Physician Assistants in Obstetrics and Neonatalology

[MissPickles]

---

Members don't see this ad.

For awhile I have been dead-set on doing the nursing route because I am most interested in obstetrics and neonatal medicine and it seems that the CNMs (Certified Nurse Midwife) and NNPs (Neonatal Nurse Practitioner) dominate the midlevel market in these areas. Problem being, I need to become an RN first, and I am finding that financially difficult to do because I already have a previous bachelor's degree.
It would be much more practical to go for physician assistant instead, although getting a nursing degree first would solve the whole issue of needing medical experience prior to admission to NP/PA school (whether required or not, probably a very good idea).

My main question, however, is what roles exist for PAs in neonatology and obstetrics.

Thanks a bunch,
Lindsay

 

[deleted6669]

there is a society of pa's in obgyn and 2 postgrad obgyn pa residencies (montefirore in NYC and arrowhead in ca).
also the pa program in colorado is a "peds focus" program with lots of peds/nicu etc rotations in addition to all of the adult stuff required to pass the boards.

 

[AnnoyedByFreud]

You could always do a direct entry program and become a CNM in three years, since you've already get a bachelors. This won't work for NNP. Also, these programs are somewhat controversial, so ymmv.

 

[MissPickles]

I am interested in doing a direct entry program...many people work as an RN during their years studying CNM, and I would certainly want to work in L&D during that time if possible. I understand where you're coming from as far as the needing experience before becoming a midlevel, and a lot of those programs are far away from where I currently live- so I'm piecing out what will be the best options for me.

I did go see the website emedpa, and I saw some pretty interesting things that made me feel hopeful about options in obstetrics as a PA....but more research made me see that there are way more opportunities in this area for CNMs and nurses. I still feel it's probably better to try and do nursing.

Thanks a bunch for your perspectives. 🙂

 

[FireCloud9]

Hello MissPickles,

I see you're running into the same issues as I did.

Wanted to go PA, but HCE requirement would set me back 1-2yrs minimum. Unlike nursing which one can go straight into. ELMSN FNP around here has less pre-reqs than ABSN or PA. Just a few more classes and I could be applying. If I lived in a different part of the country where HCE isn't required for entrance to a PA program, I would have done that.

Since you have to move anyway regardless of program, you probably have more flexibility.

 

[Bracha]

Hi-
I am a PA and my intent was to do ob/gyn but I've found this to be very difficult. I was able to find some volunteer work but that's about it. I had big regrets about not becoming an np or cnm but I was in the same exact situation as you when I went back to school a few years ago. I actually graduated from the CU program and if you want o do neonatology or peds this would be the place for you.

 

[GeneValgene]

Hi-
I am a PA and my intent was to do ob/gyn but I've found this to be very difficult. I was able to find some volunteer work but that's about it. I had big regrets about not becoming an np or cnm but I was in the same exact situation as you when I went back to school a few years ago. I actually graduated from the CU program and if you want o do neonatology or peds this would be the place for you.

that's the sense i get here in texas too...ob/gyn jobs are hard to come by for PAs (seems more NP friendly). CNMs are used quite a bit here too. there are definitely opportunities for PAs in neonatology

 

[MissPickles]

Well, maybe PA is the way to go for neonatology. I am interested in all aspects of maternal and pediatric health, but I just don't know if I want to go through all the hoopla to do nursing.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Well, maybe PA is the way to go for neonatology. I am interested in all aspects of maternal and pediatric health, but I just don't know if I want to go through all the hoopla to do nursing.

There are relatively few PAs in neonatology, but they do exist. One non-trivial problem is that most of the larger NICUs are used to licensing, etc for NNPs, not PAs, so practice guidelines would need to be developed at many sites. Nonetheless, it is doable.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/2/361

and others.

 

[fab4fan]

I am interested in doing a direct entry program...many people work as an RN during their years studying CNM, and I would certainly want to work in L&D during that time if possible. I understand where you're coming from as far as the needing experience before becoming a midlevel, and a lot of those programs are far away from where I currently live- so I'm piecing out what will be the best options for me.

I did go see the website emedpa, and I saw some pretty interesting things that made me feel hopeful about options in obstetrics as a PA....but more research made me see that there are way more opportunities in this area for CNMs and nurses. I still feel it's probably better to try and do nursing.

Thanks a bunch for your perspectives. 🙂

Research what's going in nursing carefully before you make that leap. There's a serious shortage of nursing positions right now, and many new grads are having a difficult time finding work. In addition, L&D is a prime area and extremely difficult to get into, particularly for a new grad.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but I wouldn't count on getting that L&D job.

 

[Dranger]

Research what's going in nursing carefully before you make that leap. There's a serious shortage of nursing positions right now, and many new grads are having a difficult time finding work. In addition, L&D is a prime area and extremely difficult to get into, particularly for a new grad.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but I wouldn't count on getting that L&D job.

For a new grad I would say its almost impossible to get L&D right off the bat. Most require some decent experience or a OB skill course. M/B or postpartum seems a lot more likely for a first position in that area.

 

[MissPickles]

Well, ok, so I'm not going right to L&D.I can live with it.
Right now my bigger concern is trying to get into nursing school, since there are huge waiting lists at every program with the exception of accelerated programs- but those are all very expensive. Hence, I'm feeling pretty discouraged about the whole situation and completely unsure what to do. I guess I could wait 3-4 years to get nursing school done, but in the meantime I am working at a non-profit org and barely making enough to survive (and yes I looked vigorously for other opportunities, but this was the job I got).

Any suggestions on alternate career paths in this field? Any ideas on professional midwifery versus going the nursing route?

 

[Dranger]

Well, ok, so I'm not going right to L&D.I can live with it.
Right now my bigger concern is trying to get into nursing school, since there are huge waiting lists at every program with the exception of accelerated programs- but those are all very expensive. Hence, I'm feeling pretty discouraged about the whole situation and completely unsure what to do. I guess I could wait 3-4 years to get nursing school done, but in the meantime I am working at a non-profit org and barely making enough to survive (and yes I looked vigorously for other opportunities, but this was the job I got).

Any suggestions on alternate career paths in this field? Any ideas on professional midwifery versus going the nursing route?

Well there are direct entry midwives but I don't know too much about their schooling (length, difficulty etc) and they are used a lot less than standard CNMs....

 

[MissPickles]

I think they are much more accepted in the Western states, esp New Mexico for some reason. Here in Michigan, I've discovered that the practice of midwifery is more or less unregulated; that being said I am not interested in being some rogue practitioner that doesn't know what they are doing. If I were to find a standardized curriculum for CPMs (Certified Professional Midwives- I did some research, lol) and I could see a clear market for homebirth services, maybe...but so far I have found most of the credentialing rather confusing.

 

[MissPickles]

There are relatively few PAs in neonatology, but they do exist. One non-trivial problem is that most of the larger NICUs are used to licensing, etc for NNPs, not PAs, so practice guidelines would need to be developed at many sites. Nonetheless, it is doable.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/2/361

and others.

That was very informative, and it seems like PAs could definitely make their way into the neonatal unit, if the interest was there.