Learning More About Physician Assistant Job Opportunities

Job opportunities for physician assistant (pa) are becoming more common as the demand rises for more of this level of training and experience. If you are considering this career track, know that you could enter this field faster than in the time it would take to go for full accreditation and residency as a doctor. In this work, you can treat patients and gain a sense of autonomy that you may prefer in health care work.

This level of assistance within a doctor's office won approval by medical accreditation boards as a way to expand delivery of quality care to patients on a consistent basis. This means that in using this advanced-trained work force to support a doctor, more patients can get appointments and to be seen by either a doctor or one of the assistants. Those patients with complex cases can then be treated by the attending physician.

Rural and urban settings may offer many opportunities for you to begin or continue your career in this profession. You could find that a physician needs help in running a clinic in one of these areas. You could handle the daily caseload as the doctor visits a set number of days each week to treat complicated cases at the clinic.

In a setting where you may be in charge for most of the week, more responsibilities may fall to you than they would in a fully staffed clinic or private practice. You might be the one who oversees the rest of the support staff, such as medical assistants and receptionists. You also might be in charge of keeping current on the medical inventory and handling orders of supplies.

In the military, these types of jobs come with an advanced level of training, usually at U.S. military hospitals. The doctoral program for this job was created to fill a shortage for doctors to serve in critical areas to treat wounded military personnel. This type of work trains you in more of an emergency trauma situation to accommodate military needs.

Civilian level assistants usually enter the field with a master's level of education. This job also represents a path for advancement for people already with an associate's degree in a health-care profession who may want to step up the career ladder. Nurses, medical technicians and physical therapists often consider this line of work as an upward career move.

Much like doctors, you could choose to specialize in a particular field that allows you to work with a specific type of patient. You may enjoy working with families of newborns, for example, or explore the opportunities in the growing field of elder care. You might want to settle into the world of a generalized clinic and see a broad mix of people. As you go through your training, you may discover the type of patients you prefer.

Different physician assistant job opportunities may be available to you in your area. Take time to visit with a professional career counselor to begin your search. You might find that the right job is just around the corner.