The physician assistant profession was established in 1967 in order to expand access to healthcare. It is one of the most rapidly growing fields in medicine with a >25% job outlook over the next decade. It consistently ranks in the U.S. News and World Report top 10 of best jobs and top 3 of healthcare jobs.
The AAPA (American Academy of Physician Assistants), the organization representing physician assistants, has filed to change the profession name to “physician associate”. Until official, PAs should continue using “physician assistant” as their legal title in a professional capacity unless the transition name does not pose a regulatory conflict in the clinical setting.
There are currently 159,000 licensed physician assistants practicing clinical medicine in every speciality and setting within the United States. These include:
Primary Care
Family Medicine
Internal Medicine
Pediatrics
Occupational Medicine
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Emergency Department
Urgent Care
RADIOLOGY
Interventional Radiology
Radiation Oncology
MEDICINE SUBSPECIALTIES
Hospitalist
Gastroenterology
Cardiology
Critical Care
Hematology and Oncology
Neurology
Endocrinology
Infectious Disease
Pulmonology
Rheumatology
Nephrology
Geriatrics
SURGICAL SUBSPECIALTIES
Cardiothoracic
General Surgery
Dermatology
Plastic Surgery
Bariatric Surgery
Colon and Rectal Surgery
Neurosurgery
Oncology Surgery
Otolaryngology (ENT)
Pediatric Surgery
Transplant
Trauma
Urology
Vascular
OTHER:
Psychiatry
Addiction Medicine
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Pain Management
Hospice and Palliative Care
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
SALARY
The 2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median pay of physician assistants is $121,530 per year.
According to the AAPA, the top paying specialties in 2021 were:
- Cardiothoracic Surgery – $147,000 per year
- Dermatology – $146,000 per year
- Emergency Medicine – $129,146 per year
- Surgical Subspecialties – $127,775 per year
- Occupational Medicine – $125,600 per year
- Critical Care -$124,886 per year
- Neurosurgery – $124,00 per year
- Urgent Care -$123,517 per year
- Radiology – #122,350 per year
- Plastic Surgery – $122,000 per year
In comparison (2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics):
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics: $36,930 per year
Nurse Midwives and Practitioners: $123,780 per year
Occupational Therapists: $85,570 per year
Physical Therapists: $95,620 per year
Physicians: > $208,000 per year
Registered Nurses: $77,600 per year
PROGRAMS
There are currently 300 master’s degree PA programs in the United States that average 27 months of training or three academic years. The programs are broken down into two parts: a didactic phase followed by clinical rotations. The didactic phase curriculum typically consists of core sciences, pharmacology, clinical lab science, evidence based clinical medicine, physical exam, and behavioral sciences. Following completion, the student will then embark on over 2,000 hours of patient training within the fields of internal medicine, family practice, psychiatry, pediatrics, general surgery, women’s health (obstetrics and gynecology), and emergency medicine. Most universities also offer elective rotations in other specialties.
After graduation from an accredited program, the student:
- Will need to get certified by passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) administered by the National Commision on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
- Obtain a license in the state they wish to practice.
- Maintain certification by completing 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) credits every two years and taking the Physician Assistant National Recertifying Exam (PANRE) every 10 years,
If you are interested in becoming a physician assistant, get in touch!