Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Working effectively with people by building relationships, understanding others, and responding appropriately.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Physician Assistant Physician assistants must be able to communicate medical issues in a way that patients understand. Physician assistants typically need a master’s degree from an accredited
Education
al program. Applicants to these programs typically have a bachelor's degree and experience caring directly for patients. All states require physician assistants to be licensed. Education Applicants to physician assistant education programs typically have a bachelor’s degree and some experience with patient care. Although programs vary, most require applicants to have taken undergraduate coursework with a focus in science. Bachelor's degrees are often in healthcare or a related field, such as biology. Programs also may require that applicants have experience as a medical assistant, EMT or paramedic, or another occupation that involves patient care. Physician assistant education programs usually take at least 2 years of postbaccalaureate study. Physician assistant education includes classroom and laboratory instruction in subjects such as human anatomy, clinical medicine, and pharmacology. The programs also include supervised clinical
Training
in several specialties, such as family medicine, internal medicine, and emergency medicine.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
All states and the District of Columbia require physician assistants to be licensed. To become licensed, candidates must pass a qualifying exam. A physician assistant who passes the exam may use the credential “Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C).” Information on state licensing board requirements is available from CareerOneStop. To maintain their PA-C certification, physician assistants must complete continuing education and pass a recertification exam within a specified number of years. In most states, laws require physician assistants to hold an agreement with a supervising physician. Although the physician does not need to be onsite at all times, collaboration between physicians and physician assistants is required for practice. Physician assistant positions may require basic life support (BLS) certification. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop. Advancement Some physician assistants pursue additional education in a specialty. Postgraduate programs are available in specialties such as emergency medicine and psychiatry. To enter one of these programs, a physician assistant must be a graduate of an accredited program and have their PA-C. Additional certification in specialty areas is also available.
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Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 21 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 11,500 openings for physician assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment A rise in the number of older people, who are more likely than young people to require medical care, and of patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, will increase healthcare demand. These increases, in turn, drive the need for healthcare providers such as physician assistants (PAs), who can provide many of the same services as physicians. PAs are expected to continue to expand their role in providing healthcare services. This is largely because they can be trained more quickly than physicians, and team-based healthcare provision models will continue to evolve and become more common. Physician Assistants Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Physician assistants 21% Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners 9% Total, all occupations 3% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Physician Assistants Do
Physician assistants, also known as PAs, examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.
Duties
Physician assistants typically do the following:
- Obtain and review patients’ medical histories
- Examine patients
- Order and interpret diagnostic tests, such as x rays or blood tests
- Diagnose a patient’s injury or illness
- Provide treatment, such as setting broken bones, stitching wounds, and immunizing patients
- Educate and counsel patients and their families on a variety of issues, such as treatment and self-care for asthma
- Prescribe medication
- Assess and record a patient’s progress
- Research the latest treatments to ensure quality of patient care
Physician assistants are on teams with physicians or surgeons and other healthcare workers. The amount of collaboration and the extent to which they must be supervised by physicians or surgeons differ by state.
Physician assistants work in a variety of healthcare specialties, including primary care and family medicine, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. The work of physician assistants depends, in large part, on their specialty or the type of medical practice in which they work. For example, a physician assistant working in surgery may close incisions and provide care before, during, and after an operation. A physician assistant working in pediatrics may examine a child and give routine vaccinations.
In some areas, especially rural and medically underserved communities, physician assistants may be the primary care providers at clinics where a physician is present only 1 or 2 days per week. In these locations, physician assistants collaborate with the physician as needed and as required by law.
Some physician assistants make house calls or visit nursing homes to treat patients.
Physician assistants differ from nurse practitioners in their training and the level of care they provide; for example, nurse practitioners cannot provide surgical care, whereas physician assistants can. They also differ from medical assistants, who do routine clinical and clerical tasks but do not practice medicine.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Physician assistants held about 168,900 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of physician assistants were as follows:
| Offices of physicians | 53% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 26 |
| Outpatient care centers | 9 |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 3 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 3 |
Working with patients can be both physically and emotionally demanding. Physician assistants spend much of their time standing or walking to make rounds and evaluate patients. Physician assistants who work in operating rooms often stand for extended periods.
Work Schedules
Most physician assistants work full time. Work schedules vary and may include nights, weekends, or holidays. Physician assistants also may be on call, meaning that they must be ready to respond to a work request with little notice.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Communication skills. Physician assistants must explain complex medical issues in a way that patients can understand. Compassion. Physician assistants deal with patients who are sick or injured and who may be in extreme pain or distress. They must be sympathetic toward and understanding of patients and their families. Detail oriented. Physician assistants should be observant and have a strong ability to focus when evaluating and treating patients. Emotional stability. Physician assistants, particularly those working in surgery or emergency medicine, should work well under pressure. They must remain calm in stressful situations in order to provide quality care. Interpersonal skills. Physician assistants must work well as part of a team of other healthcare professionals to ensure proper patient care. Problem-solving skills. Physician assistants need to evaluate patients’ symptoms and administer the appropriate treatments. They must be diligent when investigating complicated medical issues so they can determine the best course of treatment for each patient.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about physician assistants by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.