The PA Profession

What is a physician assistant?

  • A physician assistant (or PA) is a nationally certified and state-licensed medical professional.
  • PAs practice medicine on healthcare teams with physicians and other providers.
  • They practice and prescribe medication in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories, with the exception of Puerto Rico.
  • As a respected healthcare provider, you will enjoy an exciting and fulfilling career as a PA. The physician assistant profession is one of the fastest growing healthcare careers nationwide.

The PA Profession at a Glance

What can a physician assistant do?

PAs Can:

  • Take a medical history
  • Conduct physical exams
  • Diagnose and treat illnesses
  • Order and interpret tests
  • Develop treatment plans
  • Counsel on preventive care
  • Assist in surgery
  • Write prescriptions
  • Make rounds in hospitals and nursing homes

PAs’ specific duties depend on:

  • The setting in which they work
  • Their level of experience
  • Their specialty
  • State law in which they work

Where can a physician assistant work?

  • Hospitals
  • Physician offices
  • Rural and urban community health centers
  • Nursing homes
  • Retail clinics
  • Schools and university-based facilities
  • Industrial settings
  • Correctional institutions
  • The uniformed services and other federal government agencies

For more information, go to the American Academy of Physician Assistants website.

Career Outlook

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Table 1: Percent Change in Employment, Projected 2018-2028

Percent Change in Employment for Physician Assistants (Projected 2018-2028): Physician Assistants: 31%, Health diagnosing and treating practitioners: 13%, Total, All Occupations: 5%

Note: All occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for Physician Assistant has a projected growth of 31% from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. PAs work in any field of medicine (i.e. primary care, internal medicine, internal medicine specialties (i.e. cardiology, endocrinology), surgery, orthopedics, women’s health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and mental health). Physician assistants practice medicine on teams with physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare workers. The median pay nationally for a PA in Primary Care in 2019 was $100,000 (AAPA Salary Report 2019) and in Connecticut was $110,000 (AAPA Salary Report 2019). For more information, visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook.

U.S. News
U.S. News Ranks PA as #1 in Best Jobs in 2021 and #1 Best Healthcare Jobs.