5 reasons to become a physician assistant
Interested in an enriching medical career? A physician’s assistant might be the right choice for you. A physician assistant is a healthcare professional who works under the supervision of a trained doctor. As a physician assistant, you can examine and diagnose patients, conduct and interpret tests, offer medical treatments – among other responsibilities. Simply said, physician assistants help doctors with their responsibilities.
Here are 5 reasons why you should become a physician assistant:
Good pay
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physician assistant compensation is almost $100,000 on average. While physician assistants don’t make as much as doctors, they don’t need to use a major chunk of their earnings to pay back student loans. In terms of education, they require a master’s degree. In fact, most physician assistant programs are 27 months long.
Work in different work environments
As a physician assistant, you can work in different types of work environments, such as hospitals, schools, medical clinics, etc. On the other hand, doctors work in a specific specialty for decades. Even if they decide to switch their specialty, they will have to invest in further education and training.
Physician assistants have flexible careers. They can work in any medical specialty after getting a physician assistant license. Additionally, they can choose to work regular hours or shifts. For example, a doctor’s surgery or school is a great option for those wanting to work office hours. Alternatively, a physician assistant wanting to work shifts should choose a hospital.
Shorter hours
Physician assistants have more regular but shorter hours. Once they complete their shift, they are done for the day. Meanwhile, doctors don’t have fixed hours. They are on call after regular hours, which makes balancing professional and personal life extremely difficult.
A rewarding career choice
Working as a physician assistant is rewarding and exciting. Your career revolves around helping people and their families. It involves meeting people – patients and medical staff – from diverse backgrounds, cultures and religions. You will face new challenges every day and find solutions for them (with the help of your supervisor). A doctor has to focus on patient care as well as other aspects of running a hospital – budget, operations, etc. However, patient care is the prime responsibility of a physician assistant.
Excellent prospects
Physician assistants have excellent employment prospects. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of physician assistants is expected to increase 30 percent from 2010 to 2020, which will be much faster than the average for all occupations.
Physician assistants are critical to the healthcare industry. If you’re searching for physician assistant jobs for new graduates in your state, we can simplify the job search process for you.
