Hoag Hospital Emergency Department
Newport Beach, CA USA
“Make it clear what’s acceptable for you as a person, as a human being. You’re not a machine. You have to be content in your own personal life in order to bring that same energy into your workplace.”
Physician Assistant
I work with physicians to provide medical care to patients that arrive at the emergency department.
It varies. If I’m in triage, then I’m sorting patients by their acuity or how sick they are. In just a couple of minutes, I listen to what their complaint is and try to get to the root of what is causing that problem. I figure out what testing they’re going to need and anticipate what other providers would want as far as results. It’s mainly managing and determining what a patient needs during their visit.
Here's the first step for everyone
Try to get in as a [hospital] volunteer just to see what the flow is in that setting. This way you can witness all the different things that it takes to treat people. If you’re set on pursuing a career as a PA, find a program that links undergraduate studies with PA studies to save you both time and money.
"You aren't prepared enough."
