Career Resources

How to Overcome Struggles in Family Medicine

In an AAPA Huddle Ask Me session, two experts with years of experience in family medicine answered questions on increasing the number of PAs in the field, the benefits of getting involved in the community, and how to negotiate for better conditions for PAs and their patients.

Practice Partnership and Ownership

Owning a practice or other healthcare business is complex and can present special challenges for PAs. The following information can help you decide whether practice partnership or ownership is right for you.

A Day in the Life of a Rheumatology PA

As a PA practicing in rheumatology, Lindsay Tom, PA-C, treats a wide variety of rheumatology conditions. In this specialty, she helps return quality of life for patients in pain – and her clinical work includes radiology, procedures, and assisting in the infusion suite.

Is Locums work a good option for you?

Practicing in a locum tenens position is a uniquely flexible way to explore a new location, expand your practice, make professional connections, and stay clinically active between longer-term positions.

Tips for Contract Negotiation, Using the AAPA Salary Report

Every day, PA Career Coach Jennifer Hohman uses the AAPA Salary Report to help her clients negotiate their employment contracts. In this article, Jennifer shares how she leverages the Salary Report for her client’s benefit.

Prepare for the Ins and Outs of Practicing in Orthopaedic Surgery

AAPA’s latest Huddle “Ask Me” session called on four experts to answer questions about starting a career in orthopaedic surgery, practicing in various subspecialties, and which resources will best prepare PAs for success in this popular surgical specialty.

Three Steps for Bouncing Back from Career Setbacks

Career disappointments and setbacks are parts of the professional journey that will happen to almost every PA at some point—and they can feel devastating. In this article I’d like to explore some ideas and approaches for responding to career setbacks so that you not only rebound but return to your practice with greater zest and confidence.

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PAs in Dermatology Offer Advice for Breaking into the Competitive Specialty

In Huddle’s latest Ask Me session, PAs in dermatology Amber Blair, MMS, PA-C, and Kristin Rygg, MPAS, PA-C, fielded questions from students and practicing PAs looking to enter the dermatology specialty.

Pennsylvania PA has a Passion for Correctional Medicine

LCDR Stephanie Hoover, PA-C, MPAS, has made her career in her hometown of Loretto, Pennsylvania, where she attended a PA program, landed her first Federal Bureau of Prisons job, and currently serves as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Public Health Service at a Federal Correctional Institution.

A PA examines a patient

A Day in the Life of a PA in Genetics

As a PA practicing in medical genetics, Wesley Patterson, PhD(c), MSPA, PA-C, evaluates and treats patients with suspected or known genetic disorders. His current dissertation work focuses on genetics and genomic education for PAs, mirroring his passion to advocate for the importance of further incorporating genetics into the PA profession.

Professional headshot of a woman

A Day in the Life of a PA in Dermatology

Sara M. Wilchowski, MS, PA-C, never has a typical day practicing in dermatology. She enjoys the variety of her specialty, from conducting full-body cancer exams to navigating tough conversations with patients and their families in order to communicate treatment options.

Smiling PA in blue scrubs

Your Top 5 Career Questions Answered by the PA Career Coach

Jennifer Anne Hohman, the PA Career Coach, answers the top five questions we heard from PAs this year. She offers her expert advice on asking for a raise, negotiating (and renegotiating) your salary, how to land a job as a new grad, and more.

Image of a PA talking to her colleagues.

4 Non-Salary Negotiations PAs Need to Consider

For most professionals, the words “negotiate” and “salary” often go hand-in-hand. But when employers can’t increase your salary offer, you may find them willing to increase or improve other areas of the benefits package to entice you to work for them.

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Anatomy of a Contract

Use our interactive tool to familiarize yourself with a contract. We’ve outlined the key elements typically found in PA employment contracts and offered some advice on what to expect, ask for, and be wary of in each section.

Strategies for PAs to Prevent Burnout

While work/life balance will always be provisional and imperfect, it is worth seeking; it is essential PAs take care of themselves to prevent professional and personal burnout.