Clinical year flies by so fast. Just as you get used to one rotation, its time to move on to the next one. In all the frenzy of learning how to practice medicine and how to not make a fool of yourself on rotations (been there done that), it's easy to forget to plan for life after graduation. I am here to share a timeline with you all today of how I prepared myself (along with things I wish I had done) for life a few months before and after graduation.
Getting ready for the PANCE
AKA the biggest test of your life. I started thinking around February (graduation was in August) about how I was going to study for the PANCE. I had numerous discussions with multiple friends about what resources to use, whether or not to attend a review course, when to take the PANCE, how to plan studying for it, etc. I ended up deciding that for me it was best to not go to any review courses. I study and prepare best at my own pace and since we had been gearing up for this exam technically since we started PA school, I thought the information was still fresh enough in my brain that I can make do without a review course for now. I will certainly be going to one when I re-certify in 10 years. I knew I would have been overwhelmed and it was not the best option for me personally. A lot of my classmates did go to a review course and thought it was very beneficial. If you do decide to go to a review course, be thinking of the cost for the course, travel and food costs, and also when and how you are going to take days off from your rotation to attend one. I also made a plan on how I was going to break down the studying and come up with a schedule. I shared mine in a previous post, be sure to check it out.
Sign up for the PANCE
Once you are 3 months away from graduation, you can officially register for the PANCE. Keep in mind that you have to pay the fee while you submit your application after which they will process the application and email you back. Once you have that conformation email from them, then only can you sign up for a date, time, and location of your test. The cost of the PANCE was $500 when I registered for it in May of 2018. The earliest you can take the PANCE is 7 days after graduation. I was definitely not brave enough to take it that early but if you are, more power to you! I had originally given myself almost 4 weeks after graduation to take it but moved it up a week earlier because I felt prepared and just wanted to be done with it. Some of my classmates took it early and others took some time off to travel or just relax and then studied and took the test. It is all up to you and there is no one right way to do it. Do what works best for you!
Make a resume
This goes hand in hand with looking for jobs. Have a rough draft of your resume ready and have someone take a look at it for you. We had a lecture during one of our end of rotation exams on how to build and make a resume and how to prepare for a PA job interview which was very helpful. Ask your program if they provide any such resources.
Start looking for jobs
I started applying to jobs here and there (but not super seriously) in April, 4 months before graduation. It is always a good plan to tell your preceptors if you really loved a specific rotation and asking if there are any positions available. A few of my classmates had a job before graduation from a place where they did their rotation. Networking and word of mouth is still a is a big component of getting a job so feel free to inform your friends and relatives once you start looking for a job or are nearing graduation. You never know which opportunity might turn up for you. However, I didn't start looking seriously until after graduation.
Applying for an NPI number.
This is your national provider identification number which is unique to you. I was able to sign up for mine while I was waiting for my PANCE result to come back and I received it within 24 hours.
Once you pass your PANCE, you can now submit your paperwork to get a state license. Getting a state license is a tedious process but fear not. Since you are reading this, you are already one step ahead of most people and will be prepared when the time comes. Go to your state's website (wherever you want to practice) and look up the requirements for applying for a license. You don't have to get everything in order right this minute, but just get a general feel of all the documents that are required. There maybe a handful of documents that need to be notarized prior to submission. Also be thinking of the cost (which varies per state). Apart from the state license, you may also need to get a DEA license which costs $731 for PAs. Most jobs are willing to reimburse or cover your licensing cost so make sure you ask or get it in the contract. Once you get a job, you will need to update that information in the portal where you applied for your license with the provider's name, practice address, etc. This is a process I have not completed yet so I will update this post to share more details once I do.
I hope this was helpful. If there are things that you guys would like to add this so everyone can benefit from it, please leave your suggestions in the comments, I would love to hear from you!
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