Occupation · SOC 29-1071
Physician Assistants
Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.
Median wage
$133,260
$95,240–$182,200
Projected growth
+20.3%
Faster than average
Annual openings
3,320
per year
Employed (US)
155,540
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
86 mapped
Core skills
Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingWritingSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningScienceTime ManagementSystems EvaluationPersuasionCoordinationSystems AnalysisNegotiationLearning StrategiesInstructingMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesOperations AnalysisQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTroubleshootingTechnology DesignProgrammingEquipment SelectionRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Medicine and DentistryBiologyEnglish LanguagePsychologyTherapy and CounselingCustomer and Personal ServiceEducation and TrainingSociology and AnthropologyComputers and ElectronicsChemistryMathematicsPublic Safety and SecurityCommunications and MediaAdministrativeLaw and GovernmentAdministration and ManagementTelecommunicationsPersonnel and Human ResourcesPhilosophy and TheologyPhysicsForeign LanguageEconomics and AccountingMechanicalEngineering and TechnologySales and MarketingGeographyProduction and ProcessingTransportationDesignHistory and ArcheologyBuilding and ConstructionFine ArtsFood Production
Technology & tools
ChartWare EMRElectronic medical record EMR softwareEpic SystemsHealthcare common procedure coding system HCPCSMEDITECH softwareMedical condition coding softwareMedical procedure coding softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordPatient management softwarePatient records software for personal digital assistants PDAsSpreadsheet softwareTeleconferencing softwareTeleradiology systemsWeb browser softwareWord processing softwareeClinicalWorks EHR software
Representative tasks
Assisting and Caring for OthersGetting InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesDocumenting/Recording InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsWorking with ComputersProcessing InformationPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsTraining and Teaching OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesDeveloping and Building TeamsGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesCoaching and Developing OthersThinking CreativelyDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesControlling Machines and ProcessesSelling or Influencing OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Patient health histories — collect and document under attending physician supervision in an ambulatory care clinic setting.Physical examination findings — perform structured assessments and record results under direct oversight in a supervised clinical rotation.Diagnostic test orders — initiate standard laboratory and imaging requests following established protocols with physician co-signature in a hospital environment.Diagnostic test results — interpret basic deviations from normal reference ranges under supervisory guidance in a primary care setting.Tentative diagnoses — formulate preliminary differential diagnoses for common, uncomplicated conditions with physician review in an outpatient clinic.Prescription medications — assist in drafting treatment recommendations for straightforward cases pending physician approval in a supervised practice.Therapeutic procedures — perform basic injections and wound care under direct supervision following sterile technique protocols in a clinical setting.Patient counseling — deliver scripted instruction on prescribed therapeutic regimens and health maintenance under a senior clinician's guidance.Electronic medical records — enter and organize patient progress notes and examination data using practice management software in a clinic environment.Clinical decision-making frameworks — apply evidence-based guidelines to routine patient scenarios under mentored supervision in an acute or primary care setting.
developing
Patient medical data — compile comprehensive histories, physical findings, and diagnostic results independently within an established outpatient or urgent care practice.Differential diagnoses — formulate and prioritize working diagnoses for moderately complex cases with reduced physician oversight in a specialty or primary care clinic.Diagnostic imaging and ECG results — interpret findings for common deviations and integrate results into clinical decision-making in a hospital or multispecialty setting.Prescription therapies — select and prescribe appropriate medications or treatment regimens within scope-of-practice guidelines with routine physician collaboration.Diagnostic test panels — order and coordinate x-rays, electrocardiograms, and laboratory studies efficiently to support timely diagnosis in a busy clinical environment.Therapeutic procedures — perform suturing, immunizations, and infection management routinely with minimal supervision in an emergency or outpatient procedure suite.Patient counseling sessions — conduct individualized education on chronic disease management, family planning, and emotional health in a community health center.Progress documentation — author clear, legally compliant progress notes and discharge summaries using electronic health record systems in an inpatient setting.Time-sensitive clinical situations — prioritize and manage multiple patient encounters efficiently during high-volume shifts in an urgent care or hospital medicine unit.Interdisciplinary care coordination — collaborate with nursing, pharmacy, and specialist teams to align treatment plans in a hospital or integrated health system.
proficient
Complex diagnostic workups — independently design and interpret multi-system diagnostic investigations for undifferentiated or atypical presentations in a tertiary care environment.Treatment management decisions — autonomously determine and adjust comprehensive management plans for complex, multi-morbid patients across the full scope of PA practice.Advanced therapeutic procedures — execute high-acuity procedural interventions including complex wound management and critical care support protocols in an inpatient or procedural setting.Pharmacological regimens — prescribe, titrate, and modify multimodal medication plans for chronic and acute conditions, navigating drug interactions in a specialty practice environment.Diagnostic reasoning — synthesize clinical, laboratory, and imaging data using advanced inductive and deductive reasoning to resolve diagnostically challenging cases.Patient and family counseling — lead nuanced discussions on serious diagnoses, treatment trade-offs, and psychosocial dimensions of care with empathy in a complex care setting.Systems evaluation — assess clinical workflow inefficiencies and contribute to protocol refinement initiatives within a hospital or large group practice.Clinical documentation quality — produce comprehensive, medico-legally precise records and scholarly case summaries using health information systems in an academic medical center.Non-routine clinical problem solving — apply active learning and science-based reasoning to manage rare or emergent conditions without immediate physician availability in a remote or rural setting.Population health monitoring — track patient panel outcomes, identify risk trends, and recommend preventive interventions in a value-based or accountable care organization environment.
advanced
Clinical practice standards — establish and champion evidence-based protocols and scope-of-practice policies across a department or health system to elevate patient care quality.PA workforce development — design and lead structured mentorship, onboarding, and continuing education programs that build clinical competency across an organization's PA staff.Organizational diagnostic strategy — direct enterprise-wide diagnostic utilization initiatives, reducing unnecessary testing while improving accuracy across a multi-site health network.Interdisciplinary leadership — lead collaborative, cross-functional care teams including physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals in delivering complex patient care programs.Health system quality improvement — drive institution-level quality and patient safety initiatives by analyzing clinical outcome data and implementing systemic corrective measures.Advanced prescribing governance — develop formulary guidance and prescribing policy frameworks adopted across a hospital system or regional integrated health network.Strategic patient education programs — architect system-level patient counseling and health literacy initiatives targeting chronic disease, family planning, and behavioral health outcomes.Clinical technology integration — lead the evaluation and implementation of medical software, EHR upgrades, and telehealth platforms to optimize clinical operations at an organizational level.Regulatory and credentialing leadership — represent the PA profession in institutional credentialing committees, regulatory bodies, and scope-of-practice advocacy forums at state or national level.Research and knowledge translation — lead applied clinical research, publish findings, and translate emerging evidence into actionable practice changes across a healthcare system or academic institution.
Also known as
24 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Advanced Practice Provider (AAP)Anesthetic AssistantCardiology Physician AssistantCertified Physician Assistant (PA-C)Certified Physician's Assistant (PA-C)Doctor AssistantEmergency Medicine Physician Assistant (Emergency Medicine PA)Family Medicine PA (Family Medicine Physician Assistant)Family Physician AssistantFamily Practice Physician AssistantGynecological AssistantMedical Service TechnicianNeurosurgery PA (Neurosurgery Physician Assistant)Orthopaedic Physician AssistantOrthopedic Physician AssistantPediatric Physician AssistantPhysician Assistant (PA)Physician Associate (PA)Physician's AssistantRadiology Practitioner AssistantSurgical Critical Care Physician Assistant (Surgical Critical Care PA)Surgical Physician Assistant (Surgical PA)Urgent Care PA (Urgent Care Physician Assistant)Urgent Care Specialist