Informational Interview Questions

Amie Sweet Physician Assistant

Greenville Hospital System / United States Army National Guard 701 Grove Road, Greenville, SC 2605-5601

Interview date: May 18, 2016

For this informational interview, I had the opportunity to speak with Amie Sweet, a physician assistant at the Greenville Hospital System, about her experience as a PA and the field, in general. Q: What are some of the responsibilities of being physician assistant? A: “A lot of what we have to do is preventing and treating illnesses and injuries by providing a broad range of health care services to our patients. We do everything from conducting physical exams, prescribing medications, diagnosing, developing treatment plans, performing procedures and surgeries and much more. Q: What are the requirements to be in this profession? A: “Before, you just had to complete a certain set of prerequisite courses; but nowadays, you have to have an undergraduate degree, taken the GREs, and have a decent amount of experience before you are even considered for acceptance into a PA school.” Q: What type of ailments do you normally see at GHS in the neurology department? A: “As a PA in the neuro-field, I work together with a neurosurgeon to treat patients with neurological conditions, which require surgery. On any given day, I may take medical histories and perform physical exams; I also review diagnostic tests, such as CT scans, MRI’s and blood work.” Q: What can you not treat as a PA in the neuro-field? A: “Typically, there is not much we cannot treat. We have an amazing medical staff, and the field of neurosurgery has come so far from since when I started in it seven years ago.” Q: How was GHS and the neurology department started? A: “GHS started quite some time ago, back in the early 1900s, if I remember correctly. The neurology department was started sometime after that. Q: What is unique about working for GHS? A: “I believe all the advancements in technology and medicine that we practice is one of the best benefits. We are at the forefront of medicine and the vast injuries and conditions that we can handle at GHS is quite an accomplishment and something to be proud of.”

Q: What do you like about GHS? A: “I enjoy the ability to always be tested and challenged here. There is not a dull moment, and in fact, sometimes I would not mind a few actually. We are constantly going from surgery to surgery. It keeps you quite busy and active in the field.” Q: What are your weekly hours like? A: “It depends upon the shift schedule and on-call schedule. There are times I have a few days off at a time and others where I work five days straight – twelve hours on, twelve hours off.” Q: Do you have to work most weekends? A: “No, unless I am on call or I volunteer to pick up someone’s shift.” Q: What is the most beneficial aspect of working at a major hospital facility? A: “The variety of ailments and cases you see really keeps you on top of your game. We are constant tackling new types of neurological illnesses or injuries. It makes it rewarding and exciting.” Q: Do you supervise anyone and to whom do you report? A: “Yes, I typically supervise the newer PA who just came into the department with us, and I report to the doctor who is on call or staffed with our shifts.” Q: I know that the average age of acceptance for PA schools is in the mid-late 20’s. Where did you go to school and how long did it take you to be accepted? A: “I attended MUSC in Charleston eleven years ago. I was accepted on my first try, which is not so common nowadays I hear.” Q: What is the best advice you can give me for gaining acceptance to a physician assisting school? A: “Experience. Not only will this help getting into school, but also while you are in school, and once you have graduated. A lot of the early on experience and cases I saw, I still remember and have built my knowledge-base upon.” Q: What can I be doing right now to prepare me for this career? A: “Continue with experience and finish your undergraduate degree. Do not stop your quest for knowledge and how to further better your patient-care.” Q: Can you suggest anyone else to whom I could contact for additional information? A: “I suggest any other PA you know or could get in contact with. Everyone has different experiences, and someone else may have different advice than what I could offer.”