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I graduated and took my PANCE in September. I have a strong interest in emergency medicine. I did my clinical rotations at a rural hospital (my program focused on rural medicine). My emergency rotation was great (I got to do a lot at the small hospital), and had an offer to work with the doc there. The hospital has not been doing well financially since my rotations there and the two doctors that I worked closely with during my ed rotation have gone to other hospitals. Actually 7 out of the 10 providers I did rotations with there have left. I have applied to a lot of jobs, but I have only had offers in ortho and pain management (not that there is anything wrong with these- but both are my least areas of interest). I have also heard not to specialize right after school unless you are positive that is what you want to do. I also had an offer at a rural urgent care but would be the only provider in the clinic, and am not comfortable with that yet. I would gladly take an inpatient, family medicine, an urgent care/fast track with other providers, etc., but do not want to specialize in ortho or do pain management. I know I am not going to have my dream job right out of school with no pa experience, but I didn't think my only solid offers would be pain management/ortho. I am worried that the clock is ticking, and that it is going to look bad if I do not take a job soon?? I am wondering if I should just take the ortho job to start out with for a while? I have also started looking into residency programs, but would not be able to start one until even July. I would greatly appreciate any advice or opinions! Thanks!

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Hey Maddie, congrats on finishing! I went through the same process just a year ago (graduated in December, started interviewing in January) and had the same experience. My advice would be to be patient. I would strongly advise against taking anything (ortho/pain mgmt/etc) you aren't passionate about. It's extremely difficult as a new grad to know what the best choice is, but if you're not truly interested in it and are just thinking of taking the job because you're worried you won't get anything else, that's not the right move. There will be more!

 

I applied to SO many jobs. For months. I was sooo frustrated with idiot recruiters and "oh we filled that opening a year ago, sorry" emails. I totally understand, but if you can feasibly wait it out and stick to your guns, you'll be much happier. I applied and interviewed for 3 months after graduating and got 3 offers (2 primary care, 1 EMed -- that's all I was really applying for) all in one week. I was sick to my stomach trying to make the right decision. I ended up shadowing one of the docs for a few hours at both places to see how things flowed and that helped immensely. I ended up choosing to move 2.5 hours away from home to work in the ER and I definitely made the right choice. I started in May, over 5 months after graduating.

 

While I was applying/interviewing/pulling my hair out, my friends were all starting their jobs way sooner. I was the last one of my friends to find a job. But guess what? 4 out of 6 of my close PA friends have either already left their first job or are intending to leave within the next few months. It's a total crapshoot as a new grad, but if you ask me, you give yourself a better shot at finding something you'll enjoy for a while if you're patient and wait for just the right thing (and it sounds like the ER rotation site isn't the right choice either..) Wait it out! It'll be worth it and it does not look bad! It shows that you're committed and passionate about the field you want to work in (EMed/FP) and that you know what you want. That will be appealing to interviewers.

 

Hope this helped :)

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I agree with Sunny. I graduated in 2004 and my focus of training was in rural care. It took 5 months before i found a job, and ended up part-time in family practice on an Indian reservation, and part-time in urgent care/ER. Eventually the FP job led to full time, and that job was my passion. SO, hang in there. Taking a part-time job in an area you want is an option, and often leads to other jobs. Good luck.

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Hi Sunny and Paula,

 

Thank you sooo much for the information! It made me feel much better that others have been in the same boat! I had been talking with some of my classmates- they all have signed contracts or are starting to work- and most of which think I am crazy to not want to sign with the ortho job. I will keep up the search! Thanks again! :)

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