Want to become a physician assistant? Here’s all you need to know about physician assistant school, PA salary, physician assistant locum tenens jobs and more.

<p>As a <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/physician-assistant?" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">physician assistant</a> (PA), you can enjoy a rewarding career caring for patients and improving their lives. Nationwide, there are exciting job opportunities for physician assistants with outstanding compensation and excellent hours. Plus, <a href="https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/physician-assistant" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">U.S. News &amp; World Report</a> ranked the career of physician assistant as #2 in Best Healthcare Jobs, #4 in Best STEM Jobs, and #4 in Best Overall Jobs! Read on to see whether it’s the right career for you.</p><h2>Physician Assistant School, Physician Assistant Pay, Physician Assistant Jobs and More</h2><p>In this how-to guide on becoming a physician assistant, we’ll cover:</p><ul><li>Physician assistant duties</li><li>Demand for physician assistants</li><li>Physician assistant salary and pay</li><li>Physician assistant school</li><li>Steps to becoming a PA</li><li>Physician assistant jobs and work settings</li><li>Locum tenens physician assistant jobs and more</li></ul><h2>About Physician Assistants</h2><h3>What are a physician assistant’s duties?</h3><p>Physician assistants are licensed medical professionals with advanced degrees and training and provide healthcare for patients. PAs can examine, diagnose and treat patients. They typically work independently or under the supervision of a physician. Physician assistants perform patient exams, run tests and order imaging, diagnose conditions, assist with surgery or minor procedures, prescribe and administer medications, determine treatment plans and educate patients.</p><h2>Demand for Physician Assistants</h2><h3>Are physician assistants in demand?</h3><p>Yes! Physician assistants are in demand, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the profession to grow by 27% over the next decade (BLS). The <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BLS</a> expects 12,200 openings for PAs each year over the 10 years.</p><h2>Physician Assistant Salary</h2><h3>What is the average salary for a physician assistant?</h3><p>In the U.S., the median salary for a physician assistant was $126,010 per year, with the lowest 10% earning less than $83,820 and the highest 10% earning more than $168,120 (<a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BLS</a>).</p><h2>Physician Assistant School</h2><h3>What schooling do physician assistants need?</h3><p>To become a physician assistant, you must earn a master’s degree from a PA program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (<a href="https://www.arc-pa.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ARC-PA</a>).</p><h3>How long does it take to become a physician assistant?</h3><p>It takes 6-8 years to become a physician assistant since you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree (3-5 years), followed by a masters-level PA program (2-3 years).</p><h3>What are the steps to becoming a physician assistant?</h3><p>There are various routes you can take to become a physician assistant. One of the most common paths is to:</p><ol><li>Complete a bachelor of science degree in a healthcare-related field and complete prerequisites</li><li>Earn approximately 1,000 hours of healthcare experience (HCE) and patient care experience (PCE)</li><li>Complete an accredited PA program</li><li>Pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (<a href="https://www.nccpa.net/become-certified/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PANCE</a>) to become certified as a PA</li><li>Apply for your PA license in the states where you plan to work</li><li>Keep up with ongoing education, recertification and licensing requirements during your career</li></ol><h2>Physician Assistant Jobs</h2><h3>What types of facilities employ physician assistants?</h3><p>There are jobs for physician assistants in nearly all healthcare settings, including:</p><ul><li>Hospitals</li><li>Clinics</li><li>Outpatient care centers</li><li>Ambulatory surgery centers</li><li>Physician’s offices</li><li>Private practices</li><li>Nursing facilities</li><li>Dialysis centers</li><li>Palliative care</li><li>Academic institutions</li><li>Government health</li><li>Rural health centers</li><li>Home health</li><li>Telehealth</li></ul><h2>Locum Tenens Physician Assistants</h2><h3>What is a locum tenens physician assistant?</h3><p>Locum tenens physician assistants are PAs who fill in when other providers are on vacation or sick leave or temporarily when permanent positions become vacant. Some PAs choose to take locum tenens assignments on the side, while others make a full-time career of it.</p><h3>What are the benefits of being a locum tenens physician assistant?</h3><p>Physician assistants who take locum tenens assignments enjoy the flexibility, freedom, compensation and quality of life the arrangement offers! If you decide to practice as a locum physician assistant, you can:</p><ul><li>Choose from short- or long-term assignments</li><li>Select from full-time or part-time opportunities</li><li>Find jobs near home or in exciting locations across the nation</li><li>Learn from other providers and healthcare facilities and expand your network</li><li>Bring along family members or even a pet</li><li>Enjoy perks like paid travel, housing and more</li><li>Try out a practice and location before deciding to make a permanent commitment</li><li>Avoid practice politics</li><li>Have various opportunities to care for various patient populations</li><li>Discover new areas of interest</li><li>Have a team of locum tenens staffing experts on your side, advocating for you!</li></ul><h2>Physician Assistant Resources</h2><p>Here are helpful resources to aid your research on pursuing a career as a physician assistant:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.aapa.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American Academy of Physician Assistants</a></li><li><a href="https://paeaonline.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Physician Assistant Education Association</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nccpa.net/become-certified/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants </a></li></ul><h2>Physician Assistant Jobs</h2><p>To discover where locum tenens physician assistants are needed in exciting locations nationwide, search our <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/locums" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">physician assistant jobs</a> now!</p>

How to Become a Physician Assistant