mkrumm Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I'm a new grad looking for work in family practice. I was offered a job in an office that does a lot of Suboxone. I know a lot about it because of my VA job before PA school, so I might be the most well qualified new grad he could ever hope for. (I'm usually more modest, but hey.) The hours are 45-55 hours per week depending on the week. (One 11-hour day/week, two weekend days/month.) And for what it's worth, I live in a notoriously low-paying part of the country with Giant "Not-For-Profit" Conglomerate offering a better deal to new grads. Potential SP's offer was purported to be competitive. The offer: 1. 65k base salary with $1/pt bonuses and a "generous" year-end productivity bonus up to 2k. 2. 80/20 health/dental/eye for only me. Decent plan though. 3. 1 week vacation the first year, but he is "liberal" with that. 4. CME tuition for "local" things at his discretion, but no tuition or time off for conferences. 5. No 401(k) the first year. 6. And the usual paying for licensing, DEA, malpractice, etc. So I just got back from a meeting with him. I was expecting to say Yes, when can I start? Here are the changes I want: 1. Base salary of 70 instead of 65. (Naturally I was expecting him to meet me in the middle.) 2. I didn't question the vacation because I didn't want to look the ... "liberal" gift horse in the mouth. BUT I asked for tuition for a conference and the time off for it. 3. Instead of starting 401k after year one, I suggested matching 3% right away but I would not be vested until after year one. He dismissed all of it and said "What I'm offering is very standard." 1. He said, "65k is very competitive, and don't forget about the bonuses." I told him that when I do the math, considering all the hours, I would be making less per hour than what I made before PA school. His response: "Well, this is a different job." (I think my jaw dropped.) 2. He asked me if I'd be willing to take vacation time to go to the conference. I said "No. That's not a vacation." and he literally scoffed at it. I said "$2000 and 5 days off for CME is standard. I'm asking for $200 or so and 4 days off. I will even write up the take-home points of all the lectures I go to and give it to you so you know I went to them." (Because he thinks conferences are just social events.) "But those are all big companies that offer that," he says. (Not true...) 3. He said 401(k)s are so tightly regulated that he wasn't allowed to contribute right away or something like that. I'm pretty sure that's false. Wait. I'm absolutely sure that's false. I want this job, so I conceded on everything but the CME time. I told him something along the lines of "I've got another interview coming up (true), but I'd like to cancel it and come here. Let me know what you think." And he acted real sketchy like he might actually rescind the offer because I want to go to a conference. He acted confused and a little offended that I tried to negotiate. Thanks for reading. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScienceisAmazin Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I know very little, but for 45-55 hours per week (including having to give up weekends), 65k is crap. You can do better and perhaps it will have to be another SP who realizes that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeyball Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Run away. Fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted October 29, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 29, 2012 Walk away. That was standard....in 1995.....or you could try to educate him with facts...up to you/salary survery........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primadonna22274 Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Really, you're not going to win with this guy and I don't really think you want to...at least I wouldn't. Of course there are at least 50 other PA jobs I would take before I did a suboxone clinic but to each her own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelato Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 If it were me, I would keep looking. This situation sounds similar to my 1st job out of PA school about 3 years ago. I was totally low-balled on the salary. Only when I provided data on current salaries at the time, did they come back with a more reasonable salary but basically I was lied to on the initial offer, being told that they did their research and the low offer I was given was standard. After accepting the new, more acceptable offer, that job turned out to be one lie after another with unprofessional management. If you think there's dishonesty from the beginning, than it is very likely to continue into the job, and even if that's what you want to do, you will be unhappy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Let's see- sub par salary, vacation, professonal time/funds, and retirement Do you have a family you need to cover on medical/etc? CME should be $2000/5 days vacation 2 weeks minimum with accrual schedule salary is regional as you indicate but I'm sure you can get an idea of what local FP PAs are making Suboxone should only INCREASE your base or bonuses I'd stick to the above and walk if he says no ....and tell him politely on the way out that those are the average numbers for a PA, and he'll get a BELOW AVERAGE PA if he has a below average offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted November 2, 2012 Administrator Share Posted November 2, 2012 You don't mention where you are living. It sounds like a very saturated market. Still, you should consider working private BLS ambulance as an EMT if you're OK with that salary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contrarian Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 If he is "totally unwilling to negotiate"... then he is NOT a "potential SP"...:heheh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkrumm Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 Thanks everyone. I won't be taking this job. (Although he hasn't called me back to let me know what he decided... I'm guessing he decided No on Monday morning...) I had a great interview this week and everything was better about the position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason09 Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Way to go!! Stay strong and we will ALL benefit. This should be a lesson to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPa695 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I think I got offered this job and turned it down as well! Downtown area of that particular city? All the details are the same! Weird. Good luck with the job you ended up with :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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