Where do you see yourself in 10 years

[newton9686]

Hey guys. I just wanted to see where everyone else thinks they will be in 10 years, especially us younger PAs (20s & 30s), or if any of yall oldies have any recommendations for us young guns. I have been practicing now for 3.5 years, mostly in hospital medicine, but I have started to stretch into urgent care & hopefully rural ER (credentialing currently) which I am excited about. However one of the things I really struggle with is while I love what I do on a day to day basis (I was designed to see and treat patients) I just wonder sometimes what I am working towards. Will I be doing the same thing in 10-15 years and just watch myself getting lapped by the MD & DO students I help along the way? It also really bothers me that I can have a great SP that I click with one day and then they leave and I am stuck with a piece of s**t the next.

While I love the PA profession and that it gives me great honor in caring for and helping patients, I just struggled with how I will advance in my profession. Its hard enough dealing with certain opinionated doctors now, I can't imagine how bad it is going to be when I've been practicing longer than they have. I constantly flirt with the idea of going back to medical school, but right now I dont have the MCAT scores (500) & my wife isnt interested in moving across the country for a random program. I am also really passionate about ultrasound but it is a struggle to find a comprehensive learning experience such as the ER U/S fellowships that would really allow me to use and teach ultrasound. I looked at doing community college RDMS programs, but again this seems like a step back somewhat. And while I am able to commute 45 minutes to some rural environments there are no ERs nearby where PAs solo coverage which also seems like a great opportunity for independent pas that want to push themselves and practice at the highest extent of their license. I've looked at other degrees such as JD, MBAs, MHAs, PhDs, etc both those seem like they only push you away from the clinical side versus give you more clinical opportunities. Really liked the DMS program at LMU as it seems like a challenging clinical curriculum that would help me in my practice, but currently does not allow for any additional clinical privileges or responsibilities. Teaching is a possibility as well.

Let me know what yall's future plans are and feel free to throw any recommendations my way.

[PAtoMD]

I had the same concerns as you and decided to go onto medical school. 
 

I see that you’re concerned about a MCAT of 500. While it may inhibit you from applying MD, you can certainly apply DO with that score. 

[ventana]

OTP

getting out from under organized medicine - no need to have physicians control our fate

 

Just accepted a job in a neighboring state in no small part due to the supervision requirements being essentially zero in the new state.  I am responsible for my own actions, period.  Times are changing....

 

In 10 years I hope to be in my last year of full time clinical practice, will do part time/partly retired for a few years. Sending my first off to college, getting my second through HS. Spending more time around the house relaxing and enjoying life....

[sas5814]

10 years? drunk on the golf course....and I don't play golf.

Until we flush out some of the old timers in the "everything is just fine" club we are not going to make any significant progress. I have stated, and still believe, that the bus will have to fly off the cliff, hit the bottom, and burst into flames before we "get it" as a group. Even then some of us will be squirting the conflagration with a garden hose saying "everything is fine."

We have not developed the fortitude for bold action as a profession.

[ohiovolffemtp]

10 years from now: focusing on the "grand" in front of "pa".  Maybe still practicing a bit part-time.

I expect that there will be an increasing variation between states in scope of practice.  OTP has actually done better than I expected, but I believe there will be many states where there will have been little improvement.  Those will be the states where the physician community and their lobbyists are strongest.  (including my home state of Ohio).  NP's will continue to be able to overcome those barriers due to their political clout that rivals the docs.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

Dead, maybe, at 72?

[MediMike]

Had this question posed to me by one of the paramedic students a couple weeks ago and honestly it stunned me.

What the hell am I going to be doing in 5-10 years? I'm in a similar boat where I don't want to do admin and am not really sure what the best way to advance myself clinically. We've got a fellowship starting so that may provide some distraction (depending on how it goes). 

Don't want to head back to medical school at this point sooooo...if you figure something out let me know!

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

No idea. Part of me hoped that I can be the medical director for my very rural ED one day, but that probably won’t ever happen. Maybe chief Pa position if I’m lucky, but doubt that either. Maybe teaching and part time clinical? Some days I think about going back into the reserves to finish out my last 15 years and get my pension. 
 

really though, I wish I could own a food truck made from an old ambulance. Call it the Hambulance, making deli sandwiches.name sandwiches after medical procedures you’ll need for eating to much like a greasy burger the lapchole. Maybe a vitamin rich smoothie called the roux en y special.

[EMEDPA]

18 minutes ago, LT_Oneal_PAC said:

No idea. Part of me hoped that I can be the medical director for my very rural ED one day, but that probably won’t ever happen. Maybe chief Pa position if I’m lucky, but doubt that either. Maybe teaching and part time clinical? Some days I think about going back into the reserves to finish out my last 15 years and get my pension. 
 

really though, I wish I could own a food truck made from an old ambulance. Call it the Hambulance, making deli sandwiches.name sandwiches after medical procedures you’ll need for eating to much like a greasy burger the lapchole. Maybe a vitamin rich smoothie called the roux en y special.

and a fried everything special called "The Cholesterol tolerance test". Survive the meal and your heart is good for 5 years. 

[EMEDPA]

10 years? Probably cut down to full time and start doing some fun stuff like working in Alaska. 

[bike mike]

One word....... retired

[kettle]

Ideally working rural ER, put roots down, find someone who will tolerate me hopefully and maybe a child or two. 

While at work I'm 100% dedicated to work but I won't chase money. I'd like to have the occasional student, work with the local EMS agency and hopefully assimilate some practices that are practical that I learned in residency. I'll take less pay and even less benefits to work for an independent community hospital. Corporate is not for me.

Matt

[CAdamsPAC]

The guest of honor at a wake.

[CAdamsPAC]

On 7/22/2021 at 12:38 PM, kettle said:

Ideally working rural ER, put roots down, find someone who will tolerate me hopefully and maybe a child or two. 

While at work I'm 100% dedicated to work but I won't chase money. I'd like to have the occasional student, work with the local EMS agency and hopefully assimilate some practices that are practical that I learned in residency. I'll take less pay and even less benefits to work for an independent community hospital. Corporate is not for me.

Matt

Look at Critical Access Hospitals in the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming!

[Incognito]

On 7/21/2021 at 10:42 AM, GetMeOuttaThisMess said:

Dead, maybe, at 72?

I will probably have Alzheimers. LOL

[newton9686]

Well looks like I got my answer today. I got accepted last minute to medical school. Super excited and panicking at the same time. Someone dropped out last minute and they basically start on Monday so I had essentially 5 hours to make my decision. But i am super thankful for the opportunity. And thankfully my employers were understanding which was very helpful

I will always be a PA at heart and will forever be a PA advocate. Hopefully I can be a part of helping make more bridge programs and other opportunities for PAs in the future. Thanks for all ya'll support & insight over the years. Cheers!

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

3 minutes ago, newton9686 said:

Well looks like I got my answer today. I got accepted last minute to medical school. Super excited and panicking at the same time. Someone dropped out last minute and they basically start on Monday so I had essentially 5 hours to make my decision. But i am super thankful for the opportunity. And thankfully my employers were understanding which was very helpful

I will always be a PA at heart and will forever be a PA advocate. Hopefully I can be a part of helping make more bridge programs and other opportunities for PAs in the future. Thanks for all ya'll support & insight over the years. Cheers!

Seriously though, congrats! Go forth and do great things my friend!

[iconic]

I've met an ENT doc once who was a former PA. She was so anti PA it was unbelievable 

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

1 hour ago, iconic said:

I've met an ENT doc once who was a former PA. She was so anti PA it was unbelievable 

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.”

[PAtoMD]

4 hours ago, newton9686 said:

Well looks like I got my answer today. I got accepted last minute to medical school. Super excited and panicking at the same time. Someone dropped out last minute and they basically start on Monday so I had essentially 5 hours to make my decision. But i am super thankful for the opportunity. And thankfully my employers were understanding which was very helpful

I will always be a PA at heart and will forever be a PA advocate. Hopefully I can be a part of helping make more bridge programs and other opportunities for PAs in the future. Thanks for all ya'll support & insight over the years. Cheers!

Congratulations!

[UGoLong]

In ten years -- if I'm lucky -- I'll have been married to the same great woman for 63 years, have kids approaching 60, and grandkids in their late 20s. I hope to still be working part-time in clinic and teaching,  and still taking January off in a warm climate. I hope to be able to focus on what I can still do and not what I can't any longer.

I'll try not to obsess about the future and just look at opportunities as I encounter them, trying to choose what makes me happiest. And remembering that, as you age, no points ever "come off the scoreboard:" the joys you've already had and your old experiences stay with you. 

[ventana]

18 hours ago, newton9686 said:

Well looks like I got my answer today. I got accepted last minute to medical school. Super excited and panicking at the same time. Someone dropped out last minute and they basically start on Monday so I had essentially 5 hours to make my decision. But i am super thankful for the opportunity. And thankfully my employers were understanding which was very helpful

I will always be a PA at heart and will forever be a PA advocate. Hopefully I can be a part of helping make more bridge programs and other opportunities for PAs in the future. Thanks for all ya'll support & insight over the years. Cheers!

that's awesome!!  please don't forget the lowly pa....

 

congrats - wish I was 20 yrs younger and I would be joining you!!

 

[Cideous]

The only doc I ever knew who was previously a PA was an arrogant prick.  He pretended to be "cool" but would turn around and say terrible things about you behind your back degrading and belittling your contribution to medicine.

 

It kinda reminds me of enlisted personnel who go to OCS and come back as officers.  Those are the LAST guys you ever want to serve under.  

[Jofriend]

I'm really glad that you are going to med school.  My first thought when I read your original post was that you should go to med school so I was glad to see your follow up comment. It is "the road not taken" and it should be a door opener for you.  Best wishes!  You'll do great. 

[rev ronin]

10 hours ago, Cideous said:

It kinda reminds me of enlisted personnel who go to OCS and come back as officers.  Those are the LAST guys you ever want to serve under.  

When I worked for the Coast Guard as a Unisys contractor, I worked for two warrant to lieutenant (CWO2/3 -> O3E) department heads.  They were pretty decent guys... but then, I wasn't enlisted.