Physician Assistant

Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.

On the job, you would:

Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.
Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Physician assistants must explain complex medical issues in a way that patients can understand.

Compassion. Physician assistants deal with patients who are sick or injured and who may be in extreme pain or distress. They must be sympathetic toward and understanding of patients and their families.

Detail oriented. Physician assistants should be observant and have a strong ability to focus when evaluating and treating patients.

Emotional stability. Physician assistants, particularly those working in surgery or emergency medicine, should work well under pressure. They must remain calm in stressful situations in order to provide quality care.

Interpersonal skills. Physician assistants must work well as part of a team of other healthcare professionals to ensure proper patient care.

Problem-solving skills. Physician assistants need to evaluate patients’ symptoms and administer the appropriate treatments. They must be diligent when investigating complicated medical issues so they can determine the best course of treatment for each patient.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		99%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		99%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		97%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		96%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		94%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		93%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		92%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		90%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		87%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		85%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		85%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		85%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		76%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		72%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		68%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		89%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
		89%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		83%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		75%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		72%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		72%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
		67%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		61%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		78%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		78%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		78%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		78%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		75%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		75%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		75%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		75%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		72%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		68%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		66%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Examine patients to assess general physical condition.

Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.

Diagnose medical conditions.

Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.

Record patient medical histories.

Order medical diagnostic or clinical tests.

Prescribe treatments or therapies.

Prescribe medications.

Immunize patients.

Administer intravenous medications.

Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.

Assist healthcare practitioners during surgery.

Supervise patient care personnel.

Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.

Record patient medical histories.

Prescribe treatments or therapies.

Order medical supplies or equipment.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		100%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		99%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		98%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		95%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		95%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		93%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		93%	Exposed to Disease or Infections - How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
		93%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		92%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		92%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		90%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		89%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		87%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		84%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		83%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		83%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		81%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		80%	Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
		76%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		76%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		72%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		72%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		66%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
		81%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		99%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		97%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		96%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		95%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		95%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		93%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		89%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		87%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		87%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		85%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		84%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		80%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		78%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		77%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		76%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		76%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		74%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		74%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		72%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		72%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		67%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

What Physician Assistants Do

Physician assistants examine patients and assess their health.

Physician assistants, also known as PAs, examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.

Duties

Physician assistants typically do the following:

Obtain and review patients’ medical histories
Examine patients
Order and interpret diagnostic tests, such as x rays or blood tests
Diagnose a patient’s injury or illness
Provide treatment, such as setting broken bones, stitching wounds, and immunizing patients
Educate and counsel patients and their families on a variety of issues, such as treatment and self-care for asthma
Prescribe medication
Assess and record a patient’s progress
Research the latest treatments to ensure quality of patient care

Physician assistants are on teams with physicians or surgeons and other healthcare workers. The amount of collaboration and the extent to which they must be supervised by physicians or surgeons differ by state.

Physician assistants work in a variety of healthcare specialties, including primary care and family medicine, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. The work of physician assistants depends, in large part, on their specialty or the type of medical practice in which they work. For example, a physician assistant working in surgery may close incisions and provide care before, during, and after an operation. A physician assistant working in pediatrics may examine a child and give routine vaccinations.

In some areas, especially rural and medically underserved communities, physician assistants may be the primary care providers at clinics where a physician is present only 1 or 2 days per week. In these locations, physician assistants collaborate with the physician as needed and as required by law.

Some physician assistants make house calls or visit nursing homes to treat patients.

Physician assistants differ from nurse practitioners in their training and the level of care they provide; for example, nurse practitioners cannot provide surgical care, whereas physician assistants can. They also differ from medical assistants, who do routine clinical and clerical tasks but do not practice medicine.

Work Environment

Physician assistants held about 148,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of physician assistants were as follows:

Offices of physicians	52%
Hospitals; state, local, and private	24
Outpatient care centers	9
Educational services; state, local, and private	4
Government	2

Working with patients can be both physically and emotionally demanding. Physician assistants spend much of their time standing or walking to make rounds and evaluate patients. Physician assistants who work in operating rooms often stand for extended periods.

Work Schedules

Most physician assistants work full time. Work schedules vary and may include nights, weekends, or holidays. Physician assistants also may be on call, meaning that they must be ready to respond to a work request with little notice.

Getting Started

Entry Level Education:

Master's degree

Work Experience in a Related Occupation:

None

On The Job Training:

None

Education:

81%

Master's Degree

14%

First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.

How to Become a Physician Assistant

Physician assistants must be able to communicate medical issues in a way that patients understand.

Physician assistants typically need a master’s degree from an accredited educational program. Applicants to these programs typically have a bachelor's degree and experience caring directly for patients. All states require physician assistants to be licensed.

Education

Applicants to physician assistant education programs typically have a bachelor’s degree and some experience with patient care. Although programs vary, most require applicants to have taken undergraduate coursework with a focus in science. Bachelor's degrees are often in healthcare or a related field, such as biology. Programs also may require that applicants have experience as a medical assistant, EMT or paramedic, or another occupation that involves patient care.

Physician assistant education programs usually take at least 2 years of postbaccalaureate study. A list of accredited physician assistant programs is available from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA).

Physician assistant education includes classroom and laboratory instruction in subjects such as human anatomy, clinical medicine, and pharmacology. The programs also include supervised clinical training in several specialties, such as family medicine, internal medicine, and emergency medicine.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

All states and the District of Columbia require physician assistants to be licensed. To become licensed, candidates must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). A physician assistant who passes the exam may use the credential “Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C).”

To maintain their PA-C certification, physician assistants must complete continuing education and pass a recertification exam within a specified number of years.

In most states, laws require physician assistants to hold an agreement with a supervising physician. Although the physician does not need to be onsite at all times, collaboration between physicians and physician assistants is required for practice.

Physician assistant positions may require basic life support (BLS) certification.

Advancement

Some physician assistants pursue additional education in a specialty. Postgraduate programs are available in specialties such as emergency medicine and psychiatry. To enter one of these programs, a physician assistant must be a graduate of an accredited program and have their PA-C. Additional certification in specialty areas is offered by the NCCPA.

Job Outlook

Employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 27 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 12,200 openings for physician assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

The growing population will continue to increase demand for healthcare services. A rise in the number of older people, who are more likely than young people to require medical care, and of patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, will also increase healthcare demand. These increases, in turn, drive the need for healthcare providers such as physician assistants (PAs), who often provide preventive care and treat the sick.

PAs, who can provide many of the same services as physicians, are expected to continue to expand their role in providing healthcare services for a number of reasons. They can be trained more quickly than physicians, and team-based healthcare provision models will continue to evolve and become more common. Furthermore, states continue to expand allowable procedures and autonomy, and insurance companies are extending coverage to physician assistant services.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about physician assistants, visit

American Academy of PAs

For a list of accredited physician assistant programs, visit

Physician Assistant Education Association

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA)

Association of Postgraduate Physician Assistant Programs

For information about certification requirements, visit

National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of physician assistants.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
EMTs and Paramedics	Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics assess injuries and illnesses, provide emergency medical care, and may transport patients to medical facilities.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$39,410
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners	Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare.	Master's degree	$125,900
Occupational Therapists	Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities to help them with vocational, daily living, and other skills that promote independence.	Master's degree	$93,180
Physical Therapists	Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.	Doctoral or professional degree	$97,720
Physicians and Surgeons	Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance.	Doctoral or professional degree	$229,300
Registered Nurses	Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions.	Bachelor's degree	$81,220
Speech-Language Pathologists	Speech-language pathologists assess and treat people who have communication disorders.	Master's degree	$84,140