Early Career Rough Patches.

 

I have a secret to share with any new PA grad or any newcomer to the profession who feels stressed or is/has been struggling to find a “right fit” employer post-PA school. Or even uncertain about their career choice if things have not gone as planned or envisioned before joining the PA world.

            I know, you feel like throwing the towel. Initially in my career, I struggled to get my bearings. In fact, I almost quit medicine altogether in my first year 3 years of practice. After spending 6 years in college & thousands of dollars in debt (school loans). Looking back, I must confess, I was overwhelmed, stressed, & tough it was all a huge mistake that I had made. Moreover, I even thought I made the wrong career choice.

            

            It didn't take me long to figure out that I needed to become strong and resilient if I was going to survive and push through the “workplace dark clouds”. This means that the quickly unsupportive employers, the toxic office politics, and the uncaring coworkers or even tone-death group practice managers were all very suffocating to me—the newbie & uninitiated PA. After all, PA school never prepared me for these battlefields & turbulent rollercoaster rides. At times I couldn't see past it nor endure these early difficult times. 

          But don't worry, it will come to pass once you realize it is not all your fault and you have value. I have seen this with countless others, sadly medicine sometimes can eat its own. I have seen it in medicine, nursing, etc. Fortunately, much of that has lessened to a more tolerable point. Once you start developing your clinical skills, and personal confidence the ride becomes less turbulent and easier.

          You must be in tune with yourself and have the support of your family and friends. And realize what mistakes you made along the way. For me, I was naïve and too trusting, but more importantly I didn’t do my diligent research on prospective employers during my job search. Sometimes I wished I would have had the internet at my fingertips, it would have made things a little bit easier.      

          Also, I wished I had known about de-stressing techniques earlier in my career or developed a Hobby. An advice that I pass on to my students to this day since I can spare them some of the trials and tribulations when I got started 35 years ago.

        As negative or uneasy as these experiences or circumstances can be, frame your mind to see these unforeseen situations as opportunities instead of setbacks which is very easy to default to when things are not going your way. Remember with a little help from your friends, and family and having faith or a "thick skin" as they say you can overcome these hurdles.

        So don’t throw the towel in quite yet if you’re going through a rough patch early in your career. ..think about the quote instead:

"Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you have only had wonderful things happen to you"

Mary Tyler Moore