Description
Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.
Interests
- Social
- Investigative
- Conventional
Work Values
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail
- Concern for Others
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Cooperation
Tasks
- Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
- Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.
- Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.
- Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination.
- Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Getting Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Documenting/Recording Information
Detailed Work Activities
- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
- Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Technology Skills
- Medical software
- Spreadsheet software
- Electronic mail software
- Video conferencing software
- Office suite software
Abilities
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Information Ordering
Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Service Orientation
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- English Language
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Certification of Healthcare CPD ProfessionalCertifying Organization
Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professionals
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Certified Physician Assistant - Hospital MedicineCertifying Organization
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
Medical Examiner CertificationCertifying Organization
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Certified Ambulatory Surgery TechnicianCertifying Organization
Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution
Type
Core
Certificate name
Healthcare CPD AssociateCertifying Organization
Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professionals
Type
Core
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | N/A |
| Median (50%) | N/A |
| High (90%) | N/A |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $109,904 |
| Mid Level | $117,223 |
| Senior Level | $120,909 |
| Expert Level | $116,371 |
Employability
There are currently 153,400 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 197,100 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 29%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 29%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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