There’s always some excitement and jitters around back-to-school season, but it’s a bit different when going into a graduate-level program like physician assistant school. The pace is much quicker and the expectations are higher in PA school. Traditional study methods may not be as effective for digesting the amount of information presented.  I personally experienced this during the first week of PA school when we started with anatomy. Hours of notetaking and rewriting information weren’t feasible. There just weren’t enough hours in the day! Instead of seeking other resources, asking for ..read more

Brought to you by Picmonic. Affiliate links are provided.  Fun fact - to become a physician assistant (PA), you not only have to successfully complete both the didactic and clinical portions of the program, but you also have to pass an exam at the end called the PANCE - Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam. And yes, we pronounce it “pants.” To continue to be a PA, every 10 years you must take a recertification exam called the PANRE, and although many PAs specialize, this is a general test. For PAs like myself who have only ever worked in a specialty, this is a bit daunting. Since ..read more

Are ya'll enjoying our recent focus on finances? Do you know what "financial independence" is? Kat from @pathefiway is on The Pre-PA Club podcast today to tell us about her journey to establishing a financial education and helping other PAs meet their financial goals through her podcast - PA the FI Way. It was a really fun conversation, and I'm actually on her podcast as well talking about my student loans and creative outlet through The PA Platform. Kat: So my name is Katarina, but I often go by Kat. I am a PA that lives in the upper Midwest. And I went to a PA school at Des Moines Universit ..read more

Sponsored by Sketchy PA The first thing people ask after receiving an acceptance to physician assistant school is - “What can I do to prepare myself?” With each program’s curriculum being so different, it’s difficult to get ahead, but one way to steady yourself for the difficulties of PA school is to develop a study plan. If you’re already in the thick of it and now understand what we mean by “drinking out of a fire hydrant,” you may be feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information being thrown at you every single day. It’s a lot! This blog post will help you determine your learning style ..read more

How do PAs specialize? While the physician assistant profession was designed to fill a need for primary care, there are many PAs who work in various specialties. A question that comes up a lot is how education works for PAs who choose to go into a specific area of medicine. Here's your answer: Do PAs specialize during school? Nope! PA school has specific subjects that are covered by all programs to provide a generalized education for a career in primary care. Even a program that is "surgery" focused will still cover those main areas that are required by the ARC-PA. There isn't required additi ..read more

Today’s interview is with Ashley Turner. After graduating from UAB’s PA program, Ashley works as a full-time surgery PA with a background in nutrition. Ashley also does nutrition coaching through Faster Way to Fat Loss (which I did, and loved). We talk about our experiences in PA school, how to make good choices, and how to get back on track. This episode also has a podcast which you can listen to here. Ashley:  Hi everyone! I'm Ashley Turner. I'm a certified PA, and I work in Campbellsville, Kentucky, which is a small rural community where I grew up. I’ve been working in general surgery ..read more

Even though you want to become a PA, you probably have other goals such as getting married and having kids. So we are diving into that topic today! This question comes from Jocelyn. Thanks for your question Jocelyn! Jocelyn: My question is specific to females desiring to have kids. When is the right time to have kids as a PA, still fresh in the industry? To be specific, I'm 23 years old thinking that I will be done with PA school around 26 or so. My goal is to have maybe one kid by age 30. And I kind of feel this pressure where I would like to get in this upcoming cycle, if not the next. I ju ..read more

We all want our first job to be perfect, but a dream job is hard to come by. Many new PAs will move on from their first job after one year (or even less), and there is nothing wrong with that. However, there are things you can look for in a potential job that will lead to longevity with your first position. So, what should you look for? First of all, they should want you. Whether this is a potential job from a previous rotation, or through some connection with the practice, you should feel wanted. Though you are a new graduate, you still have the potential to generate a lot of revenue for the ..read more

Once you graduate, all you have to do is pass the PANCE right? Everything else is self-explanatory, isn’t it? Unfortunately, it is not. The focus of your program has likely been on the PANCE and understandably so. Schools are ranked on their pass rates, so they are very invested in your success on this test. However, that is merely the start of your career. There are many more steps to come, much of which are not straight forward. By being aware of the next steps you can minimize the time it takes before you start your new career and get your first paycheck (here is an article on what to actu ..read more

Thank you to Certified PA Consulting for sponsoring today’s post! Certified PA Consulting’s primary goal is to elevate Physician Assistants and Medical Professionals to new heights, and create a path toward a successful and fulfilling life and career. Be sure to tune into their FREE upcoming webinar on February 3rd to learn about salaries, negotiations, business and making 2021 your most successful year yet. “How to determine an appropriate PA salary?” This is a question that many PAs ask and many doctors ask when hiring a new PA, or when renegotiating their current PA’s contract.    ..read more