cabinsnow Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 For those of you that graduated last year or this year, how long did it take you to find employment? In the ever changing post-COVID marketplace it seems like this golden ticket is no longer valid... I'm one month away from graduation and have applied to dozens of jobs with only one interview. It's getting a little disheartening. I'm open to speciality (so long as it gets me experience to transition to EM) and looking between two states in the PNW and yet all the replies I get are, "we need experience." It really does seem no one outside of surgery wants to take on a new graduate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cideous Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 The new normal for PA's. Try and do a residency if you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabinsnow Posted May 18, 2021 Author Share Posted May 18, 2021 8 minutes ago, Cideous said: The new normal for PA's. Try and do a residency if you can. I respect these, but I came from a three year school and already have debt that I need to start paying off. From my perspective, the idea of a post-graduate training program puts me at a four year education. That's 3 years less than going to medical school. I'd rather work and teach myself along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 When did you start applying to jobs? I tell all my students to start applying for jobs AT LEAST 6 months ahead of time. It takes anywhere between 4-6 months to get a job (from the time you apply to the time you start), even for an experienced PA -- that's the nature of physician and PA jobs, even more so for a hospital-based job. Moreover, once you get a job, remember that it can take 4-6 months to get and start a new job so consider keeping a PRN gig up your sleeve. If only surgery jobs are available to you, consider getting a job in Ortho, trauma/general surgery, or some other relevant job that will help you develop skills for EM, and then actively apply to EM jobs until you get one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltawave Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 I got a job before I graduated. Didn’t like it and had another job prior to quitting the 1st one. Jobs are out there. Just have to find them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted May 19, 2021 Administrator Share Posted May 19, 2021 (edited) 11 hours ago, cabinsnow said: .. looking between two states in the PNW ... If you're looking Portland/Vancouver metro area, that's your problem. With Pacific, OHSU, and now George Fox churning out graduates, it's a very saturated market, and all the new grads who get hired came from one of those programs, rotated at their first job, and performed/wowed their way into those jobs. ETA: If you want a job in the Olympia area, PM me. I know people who are hiring. Edited May 19, 2021 by rev ronin one more thing... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
er2018 Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 I'm in the Midwest but graduated in December and still looking. I'm having the same issue with jobs telling me I need experience. I've had a few interviews that didn't amount to anything. It's getting very discouraging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabinsnow Posted May 20, 2021 Author Share Posted May 20, 2021 On 5/18/2021 at 4:26 PM, SedRate said: When did you start applying to jobs? I tell all my students to start applying for jobs AT LEAST 6 months ahead of time. It takes anywhere between 4-6 months to get a job (from the time you apply to the time you start), even for an experienced PA -- that's the nature of physician and PA jobs, even more so for a hospital-based job. Moreover, once you get a job, remember that it can take 4-6 months to get and start a new job so consider keeping a PRN gig up your sleeve. If only surgery jobs are available to you, consider getting a job in Ortho, trauma/general surgery, or some other relevant job that will help you develop skills for EM, and then actively apply to EM jobs until you get one. I started applying 4 months from graduation but I briefly stopped in between after a lot of the responses were either telling me to find experience or apply after licensure in hand. I'm very much open to Ortho since like you mentioned it would be a good bridge to EM. From what I've seen Ortho jobs tend to be very new grad friendly but its just a saturated market at the moment. Thanks for the advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo1 Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 On 5/18/2021 at 4:26 PM, SedRate said: I tell all my students to start applying for jobs AT LEAST 6 months ahead of time. Are almost-grads going to get the same consideration from jobs if we're still several months away from graduation though? There's no guarantee that student will gain licensure (although the majority of students will pass the PANCE). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabinsnow Posted May 21, 2021 Author Share Posted May 21, 2021 6 hours ago, Apollo1 said: Are almost-grads going to get the same consideration from jobs if we're still several months away from graduation though? There's no guarantee that student will gain licensure (although the majority of students will pass the PANCE). That's the issue I've run into. I really don't think employers take soon to be grads seriously unless you somehow have an 'in' at a location. That and maybe family medicine. There are just too many variables and I don't think 6 months away in a post-covid world is realistic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cideous Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 The longer you go without a job, the harder it will be to get one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 On 5/20/2021 at 2:08 PM, Apollo1 said: Are almost-grads going to get the same consideration from jobs if we're still several months away from graduation though? There's no guarantee that student will gain licensure (although the majority of students will pass the PANCE). No, but the point in applying early is exposure to the market, networking, and experience. I don't know about you or anyone else, but I don't want to wait until it's crunch time to try to find a job, especially one that I actually want. I gave my CV to every preceptor. Once I realized how difficult it is to find a GOOD job that is open to new grads, I started applying 6 months before graduation. I kept getting told, "No, you don't have a license yet. Try again later." Or, "No, you don't have any experience. Try again later." Thankfully, my second-to-last preceptor was hiring and I got a job offer. They paid for all my expenses including PANCE and license. And because of my network, within the year after graduation, I had multiple preceptors reach out to me asking about a job. I had one that asked every year for the first three years. Haha Anyways, it's a little late to be using my advice if you're already graduated, but if there's a will, there's a way. Good luck. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 21 hours ago, cabinsnow said: That's the issue I've run into. I really don't think employers take soon to be grads seriously unless you somehow have an 'in' at a location. That and maybe family medicine. There are just too many variables and I don't think 6 months away in a post-covid world is realistic. Maybe, maybe not. You're welcome to do whatever you think is best for your situation. Practices know it takes AT LEAST 3 months to hire someone for a hospital-based job, usually longer. If they like a soon-to-be new grad, they understand it takes time to get licensed and all that. And for the right candidate, they'll wait. Mine waited 5 months from the time I was a student with them to the time I started. It took another 2 months for hospital privileges so that I could even do anything other than clinic. By the way, a lot of the good jobs won't get posted -- they're shared by word of mouth. If you want to find a place that will take you seriously and wait for you, network, network, network. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kettle Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 Do a residency. There are a lot of EM residences out there as well as hospitalist/CC residencies. I graduated last May and started residency last June. I was a paramedic for 10 years prior to PA and even with that experience I still strongly suggest a residency. I've learned a huge amount 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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