93% of Patients say PAs are Trusted Healthcare Providers

(Alexandria, VA, Tuesday, October 9, 2018) – PAs are medical professionals who diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a patient’s principal healthcare provider. This year’s National PA Week, an annual celebration recognizing the contributions PAs have made to healthcare, is October 6 through 12.

• With thousands of hours of medical training, PAs are versatile and collaborative. The country’s 123,000 PAs practice in every state and in every medical setting and specialty, improving healthcare access and quality.
• 93% of patients say PAs are trusted healthcare providers, and 92% say having a PA makes it easier to get medical appointments.
• In 2017, the median annual salary for PAs working full time in the United States was $105,000.
• PAs have been providing high-quality care for more than 50 years, but in order to allow PAs to more fully contribute—especially as provider shortages continue to impact patient access—it’s time for states to modernize their PA practice laws.
• The American Academy of PAs (AAPA) is working together with state chapters around the country to modernize outdated laws and enhance patient access to care.

The PA profession was ranked #3 in U.S. News and World Report’s 2017 Best 100 Jobs List. There are 255+ PA Programs in U.S., and programs are 27 months or 3 academic years, and a bachelor’s degree is required for acceptance.

Committed to a team-based care, PAs work closely with physicians and other providers to ensure that patients always receive high-quality care. To obtain a license, PAs must graduate from an accredited PA program and pass a certification exam. To maintain their certification, PAs must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) every two years and take a recertification exam every 10 years.