Quickfacts:
A Good Fit For:
Individuals who enjoy diagnosing and treating patients under the supervision of physicians and surgeons.
Median Annual Salary:
$120,400
Data last updated August 2023
Job Description
Provides health care services to patients under the direction and responsibility of a physician. May conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive care, assist in surgery and write prescriptions. Completion of PA program, certification and state licensure required.
Patient Contact
High – Physician assistants, also known as PAs, practice medicine on teams with physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare workers. They work closely with patients to examine, diagnose, and treat them. Physician assistants work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, and other healthcare settings and most work full time.
Employment Outlook
Employment of physician assistants is expected to increase 30% from 2010 to 2020. As more physicians enter specialty areas of medicine, there will be a greater need for primary health care providers, such as physician assistants. Because physician assistants are more cost-effective than physicians, they are expected to have an increasing role in giving routine care.
Source:
Education
Masters – 5+ Years
Physician assistants typically need a master’s degree from an accredited educational program. All states require physician assistants to be licensed.
PA programs in South Carolina:
- Charleston Southern University (Developing-Not Accredited)
- Francis Marion (Provisional)
- MUSC (Continuing)
- North Greenville University (Provisional)
- Presbyterian College (Developing-Not Accredited)
- USC (Provisional)
*All Masters Programs