Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 May 22;11(5):e4989.
doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000004989. eCollection 2023 May.

A National Survey of Perspectives of Physician Assistants in Academic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Julie M West  1 , Amanda Carraher  1 , Erin Jadallah  1 , Patrick Kearns  1 , Andrew L O'Brien  1 , Maria Huayllani Peralta  1 , Amy M Moore  1 , Jeffrey E Janis  1
Affiliations

A National Survey of Perspectives of Physician Assistants in Academic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Julie M West et al. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. .

Abstract

Physician assistants (PAs) are an essential part of the healthcare team who improve access and efficiencies in patient care. A better understanding of the impact and current utilization of PAs in plastic and reconstructive surgery is needed. The purpose of this national survey was to evaluate the role and scope of practice of PAs in academic plastic surgery, as well as characterize current trends of PA utilization, compensation, and perceived value from a PA perspective.

Methods: A voluntary, anonymous 50-question survey was distributed via SurveyMonkey to practicing PAs at 98 academic plastic surgery programs. The survey included questions about employment characteristics, involvement in clinical research and academic work, structural organization, academic benefits, compensation, and position held.

Results: Ninety-one PAs from 35 plastic surgery programs completed the survey and were included (overall program response rate = 36.8%, participants response rate = 30.4%). Practice environments included outpatient clinics, the operating room, and inpatient care. Most commonly, respondents supported multiple surgeons as opposed to one surgeon's practice. For 57% of respondents, compensation is based on a tiered system that accounts for specialty and experience. The reported mode base salary range corroborates national averages and most reported annual bonuses based on merit. The majority of respondents felt valued in their role.

Conclusions: Through this national survey, we provide granularity as to how PAs are utilized and compensated in academic plastic surgery. We offer insight into the overall perceived value from a PA perspective that helps define the role and will ultimately help strengthen collaboration.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Years of employment in plastic surgery.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Patients treated by PAs.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Average hours worked.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Annual base salary.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5.
Compensation by region.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 6.
Feeling valued as a PA.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physician Assistants. Updated September 15, 2022. Available at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm. Accessed July 11, 2022.
    1. Hooker RS, Cawley JF, Everett CM. Predictive modeling the physician assistant supply: 2010-2025. Public Health Rep. 2011;126:708–716. - PMC - PubMed
    1. National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, Inc. 2020 Statistical Profile of Recently Certified Physician Assistants: An Annual Report of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. February2022. Available at http://www.nccpa.net/. Accessed July 11, 2022.
    1. Althausen PL, Shannon S, Owens B, et al. . Impact of hospital-employed physician assistants on a level II community-based orthopaedic trauma system. J Orthop Trauma. 2013;27:e87–e91. - PubMed
    1. Chalupa RL, Hooker RS. The education, role, distribution, and compensation of physician assistants in orthopedic surgery. JAAPA. 2016;29:1–7. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources