How Much Do Physician Assistants Make? – Overview
Physician Assistants work in medical facilities and hospitals. It’s a good career option for those who are pursuing their studies in the medical field. The first question that comes to everyone’s mind is how much do physician assistants make?
Well, to give an appropriate answer to this question, here we have prepared a detailed blog which includes all the information about the physician assistants and their salaries.
What is a Physician Assistant?
A Physician Assistant or PA is responsible for a variety of tasks in the medical facilities or in the hospital. A physician assistant is a person who works under certified Physicians.
It’s like a personal secretary to Physicians taking care of documentation work and aiding surgical procedures with the physician.
PA work along with the Physicians, unlike other medical professionals. They also provide treatments to patients on behalf of the physician when needed.
What are the responsibilities of a Physician Assistant?
If you wonder about what types of tasks come under the physician assistant, then here we have prepared a list of all the responsibilities that a physician assistant does as a part of his duty.
What are the responsibilities of a Physician Assistant
Physician Assistants are the backbone of the Physicians. They are responsible for many activities within the premises of the hospital. Let’s find out their key responsibilities of them!
- Checks patient’s health condition
- Determine the diseases from the symptoms
- Creates special treatment plans for patients
- Can order lab tests for the patients after physical examination
- Checks the results of the lab test reports
- Helps the physician during the surgical procedures
- Can prescribe medicines on behalf of the physician
- Can advise patients about their diseases and help them know about preventative care
These were some activities done by the Physician Assistant under the certified Physician. You are here to know how much do physician assistants make? Let’s find out the answer.
How Much Do Physician Assistants Make?
Physicians assistants can also go with the number of specialties like doctors. They can choose their appropriate specialties to pursue their duty.
The salary of physician assistants may vary as it depends upon under which specialties they work. The specialization of physician assistants decides their salaries.
If the specialization is earning high, then the physician assistant will also generate high income through their salary.
Recently, a survey was conducted by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Over 89% of certified physician assistants were involved in this survey.
After thorough research on the received data, the commission has published, the annual or we can say the average salary of Physician Assistants from different specializations. The following list will help you know how much do physician assistants make!
Salary of Physician Assistant as Per Specialization
The Highest Paying Specialization
- General Surgery- $112,396
- Critical Care- $122,957
- Emergency Medicine- $123,006
- Dermatology- $126,084
- Surgical subspecialties- $119,852
The Lowest Paying Specialization
- Obstetrics or Gynecology: $96,244
- Adolescent medicine: $90,588
- Pediatrics: $92,194
The above-listed average salaries have a gap of over $32,000 as per the specialization they choose to work in. The salary of the physician is just a little higher than the physician assistant.
If we talk about the factors that could affect the income of the physician assistants, then the area of the city in which they are currently appointed plays a crucial role in deciding his salary.
Metropolitan cities have a high demand for such professionals and for that reason, the average salary of physicians working in metropolitan is higher than those who work in small cities and towns.
Likewise, the average salary of physician assistants may vary from state to state. Different states have different payscale and for that reason, the average salary of the physician assistant could be different.
Let’s talk about the hourly, weekly, and monthly wages of physician assistants.
- Hourly Wages
A physician assistant’s hourly wage is $51.
- Weekly Wages
A physician assistant’s weekly wage is $2,058
- Monthly Wages
A physician assistant’s monthly wage is $8,918.
If you want to become a physician assistant, then consider following things first. There are many reasons why a Physician Assistant is a good career option and why would one consider it.
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Quick License
Unlike physicians or doctors, physician assistants have to spend less time in classrooms. Yes, one can become a licensed physician assistant by completing a four-year degree course followed by the Physician Assistant Program.
The Physician Assistant Program’s period may vary from state to state. Generally, the program takes up to 25 months.
Since there is no major salary gap between the Physician and Physician Assistants, one should prefer to choose the Physician Assistant program as it can be completed in less time and gives you a good salary.
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Continued Growth
If we compare the previous year’s salary data, then the Physician Assistant’s salary has seen continued growth throughout the year.
With new opportunities and high demand, the need for physician assistants will increase in the future. There is no downfall when it comes to the future of the Physician Assistant.
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Earns Good
Physician Assistants get paid well compared to other professionals in the medical field. A Physician Assistant can earn between $36,500 and $175,000 depending upon their specialization in the field. If they are from the highest-earning specialization, then the average salary of physician assistants will be higher.
If you are eyeing a bright future, then Physician Assistant is the perfect career choice for you.
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Flexibility in Job
Doctors have to pursue their duty with the same skills they developed years before. They have to stick to it. However, things are different for physician assistants. Since physician assistants have to look after several other tasks, they have flexibility in work, unlike physicians and doctors.
You can even switch to a different specialization if required as per your skills. There are no bounds for you to pursue your job as soon as you have obtained a license.
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Less Working Hours
Physician Assistants’ working hours are different from doctors’. Usually, the average working hours of PAs are lesser than the doctors.
They can change their working hour shifts as per their needs. On the other hand, doctors and physicians can’t do it more frequently.
These are some of the reasons that clear your doubts on why should you select the Physician Assistant Program as your career. If we compare the benefits of PAs with doctors, then PAs have a better life and good earning capabilities than doctors or physicians.
The Bottom Line:
Physician Assistants earn healthy income by pursuing their job under the highest-earning specialization in medicine. PAs have a better future scope as they are always in demand.
The ongoing pandemic has further increased their demands as more and more hospitals are now welcoming physicians and physician assistants to look after their patients.
This profession has continued growth which is why it is the right career option for students who are studying in the medical field.
See Also
Nonclinical Physician Assistant Jobs
Difference Between Medical Assistant and Physician Assistant
Medical Billing and Coding Salary
Grants for Dental Assistant School
How to Become a Clinical Nurse Specialist
Reference links:
https://www.algrim.co/2191-how-much-do-physician-assistants-make
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