A growing number of Board Certified PAs are choosing critical care medicine, according to a new study that offers a clear picture of who they are, where they work and what they face.

Published in Critical Care Explorations, the study based on NCCPA data found that 2,561 PAs, about 2% of the profession, reported working in critical care as of 2023.

That represents a 141% increase since 2015.

The study, “Physician Assistants/Associates in Critical Care: A Descriptive Analysis Using the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants Dataset,” was authored by Ryan W. Hunton, DHSc, PA-C; Dalton C. Gifford, DMSc, PA-C; Kasey K. Puckett, MPH; Mirela Bruza-Augatis, Ph.D., PA-C; Andrzej Kozikowski, Ph.D. and Virginia L. Valentin, DrPH, PA-C.

“Even though critical care PAs make up a small portion of the profession, their numbers have steadily grown as demand for intensive care rises across the U.S.,” said Bruza-Augatis, an NCCPA Research Scientist.