Please confirm that you would like to log out of Medscape.
If you log out, you will be required to enter your username and password the next time you visit.
Log outCancel
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022
| Contributor Information
Swipe to advance
1 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
Changes in the industry and the strains of the pandemic haven't prevented most physician assistants (PAs) from enjoying their chosen profession, according to Medscape's third-annual report on PA career satisfaction. Medscape surveyed over 5000 licensed PAs who practice in the US to learn about their level of contentment in the field and related issues.
Overall, PAs are happy with their career choices, said David J. Bunnell, PA-C, MSHS, assistant professor of PA medicine at Frostburg State University in Maryland.
"Our practice flexibility is key to fulfilling both the healthcare system's needs as well as our own," said Bunnell, who has also held leadership roles in several industry organizations.
To Bunnell, "2021 was a transitional year in that there was so much unknown about how the pandemic would progress. The PA community was feeling deeply fatigued and that will take some time to heal from."
2 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
One of the biggest changes for PAs in recent years is the industry's proposed name change from physician assistant to physician associate. The name change was passed last year by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) House of Delegates, and this report shows that 4 in 10 PAs favor the switch. A nearly equal proportion neither favor nor oppose the change.
PAs with a doctoral degree (59%) are most in favor of the change.
3 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
Over three quarters of PAs are in favor of the change that allows them to bill Medicare directly for their professional services, which began January 1.
The ability to receive direct Medicare payments is especially important for PAs who:
Practice as self-employed, independent contractors
Own their own practice
Work in certified rural health clinics (RHCs) and want to ensure reimbursement for services not included in the RHC bundle
4 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
Like most healthcare workers, PAs are often on the front lines when it comes to the ongoing pandemic. Eight in 10 PAs have treated a patient with COVID-19, a 7% increase compared with last year.
In treating patients with COVID, PAs often jeopardized their own health. Slightly fewer than half of the PAs surveyed cited that they did not have adequate workplace personal protective equipment (PPE) at some point during the outbreak. Similarly, 45% reported not having adequate PPE last year.
5 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
COVID-19 rates continue to be higher among frontline healthcare workers. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that between 80,000 and 180,000 health and care workers died between January 2020 and May 2021.
More PAs tested positive for COVID-19 compared with last year (21% vs 12%). Of PAs who tested positive, over three quarters were symptomatic but not hospitalized.
6 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
One quarter of PAs volunteered or were required to switch to a different work setting during the pandemic, a slightly smaller proportion than PAs who did so last year (29%). The majority of these PAs have since returned to their previous work setting.
7 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
The majority of PAs did not change their specialty because of COVID-19. Among those who switched to a different specialty, 7 in 10 have already returned to their original specialty.
8 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
Over half of PAs had no change to their work hours due to the pandemic. What's more, the majority of PAs also said they were not furloughed due to COVID-19. About one third reported their work hours increased, up from one quarter whose work hours increased in 2021.
9 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
Over one third of PAs cite a decrease in their satisfaction with being a PA due to the ongoing pandemic. PAs younger than 45 years are more often dissatisfied because of COVID (39%) than their older peers (29%).
10 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
It's no surprise that there's a clear correlation between burnout and COVID-19 for PAs. Slightly more than 1 in 10 PAs said they were "very burned out" or "burned out" before the pandemic, but the rate of current PA burnout is significantly greater than pre–COVID-19 levels.
Bunnell said that PAs are known to step in and fill needs during times of crisis, but that action comes with an emotional burden. "Caring for our teams, normalizing the pain, and ensuring easy access to behavioral health professionals is a focus for our profession."
Jonathan Baird, assistant professor of the PA program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, Utah, shared with Medscape Medical News that "PAs being asked to do more, for longer hours, with sometimes frustrating results against a difficult disease has bred burnout. This is only compounded by the social stressors we have all been experiencing on top of our normal worries."
11 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
Among the many stressors PAs experienced while working through the pandemic, their primary concern was transmitting the infection to a family member, followed by becoming infected themselves and a loss of income due to reduced hours or furloughs.
"PAs were seeing the deadly effects of COVID-19 firsthand," Bunnell said. "I am aware of several who were at personal increased medical risk but never missed a day of work."
Baird said that PAs were "frustrated by governmental and institutional constraints due to COVID in trying to continue to care for patients as they have normally."
"From lockdowns and masks to vaccines and even violence against healthcare providers, caring for patients has been made harder than ever because of COVID," said Baird, who is also past president of the Utah Academy of Physician Assistants and a delegate to the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
12 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
"PAs have embraced telehealth as a new way to provide access for patients," Bunnell said. It offers a solution to the barriers that state lines and state licensures pose PAs, he said.
Two thirds of PAs have used telehealth since the pandemic began. PAs in suburban (68%) and rural (70%) areas were more likely to use telehealth than PAs in urban areas (61%).
13 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
As the number of positive COVID-19 cases mounted, a temporary pandemic-related expansion to the scope of PA practice went into effect. An overwhelming majority of PAs are in favor of a permanent expansion.
14 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
Over half of PAs practice independently with a physician on site, whereas about one quarter practice under the direct supervision of a physician. Nearly two thirds of PAs have their charts reviewed by a collaborating physician.
When it comes to work settings, PAs who work in urban areas (32%) more often practice under direct supervision by a physician than do PAs in other environment types. Rural PAs (17%) are least often under direct supervision.
15 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
One third of PAs are not in favor of an independent or autonomous practice, similar to last year's results.
16 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
Among PAs, helping people was the single most rewarding aspect of their job. Female PAs (42%), in particular, cited helping people more often than their male counterparts (35%) did.
17 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
When asked about the least rewarding aspect of PA practice, PAs cited the amount of documentation required and administration/workplace politics as their main issues.
In addition, 15% of female PAs and 10% of male PAs noted the pressure to see a certain number of patients each day as well as not enough time to spend with each patient.
Aside from the options cited above, 3% of PAs chose "other" aspects not listed and an equal percentage selected "nothing" as the least rewarding.
18 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
PAs older than 45 years (93%) were slightly more likely than their younger counterparts (88%) to be glad that they became a PA (93%).
19 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
About one fifth of PAs wouldn't choose the career again if they had a do-over. This is an increase from last year, when only 18% stated they would not choose to be a PA again.
Of those who would choose a different healthcare-related career if they could do it over and who gave their favored alternative, PAs most frequently cited NP or nurse. Other responses included optometrist, chiropractor, veterinarian, and dentist.
Meanwhile, the profession remains a vibrant career choice, expected to grow by 31% by the end of the decade in part because of such factors as physician shortfalls and an aging population, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In fact, 12,200 PA job openings are projected each year, as reported in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
20 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
21 of 22
Scroll
Medscape Physician Assistant Career Satisfaction Report 2022
Jennifer Nelson; Roni Robbins | June 21, 2022 | Contributor Information
Commenting is limited to medical professionals. To comment please Log-in.
Comments on Medscape are moderated and should be professional in tone and on topic. You must declare any conflicts of interest related to your comments and responses. Please see our Commenting Guide for further information. We reserve the right to remove posts at our sole discretion.
Comments on Medscape are moderated and should be professional in tone and on topic. You must declare any conflicts of interest related to your comments and responses. Please see our Commenting Guide for further information. We reserve the right to remove posts at our sole discretion.
Close
Contributor Information
Jennifer Nelson
Editor, Medscape
Roni Robbins
Editor, Medscape
Close
References
Close
Image Zoom
Close
Feedback
Please do not use this form to submit personal or patient medical information or to report adverse drug events. You are encouraged to report adverse drug event information to the FDA.
Comments