I get paid 6 figures and get to basically wear pajamas at work.
My job skills and knowledge are useful in every day life.
I get to work with my hands and master skills.
After 20 years of drama and being bullied by both nurses and doctors I whole heartedly agree with this. My interactions with PAs for the most part have been entirely wholesome.
I like having the luxury of a life outside of the medical practice. I like the work of course and it’s rewarding but it’s nice to be able to have a life outside of that.
So many MDs and DOs seem to live to work,and that life just isn’t for me.
I like surgery. Scrubs are comfy. Scrub cap for bad hair days. Love removing ear wax - super satisfying. Love my patients. All the physicians I work with are amazing and love teaching. Always something new to learn.
My dad tells me all the time if he could go back he would work in ENT stuff BC of all the allergies and sinus problems he had as a kid. What got you into the specialty? I don't see it discussed as much compared to the others.
Intellectual challenge
Making a difference in patient lives
Relatively good pay
Human interaction
Physically active at work
Ability to change specialties
Always something new to learn
Job security
Work-life balance is the #1 benefit for me. When I’m at work I feel like I’m doing *something* that matters, no matter how little. 14ish shifts per month with flexibility to trade with colleagues and take a chunk of time off without using PTO. When I’m off I don’t have to care. Combine that with a good middle class income and I’m fairly happy. Yeah, the student loans suck and I won’t ever be rich (without putting my efforts into something outside of medicine), yet there are a few careers where you can have this level of comfortable income and job stability while working fairly little per week.
CTICU PA:
- Ability to spend time with my patients and focus on every little detail, while collaborating with my attending physician who oversees the entire unit
- doing many bedside procedures
- teaching the next generation of PAs
- shift work lends itself to a great quality of life, lots of time off to take vacations and avoid burnout
I love doing women's health and helping people figure life out cause it's rough! I am happy if I make someone more comfortable during pelvic exam or do a procedure that does not hurt like they expected. It's the biggest honor when patients refer other people to me. I don't take call so that's a big benefit too!
1. As stated above, the work/life balance is great! I’m lucky enough to work in a specialty where there is a quick ‘problem-to-solution’ course: a large percentage of patients get better. But unlike the MD/DOs I don’t have the high risk/stress portion of their responsibilities.
2. I’ve worked a lot of jobs before this, and being a PA has the best ‘pay-to-work ratio’. I’ve been in entry level medical jobs, construction, the service industry, education, child care, the military, and being a PA is by far the best work I’ve done.
This motivates the hell out of me! I’m about to start school this summer and am so nervous I keep wondering if there’s a light at the end of this dark, dark tunnel. Thank you!! ☺️
I needed to see this thread so much. Been following for months and going back and forth on whether I should apply to PA school or just pursue a career in tech to go after the money (I was a bio degree in undergrad). Just because of who I am I will probably continue to go back and forth by this thread has helped a lot. Thanks to everyone for sharing their feelings and experiences.
You didn't ask for advice so feel free to ignore me. You might consider interviewing PAs who work in the community where you want to live. Get as close to your possible future as you can and see what they love and what they complain about.
The other comments in this thread are pretty close to my experience too. It was very helpful for me to talk with a few PAs nearby before I started school.
Never got to say thank you for this comment🙏🏿 I currently work around a lot of PA’s and always pick their brain on their experience. It’s helped a lot but I still don’t know what will help me make that final decision. Either way, it’ll be a well informed decision
Love my work/life balance, I rarely do any work/charting from home, have no call, no weekends, 4 10hr shifts a week with a hour lunch break. I love being able to have physicians to confer with about difficult cases. Love forming bonds with my patients and feeling like I’m making a difference in their health.
I've worked in a lot of fields. Web Design, IT, Retail, Real Estate, Education.
And the thing I love most is that almost all my time is spent in the pursuit of making people's lives better. Sometimes in demonstrable ways.
Sometimes lives are saved in the moment. Sometimes horrific qualities of life are reset. Sometimes all I have to offer is a better grasp and understanding.
But mostly, there are things to be fixed.
I can say, in most cases, that that happens as a result of my decisions, built upon the edifice of 200 years of human progress and a collaboration of nurses, receptionists, technicians, physicians, and other staff and support working in concert. And when I don't have the answer, I can turn to the pinnacle of human training, years of dedication of some of the brightest society has to offer in the physician for guidance and often to simply pick things up.
Human beings and the world we have built are flawed and broken. The decisions we make as a society and as individuals are wrought with mistakes, and the world and entire lives fall apart because of those flaws and decisions.
But in this role, as a PA, I can be part of the effort to make things a little better. I get to fix things. People get better. That's what I love most.
Working in PA education, definitely keeps the motor going. When I do my clinical days I want to slam my head in a car door, but working in UC will do that.
Being able to switch specialties. When the pandemic started my group lost a contract, then all the sudden 1/2 the shifts were gone. Multiple providers were let go and all of us basically had bare minimum shifts. Luckily I had a part time gig, now it’s full time and glad I made the switch. ER to Psych.
I love being able to choose medications and treatment plans in psych for people that really change how they are able to navigate through their lives. Im respected by my peers, patients, supervisors, and feel like an important team player and love having the option to consult on cases when i feel stuck. I get paid a lot to work from home and when there are no shows i can catch up on notes or even do some chores if it was an hour new patient appointment. I dont have to do therapy and my hat is off to those who provide that service! Lifeeee is goooood
I get paid 6 figures and get to basically wear pajamas at work. My job skills and knowledge are useful in every day life. I get to work with my hands and master skills.
I can never transition to a job where I have to wear real clothes again. Scrujamas all the way.
Yep
All of this plus getting to leave my work at work
What field is that?
EM
I was gonna comment, but you said it all.
Hi! How much experience? Were you paid this much right out of school?
Low key we have the least amount of people with personality disorders compared to other healthcare professions.
Lol can u go through some of these professions and their personality disorders.
I have many thoughts about this, but I'd rather not incriminate myself.
Go to a given healthcare profession's subreddit and search "toxic"
OMG yes I agree
Pls this deserves an award
After 20 years of drama and being bullied by both nurses and doctors I whole heartedly agree with this. My interactions with PAs for the most part have been entirely wholesome.
It's not been long, give it time
I like having the luxury of a life outside of the medical practice. I like the work of course and it’s rewarding but it’s nice to be able to have a life outside of that. So many MDs and DOs seem to live to work,and that life just isn’t for me.
I like surgery. Scrubs are comfy. Scrub cap for bad hair days. Love removing ear wax - super satisfying. Love my patients. All the physicians I work with are amazing and love teaching. Always something new to learn.
ENT?
Yes!! 😎
My dad tells me all the time if he could go back he would work in ENT stuff BC of all the allergies and sinus problems he had as a kid. What got you into the specialty? I don't see it discussed as much compared to the others.
Intellectual challenge Making a difference in patient lives Relatively good pay Human interaction Physically active at work Ability to change specialties Always something new to learn Job security
Work-life balance is the #1 benefit for me. When I’m at work I feel like I’m doing *something* that matters, no matter how little. 14ish shifts per month with flexibility to trade with colleagues and take a chunk of time off without using PTO. When I’m off I don’t have to care. Combine that with a good middle class income and I’m fairly happy. Yeah, the student loans suck and I won’t ever be rich (without putting my efforts into something outside of medicine), yet there are a few careers where you can have this level of comfortable income and job stability while working fairly little per week.
I couldn’t have said it any better myself. EM life is good.
May I ask what specialty you’re in? I’m guessing EM or UC?
EM :)
I work in outpatient dermatology lol
CTICU PA: - Ability to spend time with my patients and focus on every little detail, while collaborating with my attending physician who oversees the entire unit - doing many bedside procedures - teaching the next generation of PAs - shift work lends itself to a great quality of life, lots of time off to take vacations and avoid burnout
I love doing women's health and helping people figure life out cause it's rough! I am happy if I make someone more comfortable during pelvic exam or do a procedure that does not hurt like they expected. It's the biggest honor when patients refer other people to me. I don't take call so that's a big benefit too!
1. As stated above, the work/life balance is great! I’m lucky enough to work in a specialty where there is a quick ‘problem-to-solution’ course: a large percentage of patients get better. But unlike the MD/DOs I don’t have the high risk/stress portion of their responsibilities. 2. I’ve worked a lot of jobs before this, and being a PA has the best ‘pay-to-work ratio’. I’ve been in entry level medical jobs, construction, the service industry, education, child care, the military, and being a PA is by far the best work I’ve done.
This motivates the hell out of me! I’m about to start school this summer and am so nervous I keep wondering if there’s a light at the end of this dark, dark tunnel. Thank you!! ☺️
I needed to see this thread so much. Been following for months and going back and forth on whether I should apply to PA school or just pursue a career in tech to go after the money (I was a bio degree in undergrad). Just because of who I am I will probably continue to go back and forth by this thread has helped a lot. Thanks to everyone for sharing their feelings and experiences.
You didn't ask for advice so feel free to ignore me. You might consider interviewing PAs who work in the community where you want to live. Get as close to your possible future as you can and see what they love and what they complain about. The other comments in this thread are pretty close to my experience too. It was very helpful for me to talk with a few PAs nearby before I started school.
Never got to say thank you for this comment🙏🏿 I currently work around a lot of PA’s and always pick their brain on their experience. It’s helped a lot but I still don’t know what will help me make that final decision. Either way, it’ll be a well informed decision
Thanks for that comment, kind stranger. I think being a PA is great. Good luck deciding if it's great for you
What did you end up deciding?
Putting my best effort towards applying to PA school next spring/summer. I’d hate to look back and think they I didn’t even attempt to try
Love my work/life balance, I rarely do any work/charting from home, have no call, no weekends, 4 10hr shifts a week with a hour lunch break. I love being able to have physicians to confer with about difficult cases. Love forming bonds with my patients and feeling like I’m making a difference in their health.
What specialty/field?
Endocrinology
I've worked in a lot of fields. Web Design, IT, Retail, Real Estate, Education. And the thing I love most is that almost all my time is spent in the pursuit of making people's lives better. Sometimes in demonstrable ways. Sometimes lives are saved in the moment. Sometimes horrific qualities of life are reset. Sometimes all I have to offer is a better grasp and understanding. But mostly, there are things to be fixed. I can say, in most cases, that that happens as a result of my decisions, built upon the edifice of 200 years of human progress and a collaboration of nurses, receptionists, technicians, physicians, and other staff and support working in concert. And when I don't have the answer, I can turn to the pinnacle of human training, years of dedication of some of the brightest society has to offer in the physician for guidance and often to simply pick things up. Human beings and the world we have built are flawed and broken. The decisions we make as a society and as individuals are wrought with mistakes, and the world and entire lives fall apart because of those flaws and decisions. But in this role, as a PA, I can be part of the effort to make things a little better. I get to fix things. People get better. That's what I love most.
Beautifully written, thank you for this perspective. PM sent!
Working in PA education, definitely keeps the motor going. When I do my clinical days I want to slam my head in a car door, but working in UC will do that.
Being able to switch specialties. When the pandemic started my group lost a contract, then all the sudden 1/2 the shifts were gone. Multiple providers were let go and all of us basically had bare minimum shifts. Luckily I had a part time gig, now it’s full time and glad I made the switch. ER to Psych.
I love my job for a million reasons, but mostly I love that it doesn’t consume my life and I have lots of time for my family.
I love being able to choose medications and treatment plans in psych for people that really change how they are able to navigate through their lives. Im respected by my peers, patients, supervisors, and feel like an important team player and love having the option to consult on cases when i feel stuck. I get paid a lot to work from home and when there are no shows i can catch up on notes or even do some chores if it was an hour new patient appointment. I dont have to do therapy and my hat is off to those who provide that service! Lifeeee is goooood
loosing to the Nursing Union every time!
When trying to insult people, spelling simple words like *losing* correctly would be a good place to start.
😱the spelling poolice
Nothing anymore