Healthcare provider shortages continue to challenge recruiters across the U.S., especially when it comes to filling essential roles like Physician Assistants (PAs). One crucial, often-overlooked pool of experienced PAs are those working secondary jobs. According to the 2022 NCCPA Statistical Profile, about 11% of the 159,000 certified PAs currently work a second clinical job. This group offers a rich source of highly qualified, experienced candidates who may be more open to new employment opportunities.
Here’s where you’re most likely to find experienced PAs working multiple jobs, allowing you to strategically focus your recruitment efforts.
Top Specialties for Physician Assistants with Secondary Jobs
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Emergency Medicine Emergency Medicine is a leading field for PAs with secondary roles. Approximately 23% of PAs with multiple jobs cite Emergency Medicine as their second specialty. These professionals are often looking for more diverse experiences or extra income, making them highly open to new job offers.
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Primary Care Physician Assistants play a vital role in filling Primary Care vacancies. Many of them, nearly 3,000 PAs, work both in their chosen specialties and in Primary Care. This makes them highly valuable candidates, especially in areas facing severe physician shortages.
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Family Medicine/General Practice Family Medicine and General Practice are also popular specialties for PAs working more than one job. Over 2,220 PAs in these fields work secondary positions, representing another excellent group for recruitment.
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Surgical Subspecialties If your organization is looking to fill surgical PA vacancies, focusing on PAs working secondary jobs in surgical subspecialties can be fruitful. More than 1,800 PAs work secondary jobs in fields like Orthopedic Surgery, General Surgery, and Cardiovascular Surgery.
*Originally posted on 5/26/2020. Last updated on 9/9/2024.