Your PA Mentor - From Physician Assistant Student to PA-C
Your PA Mentor - From Physician Assistant Student to PA-C
Sami Ngo
Welcome to Your PA Mentor podcast. I am Sami Ngo, your host and fellow Physician Assistant, and I am here to help you navigate your way to fulfilling PA career. At 26 years old, I landed my dream job as a brand new graduate right out of PA school without even realizing it. All because I had an incredible mentor who guided me through my first few years as a clinician.My mentor completely changed my life and how I practice medicine. He didn’t just teach me clinical medicine. He taught me how to love the art of medicine, how to develop work/ life balance, how to avoid burnout, and most importantly. how to truly love and continue to love my profession. Because of him, I became the confident Physician Assistant that I am today. And that is why I have made it my mission to help PA students and new graduates navigate their way through the Physician Assistant profession with advice, strategy and tools to a fulfilling career as a PA.
What to Expect During the Onboarding Process of Your New Job
Onboarding process is the training process of a new job.   Most new grads don’t ask about the onboarding process during their interview and EKKKKK! They find themselves drowning when they are thrown into a full schedule without proper training or supervision. #thestruggleisrealTypically, the onboarding process can be anywhere from a few weeks to a few months depending on the job. Your training period in OB/GYN will be completely different from your training period in family medicine. In this weeks podcast episode, Erin and I will answer all your burning questions: ✔️ What should I expect during my onboarding process?✔️ Should I accept a lower hourly rate during this training process?✔️ How long should I  be “in training” until I can see a full patient schedule? Listen to this episode NOW!
May 10, 2021
17 min
Dos and Don'ts of Cover Letters
Don’t fall into the trap of writing a boring, generic cover letter.No work experience? No problem. In this weeks podcast episode, Sam and Erin explain how your cover letter can give you a leg up on the competition. Listen in while we teach you how to market yourself and stand out to your future employer! 
May 3, 2021
11 min
What You Should Be Doing Before You Apply to PA School
CASPA opens up in less than 1 month. You’re anxious. You want to know how do I know if I’m picking the right school? What should I be doing as a Pre-PA? This episode is all you Pre-PA and PA students. If you’re just starting out on your Pre-PA path or ready to start applying to Physician Assistants programs, we’ve got you covered. Erin and I  give you the scoop about what to do before you even start thinking about Physician Assistant school.  We’ve also got tips to make you a competitive Physician Assistant applicant and smooth your transition from PA student to Physician Assistant, Certified. Listen in as Sam and Erin discuss:➕The importance of prior work experience➕What Physician Assistant life looks like➕How to pick the best Physician Assistant program for you➕ How we really need about our program Fair warning- we drop off major F bombs in this episode. We are not holding back! 
Mar 26, 2021
26 min
What to Expect in the First Five Years of Practice as a New Grad Physician Assistant (Part 2)
In the second half of our 2-part series on what to expect during your first 5 years as a Physician Assistant, join Erin and I to hear about their experiences during years 3-5. Not everyone’s experiences are the same but there’s universal truths that all Physician Assistants can relate to in their careers. Join Your PA Mentor for an in-depth conversation where they discuss: ➕ How to manage and improve your work/life balance➕Develop a broader leadership role in your clinic➕Expand your practice to advance the Physician Assistant profession as a wholeListen NOW
Mar 15, 2021
16 min
What to Expect in the First Five Years of Practice as a New Grad Physician Assistant (Part 1)
Are you graduating or about to graduate from your Physician Assistant program?  Ready to start your career as a new grad PA?In this episode, Your PA Mentor podcast, Erin and I bring you the first episode in a 2-part series about what to expect during your first 5 years as a Physician Assistant. Erin and I have been in practice for 8 years each, both with wildly different experiences and they’re ready to spill the tea! Listen in as we chat about our first 2 years as Physician Assistants and discuss:➕ How to avoid early burnout➕ Improve your work efficiency and productivity➕ Manage patient expectations vs reality
Mar 8, 2021
27 min
PA Resume Rights and Wrongs
Your PA Mentor is back with Season 2 and we’re so excited to be talking to you again!We know that finding a Physician Assistant job right now is tough with a lot of competition. So for all our Physician Assistant friends out there, listen up while Sam and Erin drop some knowledge about how to make your resume work for you. Quick tip: if it’s more than 2 pages you’re doing it wrong! Let us help you.Sam and Erin are going to break down resume rights and wrongs for new graduate Physician Assistants including:➕The optimal length and format➕What experiences to include - especially when it comes to clinical rotations➕ How to make your resume stand out in the crowdIf you’re ready to listen in, press play NOW!
Feb 11, 2021
17 min
How to Avoid Lawsuits & Stop Practicing Defensive Medicine
Only bad providers get sued. #fakenewsDid you know that >50% of providers will be sued at least once in their career? There is a myth in the medical field that only bad providers get sued. But it can happen to any of us at any time. On the last episode of the season on Your PA Mentor podcast we talk about how to avoid getting sued and how to be prepared for it. In this episode, we cover: ➕malpractice insurance coverage➕best documentation practices➕easy ways to minimize riskYou can’t afford to miss this episode so tune in this week and take a listen. And don’t forget to subscribe to Your PA Mentor podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Rate it and leave a comment too! We read them all!
Sep 2, 2020
22 min
How to Read a Contract Before You Sign
You can write a prescription but can you read a contract? Signing an employment contract is one of the most important financial decisions a PA can make. Don’t get stuck in a bad job because you didn’t understand what you signed up for. In the latest episode of our podcast, Your PA Mentor, we make sure you know about: ➕ bonus pitfalls ➕ vesting and retirement ➕ non-compete clauses➕ malpractice insurance And more. Press PLAY to tune in now!
Aug 26, 2020
24 min
How I Paid Off $150,000 of Student Loan Debt in Less Than 5 Years
I paid off $150,000 of student loan debt in less than 5 years. If I was smarter, I could have done it in 2-3 years. Except I wasn’t all that smart at 26 years old. I didn’t know anything about high interest rates or refinancing. I have always been told that student loan debt is part of the college culture. It's woven into society, and it is accepted as a normal part of life.But you know what nobody tells you about student loans?They are a motherf%*^#* burden!A burden that is keeping many new professionals from moving forward in their lives. A burden that keeps them stuck in financial fear.In this episode, Erin and I talk about:➕ The definition of financial freedom and what it means to be debt free ➕Why you should pay off your student loans ASAP➕ The exact method I used to pay off $150,000 of student loan debt ➕ How Erin is paying down her debt on a single income ➕ Other loan repayment optionsIf you’re ready to tackle your loans, press PLAY now! And as always, don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and rate/review! Thank you, FAM! 
Aug 19, 2020
35 min
How to Explain Bad Grades in Your PA School Interview
So you got that dreaded C in your organic chemistry? Or was it biochemistry? Or philosophy? Or was it multiple bad grades? Feeling bummed and discouraged about applying to PA school with less than a 4.0 GPA? Well, guess what? Erin and I have been there and done that. We are here to tell you that your GPA is NOT a reflection of who you are. And it definitely won’t kill your chances of getting into PA school.You should not let a lower than average GPA stop you from finding a path to PA school if this is truly your passion.Check out today's episode and let us help you explain bad grades on your PA interview! 
Aug 10, 2020
15 min
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