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How are things for PAs in Ohio right now?


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I'm at a somewhat major decision point right now. I'm trying to decide between medical school, ACNP, or PA. The last time I really compared the three, PAs were struggling in Ohio in terms of practice rights, job outlook, and even salaries.

 

I have a friend who is going through ACNP school right now and I'm really interested in that pathway and work environment, but because I'm not an RN, the pathway to get there is nearly as long as medical school and if I'm being honest, I have almost no desire to work as an RN, even as a means to the end.

 

So I find myself reaching out to you all, the practicing or soon to be practicing PAs in Ohio. How are things now? How is the future looking? Are PAs and NPs interchangeable, if not, will they be?

 

Any and all advice is welcomed..

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FiremedicMike,

I am a "recovering paramedic", as of now about 35 years in the fire service.  Since I already had a BS (computer science), it was much easier to take the PA/MD/DO pre-reqs in a community college than to get into a RN program, get a MSN, then NP.  Now, there are more direct entry MSN-NP programs for folks who have bachelors degrees in unrelated areas.  Still, I took pre-reqs over about 6 years, only the last as a full-time student, then did PA school.

 

The PA job market in Ohio is good.  I practice EM, jobs are plentiful, and compensation just breaks into 6 figures.  Scope of practice is good, especially with recent law changes.  Ohio law essentially permits the PA to do whatever is in the supervising doc's routine practice that they're willing to delegate.  Can only pronounce death in very limited circumstances.  NP's in Ohio work with "collaborating physician's" vs. "supervising physicians" - somewhat looser.  Employability varies by setting.  NP's seem to be predominant in the minute clinics, but not so much elsewhere.  I'm beginning to see a preference in 1st jobs for PA's over NP's in the ED - don't know about elsewhere.  However, for 2nd jobs, etc. it's all about experience, references, not PA vs NP.

 

Don't know all of your personal details, but PA or MD/DO is very doable.  The DO schools, especially Ohio University, seem to really like older students.  I was told I was a very plausible candidate but chose PA due to age (50's).  The husband of a PA school classmate went from firefighter/medic to DO school (OU) in his late 20's.

 

I've found that information on the internet about jobs, salaries, etc. is fairly accurate.

 

PM me if you'd like to talk and compare where you are with my path.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I started my PA career in Ohio and worked there for 6 years.  I began when PAs couldn't see a new patient/new condition nor write prescriptions.  The laws have changed drastically since then.  I have since worked in Hawaii and California.  My day-to-day practice is not really any different comparing the three states.  I have not seen any observable differences between PA and NP practice in any of the states either.  This is based on how my NP colleagues all had to follow the same medical staff rules I had to follow.  

 

The PA job outlook in Ohio is still good.  There are lots of jobs and the pay is comparable to national averages.  

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