Experience needed

[cecilia]

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Hi,

I would like to find out from everyone here...what do you do when you want to start practicing in a special field but they tell you that they are hiring people that have 5 years of experience in the field? How are you suppossed to get experience if everybody is telling you the same thing?

 

[core0]

Hi,

I would like to find out from everyone here...what do you do when you want to start practicing in a special field but they tell you that they are hiring people that have 5 years of experience in the field? How are you suppossed to get experience if everybody is telling you the same thing?

I'll tell you the same thing that I tell all PA students. Get a job. What employers are looking for is someone with PA experience. The days where every PA student got 6 job offers are over. There is a lot of competition these days. That and everyone wants to move right into specialty where the money is. You need one to two years of experience. Look around. There are jobs. They may not be right where you are or pay 100k per year with a back rub. However, as long as the pay isn't awful and you are not asked to do anything unethical or illegal then take it. Look at places that take new grads - college clinics and prisons come to mind. Get a year or two under you belt then its pretty easy to make a move.

David Carpetner, PA-C

 

[cecilia]

Well, they don't want just PA experience...they want experience IN THAT FIELD. Ex: Neurosurgery.

 

[deleted6669]

Well, they don't want just PA experience...they want experience IN THAT FIELD. Ex: Neurosurgery.

DO A 1 yr PAID RESIDENCY

University of Arizona Neurosurgery Program
Martin Weinand, MD
Chief, Neurosurgery
PO Box 245070
1501 N. Campbell Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85724-5070
phone #: 520 626 0704
E-mail address: [email protected]

www.appap.org
a lot of employers count a residency as equivalent to 5 years of work experience due to the concentrated nature of the learning.

 

[cecilia]

Unfortunately, I can't move to Arizona.

 

[deleted6669]

Unfortunately, I can't move to Arizona.

you could do this one and do your electives in neurosurg....

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
General Surgery Physician Assistant Residency
400 North Pepper Avenue
Colton, CA 92324
(909) 580-6210
Program Director: Rebecca Harris PA-C, MPAS
[email protected]

 

[cecilia]

Thanks, I knew about that one but it is about 4 hours away from where I live and cannot move there.

 

[deleted6669]

Thanks, I knew about that one but it is about 4 hours away from where I live and cannot move there.

looks like neurosurg (at least where you live) is out of the question then.....

 

[Salamandrina]

looks like neurosurg (at least where you live) is out of the question then.....

I agree. I think if you want a very specific career, you have to be flexible on where you live. And if you want to live in a specific place, you have to be flexible on what career you want to pursue.

 

[deleted6669]

I agree. I think if you want a very specific career, you have to be flexible on where you live. And if you want to live in a specific place, you have to be flexible on what career you want to pursue.

agree- I live in a town with 3 local pa programs. everyone wants to stay here when they graduate. there are jobs for everyone here but not the jobs everyone wants. lots of folks end up moving to work in the field they want. others settle for a job in a field in which they have no interest like endocrinology when they really wanted emergency medicine, etc

 

[jonathon]

Isn't there a quote that goes something like this, "if you chose where to live, you can't chose your career. If you want to choose your career, you can't choose where to live." It is something like that.

 

[Mr. McDuck]

You can choose what you do, how much you make, and where you live, but only two at a time. That's the swing of it anyway.

 

[guetzow]

Don't let a myopic desire to stay in your home town stunt your professional growth (And possibly life experiences...). I ended up moving to a state with lower taxes...

 

[jc812]

Don't let a myopic desire to stay in your home town stunt your professional growth (And possibly life experiences...). I ended up moving to a state with lower taxes...

due to acceptance to a PA school or due to a job offering?