Contracts and doctors and jobs, oh my

"You're hired!" While twenty million Americans were watching Donald Trump utter his new catchphrase on the finale of his NBC hit show "The Apprentice" April 15, twenty-two physician assistant studies students were learning how to hear those two magic words upon graduation from a panel of alumni starring in Career Night on the HSC campus.

The panel, which included David Gonzales '00, Stan Kotara '01, Brian Pendleton '01, Jana Peretti '01, Judi Thompson '99 and Josh Williford '99 , gave honest advice to first, second and third year PA students worried about the realities of life after school: how to search for a job, how to negotiate a contract, and what it is like to work with physicians.

"We're so focused on school right now," said Laurie Channer, current PA student and member of Class of 2005. "And this event shows what life is like after school."

The panel of six alumni proved to students that there is no such thing as a 'typical' PA job. Gonzales, Pendleton, and Peretti specialize in family medicine and work 40-50 hours per week with varying call schedules, while Kotara works more than 55 hours a week because he is required to attend Texas Rangers and Fort Worth Cats baseball games, as well as Fort Worth Brahmas hockey events - just one of the perks of working with an orthopedist that serves as the professional teams' doctor.

Even though his job at Osteopathic Specialty Associates in Fort Worth has unique and exciting responsibilities, Kotara told students that one of the most important things to keep in mind during a job search is to find a physician you like because of the long hours spent working together.

"I spend more time with my physician than with my family," he said.

Fortunately, Kotara has such a good working relationship with his physician, Steve Singleton, M.D., that he is moving from Fort Worth to South Carolina this summer in order to continue working with him at Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas in Spartanburg .

And Kotara was not the only alumnus to warn students that their career path may take an unexpected turn.

"I never dreamed I'd be doing nephrology," Thompson said, who has worked as a nephrology PA for Dialysis Associates in Fort Worth for the past two years.

Right after finishing school, Thompson was "tricked" into interviewing for a nephrology position that was described as 'internal medicine' in a job posting written by Victor Meltzer, M.D. When Dr. Meltzer revealed that the position was actually for nephrology during her interview, he quickly promised that he would teach her everything she needed to know. Thompson took the job and three years later she had learned so much about nephrology that she moved on to her current position with Dialysis Associates.

Outside of Career Night, Thompson shares her knowledge and experience with students by helping teach the "Physical Diagnosis" class for UNT HSC. Williford, who specializes in neurosurgery, also comes back to campus to give guest lectures. When asked by students at Career Night about how to decide what specialty to pursue, he emphasized that only time will truly dictate the students' direction.

"You find what you enjoy," Williford said. "You have to figure it out as you go."

Gonzales, Kotara, Pendleton, Peretti, Thompson and Williford agreed that it takes about a year to get into the full swing of things and start taking care of patients independently - but that it is very important to stay within your comfort zone.

"The key is to know your limitations," Peretti said.

In addition to wanting to feel competent when they graduate, the students at Career Night were concerned about how to find a job in a field that is in demand but is not often advertised. Gonzales, who serves as president of the physician assistant alumni society, reminded students to use their alumni contacts to find jobs when they graduate.

"Let us do the hard work," Gonzales said. "We've seen it. We've been there. Use us to help you find a job."

Trish Holmes, Class of 2006, thought the Career Night was extremely helpful and is ready to take Gonzales up on his offer.

"I thought it was helpful advice even if you are a first-year," Holmes said. "For the alumni to offer to use them as contacts was great."

The Office of Institutional Advancement would like to thank the alumni who shared their wisdom with future PAs at Career Night!

David Gonzales '00
Stan Kotara '01
Brian Pendleton '01
Jana Peretti '01
Judi Thompson '99
Josh Williford '99