Message from the President and CEO

I am always excited to share the release of a new report quantifying the essential contributions Certified PAs make to delivering accessible, high quality, and equitable healthcare; however, the Statistical Profile of Recently Certified Physician Assistants is especially important to me. This report is about the 9,915 strong, newly Certified PAs who are the future leaders of our profession. The findings in this report underscore PAs’ experiences and preferences in their first clinical position, as a Certified PA. The top attribute new PAs seek in their new role is to find a position where they have the opportunity to practice in a collaborative environment where interprofessional engagement is emphasized. This report also highlights the growth, demographic and geographical distribution of newly certified PAs as well as their impact on healthcare. For example, in a five-year period from 2016-2020, the number of PAs in Rhode Island more than doubled, in South Carolina, the number increased by 86.6%, and many states had a 50% or higher increase. The top five states with the largest numbers of recently certified PAs are New York, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, and Texas, which is not surprising since these states graduate more students. In the past five years, we’ve seen a modest improvement in the racial and ethnic diversity of the profession, but we still have a way to go to be aligned with our country’s demographic composition. A significant factor that sets this cohort apart from others is the unprecedented crisis that took place as they were completing their clinical training, graduating and starting their careers as Certified PAs. As students, they needed to rapidly adjust to changes in their educational process, and then, as newly Certified PAs, they entered a healthcare workforce that desperately needed their input as all were dealing with a crisis plaguing the entire world. We see those challenges reflected in the data contained in this report. Although the PA profession is projected to grow at a much higher rate than other occupations and the U.S. News and World Report ranked the PA profession as the number one best healthcare job in 2020, some of this cohort experienced more significant challenges in finding a position. Although we have seen an increase in the number of Certified PAs who have searched for but not accepted a position (53.9% in 2020, 38.3% in 2019, and 37.1% in 2018), 11.3% of those in 2020 have turned down at least one offer. Close to half of those who have accepted a position are working in hospitals. The percent working in primary care has remained consistent during the past five years, with 24.4% in 2020 and 25.3% in 2016. It is also encouraging to see that close to half of this cohort have starting salaries over $100,000. We salute this special group of Certified PAs for their perseverance in overcoming the challenges of finishing their education and starting their career during an unprecedented healthcare crisis. We wish them all the best for a long and rewarding career.

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About the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is the only certifying organization for the over 150,000 PAs in the United States. The PA-C credential is awarded by NCCPA to PAs who fulfill certification, certification maintenance and recertification requirements. NCCPA also administers the Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) program for experienced, Certified PAs practicing in seven specialties. For more information, please visit http://www.nccpa.net.