Physician Assistants in CO (Denver, Colorado Springs: jobs, hospitals, university)

[Squiggy]

I am a physician assistant student with a little less than a year left in my education. My wife and I are looking to move to Colorado. Currently, we are looking in the Colorado Springs area, but we are not limited. Our questions are:
1) Does anyone know how the job market is in CO for PA's? (I know in some areas in the West that nurse practitioners are utilized a lot more.)
2) Are there any hospitals/hospital networks I should definitely avoid or try to become affiliated with?
3) Any other information you may have that I have overlooked would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for any help you offer,
Squiggy

[Katiana]

I don't think there is a favor of Nurse Practitioners vs PAs in Colorado. I have seen both.

[Squiggy]

Thank you for your help, Pitt. I'm originally from AZ and I know growing up that I seemed to see a lot more NPs than PAs. We're not really sure where we want to end up, but we thought that Colorado Springs might be a good area due to its size and geographical location (far enough to keep family from dropping in yet close enough that we could see them...) My wife has her undergrad in Business and Communications and a Master's in Human Relations and Counseling, so we wanted to be in an area where she would be able to find a job as well. Although it is farther away, we have considered Loveland as well. It says you are from Northern CO, so might you have any information you'd like to share about that area? Thanks again, Squiggy.

[Katiana]

Squiggy: I live in Boulder County. I am not very familiar with the health care scene in Larimer Co, or much of anything else up there. Though the Larimer Countians may disagreee, the main health care scene in CO is in Denver where the med school is. There is a load of information on this forum about it, though. You can do a search. Here is one thread to get you started:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/color...t-collins.html

[Squiggy]

The only possible problem with trying the Boulder area is probably similar to the Charleston, SC area (where I live now) - they have more PA's than they need since the school graduates a class every year and I'm sure many of them would like to stay in the area (as they do here.) I'm still not sure what area of practice I would like to get in to right now, but I'm thinking in an area of primary care to really "learn" medicine before I think specialty. Thank you for your advice and I will do a heavier search on health care in this forum. --S

[Katiana]

The PA program in Colorado is in Denver, at the University of Colorado Health Science Center (soon to be in Aurora). But yes, the Denver-Boulder area in general is probably popular with PA grads. However, there are more jobs in the metro area than in Larimer Co, which is a mitigating factor. You do not have to live in the heart of Denver to work in Denver. There are many places within a 30 min commute that are nice areas, though mainly suburban.