September 29, 2017

Spotlight: Physician Assistant

Healthcare is in demand. If you’re looking for high paying jobs with solid job security and plenty of opportunities both near and far, then the healthcare niche is the ideal place to focus your job search. From doctors to nurses and every job in between there’s plenty of cool healthcare jobs to choose from. Perhaps one of the best healthcare jobs is a physician assistant or PA. Is this the right job for you?

A healthcare provider wearing a lab coat with a stethoscope around neck

Learn More About Healthcare Jobs

The American Academy of Physician Assistants, or AAPA, defines physician assistant as “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, U.S. territories, and the uniformed services.

A physician assistant can work in almost any healthcare niche. According to a short video from AAPA on YouTube, PAs spend their days:

  • Practicing medicine
  • Examining, diagnosing, and treating patients
  • Interpreting lab tests
  • Performing medical procedures
  • Assisting in surgery
  • Prescribing medication

These patient focused healthcare providers work on teams and increase access to patient care. AAPA.org states that “As of December 2016, there were more than 115,500 PAs nationwide who interact with patients upwards of 350 million times annually.” The chances are pretty good that the next time you go to a doctor you might see a PA instead of the traditional doctor. PAs are the new face of healthcare and it’s a niche that’s growing rapidly.

To become a physician assistant, you’ll need to earn a 3-year masters through an accredited PA program. You’ll need to complete 2000 hours of clinical rotation and complete 100 hours of medical education every 2 years. Every 10 years you have to be recertified. Once you complete the education and training, PAs must earn a national certification and state license. Then they can find jobs in medical offices, hospitals, medical centers, and other healthcare locations.

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According to the BLS.gov, a physician assistant earns an average salary of $101,480 per year of $48.79 per hour. If you’re searching for a lucrative and rewarding in-demand career, you should seriously consider becoming a Physician Assistant. It might be the best healthcare job of all.

For more information on how to become a PA, visit AAPA.org. If you’re keen to break into the healthcare field or want to apply for healthcare jobs, learn more on JobMonkey.com.

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