physican assistant careers

There are few careers more respected and fulfilling than one in the medical field. Whether you are a family doctor, a specialist, a physician’s assistant, a nurse practitioner or any of the wide variety of other jobs available in health care, you possess a skill set that is sought after by many. But how do you identify the medical facilities, organizations or practices that you want to work for or that may be searching for you? What should you know if you are currently engaged in a provider job search?

The first issue to be addressed is why you are conducting this provider job search. Are you currently unemployed or underemployed? Are you unhappy in your current position or simply testing the waters for the purposes of comparing wage and benefits for your next performance evaluation discussion about a wage increase? Perhaps you’re interested in advancement and find that your present employment situation prevents you from doing so.

Your answer to the above has the potential to impact your job search in several ways, not the least of which is how open you can be about that search. The less you want your current employer to know you are seeking a change, the more discretion you will need to exercise. Unfortunate as it may be, you should think carefully before you share your plans with any of your coworkers. The less others know, the less chance of someone accidentally publicizing your decision before you are ready to announce it yourself.

Once you have determined the purpose of your provider job search, the following steps will enhance your effort:

1. Review and revise your CV.

As the saying goes, you do not get a second chance to make a first impression. Because your CV serves as that first impression during your provider job search, you must be absolutely certain that it is up-to-date, well-formatted and 100% error free. Have it reviewed by a medical professional you trust, preferably one involved in hiring.

2. Confirm your references and their contact information.

Ensure that those who have previously agreed to vouch you will continue to do so and that they are where you think they are. A resume with outdated references will be seen as a sign of a lazy or disorganized mind.

3. Network. Network. Network.

Even if you hate the thought of networking, connecting with those in your contacts list is essential. People in an individual’s personal and professional circles can become the source of leads, referrals and other information relevant to a provider job search.

4. Research your targets.

Once you have identified the direction in which you want to take your search, do some due diligence not only on prospective employers but also on their locale. Check with your network to see if anyone you know knows someone at the prospective employer. Conduct an online search of the employer, its place in the area of specialty, if any, and how it fits into the community in which it is located. As well, find out all you can about the organization’s key personnel including, if at all possible, the person tasked with hiring for the position you are seeking.

5. Don’t procrastinate.

Don’t put off updating your CV, solidifying your network, or doing whatever other legwork is necessary to carry out an effective provider job search. You won’t know whether what you did is too late until it is.

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Are you ready to apply for a new provider career? Consider Elliot Health System.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly 50 percent of the country’s more than 900,000 MDs and DOs are primary care physicians. 

And that’s still not enough. 

In just three years, the United States will need another 20,400 primary care physicians, if projections from the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration are correct. 

This is good news for the more than 440,000 physicians across the country who practice family medicine, internal medicine, gynecology, geriatrics and pediatrics. It’s equally good news for nurse practitioners and physician assistants, who are increasingly being called upon to play larger roles in caring for patients. 

But those who are most likely to benefit from the shortage of primary care physicians are people currently studying to become doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, who are likely to have plenty of career options. 

Which way will you go? That depends on which option best aligns with your personal and professional goals:

The Primary Care Physician

Primary care physicians are the backbone of the country’s healthcare system. Their relationships with patients often span decades and can even include entire lifespans. For many healthcare professionals, the deep patient relationships and ability to have a significant influence a person’s overall health over long periods of time is what makes primary care so attractive.

Where you work. While many people consider primary care to be the specialty of ambulatory clinics, physicians can actually be found in community hospitals, teaching hospitals, birth centers, nursing homes and retirement communities. 

Beyond patient care. Primary care isn’t all about interacting with patients in a clinical setting. Because it plays such an important role in the nation’s healthcare system, there are ample opportunities to conduct research and teach. 

Currently, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is focusing research on increasing access to medication-assisted treatment of opioid abuse, developing new models of workforce configurations to address physician shortages and advancing heart health in family medicine, among other areas of research. 

In addition, teaching hospitals across the country will always need healthcare professionals who can effectively train the next generation of physicians. 

The Nurse Practitioner (NP)

In the last couple of years, nurse practitioners have begun playing a larger role in the country’s healthcare system. Part of this is due to the fact that NPs tend to work in areas of the country where the doctor shortage is most acute, part of it is due to people’s comfort with NPs. 

Where you work. Nurse practitioners can be found in community hospitals, academic settings, clinics and even in patients’ homes. 

Beyond patient care. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, colleges and universities across the country are facing faculty shortages. This means there are ample opportunities for nurse practitioners to become faculty members and train the next generation of nurses. 

The Physician Assistant (PA)

After the passage of the Affordable Care Act, PAs were finally recognized as important members of the country’s team of professionals that delivers primary care. Since then, the physician shortage and a growing understanding of the important role PAs play in the healthcare system have sparked a movement in the country to remove regulations that prevent them from using their expanded functions. 

Where you work. PAs are unique because they can work autonomously as well as in collaboration with other members of the healthcare team. PAs treat patients in community hospitals, teaching hospitals, nursing homes, retail clinics and nursing homes. 

Beyond patient care. Because physician assistants are in such high demand, there are many academic jobs available for PAs who wish to teach. Most of the jobs are at colleges and universities.  

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Which option will you choose? Elliot Health System has options for all sorts of options for providers.

As 2016 comes to a close, it’s time to start thinking about the future. That’s right, it’s time for physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners to make their New Year’s resolutions. 

Here’s a look at what you should resolve to accomplish in 2017:

Get on board the mHealth bandwagon

mHealth stands for “mobile health,” and it just might represent the future of health care. 

Right now, nearly 70 percent of all adults in the United States have smartphones, according to the Pew Research Center — and many of these people are using mobile apps to access their medical information, research illnesses and ailments and connect with their physicians. 

mHealth represents an incredible opportunity for physicians to improve efficiency, communications and outcomes. It also offers opportunities for you to grow your practice and keep costs under control. 

For these reasons (and more), the health care app industry is growing incredibly quickly. 

If you are not currently riding along on the mHealth bandwagon, resolve to get on board in 2017. Your patients and your practice will thank you for it. 

Partner with your patients

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when physicians and their teams were clearly in control of nearly every health care conversation. Patients were incredibly deferential (almost to a fault) to their doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. 

Those days are over. 

Today, patients have much more control over their health care. Because patients are paying more for their care, they’re asking more questions, raising expectations and making more decisions about what type of care they receive. 

That’s why you have to partner with your patients. 

Make it as easy as possible for them to access their medical information. Include them in your decision-making process. Create a comfortable and welcoming environment for patients–both literally and figuratively. 

When you partner with your patients, you increase the likelihood that they will choose you for their medical needs–and recommend you to their friends and family. 

Consider a community hospital

If you’re being honest with yourself, it would be easy to admit that you have wondered what it would be like to work at a community hospital. 

You’ve heard the stories about physicians who have the freedom to work on all sorts of interesting cases without having to defer to teams of more senior doctors. You’ve talked to physician assistants who are trusted to use their expanded functions. You’ve read articles about nurse practitioners who are always treated as critically important parts of their medical teams.

And all of these stories have come out community hospitals.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to work in an environment that offers health care professionals more opportunities and less bureaucracy, 2017 is the time to consider taking your career to a community hospital.