Physician assistant jobs are in high demand now that the healthcare industry is witnessing a boom. With it growing in demand in both rural and urban areas, here is a guide to the physician assistant career.
The typical physician assistant has successfully completed course work in a 26-month specialized program after receiving a 4-year degree. Both this and some job experience is required. The work does not stop there as each physician assistant must complete 100 hours of ongoing education course work every two years and take a recertification exam every six years.
In the industry there are two professional bodies – the one that regulates is known as the AAPA (American Association of Physician Assistants) and the one that administers certification exams and tracks the continuing education credits which is called NCCPA (National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants).
In a doctor’s office, the role of a physician assistant plays an important part. They can work independently inside a doctor’s office however they are supervised by a licensed doctor. They must be within 1 hour of their doctor’s call.
They help in diagnosis and analyzing lab reports including x-rays. They can also listen to patients and note down their history, decide treatment to be administered to them, write prescriptions, prescribe therapy, examine patients, and provide surgical help. Excellent communications skills are one of the most important abilities that a physician assistant must have because they will be interacting with patients most of the time.
Attending and interacting with the patients keep physician assistants on their feet most of the time. Surgical team assistants are among the busiest of all assistants. This is not an easy job – it requires handling stress and working late nights, weekends and holidays. The physician assistant must handle all physical and mental stress with a cool and calm that does not show on his face because that may panic the patient.
Physician assistants are allowed to perform many tasks, however each American state has different guidelines as to which ones they can perform. In order to know the exact job responsibilities for that state, you will want to refer to that state’s employment website.
It is expected that physician assistant jobs will grow more rapidly in availability compared to other jobs. Physician assistants’ demand is especially higher in hospitals, clinics, prisons and other facilities situated in rural and inner city areas. The growth in demand for physician assistant jobs is expected to rise by 39% from 2008 to 2018 according to a government report published in 2008. The simultaneous evolution and cost lowering that is happening in the healthcare industry is the cause of the increased demand. On of the ways that the healthcare industry is maintaining the quality of service and productivity is by appointing physician assistants. These factors, when combined with each state allowing physician assistants the ability to perform more medical procedures, combine and attribute to the increase in demand for these professionals.
There are a few factors which determine a physician assistant salary which are as follows:
Specialization: Physician assistants that do not specialize in a particular type of medical condition like HIV, AIDS or cancer will often receive a lower salary than a physician assistant that has training to handle these types of conditions. The demand for specialized physical assistants is very high and their salary can even exceed the maximum figure (given below).
Area: Often it is found that the pay for healthcare professionals is lower in rural areas than it is in urban centers. Urban centers in densely populated areas pay more than urban centers in thinly populated areas. Urban areas often have a higher cost of living compared to their rural counterparts which can attribute to the higher salary.
Another factor is experience. Highly experienced physician assistants get a higher salary.
As per Salary.com, physician assistants earn anything between $75,000 and $106,000 yearly. Aside from a few exceptions, a typical salary range is between $65, 000 and $90,000. The specialization factor is huge for a physician assistant because they will nearly always draw a higher salary. Hospitals and outpatient centers pay the highest salary, while government facilities and educational institutions pay low. As stated above, urban centers pay higher than rural centers.
Fees for state licensing fees, registration fees, credential fees and professional liability insurance should be expected to be paid by the physician assistant’s employer.
Critical medical specializations for conditions like HIV/AIDS, neonatology, cancer, and many others are all options for a physician assistant. Those that do specialize in these critical medical conditions, like mentioned above, will often be paid a much higher salary. Specializations like surgery, cancer, HIV, neonatology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and more are offered by many schools.
Postgraduate residency training programs can be taken by a physician assistant in areas like emergency medicine, rural primary care, occupational medicine, etc.
Like most careers, the pay increases come in time and with more experience. A licensed doctor must always supervise the assistant, regardless of pay or specialization.
The ability to remain mobile between specializations, no need for med school, and not being required to complete an internship are among the many advantages that a physician assistant career has. They also are rewarded with a self-satisfying career that helps people recover from medical conditions, many of which can be major.
No two days are the same in the life of a PA because each day poses new challenges and learning opportunities. The requirement of being supervised by a licensed doctor will always prevent a physician assistant from being and entrepreneur and launching their own practice.
This is all you need to know about physician assistant jobs and career prospects.