What else can a I do with my physician Assistant degree/training

[Tori08797]

Less than 1 year as a PA-C and I know for a fact… without a shadow of a doubt, that I cannot continue this long-term. What non-clinical roles exist for PAs in my position? Or career transition opportunities?

[SedRate]

53 minutes ago, Tori08797 said:

Less than 1 year as a PA-C and I know for a fact… without a shadow of a doubt, that I cannot continue this long-term

Care to share why you think you can't continue on? It's fairly common for new grads to have a "oh sh#t" period during their first year, so I wonder if you're experiencing this as well and if some PA community support would help you get through this. 

[Reality Check 2]

Get an MBA or Masters in Healthcare Administration and go to the Dark Side of admin.

Get a paralegal or go to law school and become a medical based lawyer.

Become a drug rep or product rep.

Get alternative teacher accreditation and become a middle school/high school science teacher.

See a career counselor, look at What Color is Your Parachute for career aptitudes, take some local aptitude testing and find your path - chef, bar owner, doggy day care owner. Follow your passion.

And, yes, I have done or thought about all of these.................... 32 yrs in 

[CAAdmission]

Horse breeding technologist

[Tori08797]

I have a bachelors in healthcare admin + 2yrs of entry level experience.

career aptitude tests shows I’m more geared towards design, creativity and humanitarian work.

I considered 1st year jitters. In a nutshell, I don’t want to manage patients. 

[sas5814]

yea if you try to just use your PA training to find non-clinical jobs your choices are limited. I think most good choices have been covered above. 

While it probably won't pay as well figure out what you WANT to do and go do it.

[sas5814]

8 minutes ago, Tori08797 said:

I have a bachelors in healthcare admin + 2yrs of entry level experience.

career aptitude tests shows I’m more geared towards design, creativity and humanitarian work.

I considered 1st year jitters. In a nutshell, I don’t want to manage patients. 

I have a PhD in Health Administration. It makes a nice coaster. If you want to be in admin you need MBA or something similar. health care is a business run by administrators. There may be some lower or mid-level management positions you could get into but that is , IMHO, admin purgatory.

Its not the worst thing in the world to figure this out early on. I have been at it for 33 years and there are plenty of days I don't want to manage patients either. Today is my 2nd anniversary with the VA. In 3 years and 1 day I'll be retired.

Its way more important to be happy with what you do....content at least. Life is too short to hate going to work.

 

[SedRate]

Good suggestions and advice above.

1 hour ago, Tori08797 said:

I have a bachelors in healthcare admin + 2yrs of entry level experience.

career aptitude tests shows I’m more geared towards design, creativity and humanitarian work.

I considered 1st year jitters. In a nutshell, I don’t want to manage patients. 

Definitely check out What Color is Your Parachute. It has great resources on what careers to look into for those aptitudes. Also check out So Good They Can't Ignore You. 

As for not wanting to manage pts, I hear you. Sometimes I hate it too, especially when getting a crappy handoff from colleagues who don't carry their weight or interacting with pts who decide to take out their stuff on me or unsupportive admin/owners making crappy decisions. 

[ventana]

< 1 year in - don't fret

 

learn about other specialties 

 

I did a few years in IR - was highly technical (I am very good with my hands) but I hated the lack of ongoing continuity and clinical thought. I was a highly paid mechanic....  Which might be great for you

 

Look for fields in medicine that are more transactional then longitudinal

Management - honestly I would RUN away from management in most places - they just worship the $$$ and just want to line their own pockets and for the most part even the MD/DO/NP/PA managers have sold their soul to get on the corp greed train.

 

A few thoughts - volunteer in some clinics - take 1 day a week to set up volunteer / shadow local and not local clinics - with the idea that you stumble into something you like.  Maybe travel medicine?  IR? 

[thinkertdm]

3 hours ago, CAAdmission said:

Horse breeding technologist

I kind of got confused with the admin option, then realized…no, this is admin.  The only difference is that administrators have both hands jammed in there.  And still watching the numbers too.

And the horse isn’t smiling.  Go with horse breeding, at least the horse will love ya.

[iconic]

I don't view my role as "managing" patients (maybe this applies more in some specialties). Most patients are free to make whatever health and medical choices they want to make. My role is to guide them and provide sound medical advice. They can either follow it or not but that has no bearing on me. Look into some Motivational Interviewing books which discuss this very topic. 

Edited March 1, 2023 by iconic

[Tori08797]

10 hours ago, iconic said:

I don't view my role as "managing" patients (maybe this applies more in some specialties). Most patients are free to make whatever health and medical choices they want to make. My role is to guide them and provide sound medical advice. They can either follow it or not but that has no bearing on me. Look into some Motivational Interviewing books which discuss this very topic. 

Adults in general are free to do whatever they want. At the end of the day, it’s still the PA-C’s name on the charts. Which indicates the patient is under my care. The weight of patient care is still very real. You can call it what you like I still see it as “managing” patients as it’s my ass, my license and my freedom potentially on the line from one wrong move. Plug in whatever term you’d like, I don’t want to be responsible. 

[CAAdmission]

35 minutes ago, Tori08797 said:

Plug in whatever term you’d like, I don’t want to be responsible. 

Good documentation can't stop a lawsuit from starting, but it can get you off the hook at the end. I have always carefully documented what I think are the best options for a patient. If they choose not to follow those recommendations I explain likely consequences and document that carefully. Working with a patient is a partnership, and courts will recognize when the other partner does not hold up their end of the deal. 

It's an extreme example, but there have been circumstances where I told someone they would die if they did not follow advice, and they didn't survive beyond a couple days. It happens. 

[sas5814]

32 minutes ago, CAAdmission said:

It's an extreme example, but there have been circumstances where I told someone they would die if they did not follow advice, and they didn't survive beyond a couple days. It happens.

This is good advice and I apply it often. Just yesterday I told a patient, and charted, that he was likely to have a stroke or heart attack or both and, if he was fortunate, would die. I don't want there to be any ambiguity about what I told the patient.

That said I don't think it will help OP.

[SedRate]

2 hours ago, Tori08797 said:

Adults in general are free to do whatever they want. At the end of the day, it’s still the PA-C’s name on the charts. Which indicates the patient is under my care. The weight of patient care is still very real. You can call it what you like I still see it as “managing” patients as it’s my ass, my license and my freedom potentially on the line from one wrong move. Plug in whatever term you’d like, I don’t want to be responsible. 

It's a very scary feeling to be "in charge." Almost nine years in and I still feel it, although I am much better prepared on how to handle it and confident in my contributions. Constant reading, CME, and conferring with colleagues help significantly. Would a residency help you?

[ventana]

11 hours ago, sas5814 said:

This is good advice and I apply it often. Just yesterday I told a patient, and charted, that he was likely to have a stroke or heart attack or both and, if he was fortunate, would die. I don't want there to be any ambiguity about what I told the patient.

That said I don't think it will help OP.

Many times in my career I have excused myself from room.  Grabbed a white line piece of paper. Wrote out AMA.   Detailed problem.  My recommendations and likely outcomes if they don’t follow.  Two lines at bottom. I sign and date one.  Then ask patient to sign and date other line.  Amazing number of patients have had a change of heart.  

[Mayamom]

I got out 4 years ago.   If I didn't have a medical technology degree I'm not sure what I would have done. I searched all over the place for some other line of work with my physician assistant degree but they were all dead ends.   Maybe go back to school for laboratory work.  The pay is terrible but lots of job opportunity.   

[LKPAC]

On 2/28/2023 at 3:54 PM, Tori08797 said:

In a nutshell, I don’t want to manage patients. 

Then why did you go to PA school?  What did you think!? 

Yes, you should definitely do something else.  The practice of medicine is a calling for people who are dedicated to it.  Drug rep sounds good.

(yes, I know my answer sounds harsh.)

[Tori08797]

6 hours ago, LKPAC said:

Then why did you go to PA school?  What did you think!? 

Yes, you should definitely do something else.  The practice of medicine is a calling for people who are dedicated to it.  Drug rep sounds good.

(yes, I know my answer sounds harsh.)

Not as harsh as you think. And quite honestly, I'm unfazed. FYI: sometimes ppl change their minds when reality sets in.

BTW in the future, if you have nothing useful to add or share, dont waste space with your snarky comments. Take your bruised ego & Keep it moving to the next topic. 
 

Here's another reason: toxic colleagues

[ventana]

10 hours ago, Mayamom said:

I got out 4 years ago.   If I didn't have a medical technology degree I'm not sure what I would have done. I searched all over the place for some other line of work with my physician assistant degree but they were all dead ends.   Maybe go back to school for laboratory work.  The pay is terrible but lots of job opportunity.   

What about anesthesia assistant? All your patients are asleep. 

[newton9686]

Sorry to hear you are struggling. That first year is really hard regardless and it is easy to feel down about yourself. As people have mentioned there are not a ton of straight non-clinical options for PAs, but that doesn't mean the right position is not out there for you whether it is clinical or non-clinical 

- I know clinical research companies will frequently recruit PAs to assist with studies both in non-clinical and clinical capacities. 

- Also maybe an MHA or MBA degree is a good long term option if that was the pre-PA degree you were interested in. 

- Teaching may also be less stressful if you like the theory of medicine, but not necessary the day in and day out which is understandable. 

Also sometimes looking at different scopes can be helpful. Some people feel more comfortable managing smaller scopes than being responsible for larger scopes. That ability to know everything about something gives them great confidence and peace at work. Also working with different populations can make people feel more comfortable than others. For example many providers feel uncomfortable making basic recommendations for pregnant patients because of legal risk, versus geriatric care where you can basically kill someone, but if you have a good relationship with the family and the patient, you are unlikely to be sued. Hell this is why most family medicine physicians never get sued, while ER doctors get sued left and right because there is not that established relationship where patients feel bad suing. 

I would also look at the environment as well. You mentioned toxic relationships. I was working for a large cardiology group and literally grew to hate cardiology because of how toxic the environment. A few years later as a hospitalist PA I started covering the cardiology unit at night with a better group and I really enjoy it and could see myself doing cardiology again. So don't underestimate the ability of a toxic environment to destroy any passion you do have. 

Hope that is helpful. Just remember why you put in all that work to become a PA in the first place. And if there was something you were passionate about start looking for opportunities that move you closer. And think about what is exactly making you uncomfortable and how can you minimize that. 

Just curious. What speciality are you working in? 

[EMEDPA]

On 3/1/2023 at 7:36 AM, CAAdmission said:

Good documentation can't stop a lawsuit from starting, but it can get you off the hook at the end. I have always carefully documented what I think are the best options for a patient. If they choose not to follow those recommendations I explain likely consequences and document that carefully. Working with a patient is a partnership, and courts will recognize when the other partner does not hold up their end of the deal. 

It's an extreme example, but there have been circumstances where I told someone they would die if they did not follow advice, and they didn't survive beyond a couple days. It happens. 

Yup, we had a guy sign out ama to go to another hospital with a stemi. His AMA, signed by 7 witnesses, said " if you leave now , you will be dead within the hour". He was. 

[CAAdmission]

12 minutes ago, EMEDPA said:

Yup, we had a guy sign out ama to go to another hospital with a stemi. His AMA, signed by 7 witnesses, said " if you leave now , you will be dead within the hour". He was. 

I guess he showed you! Hopefully he wasn't driving himself to his alternate hospital.

[EMEDPA]

42 minutes ago, CAAdmission said:

I guess he showed you! Hopefully he wasn't driving himself to his alternate hospital.

no, of course not...he had his wife drive him....DOA

[SedRate]

15 hours ago, newton9686 said:

Sorry to hear you are struggling. That first year is really hard regardless and it is easy to feel down about yourself. As people have mentioned there are not a ton of straight non-clinical options for PAs, but that doesn't mean the right position is not out there for you whether it is clinical or non-clinical 

- I know clinical research companies will frequently recruit PAs to assist with studies both in non-clinical and clinical capacities. 

- Also maybe an MHA or MBA degree is a good long term option if that was the pre-PA degree you were interested in. 

- Teaching may also be less stressful if you like the theory of medicine, but not necessary the day in and day out which is understandable. 

Also sometimes looking at different scopes can be helpful. Some people feel more comfortable managing smaller scopes than being responsible for larger scopes. That ability to know everything about something gives them great confidence and peace at work. Also working with different populations can make people feel more comfortable than others. For example many providers feel uncomfortable making basic recommendations for pregnant patients because of legal risk, versus geriatric care where you can basically kill someone, but if you have a good relationship with the family and the patient, you are unlikely to be sued. Hell this is why most family medicine physicians never get sued, while ER doctors get sued left and right because there is not that established relationship where patients feel bad suing. 

I would also look at the environment as well. You mentioned toxic relationships. I was working for a large cardiology group and literally grew to hate cardiology because of how toxic the environment. A few years later as a hospitalist PA I started covering the cardiology unit at night with a better group and I really enjoy it and could see myself doing cardiology again. So don't underestimate the ability of a toxic environment to destroy any passion you do have. 

Hope that is helpful. Just remember why you put in all that work to become a PA in the first place. And if there was something you were passionate about start looking for opportunities that move you closer. And think about what is exactly making you uncomfortable and how can you minimize that. 

Just curious. What speciality are you working in? 

Great insights above.

And especially this! I grew to hate certain aspects of my job. When I left and cut back on my hours, I realized those parts weren't so bad after all. I think it was due to a combination of a toxic work environment and being overworked and underappreciated.