2004 AAPA Physician Assistant Census Report
Introduction Highlights of National Statistics
List of Tables Subject Index


List of Tables

Section I: Characteristics of 2004 AAPA Census Respondents

Section II: Professional Status of Respondents

Section III Information about Respondents in Clinical Practice

Section IV: Information about Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Their Primary Clinical Job

Index of Subjects Addressed by Tables


Topic Table
Number
Age, during Year of Graduation from PA School, Summary Measures for Respondents and Nonrespondents Table 1.7
Age, in Year of Census, Summary Measures for Respondents and Nonrespondents Table 1.6
Call, Hours Taken per Month, Summary Measures for Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.15
Call, Responsibility for Taking, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.13
Call, Types Taken, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.14
Clinical Practice Status, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Table 2.1
CME, Amount of Funds Provided by Primary Clinical Employer, Summary Measures for Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job and Receive CME Funding Table 4.22
CME, Whether Funding Available from Primary Employer, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.21
Compensation, Measures on Which Incentive is Based, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job and Receive Incentive Pay Based on Productivity or Performance Table 4.18
Compensation, 2003 Graduates, Total Annual Income from Primary Employer, Summary Measures for Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.20
Compensation, Total Annual Income from Primary Employer, Summary Measures for Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.19
Compensation, Types of Additional Compensation Received, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.17
Compensation, Types of Base Pay Received, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.16
Concurrent PA Jobs, Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.1
Current Professional Status, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Table 2.2
Education, PA Degrees, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents and Nonrespondents Table 1.4
Education, Types of Degrees Held, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents and Nonrespondents Table 1.5
Employer Type, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.2
Fringe Benefits, Source of Funds for Select Expenses, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.24
Fringe Benefits, Source of Funds for Types of Insurance, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.23
Functions Performed at Primary Clinical Job, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.14
Government Employment, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.3
Hospitals, Number in which PA is Member of Allied Health Staff, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.11
Hospitals, Number in which PA is Member of Medical Staff, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.9
Hospitals, Number in which PA is Member of Other Staff Category, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.12
Hospitals, Number in which PA is Member of PA Staff, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.10
Hospitals, Number in which PA Sees Patients, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.7
Hospitals, Number with Privileges Granted by Medical Staff, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job and See Some Hospital Patients Table 4.8
Hours Providing Direct Inpatient Care per Week, Summary Measures for Respondents Who See Inpatients Exclusively for a Minimum of 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.3
Hours Providing Direct Outpatient Care per Week, Summary Measures for Respondents Who See Outpatients Exclusively for a Minimum of 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.5
Hours Worked per Week at Primary Clinical Job, Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.15
Hours Worked per Week for Primary Clinical Employer (total), Summary Measures for Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.2
Metropolitan Status of Primary Practice Site, Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.13
Race, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents and Nonrespondents Table 1.3
Region (AAPA) in Which Employed, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.11
Respondents and Nonrespondents, Number and Percent Distribution Table 1.1
Sex, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents and Nonrespondents Table 1.2
Specialty Practiced for Primary Employer, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.7
Specialty, General Field Practiced for Primary Employer, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.6
State/Geographic Location in Which Employed, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.12
Types of Patients Treated, Number and Percent Distribution for Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.1
Visits/Encounters per week, Inpatient, Summary Measures for Respondents Who See Inpatients Exclusively for a Minimum of 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.4
Visits/Encounters per week, Outpatient, Summary Measures for Respondents Who See Outpatients Exclusively for a Minimum of 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.6
Work Setting, Primary, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.4
Work Settings, All, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.5
Years in Clinical Practice as PA, Summary Measures for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.8
Years in Current Position, Summary Measures for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.9
Years in Current Specialty, Summary Measures for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.10
Years since Graduation from PA School, Summary Measures for Respondents and Nonrespondents Table 1.8


Section I: Characteristics of 2004 AAPA Census Respondents and Nonrespondents

Table 1.1:
Number and Percent Distribution of Census Respondents and Nonrespondents
  Count Percent
Total
61856
 100.0%
Respondents 23494 38.0%
Nonrespondents 38362 62.0%

Table 1.2:
Number and Percent Distribution of Census Respondents and Nonrespondents by Sex
 
Count
Percent
Respondents
Male
9244
 39.7%
Female
 14027 60.3%
Nonrespondents
Male
 17573 46.6%
Female
 20097 53.4%

Table 1.3:
Number and Percent Distribution of Census Respondents and Nonrespondents by Race
 
Count
Percent
Respondents
Asian/Pacific Islander
708
 3.3%
Black (Not Hispanic)
 617 2.9%
Hispanic/Latino Origin
 788 3.7%
Amer Indian/Alaskan
 190 .9%
White (Not Hispanic)
 18709 88.4%
Multiracial
 153 .7%
Nonrespondents
Asian/Pacific Islander
 1315 4.7%
Black (Not Hispanic)
 1926 6.9%
Hispanic/Latino Origin
 1492 5.3%
Amer Indian/Alaskan
 293 1.0%
White (Not Hispanic)
 22810 81.6%
Multiracial
 125 .4%

Table 1.4:
Number and Percent Distribution of Census Respondents and Nonrespondents by PA Degrees Held
  Count Percent
Respondents Do not have certificate in PA studies 12682 64.4%
Have certificate in PA studies 7020 35.6%
Do not have associate's in PA studies 18130 92.0%
Have associate's in PA studies 1572 8.0%
Do not have bachelor's in PA studies 9853 50.0%
Have bachelor's in PA studies 9849 50.0%
Do not have master's in PA studies 15427 78.3%
Have master's in PA studies 4275 21.7%
Nonrespondents Do not have certificate in PA studies 14864 64.2%
Have certificate in PA studies 8297 35.8%
Do not have associate's in PA studies 20987 90.6%
Have associate's in PA studies 2174 9.4%
Do not have bachelor's in PA studies 11504 49.7%
Have bachelor's in PA studies 11657 50.3%
Do not have master's in PA studies 19710 85.1%
Have master's in PA studies 3451 14.9%

Table 1.5:
Number and Percent Distribution of Census Respondents and Nonrespondents by Types of Degrees Held
  Count Percent
Respondents Do not have bachelor's degree 1816 9.2%
Have bachelor's degree 17886 90.8%
Do not have master's degree 12720 64.6%
Have master's degree 6982 35.4%
Do not have doctoral degree 19402 98.5%
Have doctoral degree 300 1.5%
Nonrespondents Do not have bachelor's degree 2566 11.1%
Have bachelor's degree 20595 88.9%
Do not have master's degree 16533 71.4%
Have master's degree 6628 28.6%
Do not have doctoral degree 22659 97.8%
Have doctoral degree 502 2.2%

Table 1.6:
Summary Measures of Age for Census Respondents and Nonrespondents
Respondents Count 23424
Mean 41.6
Standard deviation 10.7
10th percentile 28.0
25th percentile 32.0
Median 41.0
75th percentile 50.0
90th percentile 56.0
Nonrespondents Count 37001
Mean 43.6
Standard deviation 10.6
10th percentile 30.0
25th percentile 35.0
Median 43.0
75th percentile 52.0
90th percentile 57.0

Table 1.7:
Summary Measures of Age During Year of Graduation from PA School for Census Respondents and Nonrespondents
Respondents Count 23424
Mean 30.9
Standard deviation 7.0
10th percentile 24.0
25th percentile 26.0
Median 29.0
75th percentile 34.0
90th percentile 41.0
Nonrespondents Count 36995
Mean 30.9
Standard deviation 6.7
10th percentile 24.0
25th percentile 26.0
Median 29.0
75th percentile 34.0
90th percentile 41.0

Table 1.8:
Summary Measures of Years since Graduation from PA School for Census Respondents and Nonrespondents
Respondents Count 23494
Mean 10.7
Standard deviation 9.0
10th percentile 1.0
25th percentile 3.0
Median 7.0
75th percentile 18.0
90th percentile 26.0
Nonrespondents Count 38355
Mean 12.9
Standard deviation 9.3
10th percentile 2.0
25th percentile 5.0
Median 10.0
75th percentile 21.0
90th percentile 27.0


Section II: Professional Status of Respondents

Table 2.1:
Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents by Clinical Practice Status
  Count Percent
Respondents
23494
100.0%
In clinical practice
20856
88.8%
Not in clinical practice
2638
11.2%

Table 2.2:
Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents by Current Professional Status*
  Count Percent
Respondents
23494
100.0%
Clinically practicing PA
20856
88.8%
Clinically practicing physician or resident
109
.5%
Clinically practicing NP
230
1.0%
Other clinically practicing provider
161
.7%
PA educator
949
4.0%
Other health professions educator
300
1.3%
Health care professional-administrator
384
1.6%
Health care professional-researcher
160
.7%
Health care professional-lawyer
12
.1%
Health care professional-public health
60
.3%
Health care professional-other
537
2.3%
Other non-health professional
243
1.0%
Student in post-graduate PA program
170
.7%
Medical student
56
.2%
Other student
87
.4%
Not employed by choice
565
2.4%
Employed, seeking PA job
124
.5%
Unemployed, seeking PA job
250
1.1%
Unemployed, seeking non-PA job
68
.3%
Retired
453
1.9%
Other
309
1.3%
*Percentages sum to more than 100 because respondents were instructed to mark all that apply.


Section III: Information about Respondents in Clinical Practice

Table 3.1:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Number of Concurrent PA Jobs
 
Count
Percent
Respondents
20856
100.0%
One
17703
84.9%
Two
2567
12.3%
Three
387
1.9%
More than three
90
.4%
Self-employed w/mult contracts
109
.5%

Table 3.2:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Type of Primary Employer
  Count Percent
Respondents 20832 100.0%
Self-employed 553 2.7%
Solo physician practice 2929 14.1%
Single-specialty physician group 6251 30.0%
Multi-specialty physician group 2700 13.0%
University hospital 1517 7.3%
Other hospital 3083 14.8%
Freestanding urgent care center 388 1.9%
Freestanding surgical center 25 .1%
Nursing home or LTC facility 55 .3%
Home health agency 3 .0%
Hospice 1 .0%
HMO 550 2.6%
Community health center 1227 5.9%
Medical staffing agency 58 .3%
Physician practice mngmt org 309 1.5%
Integrated health system 201 1.0%
Corrections system 229 1.1%
Other 753 3.6%

Table 3.3:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Primary Employer's Government Affiliation
 
Count
Percent
Respondents
20623
100.0%
Not government employed
18589
90.1%
Air Force
144
.7%
Army
302
1.5%
Navy
115
.6%
Dept. of Veterans Affairs
503
2.4%
Federal Bureau of Prisons/DOJ
45
.2%
Federal Public Health Service
81
.4%
Indian Health Service
80
.4%
Other federal government
78
.4%
State government
431
2.1%
Local government
235
1.1%
Coast Guard
20
.1%

Table 3.4:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Primary Work Setting
 
Count
Percent
Respondents
20796
100.0%
Intensive/critical care unit of hospital
392
1.9%
Inpatient unit of hospital (not ICU/CCU)
1865
9.0%
Outpatient unit of hospital
1607
7.7%
Hospital emergency room
2047
9.8%
Hospital operating room
1443
6.9%
Other unit of hospital
253
1.2%
Federally Qualified Rural Health Center
905
4.4%
Other FQHC
335
1.6%
Other community health center/facility
476
2.3%
Freestanding urgent care facility
598
2.9%
Freestanding surgical facility
115
.6%
Solo practice physician office
2775
13.3%
Single-specialty physician group practice
4188
20.1%
Multi-specialty physician group practice
1874
9.0%
HMO facility
398
1.9%
Nursing home or LTC facility
179
.9%
University/college student health facility
137
.7%
School-based health facility
80
.4%
Other freestanding outpatient facility
462
2.2%
Correctional facility
255
1.2%
Industrial facility/work site
121
.6%
Mobile health unit
20
.1%
Patients' homes
17
.1%
Other
254
1.2%

Table 3.5:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Types of Practice Settings where Time is Spent*
 
Count
Percent
Respondents
20824
100.0%
Intensive/critical care unit of hospital
4235
20.3%
Inpatient unit of hospital (not ICU/CCU)
6769
32.5%
Outpatient unit of hospital
4303
20.7%
Hospital emergency room
5989
28.8%
Hospital operating room
4403
21.1%
Other unit of hospital
1801
8.6%
Federally Qualified Rural Health Center
1189
5.7%
Other FQHC
471
2.3%
Other community health center/facility
759
3.6%
Freestanding urgent care facility
1096
5.3%
Freestanding surgical facility
919
4.4%
Solo practice physician office
3379
16.2%
Single-specialty physician group practice
5501
26.4%
Multi-specialty physician group practice
2594
12.5%
HMO facility
590
2.8%
Nursing home or LTC facility
1338
6.4%
University/college student health facility
284