should i leave physician associate

hi all

this is more just me typing how i’m feeling out rather than actually asking the above question.

I’m a first year PA student. just started my hospital placement, it’s the second semester now.

the first semester was amazing. i learnt soooo much and i enjoyed it more than anything. i amazed myself of how much content i picked up in just 4 months and how 4 months ago, if you’d ask me such medical questions, id probably have no clue. i also made really good friends, we made tons of memories already; ik it’s only been 4 months but the course is intense and we’re in pretty much everyday 9-5 so we see each other a lot. i also did pretty well in mocks, examinations and OSCE’s too. I was happy with the teaching, the content, everything. For a while, the negative media was just white noise to me because i was so confident in my abilities and was convinced that with how i’m doing and how much i believe in myself, ill turn the negative PA narrative around and be a positive role model for the profession.

I’ve just finished my first week of placement and i feel the complete opposite. I feel like i’m constantly learning but have never caught up.

I actually don’t know what i’m supposed to be doing on placement. yes i follow the consultant around during ward rounds and he’s a fantastic man, getting me involved like when he’s carrying out an examination and there’s something like a heart murmur for example, he’ll ask me to auscultate and comment of the sound etc. he involves me in MDT Meetings, discussions, took me to a professional meeting too where different consultants presented interesting cases.

All sounds nice but i feel like im just an accessory there. what am i meant to do? i don’t blame anyone for not telling me what to do because most people who work there don’t know what a physician associate actually is or does or can do. as a student i cant even answer that question for them. i’m meant to do what the medical students do and know what they know, but also im not meant to because im not a medical student?

I cant do what a nurse is meant to do because im not a nurse?

where exactly do i fit in? feeling like this today made me find myself in the abyss of reddit reading negative comments about PA’s. idk why i engaged in such self destructive behaviour.

It would just make sense for me to do medicine if im doing what doctors are doing. yes i get that the scope is different when you’re actually working as a qualified doctor or PA but as a student i’m doing the same thing as medical students. we have placements together, i revise from resources that are for medical students, do OSCE stations intended for med students.

one positive thing is that staying on this course is like purgatory. it feels safe doing something for the time being because i don’t know what the end will be like.

i have skills to get signed off. bloods, IV, examinations etc, i’m working on getting them done but idk. i just feel like there isn’t a space for me in healthcare as a PA. rn i feel like they can’t co exist with doctors because of how similar they are. the junior doctors on the ward are just glorified assistants to the consultants. i see it. in the ward rounds, the consultant goes round to each patient, asks how they’re doing, answers any questions, does an examination, checks the urine output from the catheter and gives a status update to the patient. the junior doctor follows round the consultant with a laptop documenting everything the consultant says then after the ward round the Junior doctor sits in a cramped little office doing admin all day like phone calls, referrals, liaising with members of the MDT etc. everything mentioned, a PA can do. so why do PA’s exist if they’re not bringing anything unique, indispensable and niche (i guess?) to the table.

Reply 1

Blueberrypop

Even with gmc registration things won’t get better for PAs . The course just isn’t adequate for you to be working as a dr replacement ( yes this is happening ) you don’t know what you don’t know . Learning common conditions isn’t enough . The depth isn’t there. The GMC said You aren’t studying medicine, no matter what your course leaders tell you . All courses should’ve been closed last year but unis have to make money so have left then open . I truly believe you have a case for a refund of your fees and this is where UMAPS should be fighting on your behalf instead of fighting the Royal colleges who are trying to keep patients safe . At least 5 unis have now stopped running the course .
If you want to be a dr and have the grades - do medicine is my advice . There are no jobs . 1000 PAs graduating withno jobs to add to the 1000 last year who still haven’t got jobs https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-physician-and-anaesthesia-associates-terms-of-reference/leng-review-independent-review-of-physician-associate-and-anaesthesia-associate-professions-terms-of-referenceAlso AnaesthetistsUnited and Emily Chesterton’s familyare taking GMC to the high courthttps://anaesthetistsunited.com/court-gives-us-the-go-ahead/RCGP opposes the role in General Practicehttps://www.healthprofessionalacademy.co.uk/news/rcgp-votes-to-oppose-physician-associates-in-general-practiceRCPCH called for a halt in recruitment into paediatricshttps://www.rcpch.ac.uk/news-events/news/rcpch-calls-pause-recruitment-pas-paediatricsRCOA has limited the AA rolehttps://www.rcoa.ac.uk/training-careers/working-anaesthesia/anaesthesia-associates/interim-anaesthesia-associate-scopeUMAPs led by Stephen Nash is trying to sue people leftright and centre instead of working with the royal collegeshttps://umaps.org.uk/umaps-legal-action-update/It’s a mess . I’d stay far away from it all if you can .

Reply 2

PA f**ked over

Please take note of the above answer. My background is nursing; I've 17 years experience there plus science MSc. Feel it's abhorrent for unis to STILL!! Be running the course. I opted for PA rather than ANP due to being taught the medical model. In retrospect biggest mistake I've ever made :frown:

There. Are. No. Jobs. For. PAs.
Medical establishment has decided to turn on the role - its so very toxic. I passed the PANE OSCE 5 months ago, fully qualified PA and despite all of my experience, the only interview I had was a 2 month fixed term in gastrointestinal in London ffs.
Words can't really express how I feel right now