Physician assistants (PAs) are advanced practice providers (APPs) who provide a range of clinical care for patients, independently and as part of a team. As the healthcare landscape shifts and adapts to the physician shortage and increasing patient demands, physician assistant hiring is a focus for many facilities seeking to maintain or grow their services.
Demand for this role is projected to grow by 20% by 2034, with about 12,000 job openings per year across the country. This competitive market creates difficulties for healthcare recruiters, especially when paired with other hurdles, such as location challenges and lengthy credentialing processes.
This guide will give you ideas to help you overcome these obstacles, so that you can add the right PA to your care team. We'll cover key steps for hiring a physician assistant, ways to compress time-to-hire, and strategies for attracting top-tier candidates.
Overview of the Physician Assistant Hiring Process
Physician assistants, also called physician associates, are licensed providers who have completed an accredited PA program and passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE). In some care settings they fill a very similar role as nurse practitioners (NPs), so they may be recruited with a job listing that's marketed to both roles.
The physician assistant hiring process typically involves the following steps:
- Determine the APP role needed (PA, NP, or either).
- Create and share a job post.
- Screen candidates for must-have and preferred qualifications and experience level.
- Evaluate candidate's clinical competence.
- Assess candidate's certifications and licensure in relation to federal and state-level requirements.
- Interview candidates.
- Perform credentialing, including primary source verifications.
- Extend an offer and enter into a contract with the provider.
- Engage in orientation and onboarding.
Common Reasons to Hire a Physician Assistant
The decision to onboard a physician assistant is usually strategic, and may involve a facility's roadmap to expansion or plans for long-term financial viability. Facilities may hire these team members with the aim of:
- Serving more patients. With an additional PA on staff, a department can see more patients per day (because low-acuity cases can be distributed to the PA).
- Reducing wait times. If a practice is scheduling months out, or an urgent care facility is contending with long door-to-provider times, PAs may be onboarded to reduce the wait and improve patient experience and outcomes.
- Alleviating physician burden. Healthcare organizations seeing high rates of physician burnout and suffering morale may onboard PAs to ease the attending physician's case load, assist with charting, and provide patient correspondence.
- Optimizing physician revenue. PAs can handle certain patient care tasks, such as routine follow-up visits, to free up time for physicians to perform work at the higher end of their billing potential.
- Offering a new service line. Facilities offering a brand new service often onboard additional APPs (typically PAs or NPs) to meet patient demands related to the new service.
How Long Does It Take to Hire a Physician Assistant?
Hiring a physician assistant is a lengthy process that takes, on average, 6 to 12 weeks. This varies across care settings and specialties. For example, time-to-hire for surgical physician assistants can be significantly longer, due to the competencies and credentials required; on average, it takes 12 to 17 weeks to hire an orthopedic surgical PA.
Geographic location also has a significant impact. In some rural areas of the country, openings for PAs can go unfilled for six months or more.
3 Tips for Hiring Physician Assistants
Enhancing your care team with the addition of a talented PA could be the key to meeting your objectives, whether that's treating more patients or optimizing revenue. Here are three tips to help you hire an excellent PA who's a strong match with your organization.
1. Be Clear About the Physician Assistant's Position on the Team
Briefly describe the physician assistant's relationship to the physicians on the team in your job post. Also consider elaborating on the relationship during the interview process, including a thorough explanation of the collaboration in the contract you present with the offer.
It's important to clarify the PA's position on the team because organizations fit this role into teams in varying ways, heavily influenced by state laws. Defining the relationship upfront and throughout the hiring process can help you hire a clinician who’s capable of performing on the team in the expected capacity — and excited for the opportunity to do so.
Examples:
- A physician assistant job description could state: the PA will work closely with the lead trauma surgeon and will perform first-assistant duties during surgeries.
- A hiring manager could explain that the physician assistant will be expected to work with a high degree of independence, managing his or her own patient panel, with supervision from an on-site physician when it becomes necessary.
2. Emphasize Learning Opportunities in Physician Assistant Recruitment Material
While physicians participate in residency before obtaining licensure, PAs who graduate from an accredited program and pace the PANCE can immediately enter the workforce. Newly graduated PAs stepping into clinical roles often feel angst about their new level of responsibility. They may prioritize job opportunities that provide ample support from mentors or collaborating physicians.
Even physician assistants with years of experience pursue jobs that support their growth, whether that's expansion into a new specialty area or simply improving their clinical skills.
Examples:
- A recruitment video for the role could include a narrative that highlights the department's learning culture or learning-rich work environment.
- A job post might emphasize that the position provides an opportunity to work side by side with a specialized surgeon with extensive experience.
3. Fill Physician Assistant Positions Faster With Prompt Communication
Physician assistant recruiters engage with candidates at multiple touchpoints. Given the involved hiring process required for onboarding qualified, safe clinicians, it's important to prevent unnecessary delays in communication. Streamline communication in each step of the hiring process by leveraging technology, including automated messaging. This promotes candidate engagement, eliminates delays, and helps candidates move through the funnel.
Examples:
- A hiring team sends a physician assistant candidate a text message to clarify whether she has a particular clinical skill, allowing the candidate to respond quickly without setting aside dedicated time for returning a phone call.
- A hiring team leverages automated emailing for specific communications with candidates, such as confirming receipt of a resume and cover letter.
Speed Up Your Physician Assistant Hiring Process Without Taking Shortcuts
Adding a talented physician assistant to your team is a strategic move that could bring big results to your practice. Credenza delivers matched PA candidates with their credentials already on file — not just applicants who clicked a button — helping you quickly onboard your next PA without compromising on quality.