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| Nontraditional Roles and How to Find Them- Part ll: A Physician Assistant Discusses Job Situations |
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by Bob Blumm, MA, PA-C, DFAAPA - September 2, 2010
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Our first installment in this series was dedicated to the definition of a nontraditional role. I had asked for others to add to the list but there was little input therefore I presume that I covered most of the material sufficiently. The second installment deals with an area that I frequently am made aware of as I often received e-mails from NPs and PAs inquiring about job situations. I am what is considered part of a network. What is a network and how can it be used appropriately and efficiently? Basically, a network is a series of people, places or activities that allow the job seeker an opportunity to discuss an employment situation and get fresh ideas on potential employment and discover if others have been satisfied or can suggest options for employment. What is your network? If you cannot answer this question concerning networking without hesitation, then you are in need of reading this article.
Firstly, your network consists of your colleague. This word colleague requires that you think outside of the box as this becomes the place where both PAs and NPs need to recognize each other. We now have three major publications or journals that cater to the needs of both professions in one journal. Clinician Reviews was the first publication to enter this type of venture and was originally published by Dave Mittman, a PA of thirty-five years. Clinical Advisor became the second and is a real contributor to clinical knowledge. We now have a new publication that has the best of both worlds: Advance for NPs and PAs. Why do we have three publications focused on both professions? I believe that part of the answer lies in the fact that sponsors or advertisers are becoming sparse and we have seen “shrinkage” in our favorite journals. We have also seen long-standing journals disappear, never again to resurface. I remember Mike Gerchufsky, Co-editor of Advance for NPs and PAs, telling me that this saddens him even though they are competitors. He felt that the standards for journalism would be enhanced by the fact that we try to bring forth expert peer reviewed clinical articles and that, when a journal ceases to exist, it demonstrates the relevance of advertisers. The sum total of this thought is not, however, on the journals but rather upon the similarities between NPs and PAs. We are different but we are the same! Confusing? It requires an open mind and looking at the job opportunities to discover that I am correct. We need to speak with our colleagues and have ongoing dialogue in order to be cutting edge in our knowledge of the industry. Old-timers reveal their age when they display prejudice concerning their peers. Peers are professionals that are engaged in the same activities in the course of their care for the patient.
Where else can we broaden our network? Perhaps it might be at a meeting of alumni from your school of professional study. Five and ten year reunions bring NPs and PAs together in an atmosphere where we can discuss issues, problems and victories, together. Part of our network should be professors or clinical instructors, administrators, physicians and nurses. We need to broaden our horizon and discover that all people from different, yet similar, walks of life can expound on the value of advanced practice clinicians. If you have not read the best seller The Tipping Point, go out and purchase a copy now as you will see the value and interconnection of friends and their friends. Perhaps at this point you can add to the list. If you can contribute other sources, please reply to the article.
Publications and Internet Sites
Let’s look at some of the publications that can expand our knowledge of professional activities and opportunities that we may have missed. I have already mentioned Advance for NPs and PAs, Clinician Reviews, Clinical Advisor but there are some that are specific to each profession such as JAAPA, Nurse Practitioner, AAPA News, AANP Newsletter which has become my favorite daily reading online information source. There are small contributors such as Newsline for PAs and APC Today. I need your assistance in adding to this list. There are a plethora of internet sites such as the one that you are presently looking at, Advanced Practice Jobs. A similar type of internet site would be Bill’s PA, NP, and MD world. He has broadened his reach to include all professions. There is Clinician1.com which serves to answer questions for NPs and PAs, educate us on clinical subjects, new drugs and herbals, give us a question of the week, accomplish survey’s, alert us to legislative issues and much more. Obviously, I am embellishing on this site as I am the chairman of the PA advisory board and am proud of the contribution that Clinician 1 has made to our professions. There are physician specialty journals, professional newsletters, pharmaceutical newsletters, ACC (American College of Clinicians Circle,) PA Forum, NP Forum, NP Info, Consultant, FACS, all of the specialty groups that are dedicated to both NPs and PAs, state chapters, and many search engines.
In conclusion, there are many places that can expand our knowledge and open our minds to a larger universe of professional service including working with the underprivileged and doing missionary work. The world is truly our oyster but to find the pearl it requires the effort of diving for the prize. We pay a price to gain a prize and our price might just be to take advantage of these gathering places, of state and specialty as well as national conferences. The Association of Family Practice PAs has opened their meetings to both professions for years and both professionals are part of the faculty. This is also true of successful state associations such as GAPA or the NPA (Nurse Practitioner Association of New York.) Start using your network today and experience enlightenment and success. If you wish to have this as a subject at your conference under non-clinical subjects, the author, Bob Blumm will make himself available to your group. Contact me at surgblumm@gmail.com. In the meantime, next month there will be a part lll of this series.
 Robert M. Blumm has received national recognition as a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). He is the past president of the Association of Plastic Surgery Physician Assistants, and was past-president of the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants, past president of the American College of Clinicians and NYSSPA, as well as Chairman of the Surgical Congress of the AAPA. In addition, Bob received the John Kirklin MD Award for Professional Excellence from the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants. Along with his associate, Dr. Acker, Bob was the first recipient of the AAPA PAragon Physician-PA Partnership Award. He has been a contributing author of three textbooks, written 150 plus articles and is a sought out conference speaker throughout the United States.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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