Most physician assistants (PAs) are happy with their career choices and professional relationships, according to the 2024 Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report from Medscape. Nearly 90% of survey participants said they would choose the same job if they could do things over again, and around 90% said their working relationship with physicians was positive.
The report captured data from more than 2000 practicing PAs working in over 29 specialties who filled out surveys in 2023.
A sense of purpose in their work clearly mattered to PAs.
“Helping people/making a difference in their lives” was chosen most often as the best part of the job, followed by “Working at a job that I like,” and “Gratitude from/relationships with patients.”
“I love taking care of patients and helping them achieve success with their physical and mental well-being,” said Adam Pepper, PA, director of APP Services at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “It’s satisfying for myself and the patient when we can put the puzzle pieces together to come up with a diagnosis and treatment plan that leads to success.”
On the other hand, workplace policies, paperwork, and pressure to fulfill a daily patient count were chosen most often as the worst aspects of the job.
Pandemic-related work dissatisfaction appeared to be on the decline. In last year’s report, 37% of PAs said that COVID-19 made them less happy with their jobs, compared with 29% in this year’s report. Virtual visits were also down — over half of survey respondents said they never use telehealth, and only 5% said they use it frequently.
Despite overall high career satisfaction, 11% of PAs were unhappy with how physicians treated them.
“My relationship with my supervising physician is hostile, and I feel that he puts me in positions to fail often,” one survey respondent said.
Another complained about being asked to do inappropriate and menial tasks and said their “physician sees me as a threat to their ego.”
Of the PAs who had regrets about their career choice, half said they would choose a career outside of healthcare if they could start over, compared with 55% the year before. Almost one third said they would go to medical school instead.
More PAs were looking favorably upon switching specialties than in the past. Around two thirds reported that they either did change specialties or considered doing so in the previous year, compared with only a quarter in the 2021 report.
“I spent the first 20 years of my practice in many aspects of primary care, then detoured into a specialty practice for the past 20 years,” said Karen Whitney, PA-C at Advanced Cosmetic Surgery and Laser Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. “The ability to do so is somewhat unique as a medical provider.”
The vast majority of PAs also said that their patients seemed to have a positive or at least neutral response to being treated by them rather than a physician, though some reported issues with gaining trust.
“Typically, by the end of the visit, I’ve won over the patient but do experience a lot of patients who I see for the first time to be very wary of the fact that I’m a physician associate,” a female neurology PA in North Carolina said.
Most PAs have not adopted the relatively new and somewhat controversial “Physician Associate” title, and 18% would oppose the switch.
“Silly name,” remarked one respondent. Another said, “We like the sound of it. It offers a sense of assurance to the patient.”
Finally, only 8% of survey respondents chose to work as an independent contractor or self-employed practice owner, which may reflect practice restrictions that vary by state.
Brittany Vargas is a medicine, mental health, and wellness journalist.