Hello, and thanks for reading In Practice, the newsletter for AAPA fellow members in their first few years of practice! If you missed our inaugural issue from November, you can read it on our new In Practice Archive Page.
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Building Your Early Career Community
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For many PAs, the first few years of practice can be overwhelming and isolating. This is particularly true for PAs who aren’t receiving a lot of formal support from their employers.
From navigating the licensing and credentialing process, to learning how to use an EHR system, to finding your groove with patients and colleagues, it’s critical to have someone you can turn to for advice and validation. However, it’s not always comfortable to ask for help or clear who you can turn to for guidance.
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I urge you to build a strong community among your early career peers. This could include your former classmates, your colleagues, or your fellow AAPA members via the Huddle online community.
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Although your peers might not have all the answers, simply listening to each other’s experiences will normalize your shared challenges and help you feel less alone.
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I urge you to build a strong community among your early career peers. This could include your former classmates, your colleagues, or your fellow AAPA members via the Huddle online community.
Although your peers might not have all the answers, simply listening to each other’s experiences will normalize your shared challenges and help you feel less alone.
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Early Career Opportunities at AAPA 2025
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A great place to meet AAPA members and grow your network is at the AAPA 2025 Conference, happening May 16-20 in Denver, Colo. If you are considering registering for AAPA 2025, please know we are planning several exciting events just for early career PAs like you:
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- On Monday, May 19, spend an hour with early career PAs putting together a Kynd Kit care package for a person or animal in need.
- On Tuesday, May 20, kick back with early career PAs and close out the conference by exploring the exhibits at Meow Wolf, an immersive art-space.
- Also on Tuesday, don’t miss the opportunity to get advice from experts during our brand-new Early Career Success: A Mentoring Event featuring topics like avoiding burnout, navigating specialty transitions, personal finance and loan repayment, and more. Different topics will be offered during the morning session and the afternoon session, so be sure to register for both!
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Save the Date for "The Early Career PA's Ultimate Guide to Conference"
Tuesday, May 6 from 7-8 p.m. ET
Featuring Matthew Mancini, PA-C and AAPA staff
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Your ultimate guide for attending the AAPA 2025 Conference and Expo as an Early Career PA! Learn how to prepare for the conference, network and build your PA community, and get the most out of AAPA’s early career events.
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One PA's Advice on Attending AAPA Conference
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Matthew Mancini, PA-C, is a primary care PA based in New York and co-founded the Early Career Special Interest Group. He first attended the AAPA annual conference when he was a first-year student at Quinnipiac University and has attended nine AAPA conferences in total.
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I checked in with Matthew recently to find out how he prepares each year. Read on for Matthew’s advice for early career PAs.
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Kelsey: Why do you choose to attend the AAPA Conference?
Matthew: Attending the AAPA Conference allows me to connect with friends and peers from across the nation and to grow my PA network, which I love! I also really enjoy attending CME sessions to brush up on old topics and learn new ones. The recent addition of the PA Night Out is a highlight, and I highly recommend attending.
Kelsey: How do you typically prepare for the conference?
Matthew: I definitely recommend downloading the AAPA Conference app before you leave home. The app allows you to save CME sessions, social events, and make a daily agenda – that way you are not as overwhelmed when you get on site!
Kelsey: What advice do you have for early career PAs who are planning to attend?
Matthew: I would recommend that Early Career PAs be open to new experiences at the conference. Try a new event you might not have considered. Start a conversation with someone new. You never know where the experience might lead.
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If attending AAPA 2025 isn’t in the cards for you, don’t worry. There are so many ways to connect with AAPA members and build your network online.
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- Huddle is home to the AAPA Member Directory, which allows you to search for AAPA members by name, location, work setting, specialty, and PA program.
- AAPA’s Mentor Match program gives you two different pathways to connect with mentors. Consider enrolling in Mentor Match Connect if you are looking for a traditional, long-term mentoring relationship, or leverage our brand-new Mentor Match Chat for ad-hoc or one-off mentoring requests.
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Thanks for reading In Practice. Don’t forget to check out the November issue on our archive page. I’ll be back in May with more Early Career tips and tools!
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Kelsey King
Assistant Director,
Career Products & Services
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