Physician Assistants Filling the Gap for the Physician Shortage
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) recently reported an estimated shortfall of up to 121,300 physicians by 2030. With demand for more medical providers to care for the aging population there should be plenty of opportunities for PAs. Many healthcare organizations see the need and are now relying on PAs to fill the gap.
As PAs have become one of the top careers with a salary over $100,000 with the least competition for jobs, it has allowed the field to grow in compensation and opportunities. A recent report by the NCCPA has shown an increase in PA salaries to over $107,000, a 12.7% increase over the last five years.
When there is an increase in demand it creates leverage to the supplier. In order to fill positions, employers need to offer higher salaries and other benefits. In this case the supplier is anyone who is a PA or looking to become a PA. The buyer is the employers, looking to fill open positions.
Demand for Experienced PAs in the Workforce
If you’re a currently practicing PA you should keep this in mind as new hires might be getting offered more compensation due to the current market. If you want a fair compensation, it is important to know if your current salary is keeping up with the rest of the market. If you have not had a raise in a while, your salary is most likely much less than the average.
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With data from both the NCCPA and AAPA showing increased salaries for PAs, you should be confident that you have the necessary information to determine what a fair salary should be. There are problems with both reports, so if you’re using them for negotiation purposes it is always best to use multiple reports to help corroborate the individual reports.
Demand for Those Interested in Becoming a PA
If you are thinking about PA school or are currently in PA school, it is safe to say that PAs are in demand and there should not be a problem getting a job after graduation. As there continues to be increased demand for PAs, salaries are most likely to continue to rise in the coming years.
When it does come time to look for a job it is important to know what the current salaries are so that you can negotiate an appropriate PA salary.
For those looking to become a PA and those already working in the field, it appears that there will continue to be a lot demand for PAs in the future. As long as there is increased demand employers will continue to create incentives to attract employees. Who knows what will happen in the future, but currently it is a great time to be in the profession.
What do you think the outlook for the PA profession is? Will the demand for PAs continue? Please comment below the original post, sign up to receive future posts by email and share with your friends!
