Interview with an Othropedic surgery PA

Here's an interview with a PA-C who happened to be married to one of my classmates. 

1)  Why did you choose to be a PA? 

I chose to become a PA based on the lifestyle. I wanted to practice medicine and becoming a PA provided me that option without going through medical school. I was constantly searching for a field in medicine that would fulfill my career aspirations and never felt right about other fields. Once I found out about PA, I never looked back. 

2) How did you pick UTMB? What was your interview process like? 

I chose UTMB based on the academics and the student run clinic. There is a clinic in Galveston where care is provided to the underserved community. The patients there are so appreciative of the care that they otherwise, would not have received. The pass rates are outstanding. My class had a 100% first time pass rate on the PANCE. I did get into 2 other programs, which were good as well, but I felt that UTMB was the best fit for me. 

3) What was your biggest surprise once you started working as a PA-C? 

What has surprised me is how much I still have to learn. I have been at my position for 5 months now, and I still see something new frequently. PA school is good at providing a background for primary care, but going into a sub-specialty requires its own education. There is so much information in medicine, that it is hard to know it all. 

4) What area of practice are you in now? What does a week look like for you? 

I work in orthopedic surgery with a foot and ankle surgeon. I split my time between the clinic, OR, and the hospital making rounds on patients. Every week is different so it is hard to even come out with a typical schedule. I would say that I work around 50 hours per week with call once during the work week and every couple of months for weekend call. 

5) What is it like with your husband in PA school now? Do you give him study tips? 

I love that he is in PA school now to be honest. We are able to spend more time together now than we did while he was working full time and going to school part time. I actually let him do his own thing during school. I have tried giving him study tips, but we study so differently that what worked for me does not work for him. 

6) Any advice for aspiring PAs? 

My advice for aspiring PAs is to shadow a PA. This is when I truly decided that becoming a PA was what I wanted to do with my life. Then I would focus on getting some sort of hands on experience. I didn't have that much hands on experience and I wish I had. Get involved in your community and organizations in school. Once you do get into PA school, take a break and relax. You will never have time like that again! I definitely miss my days of just being lazy around the house, so when I get those days, I cherish them. Last piece of advice is to have fun!