PA Leadership Series: Jacob Yakubov, PA-C

We continue PA Week 2019 celebrations and today, I’m so excited to introduce another awesome PA for our leadership series!

“Leadership” is defined as “the action of leading a group or organization” and this PA lives up to the challenge. In addition to working as an orthopedic and pain management PA, where he partially functioned in an administrative role, he and his PA business partner, Sharjeel Shaw, worked together to develop a brilliant tool called myPAbox. This awesome product is a total game-changer for those who are applying to PA school, and only recently launched last month! These two are innovators in the PA world and have spent years refining and perfecting their product, and it shows. And, to celebrate PA week, they have kindly offered to GIVE AWAY a one year subscription to myPAbox!

Tell us a little about yourself? Name, how long you’ve been a PA, where you went to school and anything else you’d like to add.

My name is Yakov (Jacob) Yakubov. My parents immigrated to the United States in 1994 when I was 7 years old from the former Soviet Union. My parent’s sacrifice of working long hours in a country new to them provided my siblings and I an opportunity to better ourselves. They taught my sisters and I to value our time, to spend it wisely, and to never get comfortable. 

I graduated from Queens College with bachelor’s in Psychology in 2009. I was fortunate to attend Touro College Physician Assistant Program located in Bay Shore, Long Island. I successfully graduated with a Master’s degree in August of 2012. It was in PA school that Sharjeel and I became friends and years later partners in developing myPAbox.

What is your role as a leader? (Entrepreneurial, administrative, academic, political, etc.)

As a physician assistant, I gained my leadership and entrepreneurial experience/role while working in pain management for a brilliant Yale graduate, Dr. Daniel Khaimov.

We met shortly after he finished a fellowship in pain medicine. I not only functioned as a Physician Assistant but also as a manager making sure the day-to-day operations of the office flowed properly. We held meetings bi-weekly to improve patient experience, wait times and brainstormed ideas to constantly improve the office. 

When it came down to developing myPAbox, Sharjeel and I worked diligently while constantly pushing one another similar to our days in PA school. 

What does your typical day look like?

I am usually up by 5:30 AM. I get to the operating room by 6:30 AM for orthopedic cases ranging from total knee/hip replacement to minor hand procedures. I finish at 11:00 AM and head to the office. I see patients in the office until 6:00 PM. For the last 2 years, my partner and I worked on myPAbox.

If you are clinical, how is your practice set up? What is the structure and what is your relationship with your supervising physician like?

As a PA, I look at myself and function with the mentally of what I can bring to the table. With that said, my relationship with my supervising physician is more of a partnership. My supervising physician and I have a great relationship because we function like batman and robin; we work together when needed or can function completely autonomously from each other.

Do you divide your time into clinical and administrative tasks?

During a typical workday, I spend roughly 70% of the time on clinical duties and 30% as an administrator delegating.

Did you pursue a leadership role or was it offered to you?

As my experience grew in orthopedics surgery and pain management so did my confidence in pursuing leadership roles in the clinical setting. 

How did you prepare for your role? Did you take any leadership courses?

I did not take any leadership courses. I’ve learned to listen to people with experience and to take action if I see solutions others may not.  

Do you have room or opportunities to grow in your current leadership position?

I was raised with the mentally of “ the glass is half full, not empty”. Opportunity is your perception of a given situation. We all have the option of sitting back and enjoying the ride, however, I prefer being the driver. With that said, there is always room for growth, the real question is: Do we have the enthusiasm and perseverance to grow?

Are you satisfied with your position? If you could do it all over again, would you?

I love what I do and the lifestyle I worked for. I wouldn’t change it but I am always looking to improve it.

Do you think PAs are adequately educated about how to be a leader? If not, do you have any suggestions on what should be taught?

I don’t think PAs are adequately teaching students how to be a leader because they are not given the proper tools in terms of education. I would suggest incorporating a negotiating course (when seeking a job to understand your value and what your compensation should be) or a business course. In my opinion, understanding the business aspect of medicine is important and many PAs (and other medical professionals) lack this knowledge and get compensated poorly for their time.

Do you have any suggestions for newly graduated PAs interested in becoming leaders in their community?

Learn your craft and become great at it. Develop a good bedside manner and your patients will love you. Once you build your confidence you will shine bright which is noticeable and that is where bigger and better opportunity awaits. 

What is your contact, website or social media info?

• Jacob@mypabox.com
• Mypabox.com
• Mypabox (instagram)
• Jacobs_411 (personal instagram)
• yasha Yakubov (facebook)

I want to say a big thanks to Jacob for answering our PA leadership series questions! Leaders come in all varieties, and I love seeing PA innovators working to improve the lives of other PAs! I firmly believe their product will be the tool that helps busy Pre-PAs to be successful, especially with the increase in PA schools that have popped up recently. Jacob and Sharjeel’s product is going to change how PAs plan for PA school, and I’m so glad to be a part of it from the beginning!

And now, the giveaway!

Win one free YEAR subscription to myPAbox!

Empowered PAs was built on the concept of giving PAs, PA Students and Pre-PAs the tools they need to succeed. This amaaaaazing tool was (of course) developed by two PAs and solves some of the most frustrating aspects of becoming a PA: choosing which PA school to apply to and staying organized! Pre-PAs can use the PA School match tool to narrow down schools by State, GPA minimums (overall and science), GRE minimums, Application Deadlines, tuition, accreditation and others! THEN after you’ve chosen the schools you plan to apply to, you can use the tool to keep your PA shadowing hours, healthcare hours, evaluations, grades (including a CASPA science GPA) in one place. This virtually eliminates the huge spreadsheets of the past. This tool is a big deal and will likely be the only tool Pre-PAs will be using in the future! Enter below for a chance to win!

If you aren’t the lucky winner of the myPAbox giveaway, then you can use the code “empoweredpas” for 15% off.