Physician Assistants - General Information

  • American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), Division of Data Services and Statistics. January 2004. Trends in the physician assistant profession 1991–2003. Alexandria, VA: AAPA. [Online, accessed 11/20/06.]

Available: http://www.aapa.org/research/91-03trends-report.pdf
“This document accompanies and describes a set of charts depicting trends in the PA profession and provides some insight as to where the profession is likely headed.”

  • American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), Department of Government and Professional Affairs. February 2004. Hiring a PA: The Benefits for Physicians and Practices. Alexandria, VA.: AAPA, Office of Government and Professional Affairs. [Online, accessed 11/17/06.]

Available: http://www.aapa.org/gandp/issuebrief/hiring.pdf
This article discusses the benefits for physicians and their practices of hiring physician assistants.

  • Browne, Richard H. November 2000. The Sinister Side of PA Supply and Demand, Sounding Board. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants 11: 85–86. [Online, accessed 11/20/06.]

Available: http://www.jaapa.com/issues/j20001101/articles/soundingbdbrow.html
“This article discusses the effect of various aspects of supply and demand on jobs for PAs.”

  • Cawley, James F. October 2002. The Profession in 2002 and Beyond. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants 15(10): 7–15. [Online, accessed 11/20/06.]

Available: http://www.jaapa.com/issues/j20021001/articles/cawley1002.html
“This article reviews the factors that have brought PAs to their present position and examines the trends that may shape the future.”

  • Cawley, James F. August 2005. PA Supply and Demand. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants 18(8): 11–12. [Online, accessed 11/20/06.]

Available: http://jaapa.com/issues/j20050801/articles/guestedit0805.htm
This editorial discusses whether we will need more physician assistants in the health care workforce of the future.

  • Dehn, Richard W., and James F. Cawley. November 2000. Looking Into Tomorrow. Health Workforce Issues Confronting Physician Assistants. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants 13(11): 29. [Online, access 11/20/06.]

Available: http://www.jaapa.com/issues/j20001101/articles/workforce.html
“In this article, [the authors] review and discuss: (1) workforce data on physicians, PAs, and nurse practitioners and (2) projections of the number of these clinicians who will be trained in the future. [They] then analyze: (1) data that describe the past 11 years of PA education and (2) data that address the experience of recent graduates of PA education programs who have sought employment.”

  • Hegmann, Theresa. May 2006. The Shortage of Physicians and the Implication for PAs. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants 19(5): 16–17. [Online, accessed 11/20/06.]

Available: http://www.jaapa.com/issues/j20060501/pdfs/guestedit0506.pdf
This editorial discusses the possible impending shortage of primary care physicians and the role of physician assistants and other nonphysician clinicians (NPCs) in addressing that shortage.

  • Hooker, Roderick S., and Linda E. Berlin. 2002. Trends in the supply of physician assistants and nurse practitioners in the United States. Health Affairs 21(5): 174–81.

While the roles of physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) in providing comparable physician services are similar; they differ in that NPs work predominantly in primary care, while PAs are divided between primary and specialty care. This article discusses future implications of this difference.

  • McCann, J. L., R. S. Phillips, E. H. O’Neil, G. R. Ruddy, et al. 2005, October 1. Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner Workforce Trends. American Family Physician 72(7): 1176. [Online, accessed 11/21/06.]

Available: http://www.graham-center.org/x589.xml
This article discusses the supply of PAs and NPs and their contributions to primary care and interdisciplinary teams.

  • Phillips, R. L., L. A. Green, G. E. Fryer, and S. M. Dovey. November 1, 2001. Uncoordinated growth of the primary care work force. Kansas City, MO: American Family Physician 64(9): 1498.

Available: http://www.graham-center.org/x163.xml
This article discusses the need for family physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants to work together despite the fact that their clinical training is distinctly different.

  • Strand, J. October 2002. Anticipating the Profession's Future. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants 15(10): 51–54.

“This article considers the future of the physician assistant (PA) profession in light of trends in the US health care system. A bright job outlook is highlighted, and potential new professional roles are discussed.”

  • U.S. Department Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections. 2006–07. Physician Assistants. Washington, DC: Occupational Outlook Handbook. [Online, accessed 11/21/06.]

Available: http://www.bls.gov/oco/pdf/ocos081.pdf
“Significant points:

- Physician assistant programs usually last at least 2 years; admission requirements vary by program, but many require at least 2 years of college and some health care experience.
- All states require physician assistants to complete an accredited education program and to pass a national exam in order to obtain a license.
- Physician assistants rank among the fastest growing occupations, as physicians and health care institutions increasingly utilize physician assistants in order to contain costs.
- Job opportunities should be good, particularly in rural and inner city clinics.”