Physician Assistants

Health Science In demand
Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.

What a physician assistant does

Become a physician assistant

If you enjoy doing these activities, you might make a good physician assistant

  • Reading work related information.
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

Discover what you could earn in Washington

  • Average hourly rate is $70 per hour with an average salary of $145,400 per year.
  • Half of workers earn between $62 and $81 per hour.
  • Half of workers earn an annual salary between $128,500 and $167,600 per year.

Physician Assistant job outlook

  • There are 3,040 workers in this occupation in Washington.
  • There are 372 openings per year in this occupation in Washington.

Growth rate by year

Education needed

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Programs to get you there

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