Episode #19: Maggie Hitchon, PA in Physiatry

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Episode Summary

In this episode, we interview Maggie, a Physician Assistant practicing in Hamilton, Ontario, specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry). We discuss her transition from a Kinesiology background into the McMaster PA program, her experience with Problem-Based Learning, and how she successfully negotiated her first role in a highly specialized field.

• View Episode Chapters

  Part 1: Why Maggie Chose PA

  • 0:14 Maggie's Background before PA School

  • 0:41 Pursuing a Career in Health Care

  Part 2: Maggie’s PA School Experience

  • 1:40Maggie's Experience in McMaster's PA Program

  • 2:45 Maggie's 2nd year PA Clinical Rotations

  • 3:56Finding Her First PA Job

  Part 3: Explaining “Physiatry” as a Specialty

  • 4:51 What is Physiatry?

  • 5:37 How Physiatry is Different than other specialties

  • 6:34 Physiatry Treatment Options

  • 7:25 Medications in Physiatry

  • 8:29 Practice Setting Physiatry

  • 9:27 What is Spasticity?

  • 10:29 Common Conditions Seen in Physiatry

  • 11:45 Rare conditions in Physiatry

  Part 4: How PAs work in Physiatry

  • 12:34 Maggie's Role as a PA in Physiatry

  • 14:28 How Maggie was Oriented as a new PA hire

  • 15:20 Mentoring and Guidance from the Supervising MD

  • 16:36 Attending Physiatry Conferences as a PA

  Part 5: How MDs can work with PAs

  • 17:36 What it's like to work with a PA

  • 19:18 Benefits of Adding a PA to a Physiatry Practice

  • 20:40 Documentation, Forms + Other Admin Work

  • 21:38 Working with PA Medical Directives in Ontario

  • 22:29 Different Practice Settings for PAs in Physiatry

  Part 6: Working in Physiatry

  • 23:43 What Maggie Enjoys about Physiatry

  • 25:30 Challenges with Working in Physiatry

  • 27:20 Training in Physiatry - the PA vs. MD route

  • 28:28 PA Involvement in Research and Quality Improvement Projects

  • 28:56 How Maggie sees her PA Practice changing

  Part 7: Final Notes

  • 29:44 Resources Used for on-the-job learning

  • 30:28 Reflecting on her decision to become a PA

  • 31:28 Tips for Students Struggling with PA vs. MD path

  • 32:43 Tips for PA Students Interested in Physiatry

“As a physician assistant you're rarely stagnant and you shouldn't really ever be... comfortable in one place because you're always looking at improving.”

-Maggie Hitchon, CCPA

Key Takeaways

• Differentiate the PA role from the MD path early. Understand that the PA profession is a distinct healthcare role rather than a secondary option for medical school applicants.

• Leverage the "Permanent Resident" advantage. Recognize that while residents rotate through services, a PA provides long-term stability, allowing for an expanded scope in procedures like ultrasound-guided injections and spasticity management.

• Adapt to self-directed learning models. Prepare for the transition from didactic lectures to Problem-Based Learning (PBL), which fosters lifelong clinical reasoning skills and peer collaboration.

• Utilize clinical rotations for job networking. Secure employment by pursuing longitudinal placements and electives that allow you to demonstrate your value to a potential supervising physician before a formal job exists.
  

• Seek out specialized postgraduate training. Enhance your clinical competency by attending specialty-specific conferences and workshops in areas such as musculoskeletal ultrasound and sports medicine.

About Our Guest

Maggie Hitchon is a practicing Physician Assistant in Hamilton, Ontario, working in the field of Physiatry. A graduate of the McMaster University PA program, she manages a diverse patient load including athletes, individuals with spinal cord injuries, and patients requiring spasticity management. Prior to her PA training, she completed a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at McMaster University