More Doctors on the Way, as Med School Enrollment Exceeds Goals

As the physician shortage continues, it’s promising to know that medical school enrollment has outpaced growth goals. But the crisis isn’t over quite yet.

Medical school enrollment is not only up, but it has surpassed growth benchmarks set by the Association of American Medical Colleges, according to the results of the AAMC’s 2018 Medical School Enrollment Survey.

In 2006, the AAMC called for a 30% increase in medical school enrollment to help alleviate growing concerns regarding the long-predicted physician shortage. Medical school enrollment has now grown by 31% since 2002, just above the mark, and when combined with schools of osteopathic medicine, enrollment is now 52% higher than it was in 2002. The AAMC ties this growth to a number of factors, including increases in class sizes and the creation of 29 new medical schools.

Though the numbers are promising, concerns still remain high—particularly those regarding the availability of graduate medical education opportunities on state and national levels, as well as the number of clinical training sites and available preceptors. The AAMC is now seeking a shift of focus to increase the number of graduate medical education slots available, as well as calling on Congress to pass the bipartisan Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act.

The full results of the survey can be found here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

A PSA on How to Address PAs

A physician assistant took to Twitter this week to offer up a PSA on how to address PAs, something that many still manage to bungle.

A physician assistant took to Twitter this week to offer up a public service announcement on how to address PAs, an issue that seems to frequently arise, and one that many still manage to bungle.

“Physician assistant” seems like a straight-forward enough title. However, some still add ‘s to the end of “physician”, as if implying a physician’s ownership of a PA, as opposed to the PA being a colleague of the physician. To help avoid this, David J. Bunnell, MSHS, PA-C created a handy graphic that you, too, can share to help educate the public on how to correctly refer to PAs.

“PAs mean no disrespect to any other healthcare professional. We all share the same mission to help patients feel better and live longer,” Bunnell said when asked about his tweet, and we couldn’t agree more.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Telehealth Is on the Rise

Telehealth is gaining in usage, says a new report, but there are still some barriers in place that are hindering wider implementation.

Telehealth is gaining in usage, or so found the State of the States Report: Coverage and Reimbursement from the American Telemedicine Association. However, there are still some barriers in place that are hindering wider implementation.

The report, which offers an in-depth analysis of telehealth laws and policies, was released last week, along with a statement from the ATA. In the statement, Ann Mond Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of the ATA, said, “This year’s ATA report illustrates the increasing recognition of telehealth, and can guide federal and state lawmakers to identify and address policy gaps. Collectively, states are realizing the many benefits of telehealth and are implementing policies that advance utilization.”

Key findings from the ATA report include:

  • The eight most common types of telehealth providers include physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, licensed mental health professionals, psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and dentists.
  • Since 2017, when the ATA issued their last report, 40 states and the District of Columbia have adopted telehealth policies or have received awards to expand telehealth coverage and reimbursement.
  • 36 states and D.C. have parity policies for private payer coverage, and only 21 states and D.C. have coverage parity policies in Medicaid.
  • 28 states have Medicaid payment parity policies, and only 16 mandate payment parity for private payers.
  • The majority of states have no restrictions on eligible provider types; ten states have authorized six or more types of providers to treat patients through telehealth.
  • Currently, 29 states do not specify where a patient must be located in order to receive care via telehealth.

“It’s clear that more states are adopting telehealth solutions, but some lack the authority or resources needed to fully deploy telehealth across the state. ATA supports expanding research opportunities to increase innovation and reduce costs, to help incentivize states to continue to adopt telehealth services,” added Mond Johnson.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Nursing Career Changes and the Soul

Nursing involves soul work—the desire to serve, to give back, to help—and that, too, can be a reason for a career change, not just salary or advancement.

From Nurse Keith’s Digital Doorway

When a nurse needs a career change, the reasons can be myriad and multifaceted. However, when we only reach for the money or for career “advancement”, we may miss a golden opportunity for a different kind of personal and professional blossoming to take place.

We nurses change the course of our careers based on many factors, one of which may be money or advancement. This is all well and good, but based on my beliefs about the soul work of evolving as a nurse, money and career development are only parts of a much more intricate puzzle.

The soul work of nursing is that which lies deep within you; it’s the desire to serve, to give back, to contribute, to tend to others. Sometimes that soul work trumps salary and recognition. It just does. And sometimes that just has to be okay for a time.

What Calls You?

Sometimes, a move from one form of nursing to another may feel like a lateral move rather than a vertical one, but there are times when lateral moves make sense because there is a calling that runs deeper than the call of your bank account.

It’s often said that nursing is more of a “calling” than a profession, and this may very well be true for many of us. And what “calls” us from one form of nursing to another may be the work we need to do on a deeper soul level, the level at which we fulfill our larger life’s mission.

Perhaps you’ve been working with adults for years but feel that spending time with children is now essential for your personal development. You don’t understand it and you want to question it, but the magnetic pull towards this new aspect of your life as a nurse has more power than you realize and is simply undeniable. And if you honor that magnetism, you never know what gifts may lay in store for you down that as yet unknown path.

Or maybe you’re just not feeling “right” anymore in your current position. You don’t necessarily feel burned out, but it just doesn’t feel like it used to. All of a sudden, a new position makes itself known, but you realize that it will amount to a cut in pay. Do you honor your desire and take the pay cut in anticipation of the gold that may be waiting within this new opportunity? Or do you turn your back simply because of the money?

Your life circumstances may allow you to absorb the financial hit and explore this new career option, or perhaps not. But it’s worth exploring how you feel in your gut and your heart, and to consider your options.

Multiple Bottom Lines

Of course, if you have a family, children or other dependents, your financial bottom line must sometimes take precedence over your desires. However, we can also flip that around and see that there are many bottom lines: spiritual, physical, psychic, financial, mental, and emotional.

A few more dollars per hour can sometimes seem like it will make the difference for you and your family, and that may be true on a certain level. But what about your spiritual health and mental health? What “tax” will you pay for that slight increase in pay? What will the toll be, and will you be able to pay it day after day? Look at career change from a multifaceted perspective and the decision may become more clear.

Weighing Your Options, Caring For Your Soul

Reality—especially financial reality—can feel weighty when making career decisions. And let’s acknowledge that there are other realities as well, and sometimes those realities (like the psychoemotional or spiritual) also need to be honored, weighed, and figured into the equation. We also must remember that when we think there are only two paths from which to choose, there are more often than not more choices than we immediately recognize.

So, if a career change is in your sights, examine it closely, weigh it all, do the math, and allow your heart, gut, and mind to guide you. Allowing only one of those important aspects of yourself to steer the entire ship without heeding the wisdom of the others may not yield the results you deserve.

Career change is exciting and sometimes scary. Use all of your faculties to plot a path, and make a choice that works for your soul, your career, your family, and who you truly want to be as a nurse.

Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, NC-BC, is the Board Certified Nurse Coach behind NurseKeith.com and the well-known nursing blog, Digital Doorway. Please visit his online platforms and reach out for his support when you need it most.

Keith is co-host of RNFMRadio.com, a wildly popular nursing podcast; he also hosts The Nurse Keith Show, his own podcast focused on career advice and inspiration for nurses.

A widely published nurse writer, Keith is the author of “Savvy Networking For Nurses: Getting Connected and Staying Connected in the 21st Century,” and has contributed chapters to a number of books related to the nursing profession. Keith has written for Nurse.com, Nurse.org, MultiViews News Service, LPNtoBSNOnline, StaffGarden, AusMed, American Sentinel University, the ANA blog, Working Nurse Magazine, and other online publications.

Mr. Carlson brings a plethora of experience as a nurse thought leader, online nurse personality, podcaster, holistic career coach, writer, and well-known successful nurse entrepreneur. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his lovely and talented wife, Mary Rives.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

5 Reasons to Give Travel Positions a Try

For those with a sense of adventure, travel positions need no other selling point. If you don’t have a natural love of travel, though, here are five other reasons to consider travel assignments.

Not a lot of careers come with the ability to travel the country and get paid for it, but there are quite a few in the healthcare arena that do. Physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, therapy professionals, and more are afforded the unique opportunity to accept contract positions, often also referred to as locum tenens, at hospitals and clinics all over the United States, from sea to shining sea. For those with a sense of adventure or a love of travel, this needs no other selling point. However, here are five scenarios in which you may want to give travel assignments a try, if you need more convincing.

If You’re Relatively New

Travel positions provide a good opportunity to figure out what you want to specialize in, in which setting, or even what area of the country you want to live in. Since travel positions are predominantly contracts that are two or more months long, you’ll have plenty of time to see what you like, or don’t like, before fully committing to a permanent position somewhere and setting down roots.

If You’re Feeling Burnt Out

A change of scenery can do wonders for the seasoned clinician who is struggling with the all too common pains of burnout. Working with different populations of patients, or even different coworkers, in different places can help to alleviate the feeling of stagnation. Travel positions typically also afford more work-life balance and less intensive schedules, which allows you to focus more on the things that truly matter in your life—not just documentation.

If You Want More Money

Locums positions typically offer higher salaries than permanent positions, sometimes as much as 30-50 percent more. If you are trying to pay off a student loan, or just want to tuck some money away for a rainy day, signing on for a few travel positions is likely to get you out of the red.

If You Want a Trial Run

Travel positions allow you to try out a wide range of settings and patient populations, often with the option to take on a permanent role within the practice you are filling in at. If you are thinking of pivoting in your career, this is a good way to “try before you buy,” so to speak, that will allow you to make an informed decision about where you want to settle in for the long-term.

If You Want to Make a Difference

Locums positions are often available in remote and underserved areas, allowing you to significantly impact the lives of people who need your skills the most. From the most secluded towns in Alaska to small town America, you’ll be able to provide quality care for those who would not otherwise have adequate access to care.

Ready to give it a shot? We have over 40,000 travel positions available on our site right now, if you want to take a look.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

NPs Touted as Primary Care Shortage Solution—Yet Again

Nurse practitioners are the solution to health care provider shortages, or so said a rally cry of an op-ed published by The Hill this week.

Nurse practitioners are the solution to health care provider shortages, or so said Sophia L. Thomas, President of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, in an op-ed published by The Hill this week.

The op-ed, which can only be described as a rally cry for full practice authority, points out the strain of the primary care physician shortage, one that is estimated to fall short of patient demand by 120,000 physicians by the year 2030.

In contrast, however, the NP profession is growing, expected to increase by 6.8 percent annually between 2016 and 2030, with more than three-quarters of NPs trained in primary care areas.

“There are more than 270,000 nurse practitioners (NPs) licensed in the United States, and they are an under-utilized asset in the struggle to strengthen and expand primary care access,” said Thomas. “While 40 percent of U.S. states authorize full practice authority (FPA) for NPs providing patients with full and direct access to NP care, unfortunately a whopping 60 percent of states have yet to modernize their state licensure laws to grant the same access. In those states, outdated regulations restrict NP practice rights, which in turn reduces access to care for patients.”

In addition to expanding FPA laws, Thomas calls for states to allow NPs “to sign the forms for the care they deliver instead of being forced to get redundant third-party signatures,” as well as to “create flexible and sustainable reimbursement methods to ensure that NP care is covered and reimbursable.”

Thomas closes the piece by saying, “NPs are uniquely qualified to provide high-quality, comprehensive and cost-effective primary health care to all patients. It’s time that policymakers at both the federal and state level take the steps needed to ensure that all Americans, regardless of where they live, have access to the primary care they deserve.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

A Back-to-School Self Care Guide for School-Based Therapists

Back-to-school season is upon us, and school-based therapists are likely beginning to feel excited or overwhelmed. Here’s how to stay centered.

The aisles of just about every retail store imaginable are filling with notebooks and backpacks, because it’s that time again—back-to-school season is upon us.

With some school districts starting as soon as early August, school-based therapists are likely beginning to feel excited or overwhelmed, or some form of both. Here are some tips to make sure you stay centered, while the 2019-2020 school year kicks into high gear.

Schedule Buffers into Your Day

A lot of being a school-based therapist revolves around structure and scheduling, but if you schedule things back-to-back-to-back, you’re bound to run yourself into the ground, and things will rarely go exactly as planned, anyhow. A session may run over time, or you may find yourself trapped in a conversation with a parent or coworker for far longer than you meant to. Leave yourself time to breathe—or to run to the bathroom—between sessions, and you’ll be much better off.

Check in with Yourself

At the end of your day, check in with yourself in the form of some cognitive behavioral therapy, such as journaling. Research has shown that focusing on positive aspects of your day, and writing them down, can be greatly beneficial. Try making a list of three to five positive things that happened during your day, or that you and/or your students accomplished, before going to bed at night.

Unplug after Hours

It’s easy to get invested in your work. After all, you didn’t get into therapy because you don’t care. However, in caring for yourself, too, you need to leave work at work. Establish and maintain boundaries to keep yourself from burning out. Do not bring your work home—instead, fill your off hours with healthy hobbies or activities, such as gardening, cooking, or yoga, or even just treat yourself to a nice, long bath every now and then.

Remember, caring for yourself enables you to better care for others, so as the school year picks up speed and you find yourself busier and busier, step back, breathe, and get some rest. Everything is going to be okay.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Residency Choices Heavily Swayed by Salary

More than 90% of medical residents say that salary potential strongly swayed their choice of specialty in some way, according to a recent survey.

Nearly all medical residents—more than 90%—say that salary potential strongly swayed their choice of specialty in some way, according to a recent survey.

The survey, which was conducted by Medscape and polled more than 2,200 residents, found that the average resident earns $61,200, a 3% rise over the last two years, but less than half (47%) of residents feel they are being fairly compensated for their work.

The survey found that the highest paid specialty for residents is Medical Geneticists, taking the top spot with an average salary of $67,500. Allergy and Immunology and HIV/Infectious Diseases tied for the second highest paid specialties, with both offering an average salary of $66,500.

The least paid specialty reported was Family Medicine, with an average annual salary of $57,400, and nearly half of primary care residents stated that they plan to subspecialize, which does not lend much hope to the growing primary care physician shortage.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

The Top 5 In-Demand Specialties for Physicians

Selecting a specialty is one of the most important career-related decisions a physician will have to make. These five are in high demand.

When becoming a physician, selecting a specialty is one of the most important decisions you will have to make. It will set the tone for your entire career, and it is often an indicator of how easy or how hard finding a job will be. If you are in the fence about which type of medicine to specialize in, here are the top five in-demand specialties, according to data from our job board, as well as their average salaries and the states with the highest demand, to help you make the right decision.

  1. Mental Health
    Average Salary: $200,741-$250,598
    States with the Most Demand: California, New York, Virginia
  2. Internal Medicine
    Average Salary: $194,166-$244,910
    States with the Most Demand: New York, Texas, California
  3. Surgery
    Average Salary: $326,660-$458,449
    States with the Most Demand: New York, Connecticut, California
  4. Urgent Care
    Average Salary: $146,000-$308,000
    States with the Most Demand: California, Washington, Minnesota
  5. Radiology
    Average Salary: $353,566-$470,465
    States with the Most Demand: California, Pennsylvania, Florida

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

The States with the Most Healthcare Job Openings

Some states prove to be a safer bet in terms of finding a job in healthcare, due to the sheer number available. Here are the states with the most right now.

Healthcare job growth has been strong in 2019, as expected—the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics has long projected the healthcare sector to see some of the fastest and most consistent growth through 2022. So, where are the jobs? Here are the five states with the most healthcare jobs available right now.

  1. California
    Jobs Available: 8,541
    Top Positions: Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Speech Language Pathologists
  2. Texas
    Jobs Available: 4,702
    Top Positions: Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physicians, Speech Language Pathologists
  3. New York
    Jobs Available: 2,647
    Top Positions: Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physicians, Physical Therapists, Physician Assistants
  4. Illinois
    Jobs Available: 2,210
    Top Positions: Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Nurse Practitioners, Speech Language Pathologists
  5. Virginia
    Jobs Available: 2,125
    Top Positions: Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Physicians, Occupational Therapists

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.