Informational Interview: Life as an OB\/GYN PA

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By: Savanna Perry, PA-C · Last updated June 12, 2026

TL;DR

In this informational interview, OB/GYN physician assistant Stephanie Howard shares what women's health PA work actually looks like: a wide range of procedures and patient visits, a manageable lifestyle, and a scope of practice that varies a lot by state and hospital. Her biggest advice is to treat every rotation like a job interview and not to be scared of pursuing women's health.

In this post:

How did Stephanie become an OB/GYN PA?

Stephanie Howard is a physician assistant in Knoxville, Tennessee, who has practiced obstetrics and gynecology since she graduated in 2010. Remarkably, it has been her only PA job. She did a rotation with her current supervising physician, knew early on she wanted to do women's health, and was offered the job during clinicals.

She was lucky to grow up knowing what a PA was, since her aunt and uncle are both PAs. Back when she was in school, the profession was far less known, and she often had to explain it to advisors and peers. She chose the PA path because she wanted a career in medicine that still left room for a family and a life, and the balance the profession offered fit her perfectly.

Her application process was modest by today's standards. She applied to four schools, got three interviews, was waitlisted at one, and was accepted at her program in Knoxville. Her biggest challenge was accumulating enough patient care hours.

What does an OB/GYN PA actually do day to day?

Stephanie sees around 25 patients a day and works full time, which for her practice is four days a week with Tuesdays off. The variety is one of her favorite parts.

A typical day might include annual exams, birth control consults, irregular periods, and patients ranging from adolescents to menopausal women. She works up dysfunctional uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, ovarian cysts, and fibroids, and her office even does weight-loss counseling.

She describes herself as procedure-oriented and loves the hands-on work:

Endometrial biopsies
Managing abnormal pap smears and follow-up colposcopies
Ultrasound procedures like sonohistograms and hysterosalpingograms
Bladder instillations for interstitial cystitis
Placing and removing birth control

As she puts it, there is a lot you can do in women's health beyond pap smears all day long. The work can be emotionally heavy too, since the intimate nature of the visits means patients often share anxiety, depression, and things they might not tell a primary care provider.

Can OB/GYN PAs deliver babies?

This is one of the most common questions pre-PAs ask, and the answer is that it depends heavily on the state and the hospital. Stephanie works with pregnant patients through their entire pregnancies, from helping people conceive to managing gestational diabetes and hypertension, and she has delivered babies alongside her supervising physician.

But whether a PA can deliver comes down to what the hospital system allows. The hospital where she works does not currently have PAs, midwives, or nurse practitioners who deliver. Delivering also means a demanding on-call lifestyle, which she personally does not want.

Scope can be frustrating. She and Savanna discussed a dermatology PA who delivered around 300 babies during an OB/GYN residency in California, then could not get approved to deliver in Georgia because it was not considered part of a PA's scope there. ⚠ VERIFY The takeaway: if delivering babies is your goal, research your state's rules and hospital policies before you commit.

What advice does Stephanie have for future PAs?

Two pieces of advice stand out from the conversation.

First, treat every rotation like a job interview. Stephanie was offered around five jobs during clinicals because she showed up engaged and let preceptors know what she was interested in. Both she and Savanna found that once they were honest about the specialties they loved, people started seeking them out, and a respected preceptor's referral carries far more weight than an online job posting. Even on rotations you do not love, be present and participate, because your preceptor can tell when you do not want to be there, and that shapes whether they will refer you or write a recommendation.

Second, do not be scared of women's health. PAs make up less than 1% of the field, but PAs are trained as generalists with as much women's health training as surgery or pediatrics. ⚠ VERIFY If women's health interests you, it is an attainable and rewarding career. Set up your own elective somewhere you want to work and show them why they should hire you.

Listen to the full conversation with Stephanie

This interview first aired as episode 52 of The Pre-PA Club. Press play to hear Stephanie describe the procedures, the scope questions and the lifestyle in her own words.

Episode show notes & key takeaways

Stephanie is an OB/GYN PA, and this episode is a good look at what women's health actually involves day to day.

She walks through what her patient load looks like, how much she manages on her own, and what it's like being a PA in a specialty a lot of people don't realize is open to us. There's more to it than deliveries - it's well visits, contraception counseling, prenatal care, and a lot of continuity with patients over years.

Her big piece of advice is about rotations. Show up, ask for things, and don't wait to be handed opportunities. The students who get the most out of clinical year are the ones who make themselves useful before anyone asks.

What we talk about

What an OB/GYN PA does in a typical week
Managing obstetric patients and where the PA fits on the team
Why women's health is a great fit for PAs
Being proactive during clinical rotations
Finding mentors and actually using them
Building a strong base in your prereqs and early classes

Resources

Follow The Pre-PA Club: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · All episodes

In Our Experience

This conversation is a great example of why informational interviews are so valuable for pre-PAs. Hearing a working PA describe her real day, her procedures, and her honest take on lifestyle gives you a far clearer picture than any job description. As Stephanie says, treat every rotation like a job interview and do not be afraid to chase a specialty that excites you. Don't be scared to reach out to PAs in fields you are curious about, the worst thing that happens is they say no.

Quick Tip

PAs make up less than 1% of OB/GYN providers, but they are trained as generalists with as much women's health education as any other specialty, so the field is wide open if it interests you. ⚠ VERIFY

Every Pre-PA Should Know

OB/GYN PAs handle a wide range of visits and procedures, not just pap smears.
Scope of practice, including deliveries, varies by state and hospital. ⚠ VERIFY
Stephanie sees about 25 patients a day, working full time over four days a week.
Treat every clinical rotation like a job interview, because referrals matter most.
Be present and engaged even on rotations you do not love.
Women's health is an attainable PA specialty despite PAs being a small share of the field. ⚠ VERIFY

Frequently Asked Questions

What does an OB/GYN PA do?

OB/GYN PAs handle annual exams, birth control, irregular periods, and a range of procedures like endometrial biopsies, colposcopies, and ultrasound studies, plus managing pregnant patients depending on scope.

Can a PA deliver babies?

Sometimes. It depends heavily on state law and hospital policy. Some PAs deliver alongside a supervising physician, while other states do not include deliveries in a PA’s scope. ⚠ VERIFY

How many patients does an OB/GYN PA see per day?

Stephanie sees about 25 patients a day, working full time over a four-day week.

Is women’s health a good specialty for PAs?

Yes. PAs are a small share of the OB/GYN field, but they are trained as generalists with full women’s health education, so it is an attainable and rewarding path. ⚠ VERIFY

How do PAs find jobs during clinical rotations?

By treating every rotation like a job interview. Engaged students who let preceptors know their interests often get referrals, which carry more weight than online postings.

How do I learn more about a PA specialty I am interested in?

Set up shadowing or an informational interview with a PA in that field, and consider arranging an elective rotation where you would want to work.

The Bottom Line

Talking to a PA who actually does the job you are curious about is one of the best ways to figure out if a specialty fits you. If women's health interests you, take Stephanie's advice and pursue it without fear.