Future PA student help

[hozer2233]

I am applying to PA school and I have a very strong application. I have been working towards getting into PA doing postgrad prereqs for 4 years now after my full time job. I have become very used to my lifestyle and my only concern is the return on the investment going back to school. Before I get the "don't do it for the money" I do have a family and it's the responsible thing of me to make sure that after not working for 3 years, I can recoup the costs. I've seen PA salaries all over the place from 75k-200k+. It's very hard to filter that.
My number one concern would be that I would have potential to make 100k, to mid100k as a PA in an urban setting. That I could do this 1-3 yrs after school. Is it that difficult to get into the specialties like ER or surgery? I know they take in more. How long to set up a sturdy salary with those entities involved?
Just trying to do my homework...thanks in advance for any feedback.

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[deleted6669]

I am applying to PA school and I have a very strong application. I have been working towards getting into PA doing postgrad prereqs for 4 years now after my full time job. I have become very used to my lifestyle and my only concern is the return on the investment going back to school. Before I get the "don't do it for the money" I do have a family and it's the responsible thing of me to make sure that after not working for 3 years, I can recoup the costs. I've seen PA salaries all over the place from 75k-200k+. It's very hard to filter that.
My number one concern would be that I would have potential to make 100k, to mid100k as a PA in an urban setting. That I could do this 1-3 yrs after school. Is it that difficult to get into the specialties like ER or surgery? I know they take in more. How long to set up a sturdy salary with those entities involved?
Just trying to do my homework...thanks in advance for any feedback.

in em, surgery, ortho, derm, and critical care 100K within 3 yrs is very doable.
different programs will have varying ideas about what a "strong application" is. your best bet is to maximize hce, gpa, community service and the gre.
see www.physicianassistantforum.com for a larger pa forum than here.

 

[Narnian]

Also remeber that PA's, even specialties, have different rates in different states. Unfortunately the higher paying states are also some of the higher cost of living states. Like here in Alaska new PA grads get between 85 and 90k fresh out of school... but a gallon of milk is almost 5 dollars and a gallon of gas is almost 4 dollars. My house that I paid 230,000 dollars for here, would cost way less in the lower 48. I think I am moving to Oregon

 

[GeneValgene]

Also remeber that PA's, even specialties, have different rates in different states. Unfortunately the higher paying states are also some of the higher cost of living states. Like here in Alaska new PA grads get between 85 and 90k fresh out of school... but a gallon of milk is almost 5 dollars and a gallon of gas is almost 4 dollars. My house that I paid 230,000 dollars for here, would cost way less in the lower 48. I think I am moving to Oregon

how's the market for new grad PAs in alaska?

 

[deleted6669]

how's the market for new grad PAs in alaska?

unlimited. anyone wanting a job in alaska can get one, especially in primary care

 

[GeneValgene]

unlimited. anyone wanting a job in alaska can get one, especially in primary care

oh wow...that sounds mighty appealing. might have to look into that when i graduate

 

[Narnian]

They put an add on the break room bulliten board for a rural coastal PA Job that was 95K plus free housing for you and your family. This was for any recent grad. There are tons of jobs up here. If you want to do rural primary care, then you have a job in Alaska. Not all those WWAMI graduates fall in love with Alaska on their rotations up here. Also it looks like only about 50% of my class will be staying in Alaska after we graduate There are about 2 non federal physicians per 100 people here in Alaska. Making us 42nd out of 50 states. Also if you consider the fact that a lot of those are specialty and most are concentrated around the denser population areas of AK... it is sad in some places. There is a small town called Talkeetna where the founder of the only clinic (Sunshine Clinic) was in a car crash and died 3 or 4 years ago, I think they are just now replacing her... before that, everytime they had a emergency they just flew or drove them to the nearest hospital by EMS. If you come up here you will have a Job.

 

[deleted6669]

There are also lots of per diem/locums jobs. I have a friend who goes up for 2 weeks twice/year. very remote(2 hr snowmobile ride from nome). free housing/food/transportation+ 500/day x 2 weeks= $7000/2 weeks. he(or any of the other locums pa's who also do this job) is the only provider on site in the native village he goes to and there are many months when they have zero on site medical care. medevac is hrs by snowmobile or bush plane if weather permits.

 

[GeneValgene]

They put an add on the break room bulliten board for a rural coastal PA Job that was 95K plus free housing for you and your family. This was for any recent grad. There are tons of jobs up here. If you want to do rural primary care, then you have a job in Alaska. Not all those WWAMI graduates fall in love with Alaska on their rotations up here. Also it looks like only about 50% of my class will be staying in Alaska after we graduate There are about 2 non federal physicians per 100 people here in Alaska. Making us 42nd out of 50 states. Also if you consider the fact that a lot of those are specialty and most are concentrated around the denser population areas of AK... it is sad in some places. There is a small town called Talkeetna where the founder of the only clinic (Sunshine Clinic) was in a car crash and died 3 or 4 years ago, I think they are just now replacing her... before that, everytime they had a emergency they just flew or drove them to the nearest hospital by EMS. If you come up here you will have a Job.

for new grads, is there still adequate support in terms of support, either from a physician or senior clinician, early on in your career? i'd be scared as a new grad to be put in a situation where i'd be way over my head

 

[FireCloud9]

for new grads, is there still adequate support in terms of support, either from a physician or senior clinician, early on in your career? i'd be scared as a new grad to be put in a situation where i'd be way over my head

The alternative is noone being there at all and the person dies anyway.

 

[Narnian]

for new grads, is there still adequate support in terms of support, either from a physician or senior clinician, early on in your career? i'd be scared as a new grad to be put in a situation where i'd be way over my head

They have made a lot of breakthroughs in Tele-medicine up here. It is a Doc live over a screen and they can talk you through things, or you can show them the patient and they can give you a video conference type thing and send charts and info over it. The only thing is that if there is any life saving intervention... you either have to let the patient risk the life-flight, or break out your old procedure book and take a crack at it. The Doc can talk you through it in the video conference but the hands are yours. I think most PA's see their SP about once a month on site. They have to agree to be available by telephone though. If you are not comfortable with limited support, do not go rural. In the more populated places you have a lot of support.

 

[deleted6669]

I have a buddy who works in the aleutians. the closest physician is 2 hrs away by plane.
he frequently has to manage critical pts for up to 24 hrs until the weather is clear enough to fly. he sits by the bedside adjusting pressors, giving tpa and blood, adjusting vent settings, etc, etc
great job. month on/month off. full yrs pay for 6 months work and everything is covered on site(housing, food, transportation, etc). he paid off his new house stateside in 4 yrs.