If you are interested in becoming a physician assistant (PA) then you may be wondering: “What are the most common areas of medicine for PAs to work in?” Before I started PA school I decided to be very open-minded regarding all of the different specialties. I did not go to school knowing where I wanted to specialize. However, I ended up realizing that the area I had experience in (dermatology) was in fact the one I loved.
One of the main advantages of being a physician assistant over becoming a physician is our flexibility to move around and specialize in different areas of medicine throughout our careers. For example, someone could start in pediatrics and then decide 5 years later that they want to try neurosurgery. This versatility makes us marketable and also prevents the regret of choosing one specialty over another because we always have the option to switch!
This article is going to cover the top 3 most common areas of medicine for PAs. According to the 2023 AAPA Salary Report, the most common specialty areas include primary care, orthopedic surgery, and emergency medicine. We will discuss the percentage of PAs in each specialty, the average salary, and their typical job responsibilities.
Recommended: A Day in the Life of a Dermatology Physician Assistant
Family medicine
Percentage of PAs: 13.6%
Average Salary: $105,286
A Day in the Life
Family medicine physician assistants treat a wide range of different medical conditions including acute and chronic illness and injuries. They can treat patients of all ages based on the office’s policy. They perform physical examinations including wellness exams, perform minor procedures, order and interpret labs, and prescribe medications and treatment plans. Common conditions they treat include chronic heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
Orthopedic surgery
Percentage of PAs: 9.8%
Average Salary: $122,477
A Day in the Life
Ortho Surgery PAs typically rotate between working in outpatient clinics and assisting in surgery. Outpatient can include many acute and chronic orthopedic-related injuries and diseases. PAs in this specialty will commonly order and review X-rays and MRIs. They also perform specialized exams to help diagnose conditions and injuries. In addition to working in outpatient clinics and surgery some of their time may also be spent rounding on patients pre-op and post-op in the hospital. Common surgeries ortho PAs may assist in include: partial or total knee replacements, hip replacements, and shoulder replacements.
Emergency medicine
Percentage of PAs: 7.8%
Average Salary: $129,146
A Day in the Life
Emergency medicine PAs typically work 10-12 hour shifts which can include night and weekend shifts. They more commonly treat acute medical conditions and injuries. They perform a variety of medical examinations, run and interpret tests and prescribe medications and treatment plans. Some common complaints PAs in the ED can expect to hear are chest pain, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, headache, fever, urinary tract infection, dizziness, and altered mental status.
Conclusion
The three most common specialties to employ PAs comprise almost one-third of PAs in the 2023 AAPA survey. If anyone is curious, the next 3 most common specialties include urgent care (7.4%), general internal medicine (5.2%), and hospital medicine (3.2%). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the PA profession is supposed to grow by 28% by the year 2031, which is much quicker than the average for all jobs.
View comments
+ Leave a comment