Media Contact: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Alicia Quella, Director of Communications and PA Relations
email: [email protected]
phone: 470-682-5111
website: nccpa.net
New Report Shows PAs Lead in Underserved Care, Leadership, Global Reach
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — August 19, 2025 — PAs are taking on broader roles in health care, from international service to leadership positions, according to the 2024 Statistical Profile of Board Certified PAs by Specialty Annual Report released by the National Commission on Certification of PAs (NCCPA).
Now in its tenth year, the report highlights the profession’s reach across 24 specialties and primary care.
“PAs have a tremendous impact on health care,” said NCCPA President and CEO Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D., PA-C, ICE-CCP, FACHE. “The latest data shows PA flexibility, leadership, and the areas where we still need progress, such as addressing gender pay disparity.”
Top findings in the report:
Gender pay gap: On average, male PAs earn $20,892 more annually than female PAs across all specialties, with the largest gap in obstetrics and gynecology ($34,069), dermatology ($29,359) and cardiovascular and thoracic surgery ($24,769).
International medical work: 10.8% of PAs have practiced abroad; highest in occupational medicine (15.4%), emergency medicine (13.7%) and family medicine (13.5%).
Leadership: 16.9% hold leadership roles in principal employment position, led by PAs practicing in occupational medicine (30.1%).
Underserved care: PAs practicing in general pediatrics (37.8%), family medicine (37.5%) and psychiatry (32.1%) were most likely to work in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs).
Postgraduate program 5.7% completed a postgraduate program, most commonly in critical care medicine (16.5%) and emergency medicine (10.6%).
All specialties reported higher burnout rates compared to 2020, with the sharpest increases in gastroenterology and emergency medicine.
Still, career satisfaction remains high at 87.1%, with obstetrics and gynecology (91.4%), oncology (90.1%), dermatology and general pediatrics (89.4%) topping the list of specialties with the highest reported career satisfaction.
“This report helps us better understand the PA workforce and where we can continue to grow,” Morton-Rias said. “Despite challenges like burnout, PAs continue to lead, innovate and make a difference in the communities they serve.”
The full report, which analyzes data from 159,514 Board Certified PAs and presents five-year trends from 2020 to 2024, is available at NCCPA.net.
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About the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA):
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is the only certifying organization for more than 189,907 PAs in the U.S. The PA-C credential is awarded by NCCPA to PAs who fulfill certification, certification maintenance and recertification requirements. Board Certified PAs participate in accredited continuing medical education in core medical knowledge and specialty practice disciplines. NCCPA also administers the Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) program for experienced, Board Certified PAs practicing in 11 specialties (+1 pending in Geriatrics). For more information, visit https://www.nccpa.net.