Physician Assistant
Comprehensive Sites
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Physician AssistantCreated by the U.S. Department of Labor, this career profile introduces you to the training, work qualifications, employment data, and job outlook for a physician assistant, which is quite different than a nurse practitioner or physician. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find links to important professional organizations in the field, or click on detailed earnings data and learn more about this interesting career.
National Institutes of Health: LifeWorks, Physician AssistantClick on the tabs at the top of this page to learn about job activities, needed education, skill and interests, and more information on becoming a physician assistant. You will find recommended high school courses, licensing information, and other sources of information that are important to know if you are considering this career. Details on accredited programs are also provided as a service of the National Institutes of Health Science Works program.
Princeton Review: Physician AssistantYou can learn find out about a day in the life of a physician assistant at this website, which also offers information on what to expect in terms of your potential earnings after several years in the field. You can connect to information on college majors, required education, and other links on careers, publications, employers, and organizations in the field.
Accredited Academic Programs
Physician Assistant Education Association: Physician Assistant ProgramsA state-by-state guide to PA-accredited educational programs is found at this directory. Simply click on your state to find the contacts, websites, and even a central application process to apply to multiple programs from this site.
Princeton Review: Physician Assistant College MajorsTake a look at the list of majors at this page—all of which could be useful as undergraduate majors in pursuing a career as a physician assistant. If you click on one you are interested in, you will be taken to a list of schools, contacts, and links for the schools that offer that major.
Salary Levels
PayScale: Physician AssistantsThe median salary by years of experience as a physician assistant is shown at the graph at this site. If you scroll down, you will find median salary by employer type and median salary by city of employment in the U.S.
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Physician Assistants: Student AcademyThe student-focused division of this professional organization guides students to useful information related to succeeding as a PA student. Student societies, membership details, publications, medical references, and infomration on scholarships and applications to PA programs are offered. If you want to apply to a PA school, survive PA school, or find information on studying for your board exams, it’s all here under “PA Student Pearls.”
American Academy of Physician Assistants: Student AcademyThe student-focused division of this professional organization guides students to useful information related to succeeding as a PA student. Student societies, membership details, publications, medical references, and information on scholarships and applications to PA programs are offered. If you want to apply to a PA school, survive PA school, or find information on studying for your board exams, it’s all here under “PA Student Pearls.”
Society of Emergency Medicine Physician AssistantsClick on the student resources tab at the top of the page to learn about what this professional organization can offer you as a PA student. This division works together with the main professional association to bring you information on practice, educational opportunities, and understanding the PA’s real role in healthcare. A list of scholarships, schools, and educational resources is provided.
Job Opportunity Sources
American Academy of Physician Assistants: The PA Job LinkThis organization offers much more than a job database. You will find resume and cover letter examples in the section that prepares you for an interview, as well as contract and business resource, coverage of professional practice issues, and a job alert sign-up.
Licensing & Certification
Physician Assistant State and Territorial Regulatory AuthoritiesA state-by-state listing of boards of physician assistants is provided at this site, from where you can access applicant information, fees, forms, and complete licensing details.
Publications
Journal of the American Academy of Physician AssistantsSome of the material at this online publication is free, including new drug information, educational articles, answers to patient questions, and a diagnostic imaging review center. You will also find a case of the month, and past issues at no cost to web visitors.
Journal of the American Medical AssociationPast issues, current issues, and more of this commonly cited reference for physicians and other healthcare professionals are found at this page, as well as a search engine for your topic of interest and links to medical education. The publication hosts patient disease pages, videos of medical procedures, and readers’ response forums—all of interest to physician assistants.
Online Forums & Blogs
Advance: Physician Assistant CommunityThe blogs at this page provide daily posts about the profession of a physician assistant. You can locate a topic of your choice, or search the most active posts at the site.
The PA ForumRegister first at this page, where you can read and post messages for students interested in becoming a PA, career shadowing opportunities, PA schools, and other general discussions.
Career Videos
Career Spotlight: Physician AssistantHear from a young physician assistant who thought about becoming a nurse, a physician, and other healthcare possibilities. The selection of a physician assistant as a career, the role of this PA in pre-and post-operative care, and assisting with surgical procedures is described, as well as working as a healthcare consultant and other job expectations.
ISeek: Physician AssistantsThis career video offers an overview of the healthcare services provided by a physician assistant, the range of medical duties they fulfill, their creation of health goals and plans for patients, and the various settings that they may work in.
