The Making of a Physician Assistant: Recent Episodes
Gabriela De Vita
Welcome to The Making of a physician assistant, a podcast created for all PA rising stars wanting to learn all about each phase of the process of becoming a physician assistant. From applying to PA school, to surviving during didactic and clinical years, all the way to starting a career as a brand new provider! I’m your host, Gaby De Vita, a PA, passionate about sharing each step of my own journey with hopes that someone else will benefit from what I have learned in the process of becoming a PA while navigating the ups & downs of life.Each episode is going to be packed with valuable tips, tools and experiences related to a career as a PA; life out of the job, coming from my experience and that of our amazing guests! I am on a mission to help you become and thrive as a physician assistant and create the work-life balance we all aspire for!So, if you’re ready, join me in the making of a physician assistant.
Welcome back to another episode!
I can't believe we are already on episode 9 of season 2, which means we have one more episode after this one to close off the season! I have truly had an amazing time speaking with all of our guests and today's episode is no exception.
On this conversation with Kathryn we dove deep into what someone can do to improve their PA school application as a reapplicant. However, the information we give you here is also useful for first time applicants. Kathryn is now a pediatric PA in Florida, but she was a 3x reapplicant herself and she can truly speak from both personal experience, as well as her experience coaching students. Her journey to PA is also interesting because she moved to a different state right after PA school and that move presented challenges when searching for jobs.
I am sure you are going to find this episode super helpful in your journey so I am going to let you enjoy and we will talk again next week!
You can find Kathryn on Instagram as @pa_kathryn and as pre-PA coach with The PA Platform.
I am on the gram as @itsgabythePA and on TikTok too!
Hi Friends! Welcome back to another episode! If you are a current PA student and you are going to be taking the PANCE sometime in the future, then you need to listen to today’s episode to get all the tips! I had a fun conversation with Courtney, who is a new grad PA, currently working in dermatology, but she just took her PA certification exam (PANCE) just a few months ago and she is giving us all the tips and what resources she used to study for it and pass it! We also talked about clinical year and end of rotation exams, although her program is a little bit different than other programs, her tips are still very valuable and applicable to most of current PA students. To wrap it up, we talked about how networking can really impact your career, and I’ve mentioned this in previous episodes, but it is always a good reminder, specially when we have a wonderful example!
You can find Courtney on IG as @myway_topa and on her Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/PASCourtney
I hope you enjoy this episode and I will talk to you next week!
Welcome back!
On today's episode I sat down for a conversation with Stephanie Williams PA-C, also known as @thepolishedpa on instagram, who shared her story and how she was able to launch her own aesthetics boutique! Steph has been a PA for 8 years, she has experience in family medicine and dermatology, but she always had her heart set on aesthetics medicine. After some years and hard work, becoming a mom and just life thrown in the picture, she has made it happened and is now an entrepreneur PA. You'll have to listen to get the deets on how she was able to accomplish this and her experience as a mom of two little ones!
You can find Stephanie on instagram @thepolished PA and if you are in the Orlando, FL area and need an injector with experience, be sure to look her up and make an appointment by clicking here
I hope you enjoy and come back next week!
Welcome back friends!
This is a common question I get on my DMs, particularly when we had just found out about the pregnancy and I was a new grad: "How did I decide when to have kids?" And I do have to say, this was a topic of discussion at home for quite a while. Considering all possible scenarios and our priorities, we eventually decided IT WAS TIME! My baby is now 9 months old, and I have been a practicing PA for 2 years as of last month. So, join me in this episode as I share a bit more of how we came down to the decision of when, what things we considered, and how it all went down!
Enjoy and remember to RATE + REVIEW + SHARE the podcast! I would love to hear your thoughts and if you have any requests for guests or episodes, be sure to leave a comment!
Hey friends! We are back with another guest this week and I cannot wait for you to listen to this episode! I had an amazing conversation with Xochitl, a cosmetic dermatology PA in Los Angeles, who started her career as a physician assistant in family medicine and after four years switched specialties. We talked about her motivations to become a PA, her experience in family medicine with the hispanic community, how she landed her current job in aesthetics, and all things life as a cosmetic dermatology PA. Xo is also very open about her struggles with infertility and she shared some advice for other women who might be struggling with it too. We wrapped it up with her top tips for future and current PAs, so be sure to listen until the end! You can find Xochitl on instagram at @xo.healthy and go to her bio to book an appointment with her for your skincare needs! I mean, she is so good at what she does! I will see you on Ig and Tik Tok, find me as @itsgabythepa Enjoy the episode, and remember to RATE + REVIEW + SHARE!
Welcome back friends! If you want to get rid of debt, create wealth and become financially independent, then this episode is 100% for you! Today I am bringing you a conversation with Kristin Burton all about INVESTING. Obviously, we had limited time, so take this as a quick guide/overview, that I promise you is going to get you excited and headed in the direction of financial freedom. Kristin Strive is a physician assistant passionate about creating financial independence and helping healthcare professionals do the same through her company, Strive Coaching. Last year she joined me on the podcast and we talked about student loan debt and becoming a PA, now we are diving into investing, as one of the first steps to creating wealth and setting you up for success financially. She is just a wealth of information, and I know you are going to learn so much too! If you are interesting in becoming knowledgeable on this topic and getting your personal finances in line, you need to check out her course! Kristin has designed a 12 week program on personal finance specifically for healthcare professionals, which now has a timeline for completion, gives you the opportunity to get your specific questions answered, and accountability. At the end of each 4 weeks there will be a LIVE group coaching event (for a total of 3) that will include a live Q&A session. The accountability aspects comes in in the mode of support from her as well as "homework" that will encourage you to take action. Since all members will start at the same time, there will be no additional enrollment for this 12 week cohort after the initial period of October 9-16th. Click here to enroll in the Money Boot Camp by Kristin, and be sure to use code GABRIELA for 10% off your course. You can find Kristin on social media @strivewithkristin and myself as @itsgathepa I hope you enjoy this episode and come back again next week!
Hey friends!
Thank you for coming back to another episode! Today you will hear from Addie, she is a PA student in didactic year, on the five year program at Duquesne University, which means she had to get ready to submit her application while in high school! That is crazy to me, but she got it done and is thriving! Addie also shared her experience with dyslexia and how she has been able to succeed in academics in spite of it. I invite you to listen in to this episode and share it with someone who might be considering the PA profession and need some encouragement!
You can find Addie on Instagram at @addiemaythepa where she is constantly posting content about her PA school journey and helping other pre-PA and soon-to-be PA students!
You know you can find me on the gram too at @itsgabythepa and on TikTok as well!
Help me celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! I am bringing you down memory lane with me. In this episode I share a bit more about my roots as a Hispanic person, and how my life started in this country that is now my home away from home. We also dive into what I consider my contributions to society and the diversity needed in medicine and within the PA profession. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did & come back for more next week!
Websites you might want to check out: - Physician Associates for Latino Health - PAs for Latino Health Scholarship (Save it for next year's cycle) - National Alliance for Hispanic Health - Hispanic Health Info - Interesting statistics
I have been a PA for 2 years now and this year I became a new mom, which made me re-define what I want out of that so-called thing "work-life balance". Join me in this episode where I share with you a bit about how I am making the most out of the career flexibility the PA profession offers, and how I am able to be around my baby more, even while working full time! Follow me on Instagram @itsgabythepa for more PA & life content, and if you haven't already, please rate, review and follow the podcast!
Welcome back to The Making of a Physician Assistant! I am so excited to keep sharing my experience as I build my career as a PA and juggle life outside of medicine.
Your feedback is extremely important to me. Please rate, review and subscribe to the podcast and follow along on Instagram @itsgabythepa for more PA-related content!
My dear friends!
We have made it to episode #10 of the first season for this podcast and I am super excited about it and this entire season!
I thought long and hard about what I wanted to include in this episode and ended up changing my mind because I felt compelled to talk about the elephant in the room, BURNOUT! This phenomenon is not new, and is not unique to those working in healthcare (though more prevalent). Burnout can happen to anyone in any field, even as a student.
So, I invite you to listen in to my experiences with burnout, both as a PA student and as a new grad PA in Family Medicine. I go over how to identify burnout and what things you can to help you navigate through it and prevent it.
If you've enjoyed this podcast at all, it would mean so much if you leave a 5 start rating, comment and share with others!
Let's connect on IG @ItsGabyThePA
It is PA WEEK and I am so excited for this episode!
I am taking you with me on a recap of my entire journey to becoming a physician assistant, from the very beginning and how it all started, how I learned about the profession, what motivated me to become one and everything it took to get to this point!
In this episode I am sharing every step of the way, which was kind of hectic to be honest, but also worth it! I went from learning about the PA profession, to starting PA school in less than 2 years! Join me as I share all the details about my application process, how I was able to significantly improve my chances of getting accepted in the first cycle I applied, having applied to only TWO programs! I hope you get some inspo and motivation to make the move you've beet wanting to!
Let's connect on instagram @ItsGabyThePA, and don't forger to subscribe, share and leave a review!It is PA WEEK and I am so excited for this episode!
Hey Fam! Welcome back to another episode!
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a PA in plastic surgery, then this episode is a must-listen one! I am super excited for you to tune in today because we are diving into this really cool specialty with Bridget! On top of all things plastic surgery, we also talked a lot about the interview process for her as a new grad, looking for a job in a completely different state, her training process and tips for new grads when it comes to landing jobs and so much more.
Bridget, best known on the gram as @busybeingBridget, has been a plastic surgery PA for 4 years, she works in private practice in LA and has had an amazing start to her career as a PA. Her job not only involves surgery, but also wound care, and cosmetic procedures, and she really has one of the most fun PA-SP (supervising physician) relationships you’ve seen on the gram!
So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy our conversation, which I hope answers some of your questions and if not, at least gets you all pumped about becoming a PA!
Let's connect on instagram @ItsGabyThePA, and don't forger to subscribe, share and leave a review!
They say PA school is like drinking water from a fire hydrant, particularly didactic year, when you are learning all about clinical medicine, patient evaluation, diagnostic tests and labs, pharmacology, and a few other classes… and it just seems so overwhelming! I went through this not long ago, actually 3 years ago I was starting my first semester of PA school, but I wanted you to hear from a current PA student, who is also so passionate about helping pre PAs and sharing her journey in hopes to help someone else!
Our guest on today's episode is Aubrie, best known on Instagram and YouTube as @whitecoatchasing and she just finished didactic year and is getting ready to start clinicals, which side note, her experience has been all through the COVID pandemic so it adds an interesting twist!
We also talked about her pre-PA journey, which in my opinion was so organized and helped her journey be much more smooth and quite successful! And truthfully, I think will be helpful for those of you early in undergrad and hoping to become a PA too!
I hope you enjoy this episode, leave a comment, subscribe and share so we can keep on sharing more about The Making of a Physician Assistant!
Let's connect on instagram @ItsGabyThePA
On today’s episode you are going to listen from Leanna, she is an OBGYN PA who started practicing as a PA, in this field, at only 23 years old! You might wonder, “How in the world did she become a PA so young?!" The answer is here! But, hint: 5 year accelerated program! To be honest, I thought there were only a handful of these, and turns out I was wrong! So, check below for a link to more information on these programs.
I loved recording this episode because we talked about TWO aspects of her journey that are so unique, and one is her short path to becoming a PA, along with the challenges that it brings being a very young provider, as well as practicing in a specialty where it is uncommon to see PAs do their thing. Leanna has been an OBGYN PA since she graduated school and has been in practice for almost two years! I can't wait for you to listen all about her experience and get inspired too!
You can connect with Leanna via instagram at @Leanna.a.the.PA and on TikTok @Leanna.apa
Don’t forget to leave a positive review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform! It helps me continue making content for you and bringing in amazing guests!
Let's connect on Instagram @ItsGabyThePA
More on 5 year dual degree PA programs:
https://www.myparesource.com/blog-1/dual-degree-accelerated-physician-assistant-programs
https://www.thepalife.com/direct-entry-and-dual-degree-bsms-physician-assistant-programs/
This episode is for anyone out there wanting to learn all the details about what PA school is really like, from a current PA student’s view and experience! Regardless of what stage of the pre-PA phase you’re on, maybe just considering a career as a PA or already decided to go for it, maybe you’re already a PA student, hearing other people’s experience is always helpful!
Our guest has a big presence on social media, both on Instagram and TikTok, best known as @Hapa.Student! Join us in this conversation as we talk about her interesting journey, which I think some of you might identify with. She was on a different path and enjoyed several gap years until she found her calling and decided to pursue the PA profession, then chose her program and is now about to graduate! We talked about how to survive AP school and her experience with some of her rotations because one of them was particularly interesting! Guess where? Hawaii! Ugh so awesome! So, get ready for great episode!
Don’t forget to leave a positive review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform! It helps me continue making content for you and bringing in amazing guests!
Let's connect on Instagram @ItsGabyThePA
Join me in this fun conversation with Kat as we chat all about her experience in PA school, to finding a job in a different state, her hiring process, and then relocating again, to her tips for new grads! I am sure many of you have also been, or will be in similar shoes and hearing out her journey may help you in yours!
We also recorded a companion to this episode that is posted on her podcast Scrubbed out where you can hear more about my side of the story as a non-traditional PA graduate! So, make sure you listen to that episode as well!
If you are enjoying this podcast please consider leaving a 5-star review, a comment below, and sharing with your peers! It would mean so much to me and help me keep making valuable content for you!
Let's connect on Instagram @ItsGabyThePA
I know this is one of the biggest questions you’ve asked yourself as you go through your PA journey: How am I going to pay for PA school?! And rightly so!
Most of us will get into around 100k in student debt loan in order to achieve this goal, and if you have debt from undergrad, that number is going to be higher. Instead of getting discouraged and backing away from your dreams, I want to help you tackle this topic and plan to pay your debt in a smart way! That is why I brought in Kristin, a PA who has an incredible financial journey from which we can all learn!
Join us as we discuss how she paid 161k in student debt loan in 16 months, things to consider when choosing your program, what you can do before, during and after PA school to tackle your debt, and when to start investing, all to help you reach financial freedom!
About our guest:
Kristin Burton, MPAS, PA-C, CAQ-HM is a practicing Physician Assistant in pulmonary/critical care. She has served on the board for Indiana Academy of Physician Assistants, and serves as Affiliate Faculty for Butler University’s PA program. She is also the founder of Strive Coaching, a company devoted to the promotion of financial literacy and financial independence to healthcare professionals.
This is probably the most exciting time of your journey, but also the most confusing as you try to figure out what you need to do to set yourself up for success!
I am so excited for you to get some ideas on what to do as you wait to start your program, as these are things that I did and would definitely do again, plus one extra I didn't do and regret!
Join me as we talk about how to organize your life and routine, studying or not before you start, finding scholarships or grants and a few more things!
I hope you enjoy this episode and if there is anything you've done that could help someone else, don't forget to share!
Let's connect on IG @ItsGabyThePA
Welcome to the first episode of my podcast! I am so excited to have you here and hope you are ready to learn a thing or two!
I couldn't think of a better way to get us started than by sharing 10 lessons I learned in my first year working as a family medicine physician assistant (PA). I know I am not alone in many of the things I talk about, and I wish I had know what it would feel and be like ahead of time.
If you are starting out your career in the near future, or of you are planning on becoming a PA, this episode, and this entire podcast are for YOU!
Let's connect on the gram! Find me on IG @ItsGabyThePA and let me know what you might want to hear about in future episodes. And, if you enjoyed listening, please leave a review and share this podcast!
Have an amazing day!
Hey everyone!
I am so excited to have you here and bring you a podcast full of information for all my PA rising starts!
Here is quick overview of what this podcast will be all about and who this is for, which I hope it includes YOU!
Stay tuned for weekly episodes.
Let's connect! Find me on Instagram @ItsGabyThePA