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What is a certified physician assistant and how to become one
A certified physician assistant works under the supervision of a physician to care for patients. Although they are not a doctor themselves, a certified physician assistant can still diagnose and treat basic illnesses. They can prescribe medication and order additional tests, such as X-rays, if they need more information to make a diagnosis.
For many patients, a certified physician assistant is their primary care provider, and they only see a supervising physician if they have a particularly complicated medical problem. Even then, a certified physician assistant is usually on hand to help develop treatment plans and assist with surgical procedures.
By definition, a certified physician assistant needs to get a certificate from the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants. They need to renew their certification every few years. Before getting certified, most physician assistants get a master's degree from a physician assistant program. They also have some hands-on medical experience through internships. It takes many years of hard work to become a certified physician assistant, but it pays off with an average annual salary of $143,430.
Avg. Salary $126,201
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 28%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.35%
Asian 11.18%
Black or African American 5.45%
Hispanic or Latino 11.94%
Unknown 3.78%
White 67.30%
Genderfemale 65.50%
male 34.50%
Age - 37American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 37Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Certified Physician Assistant career paths
Key steps to become a certified physician assistant
Explore certified physician assistant education requirements
Start to develop specific certified physician assistant skills
Skills 
Percentages Patients 24.55% Diagnosis 7.48% Surgical Procedures 4.86% Outpatient Clinic 4.53% Urgent Care 3.69% Complete relevant certified physician assistant training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New certified physician assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a certified physician assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real certified physician assistant resumes.Research certified physician assistant duties and responsibilities
- Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
- Provide bio-identical hormone replacement therapy to select patients and provide coordination of patient care in a rural primary care setting.
- Perform comprehensive history and physical exams and provide a multidisciplinary care plan for patients suffering from acute and chronic pain.
- Perform suturing repair for laceration repairs.
Prepare your certified physician assistant resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your certified physician assistant resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a certified physician assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Certified Physician Assistant Resume templates
Build a professional Certified Physician Assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Certified Physician Assistant resume.
Apply for certified physician assistant jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a certified physician assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
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Average certified physician assistant salary
The average Certified Physician Assistant salary in the United States is $126,201 per year or $61 per hour. Certified physician assistant salaries range between $73,000 and $215,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do certified physician assistants rate their job?
Certified Physician Assistant reviews
Helping others
I dislike the variations in the pay rates between NPs and PAs.
#1 Administration does not value you as a health professional. They are stuck in the image of the nurse meaning we follow. They don't see us as clinicians that make a difference not just by caring, but by evaluating organ systems, medication regimens, finding the answer by communicating and getting a great history in regards to chief complaints, evaluating labs and staying up to date with research. I and other NP's before me laid the groundwork for our profession y working hard and being smart and educated. I have seen how companies want to get rid of the experienced NP to fill the role with two entry level NP's. There is age discrimination on top of it, it's not just the pay. #2 Arrogant doctors who push most of the work onto you in regards to documentation and also patient's medical management. Then act like they are "so busy". We know the good doctors from the ones who are their own fan club.
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Updated January 8, 2025
