three in the metropolitan area) and have been fairly selective in the application process. For example, I know that I do not want to take a surgical or a hospitalist position and I would want a substantive component of women's health in my work. I have had three interviews and have two pending for next week, and I have had one offer (which I declined; I would love to share the story of that traumatic interview on the forum). Interestingly, all of the interviews have been from the rural and closely surrounding areas, and I have heard nothing at all in response to my applications in the city. While admittedly I am not yet employed, I have been encouraged my personal experience in less than three weeks of job seeking. By the way, I received notification of passing the PANCE on Thursday, which should benefit me in my continued search.

[roman6163]

This article is BS

 

She is probably a medical assistant

 

One thing PA's don't lack is job opportunities

[LESH]

I agree with Roman. Emed I remember the "7 PA jobs... ", I used to chant it like a zealot. Till I found out that maybe AAPA and PAEA's(aka APAP) reporting(cough *marketing*) of that employment stat was about as accurate as the USNWR ranking of PA programs...just saying. Jmj11 why were the PAs unemployable?

[primadonna22274]

Talk about enlightening: just attended an NCCPA Program Leader's Summit this past week...one of the presentations was on stupid things PAs do to lose their certification/become ineligible to regain it. Who knows, this PA may have done something unethical, illegal, idiotic, etc., etc. and is therefore "unable to find a job". The news only reports the part of the story they find useful and what is most likely to elicit the "ahhhh" response...we must always be circumspect.

Of course she may just be one of those PAs who is unwilling to take ANY PA job as E suggests--and there certainly are some markets that are saturated. I for one have NEVER had trouble finding a PA job--usually have 2 or 3 at one time. One of the best things about the profession IMO.

[bradtPA]

Kathy Adamson's presentation is a good one!

[primadonna22274]

No kidding--I like that lady!

[jmj11]

I agree with Roman. Emed I remember the "7 PA jobs... ", I used to chant it like a zealot. Till I found out that maybe AAPA and PAEA's(aka APAP) reporting(cough *marketing*) of that employment stat was about as accurate as the USNWR ranking of PA programs...just saying. Jmj11 why were the PAs unemployable?

 

I will give you one example, and I will admit it was probably the worst one.

 

I was interviewing PAs to replace myself. I decided that I would meet person to person with every applicant. We had some great ones. But the worst one I will call Mack.

 

Mack sent me his "CV"on blue lined notebook paper, printed out in pencil. It was folded in stuck in an off the shelve regular sized envelop (not business sized). I know, that was a death blow. But, like I said, I said right up front I would give every applicant the benefit of the doubt and meet with them face to face.

 

He showed up very late for his interview because he got lost. Another bad sign. Every interview I've ever gone on, I do a dry run to find the office unless I know exactly where it is. I would never show up late unless I was in a MVA.

 

He shows up wearing odd looking clothes. Polyester pants that were way above his ankles and shirt that looked old and tethered and no tie.

 

He had a job for a while right out of school, but he didn't hesitate to tell me how they were all *******s and had fired him for no good reason and he was thinking about suing them. Now he had been unemployed for several years and was living back with his mother (I think he was about 30).

 

Next, he did not sit during the interview but paced the office, obliviously playing pocket pool in an odd way with both hands, and talking about hot the nurses were who worked there.

 

Should I say more? But I had about 3 on that level, while the vast majority were very competent. In the end, we had about 5 that we wouldn't have hesitated to offer the job to.

[marilynpac]

There could be many reasons why a PA can't find a job. 1) unwilling/unable to leave an area wherePAjobs aren't in supply. 2) lack of experience in that field. I find in IL they want anywhere from 3-5yrs experience, making it nearly impossible to change your specialty 3) NP mindset...our education is after the medical model and a lot of docs think that's competiton, whereas the NPs are trained after the nursing model and the docs feel that a nurse is a nurse is a nurse...4) Living in a state where malpractice ins premiums are so high that docs will use that as an excuse/reason that they can't afford to hire one....but they live in mansions. 5) What they want is really another doc to join the practice b/c then they have call only every other weekend. 6) Because it's difficult to recruit doctors to a specific locale, if a doctor is willing then they will take the doctor instead of the midlevel.

[Rob77]

I will give you one example, and I will admit it was probably the worst one.

 

I was interviewing PAs to replace myself. I decided that I would meet person to person with every applicant. We had some great ones. But the worst one I will call Mack.

 

Mack sent me his "CV"on blue lined notebook paper, printed out in pencil. It was folded in stuck in an off the shelve regular sized envelop (not business sized). I know, that was a death blow. But, like I said, I said right up front I would give every applicant the benefit of the doubt and meet with them face to face.

 

He showed up very late for his interview because he got lost. Another bad sign. Every interview I've ever gone on, I do a dry run to find the office unless I know exactly where it is. I would never show up late unless I was in a MVA.

 

He shows up wearing odd looking clothes. Polyester pants that were way above his ankles and shirt that looked old and tethered and no tie.

 

He had a job for a while right out of school, but he didn't hesitate to tell me how they were all *******s and had fired him for no good reason and he was thinking about suing them. Now he had been unemployed for several years and was living back with his mother (I think he was about 30).

 

Next, he did not sit during the interview but paced the office, obliviously playing pocket pool in an odd way with both hands, and talking about hot the nurses were who worked there.

 

Should I say more? But I had about 3 on that level, while the vast majority were very competent. In the end, we had about 5 that we wouldn't have hesitated to offer the job to.

 

So did you hire him?

[andersenpa]

So did you hire him?

 

He's working as an Emergency Medicine PA in Oregon now.....

[primadonna22274]

hahahahahaha....good one Matt :)

[roman6163]

Talk about enlightening: just attended an NCCPA Program Leader's Summit this past week...one of the presentations was on stupid things PAs do to lose their certification/become ineligible to regain it. Who knows, this PA may have done something unethical, illegal, idiotic, etc., etc. and is therefore "unable to find a job". The news only reports the part of the story they find useful and what is most likely to elicit the "ahhhh" response...we must always be circumspect.

Of course she may just be one of those PAs who is unwilling to take ANY PA job as E suggests--and there certainly are some markets that are saturated. I for one have NEVER had trouble finding a PA job--usually have 2 or 3 at one time. One of the best things about the profession IMO.

 

P,

If you can access that Presentation please provide a link if there is one. This sounds like an interesting topic.

[primadonna22274]

Hey, I don't know if there's a link but PM me your email address and I may be able to share the PPT with you.

:)

[EMEDPA]

He's working as an Emergency Medicine PA in Oregon now.....

 

hey, I got my own place at least....:)

[whoRyou]

He's working as an Emergency Medicine PA in Oregon now.....

OMG that is one of the funniest and scariest stories I have heard in a LONG and I do mean LONG time!!! :;-D:

[Medic207]

Too funny.

We need a "like" button.

 

Anyway, my comments to the OP. while we may not know the true story of this person's plight, It was on NPR, not designed to be educational and facts do not always matter. Rather their commentary is often to shape public opinion to support political policy.