by Kasey D’Amato, PA-C, MPAP, and Danielle Spatholt, PA-C
Ms. D’Amato is President of Certified PA Consulting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Ms. Spatholt is a consultant with Certified PA Consulting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Funding: No funding was provided for this article.
Disclosures: Ms. D’Amato is President of Certified PA Consulting. Ms. Spatholt is a consultant with Certified PA Consulting.
J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2024;17(7–8 Suppl 1):S40–S41.
Negotiating your salary isn’t only about personal financial gain—it’s a powerful tool that can elevate the entire dermatology physician assistant (PA)/ nurse practitioner (NP) profession. When you successfully negotiate a higher salary, you set a new benchmark that benefits everyone in your field. Compensation experts and practice managers use this data to determine market rates, meaning your higher earnings can positively influence salary expectations for future hires. Unfortunately, many PAs and NPs accept lower salaries due to low confidence, fear of conflict, or discomfort discussing money. Overcoming these challenges is crucial, as accepting less than you’re worth drags down the average salary, making it harder for others to negotiate better pay. By building the confidence to negotiate, you not only advance your own career, but also strengthen the profession as a whole.
Lowering the Average
Compensation experts, managers, and chief financial officers (CFOs) of private equity and academic practices conduct market research to determine local PA/NP income based on specialty and experience. They also collect this data when you leave a practice, so being honest about a higher salary offer helps future PAs/NPs at that practice. When the average salary is higher due to stronger negotiation skills, it benefits the entire medical profession, as companies will be more willing to consider market adjustments and future negotiations. Even experienced PAs/NPs often accept lower salaries or avoid negotiating altogether due to low confidence, fear of offending, fear of conflict, or anxiety about discussing money. Even if you feel uncomfortable, it is worth the effort to build that confidence, not only for your own financial goals but for the profession as a whole. Accepting a lower salary than your experience and unique talents merit is what drags down the average salary for everyone. When practice owners or CFOs see that PAs and NPs are willing to work for a lower percentage of collections, they might be less inclined to negotiate, especially with colleagues who have low confidence in negotiating.
With a Higher Salary, You Have More Flexibility and Ability to Reduce Burnout
When your salary and personal finances are optimized, you can build your career to better match your goals. You don’t have to accept weekend or evening hours that keep you away from your family. You have more options and flexibility that allow you to be in control of your career. This is another reason why negotiating your salary can help you and the other PAs and NPs around you. We often speak with clients who are shocked that they have the ability to ask for more paid time off, a half-day off from clinic, or a schedule that better fits their life. When we have a great salary and meet our financial goals, we can focus on the things that make us happy and be the best clinicians for our patients. Examples of PAs and NPs with great work-life balance do exist, but many of us feel stuck because we didn’t negotiate or plan the exit necessary to achieve it. The more we all reflect on our goals and optimize our careers, the more the entire profession succeeds.
More Financial Strength to Advocate on State and Federal Levels
With a higher salary or more time for advocacy efforts, PAs and NPs can donate money, time, and support their local, state, or federal professional organizations. These opportunities also provide great networking opportunities, which can open new doors in the future. Negotiating for this time or money to participate in advocacy requires getting comfortable with negotiation skills and is worthwhile for the future of the PA and NP professions and the laws that affect your daily work.
Attracting Talented and Quality Students
The higher the average salary, the more likely PA and NP professions will attract talented and quality students. Students are doing more research than ever to pick their ideal careers, weighing the risks of large student loans against potential salary rewards. With healthcare salaries stagnating, we might not attract the most talented students to the PA and NP professions. By negotiating for better salaries or time to achieve a work-life balance, we draw better candidates and strengthen the future of our professions. This has a synergistic effect, as high-quality PAs and NPs increase our profession’s value, leading to better salaries and outlook for the future.
Negotiating Breeds Respect and Understanding
When done correctly, negotiating breeds respect and understanding between the business-minded practice owner and the PA/NP. In our negotiation strategy, we often need to refocus the client on changing their negotiation mindset. Sometimes, adversarial or hurt feelings regarding office situations or past negotiations carry over, creating a stressful and overemotional state of mind, which never yields good results. We spend a lot of time reframing this with the PA or NP so we can approach negotiation with a more positive mindset. Having an honest and positive tone in negotiation often helps the relationship progress and increases the level of respect with the practice owner. If you can make the “decision maker” feel that you understand their needs and can help them achieve their goals, they will want you on their team. PAs and NPs with healthy relationships who can help elevate the practice or business will not only help their own careers but also strengthen the entire profession.
Conclusion
Negotiating your salary is not just about personal financial advancement; it’s a vital step in uplifting the entire dermatology PA/NP profession. By recognizing and overcoming the “red zones” that hold us back, we can set new benchmarks for compensation, enhance our work-life balance, and contribute to the overall growth and respect of our field. Every successful negotiation not only benefits you but also paves the way for future PAs and NPs to achieve better compensation and working conditions. So, take the time to build your negotiation skills and advocate for your worth, and remember that in doing so, you are playing a crucial role in strengthening our profession for generations to come.