• Tools
• Quick Links

 

Physician Assistants (PAs) work in almost every medical and surgical setting, including hospitals, private practice, rural and community health centers, nursing homes and correctional facilities. PAs are employed in almost every medical and surgical speciality area. The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) 2008 Census revealed that 37% of practicing PAs are employed in Family Medicine, 26% in Internal Medicine and its specialty areas and approximately 25% in surgery and surgical specialties. PAs are also employed in Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Emergency Medicine and other specialty areas.

The physician assistant career is full of wonderful opportunities with continued job growth. The May 2006 issue of Money Magazine ranked the Physician Assistant Profession as number 5 on the list of the top Top 10 Best Jobs. The AAPA reported that the 2008 median total annual income from primary employer for respondents who work at least 32 hours per week for their primary employer and who are not self-employed is $85,710; the mean is $94,897. The comparable figures for respondents who graduated in 2007 are $74,470 and $78,232, respectively.

Job Listings

The AAPA offers a web site, The PA Job Link, which lists some of the jobs available to PAs nationwide.

 

Job Outlook

Employment of physician assistants is expected to grow 27 percent from 2006-2016, much faster than the average for all occupations. Projected rapid job growth reflects the expansion of healthcare industries and an emphasis on cost containment, which results in increasing use of PAs by healthcare establishments.