Date & Statistics > 2006 AAPA Physician Assistant Census Report - Tables
2006 AAPA Physician Assistant Census Report
List of Tables and Subject Index
Introduction Highlights of National Statistics
List of Tables Subject Index

List of Tables

Section I: Characteristics of 2006 AAPA Census Respondents and Nonrespondents

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 1.6
Age, in Year of Census, Summary Measures for Respondents and Nonrespondents Table 1.5
Call, Hours Taken per Month, Summary Measures for Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.9
Call, Responsibility for Taking, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.7
Call, Types Taken, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.8
Clinical Practice Status, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Table 2.1
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 4.13
Compensation, 2005 Graduates, Total Annual Income from Primary Employer, Summary Measures for Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.15
Compensation, Total Annual Income from Primary Employer, Summary Measures for Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.14
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 4.12
Compensation, Type of Base Pay Received, Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents Who Work at Least 32 Hours per Week at Primary Clinical Job Table 4.11
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
Employer Type, Number and Percent Distribution for Clinically Practicing Respondents Table 3.2
Fringe Benefits, Source of Funds for Select Types Table 4.17
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
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
Insurance, Types of, and Source of Funds for, Professional Liability Policies Table 4.10
Insurance, Source of Funds for Select Types Table 4.16
Metropolitan Status and Rurality 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
Nonrespondents Table 1.7

Section I: Characteristics of 2006 AAPA Census Respondents and Nonrespondents

Table 1.1:
Number and Percent Distribution of Census Respondents and Nonrespondents


 		Count Percent
Total 70630 100.0%
Respondents 23436 33.2%
Nonrespondents 47194 66.8%

Table 1.2:
Number and Percent Distribution of Census Respondents and Nonrespondents by Sex


 Respondents Nonrespondents Total
Count Percent Count Percent Count Percent
Total 23218 100.0% 46299 100.0% 69517 100.0%
Male 8744 37.7% 20511 44.3% 29255 42.1%
Female 14474 62.3% 25788 55.7% 40262 57.9%

Table 1.3:
Number and Percent Distribution of Census Respondents and Nonrespondents by Race


 Respondents Nonrespondents Total
Count Percent Count Percent Count Percent
Total 21213 100.0% 35709 100.0% 56922 100.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander 748 3.5% 1794 5.0% 2542 4.5%
Black (Not Hispanic) 757 3.6% 2810 7.9% 3567 6.3%
Hispanic/Latino Origin 811 3.8% 2027 5.7% 2838 5.0%
Amer Indian/Alaskan 168 .8% 351 1.0% 519 .9%
White (Not Hispanic) 18729 88.3% 28727 80.4% 47456 83.4%

Table 1.4:
Number and Percent Distribution of Census Respondents and Nonrespondents by PA Degrees Held


 Respondents Nonrespondents Total
Count Percent Count Percent Count Percent
Respondents 21678 100.0% 31509 100.0% 53187 100.0%
Certificate from PA school 6569 30.3% 10577 33.6% 17146 32.2%
Associate's degree from PA school 1437 6.6% 2668 8.5% 4105 7.7%
Bachelor's degree from PA school 9537 44.0% 15454 49.0% 24991 47.0%
Master's degree from PA school 7500 34.6% 7827 24.8% 15327 28.8%
*Percentages sum to more than 100 because some PAs received multiple degree types.

Table 1.5:
Summary Measures of Age for Census Respondents and Nonrespondents


 Respondents Nonrespondents Total
Count 23390 45831 69221
Mean 41.3 44.0 43.1
Standard deviation 10.9 11.2 11.2
10th p-tile 28.0 30.0 29.0
25th p-tile 32.0 35.0 34.0
Median 40.0 43.0 42.0
75th p-tile 50.0 53.0 52.0
90th p-tile 57.0 59.0 58.0

Table 1.6:
Summary Measures of Age During Year of Graduation from PA School for Census Respondents and Nonrespondents


 Respondents Nonrespondents Total

Count 23390 45834 69224
Mean 30.6 31.0 30.8
Standard deviation 6.8 6.8 6.8
10th p-tile 24.0 24.0 24.0
25th p-tile 26.0 26.0 26.0
Median 29.0 29.0 29.0
75th p-tile 34.0 34.0 34.0
90th p-tile 41.0 41.0 41.0

Table 1.7:
Summary Measures of Years since Graduation from PA School for Census Respondents and Nonrespondents


 Respondents Nonrespondents Total
Count 23436 47194 70630
Mean 10.7 13.3 12.5
Standard deviation 9.2 9.7 9.6
10th p-tile 2.0 3.0 2.0
25th p-tile 3.0 5.0 5.0
Median 7.0 10.0 9.0
75th p-tile 17.0 22.0 20.0
90th p-tile 26.0 29.0 28.0

Section II: Professional Status of Respondents

Table 2.1:
Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents by Clinical Practice Status


 Count Percent
Respondents 23436 100.0%
In clinical practice 21271 90.8%
Not in clinical practice 2165 9.2%

Table 2.2:
Number and Percent Distribution of Respondents by Current Professional Status*


 Count Percent
Respondents 23436 100.0%
Clinically practicing PA 21271 90.8%
Clinically practicing physician or resident 26 .1%
Clinically practicing NP 185 .8%
Other clinically practicing provider 181 .8%
PA educator 987 4.2%
Other health professions educator 298 1.3%
Health care professional-administrator 407 1.7%
Health care professional-researcher 166 .7%
Health care professional-lawyer 11 .0%
Health care professional-public health 60 .3%
Health care professional-other 425 1.8%
Other non-health professional 245 1.0%
Student in post-graduate PA program 123 .5%
Medical student 51 .2%
Other student 90 .4%
Not employed by choice 580 2.5%
Employed, seeking PA job 81 .3%
Unemployed, seeking PA job 183 .8%
Unemployed, seeking non-PA job 35 .1%
Retired 187 .8%
Other 250 1.1%
*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 21271 100.0%
One 18128 85.2%
Two 2572 12.1%
Three 375 1.8%
More than three 80 .4%
Self-employed w/mult contracts 116 .5%

Table 3.2:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Type of Primary Employer


 Count Percent
Respondents 20925 100.0%
Self-employed 545 2.6%
Solo physician practice 2697 12.9%
Single-specialty physician group 6591 31.5%
Multi-specialty physician group 2644 12.6%
University hospital 1652 7.9%
Other hospital 3030 14.5%
Freestanding urgent care center 447 2.1%
Freestanding surgical center 27 .1%
Nursing home or LTC facility 55 .3%
Home health agency 4 .0%
Hospice 2 .0%
HMO 437 2.1%
Community health center 1238 5.9%
Medical staffing agency 58 .3%
Physician practice mngmt org 284 1.4%
Integrated health system 246 1.2%
Corrections system 217 1.0%
Other 751 3.6%

Table 3.3:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Primary Employer's Government Affiliation


 Count Percent
Respondents 20700 100.0%
Not government employed 18851 91.1%
Air Force 99 .5%
Army 276 1.3%
Navy 99 .5%
Coast Guard 12 .1%
Dept. of Veterans Affairs 480 2.3%
Federal Bureau of Prisons/DOJ 36 .2%
Indian Health Service 74 .4%
Federal Public Health Service 79 .4%
Other Federal Government 96 .5%
State Government 331 1.6%
Local Government 267 1.3%

Table 3.4:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Primary Work Setting


 Count Percent
Respondents 21023 100.0%
Intensive/critical care unit of hospital 446 2.1%
Inpatient unit of hospital (not ICU/CCU) 2059 9.8%
Outpatient unit of hospital 1451 6.9%
Hospital emergency room 1982 9.4%
Hospital operating room 1408 6.7%
Other unit of hospital 291 1.4%
Federally Qualified Rural Health Center 774 3.7%
Other FQHC 409 1.9%
Other community health center/facility 512 2.4%
Freestanding urgent care facility 613 2.9%
Freestanding surgical facility 83 .4%
Solo practice physician office 2646 12.6%
Single-specialty physician group practice 4617 22.0%
Multi-specialty physician group practice 1922 9.1%
HMO facility 339 1.6%
Nursing home or LTC facility 163 .8%
University/college student health facility 123 .6%
School-based health facility 77 .4%
Other freestanding outpatient facility 388 1.8%
Correctional facility 231 1.1%
Industrial facility/work site 100 .5%
Mobile health unit 23 .1%
Patients' homes 27 .1%
Other 339 1.6%

Table 3.5:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Types of Practice Settings where Time is Spent For Primary Employer*


 Count Percent
Respondents 21043 100.0%
Intensive/critical care unit of hospital 4721 22.4%
Inpatient unit of hospital (not ICU/CCU) 7065 33.6%
Outpatient unit of hospital 4349 20.7%
Hospital emergency room 6295 29.9%
Hospital operating room 4628 22.0%
Other unit of hospital 1906 9.1%
Federally Qualified Rural Health Center 1036 4.9%
Other FQHC 591 2.8%
Other community health center/facility 796 3.8%
Freestanding urgent care facility 1011 4.8%
Freestanding surgical facility 1068 5.1%
Solo practice physician office 3047 14.5%
Single-specialty physician group practice 6070 28.8%
Multi-specialty physician group practice 2625 12.5%
HMO facility 499 2.4%
Nursing home or LTC facility 1181 5.6%
University/college student health facility 269 1.3%
School-based health facility 169 .8%
Other freestanding outpatient facility 658 3.1%
Correctional facility 356 1.7%
Industrial facility/work site 183 .9%
Mobile health unit 87 .4%
Patients' homes 354 1.7%
Other 562 2.7%
*Percentages sum to more than 100 because respondents were instructed to mark all that apply.

Table 3.6:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by General Specialty Practiced for Primary Employer


 Count Percent
Respondents 20998 100.0%
Family/general medicine 5572 26.5%
General internal medicine 1497 7.1%
Emergency medicine 2045 9.7%
General pediatrics 516 2.5%
General surgery 575 2.7%
Internal medicine subspecialties 2336 11.1%
Pediatric subspecialties 324 1.5%
Surgical subspecialties 4668 22.2%
Obstetrics and gynecology 485 2.3%
Occupational medicine 495 2.4%
Other 2485 11.8%

Table 3.7:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by Specialty Practiced for Primary Employer


 Count Percent
Respondents 20998 100.0%
Addiction medicine 77 .4%
Allergy 121 .6%
Anesthesiology 56 .3%
Dermatology 693 3.3%
Emergency medicine 2045 9.7%
Family practice w/o urgent care 3261 15.5%
Family practice wt urgent care 2311 11.0%
Genetics 4 .0%
Geriatrics 128 .6%
Obstetrics/gynecology 485 2.3%
Occupational medicine 495 2.4%
Ophthalmology 24 .1%
Pain management 223 1.1%
Pathology 4 .0%
Physical med rehab 165 .8%
Psychiatry 201 1.0%
Public health 38 .2%
Radiation oncology 57 .3%
Radiology 71 .3%
Interventional radiology 112 .5%
Hospital medicine 239 1.1%
General surgery 575 2.7%
Surg: cardiovascular/cardiothoracic 681 3.2%
Surg: colon & rectal 25 .1%
Surg: hand 51 .2%
Surg: neurology 518 2.5%
Surg: oncology 61 .3%
Surg: orthopedics 2224 10.6%
Surg: otorhinolaryngology 190 .9%
Surg: pediatric 23 .1%
Surg: plastic 155 .7%
Surg: thoracic 35 .2%
Surg: transplant 43 .2%
Surg: trauma 102 .5%
Surg: urology 256 1.2%
Surg: vascular 140 .7%
Surg: bariatric 52 .2%
Surg: other 112 .5%
General pediatrics 516 2.5%
Ped: adolescent medicine 48 .2%
Ped: allergy 5 .0%
Ped: cardiology 18 .1%
Ped: critical care 21 .1%
Ped: endocrinology 11 .1%
Ped: gastroenterology 17 .1%
Ped: hematology/oncology 8 .0%
Ped: infectious disease 2 .0%
Ped: neonatal-perinatal 69 .3%
Ped: nephrology 2 .0%
Ped: neurology 18 .1%
Ped: pulmonology 8 .0%
Ped: rheumatology 4 .0%
Ped: oncology 18 .1%
Ped: other 75 .4%
General internal medicine 1497 7.1%
IM: cardiology 798 3.8%
IM: critical care 82 .4%
IM: endocrinology 107 .5%
IM: gastroenterology 385 1.8%
IM: hematology/oncology 43 .2%
IM: immunology 2 .0%
IM: infectious disease 110 .5%
IM: nephrology 127 .6%
IM: neurology 131 .6%
IM: pulmonology 87 .4%
IM: rheumatology 74 .4%
IM: oncology 294 1.4%
IM: other 96 .5%
Other 272 1.3%

Table 3.8:
Summary Measures of Years in Clinical Practice as PA for Clinically Practicing Respondents

Respondents 21235
Mean 9.4
Standard deviation 8.9
10th percentile 1.0
25th percentile 3.0
Median 6.0
75th percentile 14.0
90th percentile 25.0

Table 3.9:
Summary Measures of Years in Current Position for Clinically Practicing Respondents

Respondents 20704
Mean 4.9
Standard deviation 5.8
10th percentile .0
25th percentile 1.0
Median 3.0
75th percentile 6.0
90th percentile 13.0

Table 3.10:
Summary Measures of Years in Current Specialty for Clinically Practicing Respondents

Respondents 20207
Mean 6.5
Standard deviation 7.2
10th percentile .0
25th percentile 1.0
Median 4.0
75th percentile 9.0
90th percentile 18.0

Table 3.11:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by AAPA Region in Which Employed


 Count Percent
Respondents 20639 100.0%
Northeast 4692 22.7%
Southeast 4899 23.7%
North Central 4344 21.0%
South Central 2768 13.4%
West 3936 19.1%

Table 3.12:
Number and Percent Distribution of Clinically Practicing Respondents by State/Geographic Location in Which Employed


 Count Percent
Respondents 20639 100.0%
Alaska 123 .6%
Alabama 105 .5%
Arkansas 41 .2%
Arizona 505 2.4%
California 1613 7.8%
Colorado 572 2.8%
Connecticut 452 2.2%
District Of Columbia 57 .3%
Delaware 61 .3%
Florida 1112 5.4%
Georgia 623 3.0%
Guam 5 .0%
Hawaii 48 .2%
Iowa 309 1.5%
Idaho 177 .9%
Illinois 594 2.9%
Indiana 210 1.0%
Kansas 282 1.4%
Kentucky 258 1.3%
Louisiana 140 .7%
Massachusetts 478 2.3%
Maryland 480 2.3%
Maine 188 .9%
Michigan 988 4.8%
Minnesota 412 2.0%
Missouri 208 1.0%
Mississippi 29 .1%
Montana 129 .6%
North Carolina 1082 5.2%
North Dakota 84 .4%
Nebraska 283 1.4%
New Hampshire 141 .7%
New Jersey 307 1.5%
New Mexico 141 .7%
Nevada 140 .7%
New York 1710 8.3%
Ohio 515 2.5%
Oklahoma 299 1.4%
Oregon 288 1.4%
Pennsylvania 1212 5.9%
Rhode Island 76 .4%