abctofu Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Are Physician Assistants overworked? I am debating on becoming a PA but the job I have now currently pays $80k. I am very comfortable and I have 4-5 hour lunch breaks :;-D:. I do however work 50 hours a week. I don't get any community interaction which is something I think I hold dear. I do like how relaxed my current job is though. I was also debating on becoming a Pharmacist but they are WAYYYYY too overworked (barely a 10 min lunch break) and community interaction is very minimal. I just want to know the lifestyle of a Physician Assistant and is it salaried or hourly. It is hard to leave a great job. I know a couple of my classmates that just graduated and they say they love it but it could just be the begining rush of just getting their liciense. If you were me would you become a PA? I am 26 and I don't have any student loans. I got into a really good company and if I stay at this path I can make 90k in the next 2 years but I do work nightshift...so my health could probably be better. I feel like my brain is wasting away though... :saddd: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abctofu Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 Are Physician Assistants overworked? I am debating on becoming a PA but the job I have now currently pays $80k. I am very comfortable and I have 4-5 hour lunch breaks :;-D:. I do however work 50 hours a week. I don't get any community interaction which is something I think I hold dear. I do like how relaxed my current job is though. I was also debating on becoming a Pharmacist but they are WAYYYYY too overworked (barely a 10 min lunch break) and community interaction is very minimal. I just want to know the lifestyle of a Physician Assistant and is it salaried or hourly. It is hard to leave a great job. I know a couple of my classmates that just graduated and they say they love it but it could just be the begining rush of just getting their liciense. If you were me would you become a PA? I am 26 and I don't have any student loans. I got into a really good company and if I stay at this path I can make 90k in the next 2 years but I do work nightshift...so my health could probably be better. I feel like my brain is wasting away though... :saddd: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted March 30, 2013 Moderator Share Posted March 30, 2013 I work in em. we don't get "breaks" we eat when it's slow. I work 45-50 hrs/week, mostly nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted March 30, 2013 Moderator Share Posted March 30, 2013 I work in em. we don't get "breaks" we eat when it's slow. I work 45-50 hrs/week, mostly nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Are Physician Assistants overworked? I am debating on becoming a PA but the job I have now currently pays $80k. I am very comfortable and I have 4-5 hour lunch breaks :;-D:. I do however work 50 hours a week. I don't get any community interaction which is something I think I hold dear. I do like how relaxed my current job is though. I was also debating on becoming a Pharmacist but they are WAYYYYY too overworked (barely a 10 min lunch break) and community interaction is very minimal. I just want to know the lifestyle of a Physician Assistant and is it salaried or hourly. It is hard to leave a great job. I know a couple of my classmates that just graduated and they say they love it but it could just be the begining rush of just getting their liciense. If you were me would you become a PA? I am 26 and I don't have any student loans. I got into a really good company and if I stay at this path I can make 90k in the next 2 years but I do work nightshift...so my health could probably be better. I feel like my brain is wasting away though... :saddd: This is what I like to refer to as a "first world problem". I suggest you go volunteer at something challenging to exercise your mind and keep your apparently easy gig....that is until the boss recognizes you as pork and cuts you from the roster. With that possibility, perhaps volunteer as an EMT so you have medical experience prior to applying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Are Physician Assistants overworked? I am debating on becoming a PA but the job I have now currently pays $80k. I am very comfortable and I have 4-5 hour lunch breaks :;-D:. I do however work 50 hours a week. I don't get any community interaction which is something I think I hold dear. I do like how relaxed my current job is though. I was also debating on becoming a Pharmacist but they are WAYYYYY too overworked (barely a 10 min lunch break) and community interaction is very minimal. I just want to know the lifestyle of a Physician Assistant and is it salaried or hourly. It is hard to leave a great job. I know a couple of my classmates that just graduated and they say they love it but it could just be the begining rush of just getting their liciense. If you were me would you become a PA? I am 26 and I don't have any student loans. I got into a really good company and if I stay at this path I can make 90k in the next 2 years but I do work nightshift...so my health could probably be better. I feel like my brain is wasting away though... :saddd: This is what I like to refer to as a "first world problem". I suggest you go volunteer at something challenging to exercise your mind and keep your apparently easy gig....that is until the boss recognizes you as pork and cuts you from the roster. With that possibility, perhaps volunteer as an EMT so you have medical experience prior to applying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 There is only so much room in one of these post so the OP may not have told us something important. On the other hand, other than interaction with others, I didn't see anything in the post that leads me to know why you are considering being a PA. I left a job that paid a lot more and gave me lots of free time: enough to take all of my prerequisites, go on vacations, etc. After years as a volunteer EMT and, later, a part-time paramedic, I wanted to be a PA. I work harder as a PA, have less time for lunch, and spend much of my day in a hurried frenzy to get to wherever I am supposed to be next: a hospital or an office. Still, I love my job because of those minutes in there where I get to make a small difference in someone's life. The job isn't for everyone. You probably won't get rich doing it. If you like your current schedule and pay and what you do, maybe you are already where you are supposed to be. If you're not sure,take Just Steve's advice and get closer to medicine in your free time. I found that doing something small just to see how it makes you feel can make all the difference. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 There is only so much room in one of these post so the OP may not have told us something important. On the other hand, other than interaction with others, I didn't see anything in the post that leads me to know why you are considering being a PA. I left a job that paid a lot more and gave me lots of free time: enough to take all of my prerequisites, go on vacations, etc. After years as a volunteer EMT and, later, a part-time paramedic, I wanted to be a PA. I work harder as a PA, have less time for lunch, and spend much of my day in a hurried frenzy to get to wherever I am supposed to be next: a hospital or an office. Still, I love my job because of those minutes in there where I get to make a small difference in someone's life. The job isn't for everyone. You probably won't get rich doing it. If you like your current schedule and pay and what you do, maybe you are already where you are supposed to be. If you're not sure,take Just Steve's advice and get closer to medicine in your free time. I found that doing something small just to see how it makes you feel can make all the difference. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMtoPA Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 How do you make $80K/yr with 4-5 hour lunch breaks? And what do you even do for that long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMtoPA Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 How do you make $80K/yr with 4-5 hour lunch breaks? And what do you even do for that long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love2BePAC Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I am a new PA. I work 50-60 hours/week and make $102K (salary). I am looking for a job that allows me to work a normal 40-45 hour/week and that isn't so stressful. Our department is always cutting everything so close. They don't even have time for training new people; we have had to figure it out as we go. I am looking for a new job. But I'm not ready to say I'm disappointed in my choice to become a PA yet. I have talked to several PAs within the health system by which I'm employed and they all work their scheduled hours...maybe 1-2 extra hours/week. So I know those jobs do exist; it just isn't the one I have. I think changing careers is more about finding the right fit for you. I used to make bank as a banker, but I hated it and wouldn't do it again. You have to figure out if it's something you want to invest years of time in pursuing and really not look at the money since starting out, many PAs make around 80K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgancrandall Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I really don't think you should make a career choice based on how long a lunch break is... It may be my youth talking, but I would rather have a career I'm passionate about over an easy job that pays well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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