The growing role of physician assistants in health care

With more than 100,000 physician assistants (PAs) currently practicing nationally, and more than 6,000 new PAs entering the workforce each year, this fast-growing medical field shows no signs of slowing down.

“I think we’re going to continue to see growth,” says Mary Springston, director of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at Le Moyne College in Syracuse.

Le Moyne has seen increasing interest in its two-year PA program, which can accommodate 54 students per class. “This year, we had over 1,000 applicants for our program,” she says. “I think it’s because word regarding the profession is getting out there.”

According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), PAs practice medicine in all medical and surgical settings and specialties including primary care, emergency medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and more. The average PA will treat 3,500 patients a year.

The demand for PAs grew more than 300 percent over the past three years, according to a news release from the AAPA.

The aging population is one driver behind the increased need for PAs, Springston says.

Another factor is the Affordable Care Act, says Michael Whitehead, founding chair and program director of Clarkson University’s Department of PA Studies. More people with health insurance means more people are heading to the doctor’s office. For doctors, having one or more PAs on staff means the office can see more patients, Springston notes. “The need for primary care [practitioners] has exploded,” Whitehead adds.

A poll from Harris shows that many patients agree that PAs add value to the health-care system. Of those surveyed, 91 percent said PAs are part of the solution to addressing the shortage of providers and 92 percent agreed that having a PA at a practice makes it easier to get an appointment.

Becoming a PA provides an option for those who either cannot or don’t want to attend medical school, says Springston. Between medical school and residency, becoming a doctor is generally an eight-year process, she says. The PA program is an intensive two year master’s program, meaning people can get through the program and get out there to practice much sooner, she notes. For others, the appeal of more stable hours while still earning a good salary — the median annual salary is $90,000 according to the AAPA — is the deciding factor, Whitehead says.

Whatever the reason, the result is that interest in PA programs has been steadily increasing. Clarkson just graduated its first class of 16 PA students this past May, Whitehead notes. For the class of 20 enrolled students set to begin in January, Clarkson received more than 700 applicants.

According to the AAPA, there are more than 190 accredited PA programs across the country, with 78 percent of graduates receiving multiple job offers. About 52 percent of graduates receive three or more job offers.

Both Springston and Whitehead say that trend holds true at Le Moyne and Clarkson, where the majority of PA program students have jobs lined up, often before they graduate.

“It’s pretty much a guaranteed job,” Springston says.

According to the AAPA, PAs may take a patient’s medical history, conduct exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, develop treatment plans, counsel on preventive care, assist in surgery, write prescriptions, and make rounds in hospitals and nursing homes. Specific duties vary depending upon the setting, their level of experience, their specialty, and state laws. 

In New York, PAs must hold a bachelor’s degree before completing a PA program and must pass a national certification test.       

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