Working outside the US - Northern Europe

[BGS59]

Hi everyone, I am in a bit of a pickle. I honestly really want to be able to work in different countries, but from what I have researched Physician Assistants are stuck to the US. Any PA's been able to leave the US and work in another country? Would it better to be a nurse then? Would I really be stuck in the US if I became a PA for all of my life? PAs have been around for awhile now, I am surprised that there hasn't been more of an effort to merge with Europe. Please any advice would be great. I just want to know that if I would like to move to a different country, for example if my boyfriend and I end up marrying and I want to go back to the EU, I can. 

[Reality Check 2]

There are PAs in Canada, England/British Commonwealth, Australia and a few other places.

They are training their own PAs now.

You could work for a US Medical Service such as Department of Justice or Dept of Defense in a US based position.

 

Just google Physician ASSOCIATE in England or Ireland and you will find more information.

 

Your US training doesn't guarantee you a job anywhere else and each country has its own qualifications.

 

Surprised you haven't heard of this - HUGE news over the past 10+ years. The UK has had 2 yr programs for bringing US PAs over to work in their system and learn and expand their utilization. Now they have their own training programs.

 

We have multiple Canadian PAs on this forum. Several of my students have gone to Australia for 4 month rotations.

 

So, not new - keep looking for info.

[Reality Check 2]

http://www.euro-pac.eu/

[BGS59]

I have heard of this, but I have heard that it has been difficult to get a job in those countries. Mainly, because this PA profession is not yet well-known or recognized. I have researched it quite a bit. From what I have heard, even from English people, is that everything is still relatively new. I'm talking about people actually being able to work in other countries with a P.A. degree no problem - with success? Would it be better to be an nurse or NP to ensure that you are able to work abroad? Were your students able to get a job in Australia? 

[Reality Check 2]

No, you cannot work in other countries with a US PA degree unless that country has PA specific laws and organizations.

So, your answer is NO, you can't just go to another country, show your degree and get a job as a PA.

NO idea about an RN and it should be same for ARNP as PA.

 

Not sure what you are thinking.....

[BGS59]

Okay, I would appreciate some support. That is why I came to this page. For example, computer programmers have to apply for visas, see the requirements ,etc but THEY CAN WORK IN OTHER COUNTRIES. I wanted to know if it was possible and if there are people who are working in other countries successfully going through the proper requirements, paperwork, etc. That is all. 

Just trying to get information. I'm sure you have students who try to do the same. 

[sk732]

www.capa-acam.ca

 

American trained PA's are allowed to write our National Cert Exam...though most that do are ex-pat Canadians.  Unfortunately, reciprocity only goes South=>North thus far.

 

SK

[rookiejay]

you can work all over, just don't count on getting paid well. I am American and I have been waiting for PA to Go to Dublin, ( where my husband and I have a home) the pay is 1/3 of USA wages. I would not be looking to go there, if my husband would just come to America, but he is freaked out about all the news about us all hating immigrants. -

 

to work in the EU you need to find the job first. then start the paperwork which can take up to six months. When I was in Dublin I went to Scotland for Ortho  spot and - the pay is less than an RN in the states.

[Jaydy]

On 5/15/2016 at 0:58 PM, rookiejay said:

you can work all over, just don't count on getting paid well. I am American and I have been waiting for PA to Go to Dublin, ( where my husband and I have a home) the pay is 1/3 of USA wages. I would not be looking to go there, if my husband would just come to America, but he is freaked out about all the news about us all hating immigrants. -

 

to work in the EU you need to find the job first. then start the paperwork which can take up to six months. When I was in Dublin I went to Scotland for Ortho  spot and - the pay is less than an RN in the states.

Rookiejay, 

I am interested in working in Switzerland. So, If i can find a job there, I will be able to work there? Do you happen to know any credential or government agencies that I can contact? 

[chacow]

I am interested in working in Switzerland. So, If i can find a job there, I will be able to work there?

[Lizli1]

PA is not well recognize outside of the US yet! I see this changing, but that's just my opinion! There are a number of countries that utilize the PA model. For example, in Israel American trained PAs have to go through an additional 9 months of training in Israel to work there. I know Australia, the Netherlands and I believe South Africa also have a PA model (there are more but I just can't remember them all right now). Working in a foreign country as others have said does come with a pay cut. What you can definitely do as a PA is base out of the US and do mission trips to third world countries. That's what I hope to do  . Hope this helps a little! I'm also researching my options regarding this subject so I'm by no means an expert. I also know that NP'S are more internationally recognized and are utilized on teams like Doctors Without Borders and mercy ships whereas PA's are not. Again, I totally see this changing! 

[jmj11]

I dreamt of living in Switzerland at one point. For a couple of years I looked at every angle I could, Red Cross in Geneva, Novartis in Basel, other relief organizations in the country (based but working other places) and none game me a second look. PAs could not practice there. 

[jennrosec]

On July 27, 2018 at 3:32 AM, jmj11 said:

I dreamt of living in Switzerland at one point. For a couple of years I looked at every angle I could, Red Cross in Geneva, Novartis in Basel, other relief organizations in the country (based but working other places) and none game me a second look. PAs could not practice there. 

Just curious... did you speak to someone directly at Novartis about PA jobs or just look at their website? I'm from Basel and have been looking into PA jobs in area, but so far no luck.  

[jennrosec]

I know an NP who worked in Germany, but she made it sound like she was able to have privileges through a under the table type of deal. 

[jmj11]

This was a long, long time ago (1980s) when I started a dialog with, what was then Sandoz (now Novartis). If I remember correctly, I dialogued for a while with a US-born PhD researcher. He was intrigued (I worked in a headache clinic and Sandoz was developing headache medications at the time), but never could sell a role for me with his higher-ups. They were totally unfamiliar with the PA profession. It ended there.

From my college days, it was always been my dream to live in Zermatt, write books for a living and do humanitarian medical work in the developing world as my "hobby."  Maybe in the next life.

[PATogo]

PAs are losing ground in parts of Africa. Some PA programs have shut down and replaced PAs with Advanced Practice Clinical Nurses. Many will not allow PAs to practice there, or place a limit on how long PAs can practice without sitting for a national exam. 

This is has a lot to do with reciprocity laws. Since the US does not recognize any other countries PA licenses, other countries will not recognize ours.

As an American PA working in a West African country, I’m learning that things are changing big rapidly, even for NGO and volunteer PAs who come here on medical missions. The landscape is changing, physicians don’t appreciate business getting taken away from them, and many want to make it hard or even impossible for PAs to come from Norrh America and work here.

 

We have already seen this happen in places like Ecuador. I have no solutions to offer except that if overseas work is on your radar, you might want to consider an academic or public health role with an NGO.

[VetterGPA]

On 7/26/2018 at 7:32 PM, jmj11 said:

I dreamt of living in Switzerland at one point. For a couple of years I looked at every angle I could, Red Cross in Geneva, Novartis in Basel, other relief organizations in the country (based but working other places) and none game me a second look. PAs could not practice there. 

So, work in the US, spend less than you make, and in 5 years, go live in Switzerland... 

[jmj11]

7 minutes ago, VetterGPA said:

So, work in the US, spend less than you make, and in 5 years, go live in Switzerland... 

Makes sense. However, life becomes more complicated. In recent years my plan was to retire to the Mediterranean and I've checked out Italy, Malta and Morocco. However, now that we have three grandchildren and we have our 5 kids in the US, my wife says that she will not move overseas for retirement.

[kovi22]

On 10/10/2018 at 7:22 AM, PATogo said:

PAs are losing ground in parts of Africa. Some PA programs have shut down and replaced PAs with Advanced Practice Clinical Nurses. Many will not allow PAs to practice there, or place a limit on how long PAs can practice without sitting for a national exam. 

This is has a lot to do with reciprocity laws. Since the US does not recognize any other countries PA licenses, other countries will not recognize ours.

As an American PA working in a West African country, I’m learning that things are changing big rapidly, even for NGO and volunteer PAs who come here on medical missions. The landscape is changing, physicians don’t appreciate business getting taken away from them, and many want to make it hard or even impossible for PAs to come from Norrh America and work here.

 

We have already seen this happen in places like Ecuador. I have no solutions to offer except that if overseas work is on your radar, you might want to consider an academic or public health role with an NGO.

I am from Ecuador and so sorry to hear about this, can you elaborate and provide a little bit more information on the acceptance of PAs in Ecuador? I had the slight ho[e to one day come back and work there as so. I do agree that for me to explain the role of PAs even in my family from there was a bit complicated and I never really felt like they could trust PAs with the care. Most my relatives felt skeptical about the profession.