Episode #23: Adam Grycko | Surgery PA in Manitoba
Episode Summary
Adam joins us to share a career path that is as diverse as the general surgery ward he manages. From his early days as a rural LPN and RN to becoming a pioneer PA in Manitoba, he explains why he traded the nursing care model for the medical model to "keep things fresh." Adam proves that previous can be a launchpad, not a hurdle. We dive into the "drinking from a firehose" intensity of PA school and what it actually looks like to carve out a niche in a surgical subspecialty where no PA has worked before.
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BEFORE PA SCHOOL:
0:15 Where I'm from
0:40 Adam's Experience Before PA School: Licensed Practical Nursing
2:00 How Adam came across the PA Profession
EXPERIENCE IN PA SCHOOL:
3:28 Adam's Experience in 1st year PA school at Manitoba
4:50 What's involved in 2nd year PA school at Manitoba
6:02 Core Rotations in 2nd year PA school
7:28 Locations of 2nd year PA Clinical Rotations
9:13 Finding work after graduating from Manitoba's PA Program (Class of 2013)
WORKING IN GENERAL SURGERY AS A PA
11:24 Working as a General Surgery PA in Manitoba
13:21 Getting Oriented as a new PA Hire in General Surgery
19:09 Day in the Life of a General Surgery PA
22:03 Common Conditions seen in General Surgery
23:53 Adam's Role as a PA in the Operating Room - Surgical First Assist
26:41 Procedures done by a General Surgery
PA SCOPE OF PRACTICE + BUILD ING COMPETENCY AS A PA
27:55 Learning Procedures as a General Surgery PA
29:13 Building Competency as a PA
30:58 What Patients can Expect from me as a PA • 32:35 How Adam interacts with nursing & allied health on the ward
34:10 The PA/MD Relationship: Interacting with a Supervising Physician
35:19 Level of Autonomy as an Experienced Practicing PA
37:02 Defining PA Scope of Practice
38:22 What Adam enjoys about being a PA
39:51 How Regulation affects PA Practice in Manitoba
41:21 The Impact of Having a PA in a General Surgery Service
FINAL NOTES
Key Takeaways
Move away from “I can work part-time" mindset of PA school. Adam learned quickly that the PA curriculum is condensed medicine at a relentless pace. You need to be ready to fully immerse yourself in the didactic year because the volume of information is exactly like drinking from a firehose.
Leverage “scut work” as a relationship builder. Don't turn your nose up at ward management or patient rounding. Use those constant bedside interactions to build trust with the nursing staff and allied health teams; it's how you become the "resident who never leaves" and gain true autonomy.
Advocate for a role that doesn't exist yet. If your dream specialty doesn't have a PA posting, create one. Adam highlights how many of his peers materialized jobs by tracking down physicians, demonstrating their competence during electives, and proving how they improve system efficiency.
Master the "what if" of every procedure. Learning a skill like opening an infected wound or inserting a central line is more than just "see one, do one, teach one." You have a professional responsibility to study the complications of every step so you are prepared when things don't go according to plan.
Think of your career as a long-term evolution. Moving into a PA role isn't the end of your growth. Whether it's switching specialties after a decade or pursuing an MBA to influence healthcare policy from the top down, the portability of this profession is its greatest strength.
About Our Guest
Adam Grycko, CCPA
Adam is a Manitoba PA working in General Surgery at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg. With a decade of nursing experience (LPN and RN) before transition to the medical model, he now specializes in surgical oncology and HPB (liver, pancreas, and bile duct) surgery. He is currently completing his MBA to focus on healthcare sustainability and leadership.
