PA the FI Way
Becoming a physician assistant (PA) is difficult. But becoming a PA on the way to financial independence (FI) shouldn’t be. Allow the PA the FI Way podcast to be your guide to becoming a physician assistant on the way to financial independence. Unfortunately, even basic personal finance and budget concepts are rarely taught in high school, college or PA school. Then once PA students become certified physician assistants and begin their professional journey practicing medicine, they typically have a heap of student loans just waiting to be paid back. Let’s not only discuss how to prevent large student loan amounts, but also how to pay them back quickly. Let’s discuss how practicing PAs can learn to save and invest for their futures. PA the FI Way’s mission is to provide both future and current PAs alike strategies to not only become financially literate, but to also reach financial independence along the way. Think of it as personal finance for PAs with a financial independence twist. Financial independence provides the freedom to find balance in work and personal life. FI is about creating the life you want to live, choosing when to retire (IF you want to retire early), choosing when to cut back on working, or choosing when to work on another passion in your life. The decision truly is yours, and I hope you decide to join me on the journey to becoming a PA the FI Way.
Episodes
In this episode, I break down one of the simplest but most transformative concepts in personal development: The Power of Yet. Inspired by Dr. Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset, “yet” is the tiny word that shifts you from feeling stuck to seeing possibility.
Whether you’re struggling with money, burnout, confidence, career direction, or new skills, adding “yet” rewires your brain to believe you’re capable of cha...
In this episode, I’m sharing what I’ve been learning firsthand as I declutter and prepare for the upcoming sale of our house, and how this process has completely reshaped the way I think about freedom, finances, and fulfillment. I’ve realized how much the things we own can quietly drain our time, energy, and even money.
I’ll cover some helpful decluttering principles that my husband and I have recently imp...
You work way too hard for your money to waste it. Between charting after hours, missing family dinners, and grinding through long shifts, every dollar you earn should be buying back your freedom, not fueling burnout. In this episode of PA the FI Way, Kat breaks down the Top 10 Things NOT to Spend Your Money On as a Healthcare Provider, the sneaky traps that drain your wallet, energy, and joy while pretending to make l...
We often talk about money as currency, but what about energy? Every meeting, obligation, and habit in your day is either giving you energy or draining it. If you have ever ended the day feeling depleted, even when your calendar did not look that full, you have probably been spending your energy without realizing it.
In this episode, we walk through how to perform your own energy audit so you can gain clarity on what t...
On today’s episode, Kat sits down with Mercedes and Jessica, psychiatry PAs and hosts of PA Mindset Matters podcast, to talk about holistic wellness and burnout healing for PAs and medical providers. From lifestyle habits to mindset shifts to money stress, this conversation is full of practical tools providers can start using right away to feel more balanced and resilient.
Connect with Mercedes and Jessica with PA M...
Burnout is all too common in healthcare, but what if the solution isn’t pushing through... it’s pressing pause? In this episode, we sit down with Leigha Barbieri, PA-C, to talk about the transformative power of taking a sabbatical.
Leigha shares her own story of moving from exhaustion to renewal, including how prioritizing her mental health, traveling arou...
In this episode, I sit down with Caleb Pepperday, CFP®, ChFC®, fee-only fiduciary financial planner and founder of Advanced Practice Planning, to discuss financial planning for physician associates and other healthcare professionals. Caleb shares what drew him to work with PAs and other APPs, and how his dual designations as a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Financial Consultant give him a unique perspective...
Whether you’re a brand-new grad just stepping into the world of medicine, a mid-career clinician who still loves the work but feels the wear and tear, or someone laser-focused on retiring early to reclaim your time—this episode is for you.
No matter your path, one thing is true: medicine is demanding. And if you want to make it sustainable—whether for 5 more years or 45 more years—you need a strategy to protect your energy...
What if the most important steps on your financial journey aren’t the big flashy ones—but the small, quiet wins you hardly notice? In this episode, we’re shining a light on the under-celebrated financial milestones that deserve just as much recognition as paying off your student loan debt or hitting six figures in your retirement account.
From paying off your first credit card to setting up automatic savings, these sm...
Why work for 40 years and only retire once? What if you could step away more than once—not to quit, but to live more fully and intentionally?
In this episode, author and host of Retire Often podcast, Jillian Johnsrud, joins me to share insights from her new book, Retire Often, which is now available for pre-order.
She introduces the powerful concept of mini retirements—intentional pauses from work that can lead to deep bur...
Wanting to make changes, but feeling too overwhelmed and exhausted to start? You’re not alone—and you don’t need a complete life overhaul to start feeling better. In this episode, I'm diving into the science and simplicity of microhabits: tiny, 2-minute actions that help you regain control of your time, energy, and mental clarity—without adding to your to-do list.
Drawing from insights in Atomic Habits and lived ...
In this episode, the concept of rhythmic renewal is explored, which is the practice of building intentional, restorative pauses into your day to protect your energy and prevent burnout. You’ll learn how to implement a timing model that works well for your schedule, create your own personalized renewal menu, and discover simple ways to reset—even in the busiest clinical or hospital settings. These small, consistent rhythms ...
Feeling stretched too thin? Saying “yes” when you want to say “no” is one of the fastest tracks to burnout—especially in healthcare. In this episode, I dive into The Yes Trap and unpack why learning to say “no” isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a power skill that protects your time, energy, and sanity. You’ll also learn 11 practical types of “no" that you can start implementing today, real-world boundary-setting ...
Love to travel but hate overspending? In this episode, I'm diving into practical, low-effort ways to stretch your travel budget without sacrificing fun or comfort. Whether you're planning a weekend road trip, a CME conference, or an international adventure, these tips will help you save on flights, lodging, food, and activities—so you can travel on budget while reaching your financial goals.
If you’ve ever questioned whether you really belong in medicine — even with the credentials, experience, and evidence to prove it — this episode is for you. Imposter syndrome shows up quietly but powerfully in medicine, often pushing high-achieving providers to overwork, downplay their success, and silently burn out. Today, we're unpacking what imposter syndrome really is, how it shows up throughout your career, and t...
Spring cleaning isn’t just for your home—your finances need a refresh too! If you’re tired of cluttered accounts, surprise tax bills, or money slipping through the cracks, this episode is the reset button you need. We’re walking you through 10 simple (and actually doable) steps to get your financial life in order. From canceling useless subscriptions and automating your savings to organizing your accounts, we’r...
Frugality is a powerful tool for paying off debt, allowing you to cut unnecessary expenses, focus on essentials, develop discipline, and accelerate financial freedom. However, staying frugal for too long can lead to a scarcity mindset, making it hard to enjoy your money even after paying off your debt and achieving stability. While being frugal for a season helps you break free from debt, true financial freedom comes from ...
Want to make your savings work harder for you without lifting a finger? In this episode, we’re taking it back to basics and discussing High-Yield Savings Accounts (HYSAs)—what they are, why they matter, and how they can help you grow your emergency fund and sinking funds faster than a traditional savings account. If your money is sitting in a regular savings account earning pennies, it’s time to...
In this episode, we sit down with McKenna Morgan, PA-C, who has navigated multiple specialties and career transitions while pursuing financial independence (FI). McKenna shares insights from their journey, starting with early financial lessons learned from her family that included playing the board game Cashflow. We explore how she strategically tackled $168K in student loan debt after graduating f...
In this episode, we meet Johanna Moses, PA-C, an inspiring guest who shares her journey of starting a nonprofit organization. On your way to financial independence, maybe you've considered which type of nonprofit organization you would like to start or donate your time or wealth to. Doing so would allow your wealth to have purpose and impact for the causes you care deeply about.
Johanna
Popular Podcasts
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!