PA the FI Way

PA school is TOUGH. You're learning so much information at once, the stakes are high, and the pressure feels intense. PA school can take a toll on your confidence, your friendships, your relationships, your physical health, and even your mental health. It's vital that you learn how to take care of your mental health during PA school because studies show that PA students are at higher risk for...

If you want to be inspired on your way to financial independence (FI) as a physician associate (PA) or another healthcare professional such as a nurse practitioner (NP), then you need to take a listen to this episode! Wilson is a PA-C who has a nonclinical remote role working in informatics, and Stephanie is a remote oncology NP. They are each pretty early in their careers and recently became...

If you're fortunate enough to learn about financial independence before PA school or during PA school, there are actually steps you can start taking to develop good personal finance habits even as a broke grad student. If you work on these steps while you're a PA student, you'll be wayyy ahead of the curve once you start earning income as a new grad physician associate.  Resources mentioned:...

Both W2 and 1099 jobs have pros and cons as reviewed back in episode 099. But what are all of the steps involved once you decide that you want to work as an independent contractor in a 1099 position as a PA or other medical healthcare provider? Since you're functioning as both the employee and the employer in a 1099 role while contracting with another company, there are many things that need to be...

Telemedicine offers many advantages to both the patients and the healthcare providers that utilize it. Many physician associates, nurse practitioners, and physicians use telemedicine, as well as mental health therapists, physical therapists, dietitians, etc. In this episode, seven benefits for patients and providers are reviewed. Telemedicine is also utilized in many specialties and areas of medic...

This episode is the 100th episode of the PA the FI Way podcast, which I absolutely cannot believe! It's really special because it also coincides with the last episode of the year of 2022. For this episode, the financial and professional wins of the listeners who are PAs and healthcare providers were shared.   As the year comes to an end, it's so important to reflect back on what you can celeb...

As a practicing PA, you likely have seen different job postings for both W2 roles and 1099 roles. But  which one is better? The answer to that question depends on your specific situation and what you value since they each have several pros and cons. For example, W2 roles have benefits through the employer, while if you're an independent contractor in a 1099 role, you're responsible for settin...

Setting boundaries is a form of self-care and demonstrates to others how they can respectfully treat you. Implementing boundaries in your life has many types of benefits for your mental health and overall wellbeing. There are several steps you can take to set boundaries such as evaluating your current boundaries, start with small changes, get clarity, simplify, practice, communicate, be consistent...

It’s important that you evaluate your life and define your point of "enough" on your way to financial independence (FI) as well as what enough will look like for you once you reach FI as a physician associate.   At your point of "enough", you usually have all you need to survive and feel comfortable with a few luxuries, but this is before the point of overconsumption and extravagance. If you...

Although the holiday season can be The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for many, for others, it can feel like The Most Stressful Time of the Year! You are likely busy with a giant list of things that need to get done, whether it's at your workplace as a physician associate / physician assistant, or at home. Although none of us have a magic wand to make the holiday season a breeze and completely re...

Practicing gratitude has so many benefits including better physical health and mental health, as well as benefits in other areas of life. Once you learn about the benefits, you’ll want to learn how to incorporate gratitude into your life. We will cover eight ways that you can practice gratitude in your life, many of which only take a few short minutes!   Resources:   https://huberma...

Time is life’s most precious, nonrenewable resource. Once time has passed, there is no getting that time back. Although many of us wish that time travel was a possibility at one point in our life or another, the reality is that it simply is not a tool that we can use to go back in time or go into the future.   So if we can all agree that our time is a precious commodity, why is it that we don...

Do you feel like you've made several financial mistakes like spending too much, not saving or investing enough, listening to poor financial advice, etc.? You're not alone! I've been there, too. Although I’m now on my way to financial independence as a physician assistant / physician associate, I’ve made several financial mistakes in the past. There are many lessons to be learned from these, a...

The NHSC Loan Repayment Program is a federal program that helps qualified healthcare workers like physician assistants / physician associates, physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, and behavioral health workers who work in certain specialties (mostly primary care areas of medicine and mental health) pay back their student loan debt. However, there are considerations that make it not seem so a...

Bradley "Brad" Clark, CFP, is a fee-only fiduciary financial advisor who shares his insight on how PAs can accumulate wealth on their way to financial independence. He discusses a suggested order of operations to allocate your income by setting aside a certain portion towards different retirement and investment accounts while also paying down your debt. It can be difficult to balanc...

I'm officially in between jobs! Here's why I quit my previous role as a PA, and why I chose my next position to transition to. If you're feeling like it might be time for a change for you, I hope this episode helps you to decide whether or not to take the action and steps needed to make the change possible. It has been said that action creates clarity, and this is definitely true when it comes to...

Gaby went from being a registered dietician and diabetes educator to practicing as a PA, and was able to double her income with this transition and additional training. She then used her background, networking, and connections, to design a balance of practicing both in clinic as a primary care and urgent PA in addition to practicing telemedicine from home as a maternal fetal medicine (MFM) PA.&nbs...

Do you want some motivation on your journey to becoming debt free as a PA (physician associate / physician assistant)? Take a listen to hear the story of how PA Nicole and her supportive husband, Anthony, paid off their debt aggressively to become debt free all while starting their family.  A large portion of their debt was Nicole's student loan debt from PA school, and they formulated a plan...

What are some of your current financial goals? Although "paying back debt" and "building wealth" may be a couple of your generic goals, these types of goals are hard to track and aim towards. Learn how to set better financial goals on your journey to financial independence.    Resource mentioned:  Check out Personal Capital to track your net worth while working towards your financia...

Tracy Bingaman, PA-C, and host of the Fulfilled as a Mom podcast joins me on the show to discuss burnout while working in medicine, setting boundaries, and being fulfilled in life! Tracy is an amazing PA who tries to help busy working moms find more time and money in their life. You don't want to miss this important conversation!  Get Tracy's free  5 Keys to Financial Independence r...

You know that financial stress like debt and a low net worth can cause stress and anxiety. But did you know that financial stress could also impact your physical health? Financial stress correlates with several chronic disease and even chronic pain. Take steps to begin your journey to financial independence today to live a healthier life!   Articles:  https://showme.missouri.edu/2021/car...

Do you get plenty of sleep, but still feel exhausted? Sleep is a type of physical rest, but your body and your mind actually need 7 types of rest to feel energized and rested! Learn about these types of rest to help with your burnout and fatigue on your way to financial independence.  Read or listen to Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity , by Dr. Saundra Dal...

Money is not the goal. It's a tool to help you reach your goals. You don't want to be rich. You want to have freedom to do what you want, when you want, with who you want.  In addition to trying to reach the point of financial freedom / financial independence, find out how to reach time freedom and location freedom too.    Are you just beginning your journey to financial i...

Do you know how to freeze your credit and why it's a good idea? Take a listen to find out how freezing your credit can add an extra layer of protection against fraudulent activity. Enjoy the show? You can now support the PA the FI Way podcast through Buy Me a Coffee! Thank you for all of your support! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pathefiway Website to read blog posts: pathefiway.com Follow along o...

Jordan Grumet, MD, (aka Doc G) is a hospice physician, host of the Earn & Invest podcast, creator of the Earn and Invest blog , and most recently, the author of the book " Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor’s Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life ." In today's episode, Jordan joins me on the show to discuss what it would look like for you to take sto...