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Many Challenges Facing Cardiology PAs Can Be Solved With Networking
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Networking for advanced practice healthcare providers has never been more important. Physician associates (or as they are known in some areas like my home state of Utah, physician assistants) are one of the fastest-growing career fields in healthcare, with an expected growth of nearly 30% over the next 8 years. PAs are making headway in specialties like cardiology and the cath lab field, and it is more important than ever to think about the role of networking and support in our field as it grows rapidly in the coming years. PAs are a pillar of the healthcare system and with this expected surge in career growth, it is clear that we need to dig deep when it comes to networking, conversation, and collaboration to help support and engage not only existing PAs, but especially those PAs who are newer to the field.
The Challenges PAs Face
The majority of PAs are balancing ambitious careers, busy workloads, long hours, and hectic personal schedules while also pursuing professional development and networking opportunities. Despite the rapid career growth in our field, technology has not really kept pace with the needs of our profession. With so many things changing in our world, it can be difficult to stay on top of changing practice authority legislation, licensure requirements, and all of the other developments that impact our work.
Throughout my career as a cardiology PA, I have approached networking the old-fashioned way – by making a point of meeting people in person and through educational programs. I eventually started connecting with other PAs in my field online when I was asked to make a professional Twitter account. Social media groups have proven to be a great way to exchange ideas and meet other providers around the country. I have engaged colleagues for support on different issues I have encountered throughout my career and have also had the chance to provide support for others.
Networking among PAs is vital when it comes to issues like difficult or complex patient cases. In the cath lab, PAs are involved in increasingly complicated cases, including patients who have undergone a heart attack or have structural heart issues that need fine-tuned treatment. Having access to peer support and collaboration can help PAs build confidence in their ability to manage tough clinical situations. This type of community is even more critical when you consider the isolation that many PAs face in rural areas. Imagine that you are a cardiology PA who didn’t complete a traditional residency or fellowship, and you find yourself in a primary care setting in a rural area – suddenly you are a healthcare provider who is expected to have all of the answers for your patients about myocardial infarctions, coronary intervention, and angina – but you don’t have support or resources to turn to. With an online, social network for advanced practice providers (APPs), PAs could feel supported by their colleagues from anywhere in the world. As demand continues to grow for APPS, it is critical that we utilize existing solutions to address this gap in clinical networking.
The Solution
Networking has been shown to foster collaboration and create relationships that support new opportunities, personal development, collaborative research, policy activism, evidence-based practice, and more. By lowering the threshold for networking opportunities and making PAs more accessible to one another, we can create an environment where the exchange of ideas and conversation is more accessible than it has ever been. We need to make people feel safe asking questions and engaging leaders in our field. By engaging with colleagues through professional groups, engaging with local and regional contacts, and through social media groups, we can discuss difficult issues, bounce ideas back and forth, and stay up to date on the latest news in our fast-paced profession, ultimately encouraging professional growth and improving patient care.
About Viet Le
Viet is an Associate Professor of Research with the Intermountain Heart Institute Cardiology Research and is a Preventive Cardiology PA. He is Co-Course Director of Cardiology Didactics at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Viet serves as Co-Chair of the American College of Cardiology Cardiovascular Team Section PA Committee and is the current President of the Academy of PAs in Cardiology. He is a POCN Ambassador and is a member of the American Heart Association, National Lipid Association, American Society of Preventive Cardiology, and American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. He has co-authored over 30 papers and over 80 abstracts, presents his research at national conferences, and is currently matriculated into a Doctor of Medical Science program.
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