New PA program geared toward mil folks

[chuckman]

I work at Duke, founder of the PA program, so a little surprised that they allowed UNC to strong-arm into the market (given UNC is 8 miles away)....but good for UNC for stepping up to fill a need.

http://news.unchealthcare.org/news/2012/december/bcbsnc-unc-school-of-medicine-collaborate-to-benefit-veterans-and-tackle-health-care-professional-shortage

[SeriousStudent]

That is awesome.

I was in the ER about two years ago, and the PA that took care of me was a former 18D. Sharp, sharp guy.

I'm glad to see them create this program.

[Shoulderthinggoesup]

Duke already has one of the largest PA programs in the nation, so imagine it is a little lower on their priority list as it is challenging enough for them to take care of their current class sizes . Good on UNC for stepping up to the plate, it sounds like a good program.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

That is awesome.

I was in the ER about two years ago, and the PA that took care of me was a former 18D. Sharp, sharp guy.

I'm glad to see them create this program.

That's very cool, I ow my life to a Navy IDC he saw what the doctor couldn't. No substitution for the shit the military guys get to see, with patients coming from all over the world.

[Hmac]

The demand for advanced practitioners, CNP's and PA's, is going to skyrocket as the physician shortages intensify. It's going to be a high-demand job. I have seen it to be rewarding, and an increasingly effective adjunct to the increasingly crippled health care delivery model in the US.

[Phillygunguy]

I'm a PA, there might be growth in rural areas but not in big cities like Philadelphia where I work there's a lot if medical students and doctors from India that are filling the gap plus there are way too many PA schools with more students than jobs and eventually saturate the market and lower the pay rate
Not the job it used to be

[Phillygunguy]

The demand for advanced practitioners, CNP's and PA's, is going to skyrocket as the physician shortages intensify. It's going to be a high-demand job. I have seen it to be rewarding, and an increasingly effective adjunct to the increasingly crippled health care delivery model in the US.

Plenty of doctors from India have saturated the field

[Texas42]

There is always somewhere else. The trained medical professional is in high demand almost everywhere in the US.

If you can't find a job as a NP or PA, you need to see what you are doing wrong. Re-imbursements are going down . . . . but that is another issue.

[Phillygunguy]

There is always somewhere else. The trained medical professional is in high demand almost everywhere in the US.

If you can't find a job as a NP or PA, you need to see what you are doing wrong. Re-imbursements are going down . . . . but that is another issue.

I have a job I'm in this for 8 years Internal medicine I'm doing nothing wrong I'm telling you things aren't as good as they are. Where I work its in a hospital they have decided to use Hospitalist which are doctors hired through an outside agency which may eventually replace us ( hopefully not ). What is going on is there are lots of PA schools which brings in lots of students and money, but what they don't tell them is the field is saturated, there's competition with NPs and other doctors. I don't know what line of work you're in, but out here its not all it's cracked up to be.

[Hmac]

Plenty of doctors from India have saturated the field

No, I disagree. Apparently it's bad for you in Philadelphia, but that is FAR from representative of the rest of the country.

[ramairthree]

I am glad to see them doing that program. PA programs were meant for experienced entrants.

Hard to predict what the job future will be for healthcare providers. Sometimes the kids ask about stuff they might be when they grow up, or how to make sure they have a good job.

A lot of other countries don't have mid level providers.

They have a group of competetive MD school and residency personnel filling the specialists roles, and a group of less competetive MD schools and non-residency personnel filling what would be paramedic, flight nurse, PA, NP, primary care, etc. roles here.

Here in the states we have competetive MD schools, less competetive MD And DO schools, foreign MD schools made just for US people that cannot get into US med schools, foreign MDs from outstanding to scary foreign med schools, mid level providers with degree creep to "Dr." but that are not physicians, mid level providers worried what degree creep may mean for them in the future, highly trained critical care nurses and paramedics-

all combined with a population that wants the best care but does not want to have to pay for it plus be able to sue for big bucks,
and tax structures/social policy that benefit those that do not work and stick it to hark working, performing citizens whether they are just getting by or are affluent.

there will always be work, but will the pay to training, etc. be there in the future?

People will always need medical care,
but although more people than ever listen to music, watch movies, and play games
There were guys going into the arcade, record store, and video rental fields that said...