Specialties

As physicians, there are many challenges that get thrown our way during the course of a year, a work week, or even a single clinical shift. And if you don’t know how to manage these stressors and adjust your attitude accordingly, then staying healthy, positive, and productive as a medical professional can feel seemingly impossible. read more…

Maybe you’re accepting your first PA job offer or maybe you’ve had experience trying to take charge (and falling short) while negotiating your PA contract. Whatever the case, knowing how to effectively make your case during contract negotiations is an essential skill for any healthcare professional. What Happens Before the Job Offer Gets to You? read more…

First, give yourself a moment of celebration: you’ve made it to the end of your PA program! Now, the fun part begins (that is, depending on your definition of fun): preparing for the PANCE. Maybe you’ve already picked out the perfect PANCE review resources but are struggling to create a study plan with them. Or, read more…

Whether you have one job offer or multiple, the process of finally accepting your first position as a newly certified PA is equally as exciting as it is overwhelming. You’ve worked so hard to make it to this point, and now your career as a health care professional is finally materializing.  However, it’s important to read more…

One of the most exciting yet stressful times in your PA school experience is when you find yourself finishing up clinical rotations. In between preparing for the PANCE, awaiting graduation, and finally looking at job opportunities, it’s important to celebrate your accomplishments yet practically impossible not to feel overwhelmed. So, to alleviate the stress and read more…

The internet medical education space is full of great guides on how to excel at different points along the medical journey. You’ll find plenty of material on excelling as a medical student, being a fantastic intern, and smoothing the transition to fellowship and/or attending-hood. But like a middle child, the junior resident can be forgotten. read more…

On January 3, the first quarter of the PANRE-LA began for many recertifying PAs (myself included). Whether you’re like me, deciding on the best way to prepare for your PANRE-LA quarterly question sets, or you’re in the process of preparing for an upcoming traditional PANRE, you should direct your attention to the 2023 updates made read more…

Over the past three years, programs have transitioned to using more virtual-based learning platforms, either in combination with or in place of face-to-face instruction. As self-directed learning becomes more common, programs are looking for creative ways to use these learning platforms and keep residents engaged. Program directors, chief residents, and Designated Institutional Officials (DIOs) are read more…

Being a PA is a challenging yet rewarding career. However, before you can launch this lifelong quest for knowledge and patient care, you must first gain admission to a program. With prerequisite courses, experience hours, deadlines, entrance exams, and an ever-growing list of available programs, this first step of the PA journey can be overwhelming. read more…

When I was gearing up to apply to PA school, I remember feeling increasingly overwhelmed while reviewing prerequisite courses for programs. There was such a variation in required coursework from program to program that I had little idea of where to start. In some instances, the requirements listed on a program’s website differed so wildly read more…

“In general, people only ask for advice that they may not follow it; or, if they should follow it, that they may have somebody to blame for having given it.” Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers I remember in one of my first doctoring classes in medical school, the preceptor advised that as time goes by, and your close friends and family endure more medical maladies, you read more…

According to a 2021 survey by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation, 55% of front-line health care workers reported symptoms of burnout (physical or emotional exhaustion surrounding work). Practicing as a PA, like any other medical profession, is an extremely rewarding career that requires focus, critical thinking, and a lot of responsibility. With read more…

After spending the last two decades in school, there’s nothing quite like that first paycheck in residency. Now that you make money, what are you going to do with it? You can treat yourself, focus on your loans and financial goals, or ideally, find a healthy medium. Being a financially responsible adult doesn’t happen overnight. read more…

You’ve been waiting for this! Now is the time to finally embark on your PA journey, the career you are destined for. Whether your hopes and dreams are to serve communities with fewer resources, medically assist those in your hometown, or provide care in remote parts of the world, you need the know-how to get read more…

In medicine, the pursuit of knowledge does not end once you graduate from residency or fellowship. After all, in order to provide optimized patient care, physicians must be lifelong learners! In this post, we will answer the top questions about continuing medical education (CME) and requirements for family medicine physicians.  1. What is CME and read more…

If you decided to pursue a career as a pediatrician, then congratulations! Pediatrics is an extremely rewarding profession that exposes you to a wide range of pathology, patients, and cultures. The path to becoming a pediatrician is a long journey, but it is worth it. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how long it takes read more…

I was the chief resident during my PGY-3 year of family medicine residency. Frankly, until the application deadline, I wasn’t sure I’d even run for chief. My program selected the chief based upon votes from your peers, but naturally, applicants had to be in good standing with the administration as well. Weighing the pros and read more…

If you’re applying to PA programs, you likely already have a handle on the requirements for your CASPA application. But what about any supplemental applications? It can often be difficult to navigate each program’s individual requirements for supplemental applications, including different essay prompts and additional fees for each. If you’re wondering how to make your read more…

According to The American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM), “obesity is the most prevalent chronic disease in our society. Yet, many physicians are not trained in how to manage it. [ABOM] certifies physicians looking to bridge this gap.” Understanding obesity medicine is important for physicians practicing in all specialties. For those preparing for the ABOM certification exam, a read more…

Life as an internal medicine resident is busy. Most days are filled with patient responsibilities, and you naturally may want to relax and catch up on chores or errands during the occasional day off. You shouldn’t feel pressure to build even more into this busy schedule, but if you have the time and mental bandwidth, read more…