Hi everyone! This is long so buckle in!!! So this is my first time negotiating a salary now that I have experience going from my first new grad job into a possible second job.

Current role: outpatient ENT, 4 days.

• $136k
• Clinic outline
  • 3 days with attendings, 8-12 medically complex patients. Shared patient list with me, another PA, and the surgeon.
  • 1 day solo clinic, 18-20 patients.
• No admin time, although there are a few “slower” days per month to try and catch up.
• DME orders, letters, forms, FMLA, triages, phone calls need to be squeezed in between pts, notes, etc. when I can get to them.

New job offer: outpatient colorectal, 5 days hybrid

• offered $136.5k --> countered with $142k-145k ( felt like this was bold of me lol) --> final offer $140.5k (honestly was fine with matching current salary or above)
• bonus opportunity: $5k for quality, $5k-30k based on productivity
• clinic outline
  • 7 sessions weekly (institutional plans to increase # of sessions weekly)
    • most are solo AM vs PM clinic (30 min for all pts except some 15 min for postop)
    • can add solo clinic procedure days, half day in OR, or telehealth
  • remaining 3 sessions weekly are admin vs telehealth WFH time. Probably will take care of ostomy orders, triages, phone calls etc
• Cons: lot of butts lol but I think I'll get used to it/enjoy the pathology, GOING FROM 4 TO 5 DAYS 😞 although hybrid makes it an easier pill to swallow

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! (/Venting)

• I’ve been interviewing for what seems to be my "dream job" in general surgery primarily first assisting with some inpatient floor stuff. I did ask for a timeline/update from that hospital since I didn't get this job yet. They did preliminary state that the job would likely pay $130k, free health insurance.
• I've always wanted to be in the OR at some capacity. My current ENT job definitely has no room for that. I've always loved the general surgery realm but I don't love outpatient triages, calls, etc.
• In my ENT job, I love most of my docs and PAs I work with right now but the current hospital structure, admin staff, and MAs drive me up the wall. I have tried making things better in clinic with admin staff/MAs but after 3 years, I'm discouraged and burnt out. I also don't see myself doing outpatient clinic day in, day out although I'd be sad to leave my providers and my amazing boss. I'm also scared shitless of covering my co-PAs maternity leave again and honestly have some PTSD from this when I was 6 months in (she also has a great gig where she gets to work 3 days in the office instead of 4). I'm obviously not leaving because I don't want to cover her maternity leave (that'd be insane lol) but it's a lot of factors. I guess in a lot of ways I feel like when I inevitably leave as my overarching goals as a PA is to be in the OR to some degree and try out my general surgery passion, I feel really guilty? Or like I'm running away? Maybe I feel like this because the people are great but the system is not
• I know that not any job I have will be perfect. All jobs have their pros and cons which is my exact dilemma now. If I don't get the OR job, if y'all were in my shoes would you move forward with the Colorectal job just like I'm leaning towards? It would give me guaranteed OR exposure once weekly.

Any thoughts on all this? Red flags? Advice/encouragement?!

Sincerely,

Early career PA gal feeling lost

Hi everyone!

I'm currently applying for my second ever job as a PA. I got a role in outpatient colorectal surgery last Friday but also had a final round interview for general surgery that same day.

Few questions:

1. What do you think is the average days/weeks that PAs consider an offer if it's not your first job? (only because I remember being super eager to get that first job so the timeline felt shorter). I just sent email regarding negotiating a new salary today. If they get back to me ASAP, could I request that I have another weekend to review the offer? Would they hate that

2. Any recommendations/tips on how to gently nudge that second job I've been interviewing at to ask for an overall timeline? I've been talking with the lead APP who has been leading the whole interview process. I don't want to come off as pushy or want to like "annoy" (?) them if that makes sense.