New Grad Physician Assistant [PA-C] Working in the Emergency Department | What it's like

Just over 4 months working in the emergency department as a new grad physician assistant [PA-C]. I briefly talk about what a PA is, orientation, how I got my current job, scheduling, time management while working, and stress. Hope you enjoy :)

[@outwiththelindhouts]

Couple months left of my didactic year. Solid video appreciate it! Also love fishing

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

Awesome! Can’t wait to go fishing. Getting kayaks this year!

[@logannguyen1576]

Thank you for sharing your perspective

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

🫡

[@OmarAbdulMalikDHEdMPASPACPAPro]

Hi. Congratulations on becoming a PA. It's a great career! I've been doing it for more than 2 decades. I totally agree with you about "networking". I just subscribed to your channel. 😊👋🏽👨🏽‍⚕️

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

Wow that’s impressive! Have you been in the same specialty or have you changed since you started? Thank you 🙏🏻😃

[@OmarAbdulMalikDHEdMPASPACPAPro]

@@keldendelvecchio6932 I've just been in Internal medicine, but in different capacities (clinic, hospitalist, private practice). I've also taught in PA school, participated in clinical trials studies, been a speaker for pharmaceutical companies and a lecturer for healthcare topics.

[@pauladetty4865]

@@OmarAbdulMalikDHEdMPASPACPAPro Wonderful!! 2 decades!! What an inspiration!!

[@angelicapayan9693]

really nice and insightful video!!! i’m currently in undergrad and plan to go to PA school after i graduate!

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

That’s awesome! Make sure you look into each school’s pre-requisites that you are planning on applying to so that you don’t miss any. Some schools have slightly different requirements 🤓 Good luck!

[@noahgates8000]

Thanks for posting videos like this & your salary one. I’m currently almost through Didactic so it’s the new grad behind the scenes things we’re all curious on. Feel free to share info about rotations, what to expect & how to prep for them maybe! Goodluck dude 🤙

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

Glad you like them! Yeah I’ll make a couple videos on rotations 👍🏻

[@herrsteppenwolf]

OU PA grad '77. 2nd to last rotation Shaddick OK. City of approx 5,000. Last rotation Montefiore/North Central Bronx ER, catchment area approx 35,000, where I was hired. Culture change indeed. Retired now after 40+ yrs. as PA. I wore the named tag with PA-C, never explained, too busy.

[@DNP820]

This video is perfect haha

[@AfroMedic]

I got my bachelor in biology , my goal eventually is to be in Academic. I didn’t wanna do bio masters , therefore masters in PA makes sense

[@TheToxicMegacolon]

Hey Kelden, I'm an incoming PA student in the ny region. I heard the job market is pretty saturated here, how hard was it for you to land an ER position? TIA!

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

It actually wasn’t too difficult for me to get my current job! My ER preceptor during clinical year played a big role in getting me this job. That’s why I stress the importance of networking because your chances of getting a job are much higher if you know people rather than just solely applying online.

[@Seansyy62]

Isn’t new York a really popular place for people to work in healthcare?

[@brianmetcalf4995]

Great video! I’m thinking about applying and have a question. If I’ve been out of school for 10 years, did you find a lot of algebra and geometry in your PA program?

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

Thank you! That’s great you are thinking about applying. I was also out of school for a period of time but you are definitely capable of getting back into it with some discipline. The highest math I had to complete in undergrad was trigonometry. There were no dedicated math classes in PA school itself. You just need to know how to do basic math for things like proper dosing.

[@d.d.mcmillian8172]

Getting ready to start my first job as a PA in the ER in about a month or so. Any tips on things you wish you did before you started? Best go to resources for touching up on knowledge. Thanks in advance!

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

Yeah I listed some helpful books I use everyday in my last video. Also, an app that I wish I downloaded when I first started but was hesitant to because it’s kinda pricy (but CME money reimbursed me for) is EM:RAP and listening to the C3 podcasts - makes me feel so much more confident on how to approach things start to finish and big things you don’t want to miss. They also have nice quick videos on procedures! I also watched EM bootcamp on KZbin when I first started, but if you are able to I would suggest just getting EM:RAP especially if you are going to be working in the ER and have CME money to spend! Good luck!

[@d.d.mcmillian8172]

Thank you so much for that advice. I really appreciate it !

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

@@d.d.mcmillian8172 anytime 👍🏻

[@senorchocolate]

Great board. Probably getting a meb soon. My question is when I go to get out do you recommend using the gi bill for undergrad or saving it for PA school?

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

I used the GI bill for undergrad and used Voc rehab for PA school. I would recommend just using the Post 9/11 for undergrad incase you change your mind that way you aren’t in debt. Look into Voc rehab after you get out if you get a disability rating.

[@senorchocolate]

@@keldendelvecchio6932 thanks for the advice. I’ll definitely have a VA rating since I’ll be medically retiring. Did Vocational Rehab pay for the entire PA program or just a portion?

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

@@senorchocolateVoc rehab paid for the entire thing. And you still get a monthly stipend and they pay for any equipment/supplies you need - they paid for a new MacBook Air, printer, and all the medical supplies like the otoscope/ophthalmoscope, stethoscope, etc.

[@senorchocolate]

@@keldendelvecchio6932 amen brother, thank you for your time

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

@@senorchocolate no problem at all! Feel free to ask questions if any more come to mind! Have a good one!

[@jarvisfisher2188]

Ive been told working as a PA you cant work on specific patients is that true? And that PAs sometimes get patients that others don’t want.

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

I guess that depends on your experience and how comfortable you feel with taking on certain patients. For example if someone comes in and might need intubated - I’m not going to pick up that patient because I’m not credentialed to intubate (because I would need to do minimum 10 intubations a year to keep that and at my work there isn’t a ton of people coming in that require intubation). For picking up patients others don’t want - that depends on who is working honestly. But the extent of that is really just if someone needs sutured because that can be time consuming and if there is a stroke or an NSTEMI or some other of the more critical patients that come in then they would take priority. So, I like to help as much as I can so I usually take the patients that need suturing. At the end of the day PAs aren’t doctors so I’m not going to go up to the attending and be like hey I’ll take this CHF patient that is going into septic shock so I’m going to need you to take that hand laceration 😂 I view this as a rank structure and the attending is basically the top dog so whatever they need me to do (within reason) to help improve patient care I’ll do. Great questions!

[@jackwilloughby871]

Are you at a level 1 trauma center? Also are you allowed to treat critically ill patients like a stroke or mi. I’ve heard that in some health center mid level providers aren’t able to treat those patients with a typical level of independence. Thanks!

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

No, I’m not at a level 1 trauma center. Yes, we can see stroke, MI, sepsis, DKA, GI bleeds and other critical stuff. It’s good to have the attending aware of the critical patient incase other interventions that we aren’t certified to do are necessary while the patient is either getting admitted or transferred.

[@rileythorpe3585]

I just finished my first rough draft of my personal statement, any chance you’d be willing to look at it and give me feedback?

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

Yeah, for sure. Send it to my email [e-mail]

[@rileythorpe3585]

@@keldendelvecchio6932 okay, thanks so much!

[@rileythorpe3585]

@@keldendelvecchio6932 I just sent it to you

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

@@rileythorpe3585 I will try to get it back to you with recommendations by tomorrow morning/early afternoon!

[@MusicLvr81281]

How hard is the work? I'm considering going for pa.

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

I wouldn’t say it’s easy. You are going to be learning new things everyday. You have to be proactive and self motivated to read up on topics in your specialty to be up to date on treatments/differentials/procedures/etc.. and so you don’t forget topics you have already learned but you don’t see everyday. It can definitely be a stressful job, but as you learn more it gets better.

[@xrpnick6828]

Did you keep your beard through school?

[@keldendelvecchio6932]

Yeah! Since I got out of the Marine Corps in 2016 I haven’t had the desire to go clean shaved again. I was asked to shave it off once when I was a phlebotomist and I politely said not a chance 😂 There was no issue in PA school or at my current job though!