A physician assistant have clinical skill sets similar to a doctor but does not hold the “Dr” title. Duties such as clinical assessment, diagnosing conditions and providing patient checkups are just some tasks that a physician assistant perform. They are also able to prescribe medicine to patients in 48 states, some prescriptions must be made under the care of a doctor, but they work independently the majority of the time.
Becoming a physician assistant requires a lot of commitment on your part. This is because there are many requirements that must be met and they also must complete an accredited program. There are approximately 142 accredited programs in the United States, most of which are masters programs, but there are a few that offer a bachelor’s program. For those who attain a master’s degree, they should expect better career opportunities as well as higher wages. Contact the Accredited Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant in order to locate a program in your area.
Applying and obtaining a state license is mandatory after you have completed a program. Attaining a license in all states is required as of 2008. In order to become licensed, you will need to sit for a test conducted by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
Referenced from PayScale.com, the average salary for an entrance level physician assistant is between $64000 to $77000.
In contrast, the median annual physician assistant salary across the board is between $56000 and $115000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The wide distribution in salary comes down to the physician assistant’s experience as those coming in at entry level will generally earn lesser than $56000 but with years of experience, they can earn in excess of $115000.
It is advised that you apply for a position in an industry that require a lot of physician assistants for those who are just starting out. There are ample opportunities at physician offices as they often hire many assistants and in addition, they offer an annual mean wage of $85000. Another great industry for employment is at general medical and surgical hospitals which offers a great salary package of $84500.
You can apply for a position in a high paying industry even if you are an entry level physician assistant. It usually does not that long for you to rise to the higher end of the pay scale regardless of whether your starting salary is lower or higher on the line. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, those who are employed within the employment services industry are some of the highest earning assistants with a salary of $105,000. The mental health and substance abuse industry is a challenging industry and therefore offer a great salary of $103500 while the outpatient care centers offer a salary of $87000.
Entry level physician assistants who wants to earn a higher income may want to relocate to certain states as some states pay higher than others. The Physician assistant salary in Maine is the highest, with an annual mean wage of $86000. Other states with higher annual salaries include Alaska at $81000, and West Virginia at $77500.
To learn more about how you can earn a great physician assistant salary as an entry level assistant, please visit: Physician Assistant Salary