Articles Archives

The Ups and Downs of My First Year as a PA

When Diana Anderson, PA-C, graduated from her PA program, she landed an exciting job in urgent care. But her first months of practice were filled with unexpected events. She candidly shares the ups and downs of her first year as a PA.

June 22, 2020

PAs on the Front Lines: Alyssa Zantello Helps New York City During COVID-19

As the COVID-19 surge began in the U.S., Alyssa Zantello, PA-C, who practices orthopaedics in Michigan, found she couldn’t sit at home and do nothing. Forty eight hours after a conversation with her mentor, she was on a plane to New York City.

June 11, 2020

Guide to Reading and Understanding Financial Statements

A beginner’s guide to reading and understanding financial statements.

Blueprint for Addressing Physician Assistant Well-being and Burnout

The goal of the Blueprint for Addressing PA Well-Being and Burnout is to provide a brief overview of what is currently known about PA burnout and well-being, and more importantly,…

Tips for New PAs on How to Grow Your Role at Work

Are you a new PA who is ready to grow your role and increase responsibilities at work? Two members of the Early Career PA Commission, Allyson Hamacher, PA-C, and Jack Ward, PA-C, share tips for other early career PAs.

May 8, 2020

A Day in the Life of PA Faculty and Clinician

Nicole S. Cournoyer, PA-C, faculty member at Thomas Jefferson University, started her career in a community-based oncology office. Teaching patients and family members about disease processes, medications and interventions led to lecturing then teaching full-time at her alma mater.

April 28, 2020

Image of a PA talking to her colleagues.

4 Non-Salary Negotiations PAs Need to Consider

For most professionals, the words “negotiate” and “salary” often go hand-in-hand. But when employers can’t increase your salary offer, you may find them willing to increase or improve other areas of the benefits package to entice you to work for them.

April 21, 2020

You’ve Been Hacked! Lessons Learned from a Cyber Breach

A small Texas practice’s electronic health records were hacked and held for ransom. For days, while pen and paper kept the practice going, a PA wondered whether she’d face a financial hit from the cyber breach.

April 10, 2020

Edwin Welsh, Clare Lookian, Jack Carter, Erin Schulte, Devon Gersh, Kasey Keane

Day in the Life of a Texas Children’s Hospital Pediatric Surgical PA Fellow

Pediatric Surgery Community Fellow at Texas Children’s Hospital, Devon Gersh, PA-C, describes a day in her life during the rigorous 12-month program at Texas Children's community hospital in The Woodlands. Fellows get the opportunity to rotate through multiple subspecialties of surgery.

April 2, 2020