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Physician Assistant

Overview and Key Facts

PA and Physician
Education
Education
Master's degree
Median Pay
Median Pay
$133,260
Job Growth
Job Growth
20.40%
(Above US Average)
Jobs in 2034
Jobs in 2034
195,800

What Do They Do?

A physicians assistant could...

 
Skateboarding
Suture a child's knee wound after a bad fall from her skateboard.
person taking another person's temperature in a temporary clinic
Prevent disease outbreaks after a natural disaster by working as part of a mobile health clinic.
Cast removal
Determine when a broken arm is mended and the cast may be removed.
Chest x-ray
Order a chest x-ray to check for pneumonia, and interpret its results.
 
Skateboarding person taking another person's temperature in a temporary clinic Cast removal Chest x-ray

Overview Listen to this section

Would you like to sew up a bad cut after fall? Order and interpret X-rays? Help with surgery? Conduct physicals? Prescribe medications? Physician assistants have many of the same duties as physicians, only they practice medicine under the supervision of a physician or a surgeon. In rural or inner-city areas, physician assistants might have considerable independence, since they might be the only healthcare provider available to these communities. Physician assistants can choose to study specialties, too, just like physicians, and work in surgery, pediatrics, emergency medicine, orthopedics, or other health specialties.
Watch this video to meet Jennifer Fritz, a physician assistant student at Pennsylvania College of Technology, where she learns how to suture wounds, perform CPR, intubate patients, perform physical exams, and prescribe medications.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3m-mmewRSo

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Physician Assistant?


  1. Reading Comprehension: ?
  2. Critical Thinking: ?
  3. Service Orientation: ?
  4. Social Perceptiveness: ?
  5. Writing: ?
More skills...

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Physician Assistant might do:
  • Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
  • Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition.
  • Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.
  • Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination.
  • Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.
  • Administer or order diagnostic tests, such as x-ray, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests.
  • Instruct and counsel patients about prescribed therapeutic regimens, normal growth and development, family planning, emotional problems of daily living, and health maintenance.
  • Perform therapeutic procedures, such as injections, immunizations, suturing and wound care, and infection management.
  • Visit and observe patients on hospital rounds or house calls, updating charts, ordering therapy, and reporting back to physician.
  • Provide physicians with assistance during surgery or complicated medical procedures.
  • Supervise and coordinate activities of technicians and technical assistants.
  • Order medical and laboratory supplies and equipment.

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

Tap or scroll over map to see median salaries for each state
No data available for some states (white on the map)

Future Jobs

Blast-Off:

How Will Physician Assistant Jobs Grow by 2034?
Projected % Growth
Rapid growth
(10% or higher)
Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)
Faster than average
(5% - 7%)
About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)
Slower than average
(0% - 3%)
Decreasing
Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)
Physician Assistant jobs (20.40%)
Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Physician Assistant

High School Subjects to Study

Aim to study the yellow-shaded subjects.
Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Science
Physiology
Bio-Medical / Biotech
IT &
Engineering
Computer Science
Applied Technology
Drafting & CAD Training
Core
English
Foreign Language
Business
Psychology / Sociology

Career Pathway Listen to this section

Requirements for admission to training programs vary; most applicants have a college degree and some health-related work experience. Commonly, nurses, EMTs, lab technicians, and paramedics apply to physician assistant programs. All states require physician assistants to complete an accredited, formal education program and pass a national exam to obtain a license.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Degree
Post
high school credential
AA
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral or Professional Degree

Typical degree for an entry-level position: Master's degree ? Types of Degrees and Credentials

Physician assistant educational programs usually take at least 2 years to complete for full-time students. Most programs are at schools of allied health, academic health centers, medical schools, or 4-year colleges; a few are at community colleges, are part of the military, or are at hospitals. Many accredited PA programs have clinical teaching affiliations with medical schools.

In 2008, 142 education programs for physician assistants were accredited or provisionally accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant. Eighty percent, or 113, of these programs offered the option of a master's degree, 21 of them offered a bachelor's degree, three awarded associate degrees, and five awarded a certificate.

Most applicants to PA educational programs already have a college degree and some health-related work experience; however, admissions requirements vary from program to program. Many PAs have prior experience as registered nurses, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics.

PA education includes classroom and laboratory instruction in subjects like biochemistry, pathology, human anatomy, physiology, clinical pharmacology, clinical medicine, physical diagnosis, and medical ethics. PA programs also include supervised clinical training in several areas, including family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, prenatal care and gynecology, geriatrics, emergency medicine, and pediatrics. Sometimes, PA students serve in one or more of these areas under the supervision of a physician who is seeking to hire a PA. The rotation may lead to permanent employment in one of the areas where the student works.

Companies That Hire Physician Assistants

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

On the Job

Role Models

Read "A Day in the Life of a PA" Interview Series where we highlight PAs who work in a variety of clinical practice settings.
[I work in ] Family Medicine/Primary Care- but we have urgent care and internal medicine built in. I chose this specialty for many reasons. A major one is because I love seeing a variety of issues throughout the day, less monotony.  
Eve Massarsky, PA-C

Nature of the Work

Physician assistants (PAs) practice medicine under the supervision of physicians and surgeons. They should not be confused with medical assistants, who perform routine clinical and clerical tasks. PAs are formally trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive healthcare services, as delegated by a physician. Working as members of a healthcare team, they take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and X-rays, and make diagnoses. They also treat minor injuries by suturing, splinting, and casting. PAs record progress notes, instruct and counsel patients, and order or carry out therapy. Physician assistants also may prescribe certain medications. In some establishments, a PA is responsible for managerial duties, such as ordering medical supplies or equipment and supervising medical technicians and assistants.

Physician assistants work under the supervision of a physician. However, PAs may be the principal care providers in rural or inner-city clinics where a physician is present for only 1 or 2 days each week. In such cases, the PA confers with the supervising physician and other medical professionals as needed and as required by law. PAs also may make house calls or go to hospitals and nursing care facilities to check on patients, after which they report back to the physician.

The duties of physician assistants are determined by the supervising physician and by state law. Aspiring PAs should investigate the laws and regulations in the states in which they wish to practice.

Many PAs work in primary care specialties, such as general internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine. Other specialty areas include general and thoracic surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, and geriatrics. PAs specializing in surgery provide preoperative and postoperative care and may work as first or second assistants during major surgery.

Work Environment

Although PAs usually work in a comfortable, well-lit environment, those in surgery often stand for long periods. At times, the job requires a considerable amount of walking.

PA's work schedules may vary according to the practice setting and often depend on the hours of the supervising physician. The workweek of hospital-based PAs may include weekends, nights, or early morning hospital rounds to visit patients. These workers also may be on call. PAs in clinics usually work about a 40-hour week.

More Information

Ask Questions

Do you have a specific question about a career as a Physician Assistant that isn't answered on this page? Post your question on the Science Buddies Ask an Expert Forum.

Additional Resources

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