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PA's in CA, no jobs and working three jobs?


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Hey Paula (okay now that song is going to be stuck in my head...),

 

You didn't misunderstand my post, and it's a legit question. The answer is basically that I don't want to live in a rural area. I'm single (trying not to be), I'm 31, and I'm a city girl at heart. I would be miserable living in an isolated/rural area where there is little to no culture, ethnic dining, diversity, activities etc. Most of all, my friendships are important to me and to move somewhere where I don't know anyone is not something that I am interested in doing at this point in my life. I'm just not going to sacrifice those things for a job because I know it would not be good for my mental health.

 

Also, I did move back to CA to be near family and as part of a long-term plan but I was wholly unprepared for the difficult job market since my peers and I easily got jobs as new grads in Chicago - this was my own naivete. As I mentioned though, I'm not opposed to moving back to Chicago where the job market is awesome and I'm strongly considering it at this point. I'd rather live in Chicago (a great city with good friends) than take a job in rural CA just to be in CA. I don't need to be in CA that badly, especially since in the rural CA situation I would still rarely see my family.

 

There also seems to be this implied advice or train of thought here in CA that a new grad has to "pay their dues" and we should expect to beg for jobs, work for free/less than we're worth, work rural despite personal preference, work at pain clinics/medspas/joint injections/housecalls or otherwise sacrifice contentedness for our career for 1-2 years. This is definitely not the case in Chicago (the only other reference point I have which is why I keep talking about it) and other non-rural areas in the midwest (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana) that are happy to have new grad/PAs and pay very well (70-95k starting and a lower cost of living). It's just not necessary to do the aforementioned things, and I don't know how it ended up that new grads in CA should expect and accept this as the norm.

 

Sorry, that was probably way more answer than you expected or cared to read but that's been the first question/advice from a few people so I wanted to be thorough and also perhaps incorporate some more of my thoughts from the last few months.

 

Moving to a metro city in one of the states you mentioned might be a good career move. I am a WI and MI PA, and work in rural area and always have. I would die if I had to live in a metro area, fight traffic, miss seeing the deer, fox, bear, wolves, wolverines, lynx, eagles, that often cross my path on my drive to work. I would miss the only place to shop, Walmart (LOL) and miss my pasty's. I would miss the ability to be alone and out of the maddening crowd! Go for Chicago or Minneapolis, maybe Milwaukee (but you would be so close to Chicago you may as well go there). Skip Detroit. Good luck. I understand wanting to avoid rural just as I purposely avoid city!

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Doc,

 

Where are you looking at if you don't mind me asking? I'm from the Sacramento/Roseville area and I would love to practice in that area once I finish PA school. While its not exactly "rural," I'm sure it has a better job outlook than SD/LA/SF. Pretty much figuring the further North I get, towards Shasta and the state line, the easier it would be. Also, figure places like Modesto/Stockton would be some what easy markets. Appreciate any info.

 

Doc Frick

 

Hey Friction,

 

I live in Roseville, but will be looking in all areas around there. My radius is up to Auburn, out to Yuba City, down to Woodland, and back to Roseville. I would prefer to stay northeast of hwy 50, as I absolutely hate traffic down there. I have a lot of "ins" in the towns I mentioned, so it will really be dependent on what works best for me. I know of a couple new grads that got ER gigs in the area. The jobs are there. I would love to work family practice in lincoln, woodland, or auburn.

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As a California PA for 32 years, I can attest to the strong job market in this state decade after decade. Once I found my first job, I never looked for a job again in this state; they all found me. I get job offers every week. Physicians ask me everyday to help them find a PA. Every PA student who has rotated at our hospital has gotten a job offer before graduation. There is a lot a competition for PAs in my area, which makes for a great practice environment.

 

If you want to work in a metro area in CA (SD, LA, SAC, SF) prepare to make up to 30% less and pay much more in COL because everyone wants to live there. When I was president of CAPA, it would get calls from LA /OC PAs all the time who wanted me to lobby against expansions in PA training in CA to keep the job market tight and their metro jobs secure. They weren't happy with my opinion.

 

I live in the Central San Joaquin Valley in a metropolitan area of 650,000+. We have culture, professional sports, D-I college sports, ethnic dining of all stripes, 2 hours to the beach/sierra/LA, and some of the highest PA salaries in CA.

 

I'm glad I took my first job in Bakersfield. It was the best thing that ever happened to me professionally. There is room for plenty more.

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As a California PA for 32 years, I can attest to the strong job market in this state decade after decade. Once I found my first job, I never looked for a job again in this state; they all found me. I get job offers every week. Physicians ask me everyday to help them find a PA. Every PA student who has rotated at our hospital has gotten a job offer before graduation. There is a lot a competition for PAs in my area, which makes for a great practice environment.

 

If you want to work in a metro area in CA (SD, LA, SAC, SF) prepare to make up to 30% less and pay much more in COL because everyone wants to live there. When I was president of CAPA, it would get calls from LA /OC PAs all the time who wanted me to lobby against expansions in PA training in CA to keep the job market tight and their metro jobs secure. They weren't happy with my opinion.

 

I live in the Central San Joaquin Valley in a metropolitan area of 650,000+. We have culture, professional sports, D-I college sports, ethnic dining of all stripes, 2 hours to the beach/sierra/LA, and some of the highest PA salaries in CA.

 

I'm glad I took my first job in Bakersfield. It was the best thing that ever happened to me professionally. There is room for plenty more.

 

I would love to practice in San Luis Obispo some day. I spent a couple years of college there and absolutely loved the city, its the best place I've ever lived. While I don't expect to find something there right out of college, I think its a place I would like to end my career. How does a PA salary in SLO compare to the SJV?

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I would love to practice in San Luis Obispo some day. I spent a couple years of college there and absolutely loved the city, its the best place I've ever lived. While I don't expect to find something there right out of college, I think its a place I would like to end my career. How does a PA salary in SLO compare to the SJV?

 

Lower with a much higher COL. SLO is a desirable place to live and jobs are harder to come by because it attracts a lot of PAs.

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I would like to live/work in SLO or santa cruz as well. last I checked each city had about 5 pa positions total because docs are willing to work there for pa level salaries and the pas there had been there for 20 years and had no plans of leaving. very tight market....I'm not willing to live in the central valley having had an exposure to fresno as a medic and I previously lived in L.A. for many years and it is no longer worth the hassle of traffic 24/7 to go anywhere.

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A few years ago, someone wise on the PA Forum told me something that has really stuck with me. You can expect to get 2 of your 3 "ideals" with a PA job:

1) pay

2) location

3) specialty

 

As long as you use this as your standard of expectation, you should be able to find something (even in Coastal SoCal). This is coming from someone who is not necessarily working in her desired specialty, but has the location (Santa Barbara) and pay (100k+ working 3 days/week) she desires.

 

That is...until I have to move back to the East Coast this year. Who knows, maybe I'll find something even better?

 

My advice if you're having difficulty finding work: be aggressive and creative with potential employers, recruiters, networkers; yet willing to budge on a few of your employment "requirements." A longer commute or non-ideal specialty or even having to tighten your household budget because of a lower (or part time) salary is much better than a half a year gap on your resume. (IMHO). YOU CAN DO IT!

 

PS: I echo all of you who want to live in SLO...it would be the ideal place to live/work. Small-city coastal living, but without the outrageous SB prices. Maybe I'll make it back west at the end of the career...

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Does anybody know where to find an updated "PA license by county"...the most recent I can find is NOV 2010 on the ca.gov PA board website. I'm just curious if it's changed much in the last 2 years.

Hey Corpsman2PA how are you doing? I just checked the PAB website. The PA verification of licenses by county was last updated Feb 19 2013. I see where our 2012 graduates are listed.

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Hey Corpsman2PA how are you doing? I just checked the PAB website. The PA verification of licenses by county was last updated Feb 19 2013. I see where our 2012 graduates are listed.

 

I see it now. Thanks! And I am doing good Mr. LesH! Just chugging away through winter quarter, and still have my sanity :) At least I'd like to think I still have it...

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  • 2 months later...
Btw new grad RNs at my hospital make $28 an hour and half the RNs I know who just graduated cant find jobs because they aren't hiring new grads. So your call what you want to do.

 

Ain't that the truth. Take it from someone who is wrapping up nursing school in about 3 months. The job outlook for use new grads in Los Angeles is SCARY. I kept in contact with the people who graduated from my school the class before me. So far out of the 27 that graduated only 8 of them have found jobs and that includes two that moved out of state. One has a BSN and is working for $17 because that is all she could find...after looking for 9 months. Trust me, it's not all roses for us either. This was one for the reasons I decided to go the PA route.

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Btw new grad RNs at my hospital make $28 an hour and half the RNs I know who just graduated cant find jobs because they aren't hiring new grads. So your call what you want to do.

 

Ain't that the truth. Take it from someone who is wrapping up nursing school in about 3 months. The job outlook for use new grads in Los Angeles is SCARY. I kept in contact with the people who graduated from my school the class before me. So far out of the 27 that graduated only 8 of them have found jobs and that includes two that moved out of state. One has a BSN and is working for $17 because that is all she could find...after looking for 9 months. Trust me, it's not all roses for us either. This was one for the reasons I decided to go the PA route.

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Ain't that the truth. Take it from someone who is wrapping up nursing school in about 3 months. The job outlook for use new grads in Los Angeles is SCARY. I kept in contact with the people who graduated from my school the class before me. So far out of the 27 that graduated only 8 of them have found jobs and that includes two that moved out of state. One has a BSN and is working for $17 because that is all she could find...after looking for 9 months. Trust me, it's not all roses for us either. This was one for the reasons I decided to go the PA route.

 

I have a friend who is an RN/BSN and is unemployed after a year of looking for a job. It almost makes me think there should be residencies for RNs that would make them more employable.

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  • 8 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Your assumptions about comfort zone and relocating for better opportunity are right on the mark.  Cities in California, and throughout the country to one degree or another, that are typically thought of as "destination locations" are probably not the best job markets for healthcare providers.  Other types of professionals flock to these areas, but they are able to participate in statewide, national, or global economies while healthcare providers participate in the economy of a small radius surrounding their practice.  Being a physician assistant is still a great job in every state as long as you are practicing in an area with adequate demand for your services.  

 

http://www.hospitalrecruiting.com/jobs/Physician-Assistant-Jobs/California

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I will be starting PA school in Southern California this year and couldn't help but notice there are a lot of PA programs seeking accreditation in CA with most of them being in SoCal. I am very happy to be graduating before many of these programs graduate their first class but I can't help but wonder what this will do to the availability of rotation sites and eventually the job market? Is it normal for states to add this many programs at this rate?

New Programs [http://www.arc-pa.org/provisional_acc/applicant_programs.html]
NorCal
-Dominican University of California (San Rafeal)
-University of the Pacific (Stockton)
SoCal
-California Baptist University (Riverside)
-Chapman University (Orange)
-Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (LA)
-Marshall B. Ketchum University (Fullerton)
-Southern California University of Health Sciences (Whittier)
-West Coast University (LA)

Established Programs [http://www.arc-pa.org/acc_programs/index.html]
NorCal
-Samuel Merritt College (Oakland)
-San Joaquin Valley College (Visalia)
-Stanford University (Stanford)
-Touro University-California (Vallejo)
-University Of California-Davis (Davis)
SoCal
-Loma Linda University (Loma Linda)
-Riverside Community College (Riverside)
-University Of Southern California (LA)
-Western University Of Health Sciences (Pomona)

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Of the New Programs you listed only Ketchum has accepted students.  It seems as though the other programs are having a hard time finding qualified or interested faculty. They will likely not all admit their 1st class the same year. 

 

I doubt there will be an effect on the job market. At least i hope not. 

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  • 1 month later...

Of the SoCal schools that have enrolled students...

 

-Marshall B Ketchum University (Fullerton)

 

-Loma Linda University (Loma Linda)
-Riverside Community College (Riverside)
-University Of Southern California (LA)
-Western University Of Health Sciences (Pomona)

 

 

 

 

I do know that MBKU has affiliated with St. Joseph Healthcare in Orange County...Any idea who the other schools have affiliations with for clinical education? Where do they all rotate? Do they share rotation sites?

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  • 1 year later...

I work in CA. I have been a PA for 9 years. Based on my experience good jobs are hard to find. They are usually not advertised. So far I have been very lucky finding good paying jobs with good employers. I have acquired all of my jobs except my first job through word of mouth or referral from previous PAs I worked with. 

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Does anyone use  http://www.jobs2careers.com/ ?

 

I see where some hospitals in the LA area are looking: Cedars, Northridge, Holy Cross, UCLA (OR). The KECK/USC Department of Family Medicine is looking, I think the USC PA program is looking for anyone that wants to go into academia. There seem to be a fair number of Derm gig sprinkled into the mix. I agree with others that its about networking, but that is often hard for a new grad. Some of the programs have very extensive job listings, CAPA maintains a job listing. Like others, I am concerned about saturation, but still waiting to see. Maybe when all the new proposed programs start graduating PAs it will be a different story.

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