Seven Reasons to Become a Physician Assistant (PA)

Whether you’re in the second year of your undergraduate studies, or you’re just now exploring ways to enter the healthcare industry, the role of a physician assistant (PA) may have come to your attention as a viable and attractive profession. It not only ranks as the second-best job in the medical field, but also provides the opportunity to improve the health and wellness of a wealth of patients. It’s easy to understand why it’s become such a popular and coveted position.¹

However, entering this field requires a substantial commitment. So, why become a physician assistant?

Below, we will discuss some of the leading reasons to become a physician assistant so that you can determine if this might be the right career path for you.

What is a Physician Assistant?

First, what is a PA? A PA is a licensed, rigorously trained healthcare provider who aims to improve their patients’ health and wellness through a collaborative approach.² PAs operate as part of the treatment team and generally work with a supervising physician performing both essential and specialized medical duties, such as:³

• Conducting routine patient exams
• Ordering and evaluating diagnostic assessments
• Creating treatment plans
• Prescribing medication
• Assisting in surgery
• Performing procedures
• Offering patients information on preventative care
• Counseling patients
• Working with patient medical teams and communicating with their loved ones

PAs are an integral, indispensable part of the healthcare industry—committed professionals who are dedicated to improving the lives and well-being of their patients.

Why Become a PA? Seven Reasons

Given the breadth and depth of their obligations, physician assistants must complete intensive didactic and clinical training to become licensed to practice. Most are educated and trained at the graduate level and have earned a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS).⁴

The time commitment is great, so it is important to examine the reasons to become a physician assistant before dedicating time, energy and resources to the endeavor. Learn why it might be the ideal profession for your immediate and long-term goals.

#1. Versatility

Studies indicate that 43 to 53% of employees complain of boredom at work.⁵ Over time, this may reduce career satisfaction, motivation, advancement and performance.⁶

It’s safe to say that physician assistants enjoy an exciting career. Whether they’re treating a child with bronchitis or assisting with a surgery, the workday of a PA is anything but boring and tedious.⁷

The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) deems PAs as one of the most versatile positions in healthcare. Research supports this: 49% of PAs report two unique specialties during their careers.⁸ What better way to escape boredom than pursuing new interests?

The Ability to Practice Different Specialties

Another bonus: PAs don’t need to remain in a single area of medicine for the entirety of their careers.

PAs have the option to practice in each type of specialty and in every healthcare setting.⁹ They might start off in family medicine at a rural clinic, decide to shift to emergency medicine, and then become a travel PA.¹⁰

PA specialties include, but are not limited to:¹¹

• Endocrinology
• Rheumatology
• Neurology
• Emergency medicine
• Addiction medicine
• Psychiatry
• Trauma surgery
• Infectious diseases
• Pain management
• Hospice care
• Dermatology
• Genetics

There are an incredible number of opportunities for PAs. They don’t need to declare a specialty, but they also don’t need to remain in one specific area of medicine for a set amount of time. This makes the profession an ideal fit for anyone who thrives on dynamism in their career and the challenges and rewards that come with change.¹²

#2. Work-Life Balance

Recent research indicates that more than half of people cite poor work-life balance as a dealbreaker when weighing the pros and cons of a new position.¹³ While PAs are vulnerable to burnout and its consequences, the AAPA took a stance in 2019 by establishing a task force to help PAs avoid this, and the organization strongly urges PAs to focus on their own health and wellness.¹⁴

According to the AAPA, the flexibility that’s at the crux of the profession translates well to life outside of the workplace.¹⁵

Furthermore, because PAs have the capacity to shift specialties throughout their career, they can exert more control over where they work and when. This may result in more flexible work hours that allow them the capacity to enjoy both professional and personal satisfaction.

If tenable working hours are one of your chief goals, you might consider shadowing PAs in multiple specialties to figure out which area best aligns with your goals.¹⁶

#3. Education Requirements—and the Ability to Start Practicing Sooner Than Other Healthcare Professions

PAs typically must earn a master’s degree to practice. This degree program prepares them to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).¹⁷

This doesn’t mean a physician assistant program is less demanding or competitive than a Doctor of Medicine (MD) program. Becoming a medical doctor (MD) or a PA requires didactic training and clinical rotations. Nonetheless, the path to becoming a PA is substantially faster than that of an MD:

• PA programs usually take approximately two to three years to complete¹⁸
• MDs must complete four years of medical school, plus at least three years in a residency program in a specialty¹⁹

Physician assistants can begin practicing medicine—and earning—much faster than MDs. They’ll fulfill many of the same responsibilities as an MD and earn a strong salary.

#4. Salary

The latest information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that physician assistants have a median salary of $121,530.²⁰ This is more than double the national mean salary for all professions, which comes in at $58,260.²¹

PAs can enjoy an excellent quality of life and may have the opportunity to earn more, depending on their specialty. The top ten percent of physician assistants earn $164,620 annually, and those who work in outpatient care facilities bring in an average of $128,430 per year.²²

#5. Human Connection

Whether PAs choose to specialize in geriatrics or mental health, they have ample opportunities to build powerful and lasting connections with their patients, primarily through:²³

• Listening closely to their patients
• Consulting with their patients’ healthcare team, family members and other loved ones
• Crafting treatment plans for recovery and/or nourishing their patients’ well-being
• Providing counsel to their patients—preventative measures, health management, recuperation and more

This is just one of several meaningful reasons to become a physician assistant.

#6. Giving Back to Communities

Physician assistants fill a key role in countless healthcare settings, but are particularly needed in remote, rural regions where access to healthcare is limited—a fact compounded by the shortage of physicians across the country.²⁴

PAs help to fill this gap and are positioned to make a profound difference in the lives of those who may most need their support.

#7. Professional Satisfaction

Job satisfaction is as subjective as the specialties that may call to you. Yet, there are a few commonalities among physician assistants that pave the way for a pragmatic and satisfying career, including:²⁵

• Faster entry into the workforce
• Reduced student loan debt, compared to doctors’ average debt
• Good work-life balance
• Flexibility to change specialty area throughout career without needing to return to school

In fact, a survey conducted by AAPA found that 96% of physician assistants would recommend their profession to others.²⁶

Whether you’re an accomplished EMT in your final year of high school or working in your first career but feeling unsatisfied, know this: With the right education, you may have the chance to join them.

Harness a Career in Healthcare at The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

Why become a physician assistant? Ask yourself this question before embarking on your academic journey. Our hope is that this information has inspired you. As a physician assistant, you may have the opportunity to make an enduring impact on many, all while enjoying a rewarding, flexible and well-paid career. As an essential worker, you’d be in a role that’s predicted to expand by 28% over the next several years. This might give you a sense of security and happiness, knowing that no matter what’s occurring in the world, your services will be needed.²⁷

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is delighted to announce its new Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program. The MSPAS program is now accepting applications. This in-depth, exciting program will equip students with the education and training they need to thrive in a range of healthcare settings.

Reach out to us today to learn more about building an exhilarating career as a PA.

Programmatic Accreditation

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences’ (USAHS) Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences anticipates matriculating its first MSPAS class in January 2024, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the September 2023 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PAStandardsor when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with theStandardsas it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.

Programs that do not use the accreditation language providing status or that provide inaccurate or misleading information about the process and their status as an applicant may have the date of their assigned agenda altered.

Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

However, Accreditation-Provisional is an active accreditation status. PA program graduates will be deemed to have graduated from an accredited program if their PA degree program was accredited at the time of their matriculation.

In the event that the program is not granted Accreditation-Provisional status by the ARC-PA, students accepted into USAHS’ MSPAS program will receive a full refund of their deposit and the program will not matriculate in January 2024.

Sources:

1. AAPA, “PA Ranks as #2 Best Healthcare Job by U.S. News & World Report,” AAPA, last modified March 2023, https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2023/01/pa-ranks-as-2-best-health-care-job-by-u-s-news-world-report/.
2. AAPA, “What is a PA?”, AAPA, last modified January 2023, https://www.aapa.org/about/what-is-a-pa/.
3. V Ouma, “Undergraduate Degrees for a Physician Assistant (with FAQs),” Indeed, last modified September 2022, https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/undergraduate-degree-for-physician-assistant.
4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Physician Assistants: Occupational Outlook Handbook,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, last modified September 2022, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm#tab-4.
5. D Bortz, “What to Do When You’re Bored at Work,” Monster, last modified 2023, https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/what-to-do-bored-at-work-0624.
6. B Lufkin, “The Damaging Effects of ‘Boreout’ at Work,” BBC Worklife, last modified July 2021, https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210701-the-damaging-effects-of-boreout-at-work.
7. AAPA, “What is a PA?”, AAPA, last modified January 2023, https://www.aapa.org/about/what-is-a-pa/.
8. N Smith, “Career Flexibility within the PA Profession,” AAPA, last modified March 2023, https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2017/07/career-flexibility-within-pa-profession/.
9. AAPA, “What is a PA?”, AAPA, last modified January 2023, https://www.aapa.org/about/what-is-a-pa/.
10. AMN Healthcare, “The Benefits of Physician Assistant Travel Jobs,” AMN Healthcare, last modified August 2022, https://www.staffcare.com/locum-tenens-blog/travel-tips/physician-assistant-travel-job-benefits/.
11. F D’Agostino, “What Can a Physician Assistant Specialize In,” The Physician Assistant Life, last modified 2022, https://www.thepalife.com/physician-assistant-specialties/.
12. F D’Agostino, “What Can a Physician Assistant Specialize In,” The Physician Assistant Life, last modified 2022, https://www.thepalife.com/physician-assistant-specialties/.
13. A McCain, “20+ Vital Work-Life Balance Statistics (2023): The Difficult Importance of Maintaining It,” Zippia, last modified February 2023, https://www.zippia.com/advice/work-life-balance-statistics/.
14. “AAPA Puts Mental Health of Patients, Providers at the Forefront of First In-Person Conference Since 2019,” AAPA, last modified March 29, 2022, https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2022/03/aapa-puts-mental-health-of-patients-providers-at-the-forefront-of-first-in-person-conference-since-2019/.
15. D Ligenza and C Carrera, “The Balancing Act,” AAPA, last modified March 2023, https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2019/03/the-balancing-act/.
16. Being a PA, “How Many Hours Does a Physician Assistant Work Per Week,” Being a PA, last modified July 2021, https://beingapa.com/physician-assistant-work-hours
17. A Salek, “Med School vs. PA School: What to Consider,” U.S. News & World Report, last modified November 2022, https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/articles/medical-school-vs-pa-school-what-to-consider.
18. AAPA, “Become a PA,” AAPA, last modified 2023, https://www.aapa.org/career-central/become-a-pa/.
19. A Salek, “Med School vs. PA School: What to Consider,” U.S. News & World Report, last modified November 2022, https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/articles/medical-school-vs-pa-school-what-to-consider.
20. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Physician Assistants,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, last modified September 2022, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm.
21. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, last modified March 2022, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000.
22. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Physician Assistants: Pay,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, last modified September 2022, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm#tab-5.
23. AAPA, “PAs Go Beyond,” AAPA, last modified 2023, https://www.aapa.org/pas-go-beyond/pas-connect/.
24. NRHA, “Rural Health Voices,” NRHA, last modified December 2018, https://www.ruralhealth.us/blogs/ruralhealthvoices/december-2018/reimagining-the-role-of-physician-assistants.
25. NRHA, “Rural Health Voices,” NRHA, last modified December 2018, https://www.ruralhealth.us/blogs/ruralhealthvoices/december-2018/reimagining-the-role-of-physician-assistants.
26. NRHA, “Rural Health Voices,” NRHA, last modified December 2018, https://www.ruralhealth.us/blogs/ruralhealthvoices/december-2018/reimagining-the-role-of-physician-assistants.
27. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Physician Assistants,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, last modified September 2022, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm.