The PA Is In | Tracy Bingaman | Physician Assistant/Physician Associate/PA-C/PA-S/PA Student

What happens when you leave a stable, six-figure clinical career… to build something of your own?

In this episode I sit down with returning guest Kate Johnston—former PA turned full-time coach and entrepreneur—to talk about what it actually looks like to walk away from medicine and build a business from the ground up.

And spoiler: it’s not “build it and they will come.” 

We dive into the real, unfiltered lessons from Kate’s first years in business—from the identity crisis of no longer being “a PA” to the surprising skills no one tells you you’ll need (hello, marketing and sales).

We also talk about:

• Why changing jobs doesn’t fix burnout (and what actually does)

• The difference between treating symptoms vs solving root problems (in both healthcare and business)

• How niching down transformed her business (and why it feels scary but works)

• The biggest mistake she made when starting—and what she’d do differently

• Why “protecting your revenue” might be the smartest move you make

• The mindset shift that helped her reclaim her self-worth outside of medicine

Plus, Kate shares how she helps women in healthcare break free from emotional eating and build a healthier relationship with food—without relying on willpower or quick fixes.

This episode is for the clinician who’s thinking:  “There has to be another way.”

Because there is. But it’s not what Instagram told you.

Want Help Building Your Own Income Stream?

If you’re sitting there thinking:

“Okay… but what would my version of this look like?”

I’ve got you.

Grab Your Copy of the Side Gig Guide: www.tracybingaman.com/gig

SPONSORS:

ADVANCED PRACTICE PLANNING, LLC: advancedpracticeplanning.com/fi

SERMO https://app.sermo.com:443/?sermoref=39d97a2c-f699-4f8b-b2f9-1eb131e18c75&utm_campaign=tell-a-friend 

Keywords: clinician entrepreneurship, PA to entrepreneur transition, starting a coaching business healthcare, emotional eating healthcare workers, burnout and career change PA, side business for clinicians, healthcare career pivot stories, building a coaching business from scratch, mindset for entrepreneurs healthcare, leaving clinical medicine

She didn’t have a business plan.She didn’t have a website.She didn’t even know what a virtual assistant was.

But one “yes” turned into a flexible side business bringing in $10–15K/year—while working part-time nights in the ICU and raising a family.

After going part-time, Sarah wanted a small income buffer.She tried a few ideas… and then an opportunity landed in her inbox:

“Want to be my VA?”

She said yes—and figured it out as she went.

Now she:

• Supports entrepreneurs behind the scenes

• Works ~10–15 hours/month per client

• Earns ~$10–15K/year

• Has almost zero overhead

• You don’t need a perfect plan—just a starting point

• Your clinical skills translate more than you think

• Relationships—not sales—build businesses

• Small side income can create massive flexibility

If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be another way…”

This episode shows you one.

• LinkedIn: ⁠Sarah Miller, PA-VA⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-miller-pa-va/⁠ 

• Website: sjmvirtualsolutions.com

• Email: [email protected]

If you’re sitting there thinking:

“Okay… but what would my version of this look like?”

I’ve got you.

Grab ⁠Your Copy of the Side Gig Guide⁠: ⁠www.tracybingaman.com/gig⁠

SPONSORS:

SPONSORS: ⁠ADVANCED PRACTICE PLANNING, LLC⁠: ⁠advancedpracticeplanning.com/fi⁠⁠SERMO⁠ ⁠https://app.sermo.com:443/?sermoref=39d97a2c-f699-4f8b-b2f9-1eb131e18c75&utm_campaign=tell-a-friend⁠

keywords: virtual assistant business for clinicians, side hustles for physician assistants, PA side income ideas, healthcare side hustle from home, virtual assistant income examples, work from home healthcare jobs, clinician entrepreneurship, part time PA income, burnout alternatives for clinicians, make money outside clinical medicine, virtual assistant services for entrepreneurs, remote admin jobs for healthcare workers, flexible side income for busy moms, online business ideas for clinicians, passive income alternatives healthcare

Once upon a time, there was a gold-star-collecting girl who believed hard work guaranteed fulfillment — so she chose medicine.

In this deeply personal episode, Tracy Bingaman shares the story behind her burnout, her breaking point, and the decision that changed everything: she didn’t quit medicine — she quit martyrdom.

After years of overwork, illness, exhaustion, and people-pleasing inside a system that never loved her back, she chose a different path. One where she practices clinically by choice, not obligation, and built a business that gives her autonomy, flexibility, and impact.

If you’ve ever felt trapped in healthcare, questioned your path, or wondered whether there’s another way to serve without sacrificing yourself…

This episode is your permission slip.

Episode Highlights

• Why high achievers burn out fastest in healthcare

• The hidden cost of people-pleasing in medicine

• The difference between leaving medicine and leaving the system

• Early warning signs your body is burning out

• How entrepreneurship creates freedom and impact for clinicians

Keywords: physician associate burnout, PA burnout recovery, healthcare burnout story, clinician entrepreneurship, entrepreneur for healthcare providers, how to leave corporate medicine, part time physician associate, women in medicine burnout, burnout and autoimmune disease, healthcare boundaries, RVU culture, doctor burnout, PA career transition, medical entrepreneurship, income streams for clinicians

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why high-achieving clinicians are especially vulnerable to burnout, How corporate medicine subtly reinforces people-pleasing behavior, The difference between quitting medicine and quitting martyrdom, The early warning signs of burnout that most providers ignore, How entrepreneurship can create autonomy, flexibility, and financial margin, Why practicing medicine is one way to serve — not your only way, The mindset shift from RVU-based worth to value-based impact, How to start building something outside the confines of corporate healthcare

Core Themes & Topics

Physician Associate burnout, Healthcare burnout recovery, Women in medicine, Clinician entrepreneurship, Physician Associate career transitions, Boundaries in medicine, Income diversification for clinicians, Part-time clinical practice, Corporate healthcare reform, Identity beyond medicine

A federal policy change could quietly reshape the future of the Physician Associate profession — and most clinicians don’t even know it’s happening.

In this urgent advocacy episode, Tracy sits down with Jen Campbell, PA-C, cardiology PA, PA supervisor, and current president of the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Associates (PSPA), to break down what a proposed Department of Education rule could mean for PA students, future clinicians, and patient access to care.

At the center of the issue is a redefinition of what counts as a “professional program.” If PAs are excluded from that definition, graduate loan limits could drop to $25,000 each year and a lifetime cap of $100,000, making PA school financially inaccessible for many students — especially first-generation, rural, and lower-income applicants.

This isn’t just a student issue. It’s a workforce issue. A patient care issue. A healthcare access issue.

And the most important part?There is still time to act. **Comment period ends on March 2nd**

• What the proposed federal rule actually says (plain-English breakdown)

• Why the definition of “professional degree” matters

• How loan caps could limit access to PA school

• Who will be most affected — and why that matters for patient care

• The link between education access and clinician shortages

• How individual clinicians can influence policy (yes, you)

• Real steps you can take today to advocate for the profession

If fewer students can afford PA school → fewer clinicians graduate → patient access declines.

Policies like this don’t just affect training.They shape the future of healthcare delivery.

If you only act on one advocacy issue this year — make it this one.

Ways to help:

• Submit a public comment to federal regulators HERE: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001  

• Contact your representative or senator using www.5Calls.org 

• Educate colleagues who haven’t heard about this yet - SHARE this episode widely! 

Advocacy doesn’t require a title.It requires a voice.

Jen Campbell, PA-C

• Cardiology Physician Associate

• PA Supervisor managing 25 APPs across four hospitals

• President, Pennsylvania Society of Physician Associates (PSPA)

• Advocate for clinician workforce sustainability and education access

Connect with Jen on LinkedIn or through PSPA to learn more about current advocacy initiatives.

Physician Associate advocacy, PA student loans, Department of Education rule, graduate loan limits, healthcare workforce shortage, PA school cost, federal loan policy, healthcare legislation, clinician advocacy, PA profession future, PSPA president interview, AAPA advocacy, healthcare access policy, student loan reform healthcare, federal rulemaking healthcare education.

You don’t have to be a policy expert to change policy.You just have to speak.

What You’ll LearnWhy This Matters📣 Call to Action👩‍⚕️ About Today’s GuestKeywords:Key Takeaways: TAKE ACTION:Head to www.tracybingaman.com/act Advocacy Central at the AAPA https://www.aapa.org/advocacy-central/federal-student-loan-changes/

A newly proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Education could significantly restrict access to federal student loans for Physician Associate (PA) students — threatening the future PA pipeline and patient access to care.

In this rapid response episode, Tracy breaks down:

• What the Department of Education’s proposed rule actually says

• How changes to federal student loan eligibility could limit PA education access

• Why fewer PA students = fewer clinicians = longer wait times + more burnout

• What the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) is doing

• How YOU can take action in less than 10 minutes

This is advocacy in action. And it matters.

The Plan:

Protecting PA education today protects patient care tomorrow.

Keywords: Physician Associate advocacy, PA education pipeline, Department of Education rule 2026, federal student loans PA students, AAPA statement January 2026, healthcare workforce crisis, public comment federal register, clinician advocacy, protecting patient access, PA profession future

Insulin Resistance, Fertility, and Taking Your Health Back

Insulin resistance doesn’t just affect blood sugar — it impacts hormones, fertility, energy, and long-term health.

In this episode, Tracy sits down with PA and women’s health coach Chelsea Hayman to unpack how insulin resistance shows up in real life, why “normal labs” don’t always tell the full story, and what clinicians and patients can do to break the cycle of crashes, cravings, and burnout.

They explore fertility struggles, continuous glucose monitors, stress physiology, and practical strategies for stabilizing hormones and blood sugar — without extreme diets or unsustainable routines.

Whether you’re supporting patients with PCOS, infertility, fatigue, or metabolic dysfunction — or navigating this yourself — this conversation will change how you think about women’s health.

• How insulin resistance affects fertility and hormone balance
• Why A1C can be normal — and problems still exist
• The “protein + fiber first” strategy
• How stress worsens blood sugar regulation
• When CGMs can be helpful (even without diabetes)
• Small, sustainable changes that actually work
• Why women must stop putting their health last

Timestamps:

[2:30] Meet Chelsea Hayman

[3:30] Blood Sugar and Fertility

[4:45] Chelsea’s Struggles with Infertility

[9:00] Defining Insulin Resistance

[11:00] Blood Sugar Control & Fertility Outcomes

[13:00] Stress & Hormones

[16:00] Implementing Lifestyle Changes

[17:00] Choosing a Continuous Glucose Monitor

[23:00] How to Plan Your Plate

[25:00] Self Care & Meeting Your Own Basic Needs

[29:00] Connect with Chelsea & Where to Find Her

Connect with Chelsea:

Website: www.empowerglucose.com

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/empoweredglucose

Social: @empoweredglucose at https://www.instagram.com/empoweredglucose/ 

Keywords: insulin resistance, blood sugar, hormone imbalance, fertility, infertility, PCOS, continuous glucose monitor, CGM, women’s metabolic health, metabolic health, PA podcast, women’s health, wellness, clinician wellness, hormones, gestational diabetes, insulin resistance

SPONSORS:

ADVANCED PRACTICE PLANNING, LLC: advancedpracticeplanning.com/fi

SIDE GIG GUIDE https://www.tracybingaman.com/gig

CONNECT 

⁠FREE 30-MINUTE COACHING CONSULT⁠ ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/the-pa-is-in/gen-call⁠ ⁠ 

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⁠

CONNECT WITH TRACY

⁠LINKEDIN ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracybingaman/⁠⁠

⁠INSTAGRAM ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrstracybingaman/⁠⁠

WEBSITE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tracybingaman.com⁠

After 13 years of practicing medicine, I’m not here to pretend I have it all figured out. I am here to share what experience has quietly, steadily taught me.

In this episode, I’m reflecting on 13 lessons I’ve learned in my 13 years as a PA—from why people and schedules matter more than specialty, to how burnout isn’t something you beat but something you learn to monitor, to why there is absolutely no award for doing it the hard way.

This isn’t a how-to episode or a deep clinical dive. It’s an honest, human reflection on what it takes to build a career in medicine that actually lasts. Consider this an invitation to pause, reflect, and ask yourself: what have I learned in my own years of practice?

Inside this episode, we talk about:

• Why culture, autonomy, and respect matter more than we’re taught

• How your real legacy lives outside the hospital or clinic

• Why medicine is an Ironman, not a sprint

• Burnout as a chronic condition—not a personal failure

• The power of mentorship, sponsorship, and turning around to help others

• Negotiation as a skill we were never taught—but desperately need

• Why part-time practice still counts

• And the truth about martyrdom (spoiler: there’s no prize)

Reflection isn’t indulgent. It’s how we make this work sustainable—for ourselves and for the clinicians coming behind us.

SPONSORS:ADVANCED PRACTICE PLANNING, LLC: advancedpracticeplanning.com/fi

SERMO https://app.sermo.com:443/?sermoref=39d97a2c-f699-4f8b-b2f9-1eb131e18c75&utm_campaign=tell-a-friend 

CONNECT 

⁠FREE 30-MINUTE COACHING CONSULT⁠ ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/the-pa-is-in/gen-call⁠ ⁠ 

⁠1-ON-1 NEGOTIATION CONSULT ⁠https://calendly.com/the-pa-is-in/negotiate⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH TRACY 🤝

⁠LINKEDIN ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracybingaman/⁠⁠

⁠INSTAGRAM ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrstracybingaman/⁠⁠

WEBSITE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tracybingaman.com⁠

🎁 Bonus Freebie: Grab your free guide with 48 healthcare-specific side hustle ideas at 👉 tracybingaman.com/gig

Keywords: PA career longevity, lessons from practicing medicine, healthcare burnout recovery, physician associate career advice, sustainable medical careers, clinician burnout prevention, work life balance for PAs, part time medicine, negotiation in healthcare, PA mentorship, healthcare boundaries, career reflection medicine, avoiding burnout in healthcare, clinician identity, long term medical careers, PA professional development

Most clinicians don’t need to work harder to earn more — they need better strategy.

In this episode of The PA Is In, Tracy breaks down three proven ways clinicians can increase their income without adding more clinic hours or sacrificing their sanity.

Whether you’re stuck with tiny annual raises, feeling underpaid for your productivity, or craving more financial flexibility, this episode gives you practical steps you can take right now.

• Why negotiating where you already work is one of the most overlooked income strategies

• How to advocate for higher base pay, clearer bonus metrics, and better schedules

• When commission-based or productivity pay can work in your favor

• How to diversify income with side gigs that don’t require more shifts

• Real-world examples of paid surveys, advisory panels, remote work, and flexible clinical roles

• Why strategic job changes often lead to the biggest pay jumps — and how to negotiate them properly

• What to negotiate beyond salary (spoiler: it’s not just money)

• Free Side Gig Guide (48 ideas for clinicians): www.tracybingaman.com/gig

• Negotiation Consults: www.tracybingaman.com/negotiation-consult

• Clinician Income Lab (self-paced negotiation course): www.tracybingaman.com/CIL

You don’t have to pick just one strategy. Many clinicians combine all three — negotiating where they are, adding flexible income streams, and making intentional career moves — to build income that actually supports their life.

If you found this episode helpful, leave a review and share it with a clinician who needs to hear it.

SPONSORS: ADVANCED PRACTICE PLANNING, LLC: advancedpracticeplanning.com/fi

SERMO https://app.sermo.com:443/?sermoref=39d97a2c-f699-4f8b-b2f9-1eb131e18c75&utm_campaign=tell-a-friend 

CONNECT 

⁠FREE 30-MINUTE COACHING CONSULT⁠ ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/the-pa-is-in/gen-call⁠ ⁠ 

⁠1-ON-1 NEGOTIATION CONSULT ⁠https://calendly.com/the-pa-is-in/negotiate⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH TRACY 🤝

⁠LINKEDIN ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracybingaman/⁠⁠

⁠INSTAGRAM ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrstracybingaman/⁠⁠

WEBSITE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tracybingaman.com⁠

🎁 Bonus Freebie: Grab your free guide with 48 healthcare-specific side hustle ideas at 👉 tracybingaman.com/gig

In this episode, you’ll learn:Resources mentioned:
Keywords: clinician income strategies, how clinicians earn more money, physician assistant salary negotiation, PA pay raise, clinician negotiation tips, healthcare salary negotiation, side gigs for clinicians, paid medical surveys for clinicians, CERMO surveys, diversify clinician income, clinician side hustle ideas, remote work for healthcare providers, part time clinical work, job change salary increase healthcare, negotiate clinician salary, RVU bonus negotiation, commission based clinician pay, financial flexibility for clinicians, clinician burnout finances

Most PAs don’t wake up one day hating medicine.

Instead, they wake up tired. Numb. Disconnected. Still competent. Still caring. Still showing up — but quietly wondering where the spark went.

In this episode of The PA Is In, Tracy speaks directly to the clinician who didn’t fall out of love with medicine, but feels weighed down by how it’s practiced today. She reframes burnout as information — not failure — and explains why self-care, PTO, and vacations can help temporarily, but won’t fix a career that’s structurally misaligned with your life.

Tracy walks through the invisible work that drains clinicians, how values drift over time, and why so many PAs internalize system-level problems as personal shortcomings. She then offers a grounded, realistic four-step process to help you begin redesigning your career without blowing up your life, quitting tomorrow, or burning bridges.

This episode is a reminder that you’re not broken — and that you’re allowed to evolve. You can love medicine and love your life. And you can practice in a way that feels like you again.

Mentioned in this episode:Find Your Why by Simon Sinek

SPONSORS:

ADVANCED PRACTICE PLANNING, LLC: advancedpracticeplanning.com/fi

SERMO https://app.sermo.com:443/?sermoref=39d97a2c-f699-4f8b-b2f9-1eb131e18c75&utm_campaign=tell-a-friend 

CONNECT 

⁠FREE 30-MINUTE COACHING CONSULT⁠ ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/the-pa-is-in/gen-call⁠ ⁠ 

⁠1-ON-1 NEGOTIATION CONSULT ⁠https://calendly.com/the-pa-is-in/negotiate⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH TRACY 🤝

⁠LINKEDIN ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracybingaman/⁠⁠

⁠INSTAGRAM ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrstracybingaman/⁠⁠

WEBSITE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tracybingaman.com⁠

🎁 Bonus Freebie: Grab your free guide with 48 healthcare-specific side hustle ideas at 👉 tracybingaman.com/gig

Keywords: PA burnout recovery, physician associate burnout, loving medicine but burned out, healthcare burnout not personal failure, PA career redesign, values drift in medicine, portfolio career for clinicians, reigniting passion in medicine, sustainable PA careers, clinician burnout coaching

What if the problem isn’t medicine — but the way your career is structured right now?

In this episode, Tracy sits down with Annie Wildermuth, PA, leadership consultant, and ICF-certified coach, for a thoughtful, grounded conversation about career pivots, burnout, and how clinicians can make intentional changes without blowing up their lives.

Annie shares her own non-linear career journey — from emergency medicine to academia, medical education, leadership development, and coaching — and explains why so many clinicians feel stuck when the “traditional” career path no longer fits. Together, Tracy and Annie unpack why waiting until you’re in crisis to think about career strategy is so common — and how much easier it is to make aligned decisions when you plan ahead.

They explore one of the biggest myths in medicine: that non-clinical work is automatically the solution to burnout. Annie offers a refreshingly honest take on whether the grass is really greener, what she misses about patient care, and why values — not job titles — should drive career decisions.

You’ll also hear practical guidance on how to:

• Identify whether your burnout is about workload, values misalignment, or lack of purpose

• Decide if leadership opportunities are worth building where you are — or if it’s time to move on

• Make smaller, sustainable changes inside your current role before pursuing a big pivot

• Navigate the fear of learning something new (yes, even an entirely new specialty)

• Take career transitions one manageable step at a time — without paralysis or perfectionism

Annie introduces a powerful framework from Drive — autonomy, mastery, and purpose — and explains how even small shifts in these areas can dramatically improve fulfillment at work.

Tracy adds real-world examples from her own coaching clients and personal experience, including why “working less” alone rarely cures burnout.

The episode closes with a reminder clinicians need to hear: you don’t need to have everything figured out. Careers evolve. Values change. And choosing a new direction doesn’t mean your previous path was wrong — just that you’ve grown.

If you’ve been wondering whether it’s time for a change, this conversation will help you slow down, get clear, and move forward with intention — instead of panic.

🎧 Listen in for reassurance, strategy, and permission to design a career that actually fits your life.

Keywords: career pivot for clinicians, PA career change, clinical vs nonclinical jobs, burnout recovery for healthcare workers, physician assistant career strategy, leadership development in healthcare, values based career decisions, career coaching for clinicians, non clinical careers for PAs, healthcare burnout solutions, clinician leadership pathways, medical career transitions, feeling stuck in medicine, autonomy mastery purpose healthcare, career planning for healthcare professionals

SPONSORS:

ADVANCED PRACTICE PLANNING, LLC: advancedpracticeplanning.com/fi

CM&F INSURANCE 

www.cmfgroup.com/ThePAIsIn

SHOW NOTES: https://tracybingaman.com/pivot

CONNECT 

⁠FREE 30-MINUTE COACHING CONSULT⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/the-pa-is-in/gen-call⁠ ⁠⁠ 

⁠1-ON-1 NEGOTIATION CONSULT⁠ ⁠https://calendly.com/the-pa-is-in/negotiate⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH TRACY 🤝

⁠LINKEDIN⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracybingaman/⁠⁠⁠

⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrstracybingaman/⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tracybingaman.com⁠⁠

🎁 Bonus Freebie: Grab your free guide with 48 healthcare-specific side hustle ideas at 👉⁠ ⁠⁠tracybingaman.com/gig⁠