Key Takeaways:
- PAs examine and treat patients, providing them with direct medical care in a wide variety of specialties and settings.
- Most state laws require them to work under the supervision of or in collaboration with physicians.
- It takes between six and seven years to become a physician assistant.
Alycia Dalbey asked one question after her mom suggested a career as a physician assistant (PA): “How long is PA school?”
The then-freshman in college liked people and science but knew she didn’t want to spend the time or money required to become a doctor.
To Alycia’s surprise, PA school lasted two years, and when combined with her undergraduate education, she could begin practicing in her mid-20s rather than early 30s.
So, Alycia went for it.
What Is a Physician Assistant?
PAs examine and treat patients, providing them with direct medical care in a wide variety of specialties and settings.
Eugene A. Stead Jr., MD, started the licensed profession in 1965 to help remedy a shortage of primary care physicians.
Today, PAs continue to alleviate that strain by expanding access to healthcare, particularly in underserved communities, and helping practices care for more people.
Most state laws require them to work under the supervision of or in collaboration with physicians.
That doesn’t make them an MD’s sidekick – PAs see patients on their own – but physicians may review charts or sign off on certain prescriptions, depending on the regulations in place.
What Does a PA Do?
Your schedule as a physician assistant will depend on where you work and your experience level. In general, PAs can:
- Order and interpret diagnostic tests, such as X-rays
- Assess and record progress
- Counsel on preventative care
- Perform procedures
- Conduct clinical research
- Develop care plans
The area of medicine you decide to practice will also make a difference.
Common specializations include:
- Emergency and urgent care
- Dermatology
- Psychiatry
- Cardiovascular
- Oncology
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
Alycia explored a few different fields before landing in palliative care.
“When you compare a physician assistant’s role to that of a medical doctor, they get really specialized,” she explains. “You’re kind of one tracked, and it takes a long time to get into that career whereas PAs can bounce around and have that career flexibility.”
Where Do PAs Work?
More than half of physician assistants practice in doctor’s offices, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Other environments you can work in include:
- Hospitals
- Outpatient clinics
- Nursing homes
- Schools
You spend much of your time standing and walking to make rounds and evaluate patients, which can be tiring.
Most PAs work full time. Their schedules vary and may include nights, weekends, holidays, and on-call hours.
Physician Assistant Salary
Physician assistants make an average annual salary of $133,260.
The highest 10 percent of earners take home more than $182,000, per BLS data.
Your salary as a PA hinges on professional and personal factors, such as where you live.
How Long Does It Take to Become a PA?
It takes between six and seven years to become a physician assistant.
You must first earn a bachelor’s degree, then finish a graduate-level PA program, which usually follows a two-year structure. However, some institutions don’t offer summer terms, extending the length of your schooling to three years.
Requirements for PA School
You need to pass certain science and healthcare-related prerequisites to get into a physician assistant program.
Which courses you need depends on the institution, but you must generally earn a “C” grade or higher in:
- Biology I with Lab
- Biology II with Lab
- Chemistry I with Lab
- Chemistry II with Lab
- Microbiology with Lab
- Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab
- Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab
- Statistics
- Medical Terminology
- English Composition
- Psychology
Alycia built the prerequisites into her undergraduate degree, but for students who want a more flexible and affordable way to knock them out, you can enroll in an accredited online institution, such as Portage Learning.
Its self-directed format allows you to start at any time and affordably learn from anywhere, perfect for:
- Career switchers
- Motivated high schoolers
- Adult students
Five years ago, Alycia transitioned from clinical practice to teaching biology courses for Portage Learning. She believes it provides learners with a great foundation, whether they plan to pursue a career as a physician assistant or something else.
People who enroll in one of Portage Learning’s courses enjoy a one-to-one relationship with their professor. You can message them via your student dashboard to explain material or to ask questions. Faculty also provide regular feedback on your assignments and grade exams within 72 hours, so you can stay on track.
How to Become a Physician Assistant (Step-by-Step Guide)
If a PA career sounds like the right fit for your future, here’s how to become one.
- Earn a bachelor’s degree
Pick a field-relevant major, such as:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Health science
Physician assistant programs will accept students with degrees in other disciplines, though, as long as you take prerequisite courses needed for admission. - Gain experience or shadow
Some accredited PA schools want you to work before applying. For example, the University of Wisconsin-Madison mandates at least 1,000 hours of direct patient care experience for admission. To obtain that, you could become a:
- Medical assistant
- Paramedic
- Lab assistant
Alternatively, a program may require you to follow a physician assistant. Applicants to Chatham University’s PA school need 32 hours of physician assistant shadowing. - Graduate with a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
In most cases, you’ll apply to a program by filling out the Centralized Application for Service for Physician Assistants. It’ll ask to provide:
- Transcripts
- Resume
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal essay
Institutions will likely interview you as well.
When choosing a program, consider:
- The costs and financial aid opportunities
- Curriculum and setting
- Clinical education
- Become certified
Upon graduation, you will be eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE). It’s a five-hour, 300-question test that assesses your clinical knowledge and reasoning and other medical skills. - Obtain state licensure
Once you receive a passing PANCE score, you can apply for your license to practice.
Requirements for earning one depend on where you live.
PAs must participate in ongoing continuing medical education and pass a recertification exam every 10 years.
Physician Assistant vs. Medical Doctor vs. Nurse Practitioner
In addition to a PA, a person could visit with a physician, also known as an MD, or a nurse practitioner (NP) to receive diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic care.
They all perform similar responsibilities, especially in primary care settings, but since MDs undergo the most training, they handle the most complex medical conditions, perform intricate surgeries, and lead teams.
Here’s how else they differ.
| Profession | Education and training | Learning framework | Autonomy | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Doctor (MD or DO) | Bachelor’s degree followed by medical school, residency, and an optional fellowship for a total of 11-15 years | Heavy focus on the medical model of training, which teaches how to test, diagnose, and treat a disease | Fully independent when licensed and credentialed | $239,200/year |
| Physician Assistant (PA) | Bachelor’s degree followed by PA school, which totals to 6 or 7 years | Education follows the medical model of training, similar to physicians | Operate under the supervision or in collaboration with a physician | $133,260/year |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) | Bachelor’s degree followed by a Master of Science in Nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice program, which totals to 6 years | Focuses on the holistic needs of a patient, treating not only their symptoms but also seeking to identify any outside influences on health and provide recommendations to create a better lifestyle | Can practice without MD oversight in most states | $127,976/year |
Pros and Cons of Becoming a PA
A suggestion from Alycia’s mom and one question shaped the course of her career.
“I really lucked out,” she says. “Being a PA is a great position. There’s a lot of continued opportunities, especially as the population ages and healthcare needs grow.”
Alycia recommends others become a physician assistant too, explaining it offers:
- Job security: The BLS ranks physician assistants as the 10th-fastest-growing career in the U.S, attributing the demand to the rise in the number of older people and patients with chronic diseases.
- Career flexibility: You can choose the environment you want to practice in and pick the type of care you provide, whether that means working in pediatrics, critical care, or another patient population.
- High pay: PAs make a comfortable living, earning more as their career progresses.
- Shorter training: It takes much less time – and therefore less money – to become an advanced practice healthcare provider.
The professional does come with tradeoffs.
It can be physically and emotionally demanding work.
A 2025 study found 34 percent of PAs reported at least one symptom of burnout, with those who practiced emergency medicine experiencing it at higher rates than other specializations.
The lack of autonomy may gnaw at some people too.
“I always say, if you want to be a doctor, go become one because this role is not the same thing,” Alycia states.
But if you can handle those realities, she believes the pros far outweigh the cons and provide a career worth going after.
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