Question about choosing a field

[Guest WolfpackMatt]

I was just accepted to Wake's PA program for the 2013 class. I know I have 2 years to figure out where I want to practice but I was wondering about scope of practice.

 

EM: I have read that if I want to work in an Emergency Department and not be stuck in fast track I need to seek out a smaller, more rural hospital. True?

 

ICU: I know the physician is relied upon to do a lot of procedures but where will I be able to do SOME central lines, intubations, and lead codes?

 

Surgery: I spoke with another PA studen who told me that his friend (who graduated a few years ago) does burn surgery on his own and only goes to the physician when he has a question. Are there other surgical fields that operate in the same manner?

 

Most of my shadowing and work experience has come in an Internal Medicine setting or an Emergency Medicine setting in a very big Emergency Department so I still have questions regarding scope of practice in other fields.

[MCHAD]

I was just accepted to Wake's PA program for the 2013 class. I know I have 2 years to figure out where I want to practice but I was wondering about scope of practice.

 

EM: I have read that if I want to work in an Emergency Department and not be stuck in fast track I need to seek out a smaller, more rural hospital. True?

 

ICU: I know the physician is relied upon to do a lot of procedures but where will I be able to do SOME central lines, intubations, and lead codes?

 

Surgery: I spoke with another PA studen who told me that his friend (who graduated a few years ago) does burn surgery on his own and only goes to the physician when he has a question. Are there other surgical fields that operate in the same manner?

 

Most of my shadowing and work experience has come in an Internal Medicine setting or an Emergency Medicine setting in a very big Emergency Department so I still have questions regarding scope of practice in other fields.

 

I have heard that an emergency medicine rotation in an ED without a fast track is better, will you get a rotation in the ICU? sounds like that would be an elective. Surgery, as a student you won't have that much freedom, minor stuff PA's do on their own for the most part. It is all about experience, and trust between the PA and the SP.

[EMEDPA]

also a residency in any of these field puts you way ahead in the job market due to a much larger initial scope of practice vs other new grads

see http://www.appap.org for residency info.

[MikeyBoy]

 

ICU: I know the physician is relied upon to do a lot of procedures but where will I be able to do SOME central lines, intubations, and lead codes?

 

At my last ICU rotation, ICU PAs did 99% of the central lines, were the code team (especially at night), and did intubations if needed.

 

Honestly, as a new grad I'd be more worried in a fast track- little MD supervision and the patient is out the door in under an hour often, but that's just me. There are plenty of hospitals with both fast tracks and main sides, where PAs can go between the two.

 

....I doubt the surgery PA does "surgeries" on his own... maybe procedures and minor grafts.

 

Keep your mind open, there's a lot of variability between scope of practice between hospitals.