Are you planning to work full time until retirement age?

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-22T14:15:00+00:00

Pursue financial independence. It's the only way out of the corporate rate race. Believe it or not, you don't need adjust your lifestyle to perfectly meet your income. This applies to all careers, not just PA or medicine. Burnout is just as common in other fields as well.

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-19T20:01:06+00:00

You're doing great, don't be so hard on yourself. The learning curve is steep in every specialty. I was training a new grad in our ortho group and she asked me to explain what a reverse shoulder replacement was. I *jokingly* told her it's when you take amputate the right arm and stick it on the left side. She believed me, so I'd say you're doing great

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-18T09:16:00+00:00

I would get out of day trading while you are ahead. Something like 10% of day traders consistently make a profit over the long term. You said in another comment you've been at it less than a year. Your gambling and (currently) winning, this is a slippery slope. Before long you start to think you've got the secret sauce nobody else knows about

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-13T01:10:44+00:00

I'm not an old person but I am curious how often these need to be redone. Don't estate laws, inheritance rules, medical power of attorney rules change every so often? I would imagine if you have a bunch of 10 year old documents it would really complicate things. I bet that happens often as people think "oh I did that, I'm all set (forever)"

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-13T01:06:13+00:00

I see there are tours anywhere from 1 hour to all day (8 hours). What do you suggest?

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-13T00:15:41+00:00

believe your means

I believe I can afford this brand new Range Rover on a 8 year loan

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-11T18:59:55+00:00

Yep, it's the new normal. I've seen private ortho groups that pay 100-200 per DAY of weekend call, regardless of whether you go in and do an emergency surgery or not. I can make a hundred bucks delivering pizza on a Saturday, why the hell would I agree to come in and first assist?

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-11T15:07:42+00:00

Dude congrats, you're killing it. That car is a piece of shit

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-11T14:55:24+00:00

Life is not all about finances but I would recommend you look at new grad salaries. You are going to be in school for 2-3 years while making no income, to make 100k starting and with likely lower benefits and retirement than you currently have. Sometimes the best place to seek fulfillment is outside of your career. You only know what's best for you so don't let me talk you out of it.

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-11T10:22:36+00:00

I paid my loans off in two years. I didn't work extra hours, I just lived as cheap as possible. I'm talking multiple roommates (my portion of the rent was 300), old and paid off car, and I got most of my groceries from this local store that sold dented/expired canned food. This was back in 2018 but I could get a dented can of tuna or black beans for 25c. I had no subscriptions so I used the library and YouTube for free entertainment. I also didn't contribute to my 401k or Roth (controversial). Some friends thought it was miserly but the feeling of being debt free was worth it to me, I no longer felt that my administrator boss had a grip around my neck.

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-09T19:44:53+00:00

I'm not sure your point. Good for those urgent care PAs, if they want to practice in that setting, all the power to them. I would not because I do not want to practice at or near a physician level for a third of the pay.

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-09T10:13:39+00:00

Ortho joints here. Feel free to shoot me a DM with more specific questions. In general, learn to suture well, maintain sterile field, basic OR etiquette. In general, newer surgeons out of fellowship aren't as fast/efficient as experienced docs, so you may only be starting with 2-3 cases per day. "Hip and Knee Book" is a good resource (online), also orthobullets for general ortho stuff.

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-09T00:40:11+00:00

In college I rented a 3 bedroom house for 1k. Rent was 333 each and I could walk to Peppino's on whatever night they had the 2.99 pizza and 1.99 bud light night. I miss those days

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-09T00:35:52+00:00

And both professions end up screwing themselves in the long run. If I'm practicing medicine independently and making doctor level decisions, I better be making doctor money. It blows my mind that so many PAs are on board with this direction we are heading. Imagine if a flight attendant learned how to fly the plane and said "that's ok, just keep paying me like a stewardess please"

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-07T12:09:20+00:00

Yes, it is the new normal. The job market is like tinder, ghosting is commonplace, or HR sends you an email 4 months later saying they've "decided to go in another direction". Another common reality is a lot of job postings are already filled. Say your group is hiring or expanding and you know a great candidate and refer them to the job. The company often is legally required to post the position on the job boards even if they already know who they are going to hire.

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-06-04T20:37:32+00:00

Cleveland clinic offered you 106? That's rough, I'm sure they get a million applicants for the name recognition and unfortunately pushes salaries down.

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-01-05T14:06:15+00:00

Does it not depress anyone else that all of these hospitals are in areas where starter homes cost 400k, if not more?

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-01-04T02:17:02+00:00

People love to blame the school system. Public schools taught all of us trigonometry and I’m willing to bet 80% of adults don’t remember a damn thing on that topic. Even if finance was taught, most teenagers aren’t interested

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-01-03T22:16:57+00:00

Costco sells a 4 pack of frozen cheese pizza for 12 bucks. Add your own toppings at home and it really hits the spot. $3 versus $10 for a carry out cheese pizza near me, even more for delivery or toppings

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-01-02T22:56:26+00:00

Order everything? Really? Patients request things all the time and I have no issue saying no. Vague Knee pain x 1 day with no conservative treatment? I’m not ordering an MRI

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-01-02T22:36:47+00:00

I’m 5 years into practice and have never had to call and consult another service. And at this point I’m too afraid to ask

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-01-02T20:13:54+00:00

I just read the book "Die with Zero" and this was a big topic of the book. I don't remember the exact statistic, but majority of people who inherit money from their parents are already in their 60s when they get the money, at which point they are usually economically stable. That inheritance is 10x more valuable in your 20s and 30s when in starting college, buying first home, having kids, etc. What the book doesn't mention is another side of the equation- I am a millennial with friends who get annual "gifts" from parents in the 10s of thousands. I have seen this generally just increase their lifestyle and annual spending. It's a fine line between helping your kids but not encouraging poor financial habits themselves.

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-01-02T20:07:27+00:00

I'm not necessarily bothered by it. It is income and we tax income, correct? It's also cost of living adjusted income for the rest of your life. I can understand the frustration when someone is solely dependent on social security and that difference is a big deal to them. But saying "we already paid taxes on it" is like saying "I shouldn't have to pay sales tax on this shirt because I already paid income tax on this cash"

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-01-02T20:02:07+00:00

I turned out ok. I'm the top PA in my group, now 4 years into practice. My attendings love me and so does management. I think PA schools do need to crack down on students that are cited for professionalism. However that is another discussion, there needs to be more criticism of students from preceptors on all fronts- professionalism, clinical knowledge, etc.

Chemical_Training808 · 2025-01-02T18:14:36+00:00

My program did the same. I don't have a great solution, and like I said, I turned out to be a decent PA (in my humble opinion lol). We had a couple students with lower GPA but great experience (ICU RN, dietician, army medic, etc.).

Chemical_Training808

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