Today I read this interesting article from the Annals of Family Medicine. It is titled: Physician Assistants in Primary Care: Trends and Characteristics It proved the point of a recent conversation I was having with my cousin – an orthopedic PA at Kaiser. My theory was that family practice PAs would soon see the same trend […]
Physician Assistant Salary Map: Compare Salary by State
Here at the PA Life, I am always trying to develop tools that make your life (and my life) easier. This might be one of my favorites. Trying to negotiate a salary is hard enough. This becomes even harder when you have to adjust for the never ending list of variables such as previous salary […]
The Costco Vitamin and Supplement Shopper: Patient Cheat Sheet
When it comes to vitamins I am not big on all the hype. That being said, I am a big fan of supplemental vitamin D3 and fish oil for most patients. I have some other recommendations in this area as well, as you will see below. The key though is compliance and in the world […]
The Top 46 Physician Assistant Applicant Interview Questions
Physician Assistant school interviews are extremely challenging. Here is a comprehensive list of forty-six high-frequency pa school interview questions you will likely encounter. This list of the “Top 46 Physician Assistant Applicant Interview Questions” is adapted from Andrew Rodican’s excellent book “The Ultimate Guide to Getting Into Physician Assistant School,” Christina’s helpful video post from […]
The Reason I became a Physician Assistant in 20 Minutes and 46 Seconds
his is the video from our global medical mission trip October 2012. We were proud to serve over 600 people with combined medical and dental care. I have written several posts on the topic. It was an amazing experience and every time I need a reminder of why I love my job, I just look […]
Overcoming Obstacles on Your Path to Becoming a Physician Assistant
Life is full of obstacles. They can be as simple as getting out of bed in the morning or as arduous as writing the perfect PA school application essay. Most of the time, the biggest obstacle is ourselves (affiliate link). The excuses that we create to avoid doing the things that matter most. This is […]
How NOT to be a PA Sellout: The Physician Assistant Vocation
So many PAs I meet are unsatisfied with their careers. I have met many a PA or NP who has become entangled in a web of profit-driven, incentivized-by-the-numbers healthcare. They have forgotten why they became a physician associate (PA) to begin with. We all become PAs with a great desire to help people, but it […]
Haiti Medical Mission Trip: Settling In, Resetting my Clock and Resetting my World View
This post is the third of a series about working as a physician assistant in Haiti. Growth happens at times when we are the most challenged And yes this almost always involves overcoming fear. There is no better way to travel than with the locals, no better way to experience the culture, no better way […]
How to get 100 CME Credits as a Broke Physician Assistant
Let me guess… Your employer is not reimbursing you for CME? Or, maybe you receive reimbursement, but your budget is limited. You get all those mailers about fabulous CME events in exotic places at fancy hotels only to flip it over and vomit at the price tag. With limited vacation time and limited money, maybe […]
I Want to Know if I am Making the Right Choice to be a Physician Assistant?
Let me guess, you’re asking yourself . . . “Am I am making the right choice of becoming a physician assistant over a doctor?” “Am I letting myself down?” “Am I selling out?” “Am I letting my family down?” “Am I giving in?” “Am I taking the easier road?” I know how important these questions […]
Physician Assistant Application Letter of Recommendation Samples: Applying to PA School
PA School Letters of Reference Here are two letters of recommendation I received when applying to PA school. I am not posting them here to fluff my feathers but merely to serve as an example of what I included as part of my actual PA school application. A great letter of recommendation weighs heavily in your favor. […]
Teens in Crisis: Emergency Telephone, Text and Web Resources Available to all Teenagers
If you are a teen in crisis or counseling a teen in crisis please reach out to one of these organizations below The Covenant House (Opening doors for homeless youth) www.covenanthouse.org Homeless kids come to Covenant House in crisis. Immediately and without question, they meet their basic human needs – a nourishing meal, a shower, […]
Working as a Physician Assistant in Haiti: Organization & Logistics
This video is from the wonderful FREE EdX course: The Practitioner’s Guide to Global Health The idea of working overseas as a physician assistant had always perplexed me. The laws governing PAs and our scope of observed practice in foreign, third world countries seem nonexistent. I know what we can do and I am aware that our level […]
Cookie Cutter Medicine: The Future of PAs and The Future of Medicine
One of the most popular books ever written on building a business is called The E-Myth Revisited (affiliate link), and here’s what the author, Michael E. Gerber says about the perfect business model: The model will be operated by people with the lowest possible level of skill Because if your model depends on highly skilled […]
My First International Trip to Haiti as a Physician Assistant – Preperation
This post is the first of a series I am excited to be going to do some work in Haiti this October. My whole life I have wanted to do medical work overseas and now I am seeing a dream fulfilled. I will be flying from San Francisco to Washington DC where I will meet up […]
NCCPA Examination Content Blueprint PDF (ECB)
When studying for the PANCE or PANRE let the NCCPA Content Blueprint be your guide! Along with a good review book, the content blueprint allows you to focus your review on the topics that will be covered on the PANCE and PANRE. In my experience, it is best to review the blueprint, find your weak […]
Free 5 Minute Clinical Consult and Epocrates Online Premium
Pfizer for Professionals Pfizer for Professionals: As much as I hate to give my email address over to the pharmaceutical companies this one is worth it. When you create a free professional account you get free access to several amazing resources and even an iPhone app that allows you to access these resources on the go. And yes, it really […]
Most Social Problems Do Not Have a Quick Fix
When Good Intentions Are Not Enough As I prepare for my first medical mission trip to Haiti, I question my intentions. I fear that this trip may turn out to be less about helping (because who can help anybody in a week) and more about fulfilling my desire to experience the “thrill” of international medicine. […]
Is Physician Assistant (PA) School Hard?
Is PA school hard? Here is a question I get asked all the time: Is PA school difficult? Of course, in many ways, it is equally as rigorous as medical school. The didactic part of PA school (your first year) is made up of traditional academic classes. In many ways, it is like studying for […]
Pulmonary System: PANCE and PANRE Examination Content Blueprint
The PANCE and PANRE: Examination Content Blueprint checklist 2017 The PANCE and PANRE Pulmonology Content Blueprint represents 12% of your exam and includes 32 diseases/disorders [genesis_column size=”one-half” position=”first”] Infectious Disorders Acute bronchitis Acute bronchiolitis Acute epiglottitis Croup Influenza Pertussis Pneumonias Bacterial Viral Fungal HIV-related Respiratory syncytial virus infection Tuberculosis Neoplastic Disease Carcinoid tumors Lung cancer Pulmonary nodules […]
Cardiovascular System: PANCE and PANRE Examination Content Blueprint
The PANCE and PANRE: Examination Content Blueprint checklist 2017 The PANCE and PANRE Cardiology Content Blueprint represents 16% of your exam and includes 51 diseases/disorders [genesis_column size=”one-half” position=”first”] Cardiomyopathy Dilated Hypertrophic Restrictive Conduction Disorders Atrial fibrillation/flutter Atrioventricular block Bundle branch block Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia Premature beats Sick sinus syndrome Ventricular tachycardia Ventricular fibrillation Torsades de pointes […]
Free PANRE and PANCE Practice Tests and Exam Questions
I am happy to announce that the free PANCE and PANRE practice exams are finally up and running! There were a few technical hurdles to overcome, but I have worked out most of the kinks with the exam professor software. I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to send me corrections on […]
31 Online Medical Calculators for Physician Assistants
A comprehensive list of medical calculators for the busy Physician Assistant (Just in case you forgot your iPhone) Absolute Neutrophil Count Calculator: A calculator for determining absolute neutrophil count (ANC). Absolute Reticulocyte Count Calculator:A calculator for determining absolute reticulocyte count (ARC). Anion Gap Calculator: A calculator for determining anion gap. Asthma Management Calculator: 12 Years of […]
Why Do You Want to be a Physician Assistant?
Have you spent hours thinking about your answers to why you want to be a PA? Do you have the perfect pre-formulated answer just waiting to deliver; hook, line, and sinker? Or, maybe you are approaching this question as I did: You have a pretty good idea of what you want to say and figure, “the […]
How Clay Aiken and Reality TV Helped Me Ace My PA School Interview
am embarrassed to admit: I am a big fan of reality TV. I don’t watch much TV but when it comes time for a new season of Survivor, So You Think You Can Dance, or dare I say The Bachelor (I can’t believe I just admitted that) I can’t stop myself. I justify this to […]
How to Write the Perfect Physician Assistant School Application Essay
Want to write a PA school essay that gets you an interview? Learn from my mistakes and avoid the common pitfalls that many applicants make. Read my real essays (the one that got me accepted and the one that didn’t) and discover how to create your perfect PA school personal statement.
A Conversation Every Physician Assistant Has Had
If you are a practicing Physician Assistant this will surely make you laugh! How many times have you had this conversation? The Conversation Highlights: What are you doing these days? I have a great girlfriend, Kim and she’s a nurse I met her here at the hospital where I sometimes work as a physician assistant […]
Why my Wife is Happy I am a Physician Assistant and not an MD
“In my life, family will always be my greatest priority. I love my patients like I love life itself, but I love my family even more than life itself.” – Stephen Pasquini PA-C. Years ago, I dreamt of being an MD. Since I was a small child, in fact, to me, this would be the pinnacle […]
How to Go to PA School for Free: The NHSC and Me
The median PA graduating today owes $137,500. I graduated with only $18,000 in PA school loans, all from my first year, because the National Health Service Corps paid for my last two years and sent me a monthly stipend. Here’s exactly how the National Health Service Corps works, what it pays in 2026, what it […]
Google Glass: Welcome to the World of Augmented Health Care
I love technology. And yes, I love Google. When the two combine the only thing that can make me happier is the thought of how these types of technologies will evolve to bring patient care into the 21’st century. I remember when I started PA school in 2001 it was suggested that we purchase a […]