As a physician assistant, you make a huge difference in the lives of your patients: you advocate for them, ensure that they have their needs met, and help to translate the world of medicine into something easier to understand.
With positions in nearly every specialty, you can find an area that you truly love, whether psychiatry or oncology and ensure that those needing medical assistance get the best care imaginable. It’s a highly rewarding field and one that is in hot demand as labor shortages sweep the entire medical industry.
The physician assistant market is poised to experience an enormous uptick in demand, with over 27% employment growth predicted by 2031. This huge need is paired with a dwindling supply, as many PAs and other medical professionals left the field after the Covid-19 pandemic due to overwork and burnout. Whether you’re a new or experienced physician assistant, you have a variety of positions available to you – but it might not seem that way if you look at more general job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed.
Where do you find these elusive physician assistant roles, and how do you shine as an applicant? Today, we’ll discuss how to access the best opportunities for PAs and how to ensure that you’re the top-ranked applicant in any position you choose.
Look for career sites that cater to medical professionals.
Finding a great job is a lot like dating: if you’re looking for something very specific, it’s best to go to a niche site that can help you connect to other like-minded individuals. For medical professionals, this means you should search for job boards that are only for those in the healthcare industry rather than wasting your time hunting through more general job boards like Indeed or Monster.
Just as you don’t want to spend hours hunting through irrelevant listings, hiring managers of hospitals or private practices don’t want to receive dozens of applications from those who don’t have any experience or training as a physician’s assistant, which is why they may choose not to post their best listings on more general career sites. If you’re only searching on those boards, it may seem as if there are no physician assistant roles at all in your area – but you’re just looking in the wrong place.
Sites like PracticeMatch, which is a job board specifically for medical professionals, will list numerous physician assistant jobs near you with information relevant to the healthcare industry. For example, you can filter for loan repayment, nonprofit status, and specialty – information you would need to look for listing by listing on a more general job site.
Now that we understand where to look for these golden opportunities let’s discuss how to actually clinch the job through being a standout applicant.
Great applicants leave no stone unturned.
Even if the market for physician assistants is in your favor, you still need to market yourself, and that means making sure that you put your very best foot forward during all steps of the application process.
Before you even begin to search for a job, start networking, as this is often the best way to find opportunities; for example, you may not even be aware of the specialized job boards if you don’t talk to those in your field.
Join groups, either online or in person, that are meant for physician assistants, including professional societies and associations.
Attend conferences and meetings with your peers, and be sure to follow up with those you find who interest you. Strive to make a positive impression on your professors and the doctors you work, as they can recommend you to positions and help you find resources to advance your career.
Ask for Professional Advice on Your CV
When you’re ready to change jobs, be sure that you get professional advice on your CV and cover letter, specifically from those in the medical industry. While your application may look great from a general standpoint, an experienced medical professional will be able to see if you’re selling yourself short or not representing yourself in the best light to the healthcare system. Of course, you should ensure that it is typo-free and attractive from a design standpoint, too!
If You Know That You Can Lear, Apply for Jobs
Don’t be afraid to apply for jobs you’re not quite qualified for as long as you believe you can reasonably learn the ropes in that position. For example, suppose a physician assistant position asks for five years of experience, but you only have three. In that case, it doesn’t hurt to apply anyway and see if they may be willing to overlook that based on a great interview or good references.
Finally, stay optimistic all throughout the application and interview process. Confidence is key in all areas of life, and your career is no exception! Know that you’ve done your best, and don’t get discouraged if you get a few refusals.
By using a career-specific job board and presenting yourself in the best possible light, there’s no doubt that you can find yourself in an amazing physician assistant position, where you can continue to help others and advocate for your patients.
