u/Lazypa-c

Going to visit nyc for the first time with my girlfriend and will be spending about 4-5 days there. I’m staying around Times Square and would love any recommendations for any cool places to visit aside from the touristy stuff. Mostly interested in food spots/restaurants, thrift stores or local clothing stores, a fun bar to watch the knicks game, and other fun activities at night. Thanks!

I’m a PA about 1 year into practice working at an FQHC/community clinic in HCOL area with a focus on primary care and HIV prevention/management. I wanted some outside perspective on whether my current position sounds solid long term or if I should eventually be looking elsewhere.

A little background:

• Work hours M-F 8:30-5:00, commute less than 10 minutes from home
• Started as a new grad at $77/hr
• Company-wide raise brought me to $78.25/hr
• Had my annual performance review and was bumped to $80.5/hr (3% raise)
• During my annual review, my clinic director told me I’ve been one of their top providers across all our locations (18 APPs and 7 physicians) and said she’d personally advocate for a ~6% raise next year if I continue performing well
• I currently work mostly independently with my SP only onsite once a week and one very experienced PA who’s been there 20+ years
• On average I see about 11 pts/day, I realize I have lots of downtime
• I genuinely like my staff/team and have a lot of autonomy
• High cost of living area, but I still live with family so expenses are manageable
• No set CME allowance, but organization typically reimburses with receipts
• 401k but no employer match
• Basic benefits overall

What’s making me reflect is my productivity/performance metrics.

I recently reviewed provider revenue numbers and ranked near the top in revenue generated despite seeing significantly fewer patients than many other providers. I also consistently rank near the top of the organization in quality/outcomes metrics and preventative care measures compared to other providers.

I also help heavily with:

• HIV prevention and treatment workflows
• MAT/Suboxone/Vivitrol patients
• Harm reduction outreach/needle exchange involvement
• Complex underserved patient populations that often require extensive coordination

Leadership overall seems very happy with me, but part of me wonders whether a 3% raise after a strong first year is still underwhelming given the productivity and value I bring. Or should I just be happy with my raise and hope for better next year?

At the same time:

• I have good autonomy
• Good relationships with staff
• Supportive environment
• Meaningful work
• No micromanagement
• I don’t dread going to work

For those of you more experienced:

• Does this sound like a good PA job overall for someone early in their career?
• Is staying for experience and continued growth the smarter move?
• Or does this sound like a situation where I’m potentially underpaid relative to production/value?

Would appreciate honest opinions