1. Physician Assistant Career Research Project
By: Jane Doe

2. Personal Characteristics & Work Values
Emotional stability
Detail Oriented
Team Player
Compassion
Good Problem-Solving Skills
Confident
Hardworking
Confidential
Honesty
Integrity

3. Abilities & Skills Abilities Skills Basic Skills Problem Solving
Verbal
communicate by speaking
listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
use rules to solve problems
Visual Understanding
quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things
quickly know what you are looking at
Math
add, subtract, multiply, or divide
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
reading work related information
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

4. Nature of Work
Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition. See more occupations related to this task.
Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients. See more occupations related to this task.
Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval. See more occupations related to this task.
Administer or order diagnostic tests, such as x-ray, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests. See more occupations related to this task.
Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.

5. Working Conditions
The work schedules may vary according to the practice setting and often depend on the hours of the supervising physician. The workweek of hospital-based PA’s may include weekends, nights, or early morning hospital rounds to visit patients. These workers also may be on call.
PA’s in clinics on average work a 40-hour week.

6. Training, Qualifications and Advancement
Obtain a Bachelors Degree and complete a 2year Physician Assistant Program.
All jurisdictions require physician assistants to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination.
Only those who have successfully completed the examination may use the credential “Physician Assistant-Certified.” To remain certified, PA’s must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every 2 years.
Every 6 years, they must pass a recertification examination or complete an alternative program combining learning experiences and a take-home examination.
Some physician assistants pursue additional education in a specialty. Postgraduate educational programs are available in areas such as surgery, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. To enter one of these programs, a physician assistant must be a graduate of an accredited program and be certified by the NCCPA.

7. Employment
More than 53% of jobs for PA’s were in the offices of physicians.
About 24% were in general medical and surgical hospitals, public or private.
The rest were mostly in outpatient care centers, including health maintenance organizations; the federal government; and public or private colleges, universities, and professional schools.
Very few are self-employed.

8. Job Outlook (growth rate, opportunities/competition)
Employment is expected to grow by 39% from 2008 to 2018.
Projected rapid job growth reflects the expansion of healthcare industries and an emphasis on cost containment, which results in increasing use of PA’s by healthcare establishments.
Physicians and institutions are expected to employ more PA’s to provide primary care and to assist with medical and surgical procedures because PA’s are cost-effective and productive. PA’s can relieve physicians of routine duties and procedures. Healthcare providers will use more PA’s as states continue to expand PAs’ scope of practice by allowing them to perform more procedures.

9. Earning Potential
The median annual wage in May 2008 was $81,230. The middle 50% earned between $68,210 and $97,070. The lowest 10% earned less than $51,360, and the highest 10% earned more than $110,240. The average salary in June 2012 grew to $93,105.
According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ 2008 Census Report, median income for physician assistants in full-time clinical practice was $85,710 in 2008; median income for first-year graduates was $74,470.
Income varies by specialty, practice setting, geographical location, and years of experience. Employers often pay for their employees' professional liability insurance, registration fees with the Drug Enforcement Administration, State licensing fees, and credentialing fees.

10. Related Occupations Nurse Practitioners Nurse Midwives
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Health Specialists Teachers (Postsecondary)
Nursing Instructors & Teachers (Postsecondary)
Dental Hygienist

11. Justification of Compatibility
I believe my personal characteristics are compatible to the career requirements because I am:
a team player
compassionate
Hardworking
Honest
I can listen well without interrupting
I am great in math
These are all characteristics that someone interested in being a Physician Assistant should possess.

12. References
10 Traits Every Physician Assistant Need. (2011). GAP Medics. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from traits-every-physician-assistant-needs
Physician Assis
Physician Assistant. (2015). My Next Move. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from
Physician Assistant. (2014). University of California Santa Cruz. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from
Summary Report for Physician Assistants. (2015). O*Net. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from