How about the cardiology NPs? I have heard that they start out at only slightly less than what a new AA/CRNA graduate starts out at, although a lot of this is just hearsay and it's hard to find definitive statistics on the internet. I also wonder if NP's are even eligible to apply for surgical positions, or if those positions are more or less exclusive to PAs?

It's interesting to hear that those clinics have closed around you. Do you know if it's the same case with doctor-run express clinics, or just those run by nurses? Is the extra 15% in reimbursement that physicians receive from insurance companies crucial to keeping the business cost effective?