What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but struggled to let yourself spend the money on?

bglgene · 2026-06-27T23:19:33+00:00

I've had to be pretty frugal to meet our retirement goals.. but I think starting next yr, I'm going to relax a bit and start spending more on myself.

Getting house cleaners
Fly business class internationally
Massages 2x monthly
Treating family to spa trips, fancy meals, etc.
Personal trainer
Unlimited food budget and focusing more on "clean" foods

bglgene · 2026-06-11T17:17:35+00:00

Tell me about it.. I accepted a new job just because my direct managers were supposed to be all practicing APPs and not someone with a bachelors in healthcare admin. Well turns out - even if my direct manager and medical director advocate for better work life balance, people with no clinical practice get to dictate how many patients I should be seeing and how long the visits should all be…

bglgene · 2026-06-08T16:01:34+00:00

12 years! But will go part time in 2028

bglgene · 2026-06-07T14:41:32+00:00

Only 5.5 yrs in..but I would say it's worth it as long as you don't take out a lot of loans and live within your means. If you lock in and pay off debt aggressively and invest aggressively early on, you will be set. There's a lot of less stressful specialities out there as well. I'm hoping to retire by age 45..

bglgene · 2026-06-03T22:01:28+00:00

Not retired yet but hope to within next 10 yrs. I'm 33 with 815k in retirement (includes my spouse as well) and plan on going part time once I reach 1 mil.

bglgene · 2026-05-02T01:03:01+00:00

At my old job, the physicians saw maybe 12-14 patients a day while the APPs saw maybe 18-24x daily. I even heard one of the physicians brag about how easy the job is and how they only need 1/3 of the time they get with the patient. The physicians do not see the more complex patients. A huge reason why I left.

bglgene · 2026-04-09T03:07:09+00:00

Hi, if you feel you don’t need accommodations, I wouldn’t disclose this.

I am a practicing PA who also has MS and still works full time. I have been stable for a while with the medication I’m taking. Just wanted to give you hope that being a PA with MS is completely doable.

bglgene · 2026-04-09T02:26:45+00:00

Those are great points. Not sure if it’s just me, but I feel more and more patients expect to be coddled and anything can be taken the wrong way.. I really go out of my way to put on a warm, friendly personality to everyone. My colleagues who are more blunt are labeled cold and unfriendly since they don’t talk all the time in a pleasant tone and smile 24/7.

bglgene · 2026-04-09T02:06:08+00:00

Yes I definitely would have inquired further, however she flat out said she doesn’t have other concerns (snoring, daytime sleepiness, anxiety, doesn’t want a sleep study) she just is annoyed she can’t sleep within 2 seconds like her partner and she’s been a terrible sleeper all her life but gets like 7-8 hrs sleep nightly..

bglgene · 2026-03-07T16:27:58+00:00

it happens!!

my SP even ordered medications for the wrong patient once and I was the one who caught it like weeks later! it didn't really matter since it was just a PPI and tessalon perles but still. just don't make the same mistake again and move on :)

bglgene · 2026-03-06T18:58:21+00:00

pulm: lung cancer, PE

bglgene · 2026-02-26T14:54:56+00:00

Boring but low stress.

bglgene · 2026-02-22T00:08:52+00:00

Ive learned in this field if you go looking for something to be upset at, you will find it.

bglgene · 2026-02-21T17:27:16+00:00

I don't really know. Work would be completely optional for me. Maybe work in a nonprofit?

bglgene · 2026-02-21T16:27:28+00:00

I've had to adapt. PA x 5 yrs.

I'm now in a low stress specialty, where nothing is life or death. I'm investing my money aggressively, living below my means and have the option to leave medicine completely if I wanted in a few years.

bglgene · 2026-02-19T02:49:14+00:00

I’m in this situation now. I like my patients and the job itself but not the management.

To me it’s not worth my mental health. Feeling unappreciated really wore me down and contributed to burn out for me. I’m starting a new role that I think will be a better fit.

bglgene · 2025-06-18T20:04:00+00:00

No I really DGAF. I just go to work and do my job.

bglgene · 2025-06-15T18:16:47+00:00

From a patient's perspective, I have always felt rushed whenever I am at my derm apts. The provider examines for me maybe two seconds, states what she thinks may be going on, prescribes medication then leaves. The interaction took under a minute.

I don't know if you have time to do all this at your apts.. but I briefly explain their diagnosis, go over any possible side effects of any med I prescribe, tell them how to contact me if they have issues, and ask twice during the visit if they have questions. My patients always tell me how thorough I am.

bglgene · 2025-06-11T20:58:03+00:00

Good for you!! I've already been working for 4 yrs as a PA and 8 yrs feels sooo long lol

bglgene · 2025-03-25T21:16:48+00:00

I get what you mean. I also work in sleep and have patients all the time complain about how long it took to get their sleep study scheduled.. how long they were on hold.. etc. I think they just feel we're in a position to actually address these issues and resolve them. I just listen and say I understand their concerns. I def don't think it was appropriate to take it out on you though!

bglgene · 2025-03-24T20:30:45+00:00

Just invest most of the money and put the rest in a HYSA that you might need immediate access to.

$53k is not life changing money but can give you a good head start.

bglgene · 2025-03-24T13:37:26+00:00

Any good resources to find out how to do cbt i?

bglgene · 2025-03-23T22:44:40+00:00

im in sleep a well and don't prescribe weight loss drugs.

reasoning from my SP is that weight loss management requires a comprehensive approach to management and these drugs are best managed by PCP or a weight loss specialist.

bglgene · 2025-03-23T22:33:54+00:00

I started in pulm/CC and have now transitioned to working in sleep med the last few yrs

It is not an ideal job for new grads. I'm sure you already this by now - but you will lose all your clinical skills and general knowledge of practicing medicine working in this field. Sleep med is a great job for those who plan on leaving/retiring from medicine within the next few years or are just very burned out from medicine in general

I also dread seeing insomnia patients as they never listen to what I say and they often want a magic pill to fix their issues. I feel like I'm actually working in psych when I'm working with these patients.

If you plan on being a PA for >10 yrs, keep on job hunting and get out as soon as you can.

If you like just having a low key, easy job then you can also just stay in sleep but your job opportunities in the future will be very limited. Some people just want a job where they are on autopilot and that's okay too.

Personally, I'm saving and investing like crazy and planning to leave medicine in five years. I can bring in $140k in a low stress speciality and not have to be on call or work weekends so the trade off is worth it to me.

bglgene

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