Deandra
Physician assistant specializing in OB or Nursing-midwife ?
I am having trouble choosing between becoming a PA in OB or a midwife. I originally wanted to go to medical school but decided that i didn't want to go to school for long after undergrad. So my dream is to be able to deliver babies or at least assist in the deliver. so i just want some more information about both to make a good decision ? which one would be a better opinion for me ?
HELP !
#medical-practice #medicine #physician-assistant #healthcare #hospital-and-health-care
3 answers
Franchesca Estrada
Franchesca’s Answer
As a pediatrician, I don't know a lot about the role of a PA in an OB practice or whether they would be able to deliver babies.
thank you so much !
Deandra
Mary Kate Larimer
Mary Kate’s Answer
Yes, an OB PA can deliver babies on a typical labor and delivery floor. In cesarean section, they act as first assist in surgery. I don't believe midwives go into surgery, but I am no expert on the matter so I'm not sure. I'm sure both professions have their positives and negatives. I can only say that going to PA school is a great option if you want the possibility for flexibility or variety. You could realize you want to switch specialties one day, and being a PA allows you to do that. You can go into basically any medical specialty. And I know PAs who have worked in more than one at the same time even. If you can get into PA school, I would go for it.
Hope this helped some!
This might help a bit
www.paobgyn.org/resources/Documents/WhatIsAPABrochure.pdf
Mary Kate Larimer
thank you so much for the help !
Deandra
Michelle Arp MS, BSN, RN, CNM
Michelle’s Answer
I am a certified nurse-midwife in Georgia. For a career with the most flexibility I would suggest becoming a CNM rather than a PA. Many states and hospitals do not recognize PA's as having the ability to deliver babies, whereas midwives are able to obtain hospital privileges in nearly all hospitals across the country. In Georgia, as far as I am aware, there are NO Pa's delivering babies. And I'm not aware of any PA's working only in an office setting in women's health, although there likely are a handful here. Generally speaking here in Georgia, if you are going into women's health as a midlevel provider, you are either a women's health nurse practitioner or midwife. And most states are similar. If you want the ability to be able to practice in all states catching babies, you would need to become a certified nurse midwife. Don't put the effort and time into your education only to be limited in your practice.