DaveTN may soon be "DaveAL" (long post)

[YellowJacket!]

For about the last year I have been dilligently working on completing my undergrad BS in Cardiopulmonary Science (Respiratory Therapy) in order to get into Physician Assistant school.  My original intention was to go to a new PA school that just opened up in Knoxville.  In fact, I was the first student to apply and the first to be granted an interview, but was only going to be accepted if I could complete my degree by this fall which I did not. I actually got a call a few weeks ago asking me if I was going to attend classes and if I had finished my undergrad, but I had to turn it down.  But, God works in some mysterious and incredibly wonderful ways.  A thoracic (heart) surgeon who I have worked with for many years caught wind of the fact that I wanted to be a PA and that I was hitting up some of the other doctors for job opportunities once I got out of school.  I even had a plan how to market myself to some of them and came up with some pretty creative ideas of how I would work for them and what I would do.
Anyway, this surgeon took it a step further by offering to pay for school, train me for an additional year following school and then hire me as a replacement for one of his PA's that will be retiring once I get done!!  This folks is MAJOR.  School itself will cost upwards of $65,000.00 for 2 1/2 years, not to mention the amount of money that he will invest in me once I am done.  We are in the process now of working out the details of how much I'll make and for how long my saary will be reduced to pay back the money, and even if he wants me to pay him back.  Insurance is also a major issue since I carry the insurance for my family through my crrent job which I have worked for the last 20 years.  Also, PA school is the equivelent of 4 years of medical school crammed into 2 years of earning.  The other 6 months are a surgical residency.  Because of the intense amount of learning that I will be required to do, most PA schools don't let yuo work, so my wife will have to be the bread winner.  The doctors that she works for are working out a telecommuter arrangement for her as she can do her job from anywhere but the insurance is three times what I pay now and is not even close in what it covers.

So, why the DaveAL thing? The school I will (hopefully) be going to is in Alabama.  The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers one of the best and most comprehensive PA programs inthe country and their surgical residency program which I will be going to focus's on thoracic surgery and kidney transplant.  The move will be temporary and probably for just the 2.5 years I'll be in school, but we decided that since we have so much equity in our house now, we can sell it, pay off all the bills and have some money to live on while I'm not working.  YellowJacket is NOT being sold and will probably be my primary source of transportation down there. ;D

So, if this all works out and I survive the next 3 1/2 years, I'll actually be assisting in open heart surgery.  Typically, surgical PA's are the ones to open you up, harvest the veins from your leg that are used in the bypass procedure, and close you back up.  Then follow you during your recovery.

I'm extremely excited about the opportunity but have many very difficult challenges ahead of me.  Just remember to say your prayers for me and wish me luck.

David

[kwells]

that is one hell of a plan you have there.  Good luck to you and your family as it will probably take some serious effort to get through it all.  Im working on getting my Medical Technologist cert right now and am realizing that there are many things that I had no idea about and now am literally having to buy a semester's worth of books just  so I can get through the test.  My last job I actually was doing DNA HLA typings for bone barrow transplant patients...was pretty cool.  The reality is I'd rather be doing field research in the jungles of Costa Rica but need to get something solid behind me before I start reach in that direction. 
kudos dave

[h2olawyer]

Awesome development, Dave.  Hope it all works out!

H₂O

[Tiffanator]

Hi Dave, sounds like things are going to work out well for you. This surgeon has a lot of trust in you to make that kind of investment.. you must be a really great guy.  ;)

The best news though.. is that in Birmingham you will be only 4 hours from me, and mere minutes from a local track that I want to visit sometime in the future. I know, you'll be super busy with school, but I would love to meet you... and see a running Vision... although hopefully mine will be running by then.

Best of luck to you, I hope things go well, and congratulations on this awesome opportunity.

[Riche]

Go Dave !!

It sounds like such a great opportunity. I hope all goes well for you and the family. Please keep us informed.

[Tiger]

 8) Superb news Dave... 8) When a great opportunity comes along, grab it with both hand's. Here is wishing you all that you wish for.

                             8).......TIGER....... 8)