Career Resources

Areas of Practice

The Areas of Practice Guide is a collection of data, CME, personal perspectives, networking and job opportunities, and other tools and resources that AAPA has pulled together to help you succeed.

Setting Yourself Up for Success as a PA School Applicant

Are you a future PA student eager to set yourself up for success? Follow this blueprint from the Pre-PA Virtual Mixer to start your journey on the right foot!

Unlock the Doors to PA School with these CASPA Tips

The journey toward becoming a PA begins with the pivotal application to PA school. Pre-PAs who plan to apply to PA school this cycle should take note of the following important takeaways.

Key Networking Tips for Pre-PAs

Do you want to learn from the experiences and insights of PA and PA student experts? This article includes the biggest takeaways from participants of the Pre-PA Virtual Mixer, including how to prepare for PA school and excel in your career as a PA.

2023 Pre-PA Virtual Mixer

Malatrice Montgomery, PA-C and host of the the 2023 Pre-PA Virtual Mixer, shares her tips for networking, even as an introvert.

Beyond Your Day Job: Career Advancement via Side Gigs

Join PA Shayne Foley, co-founder of The PA Blueprint, LLC, in this interactive webinar that explores side gigs for PAs. Attendees can earn 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credit.

4 Ways to Maximize Your Gap Year as a Pre-PA Student

Are you considering taking a gap year before PA school? A gap year can lead to tremendous personal and professional growth and help you become a more competitive PA program applicant.

Applying to PA School: How to Choose the Right Program

Deciding what PA programs to apply to can be a challenge. It’s important for prospective students to select programs that meet their educational desires and complement their strengths. Follow our top tips for evaluating programs and earn your seat in the next PA cohort.

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.

Surgery

Surgery is one of the most popular PA specialties – approximately a quarter of the U.S. PA workforce practices in surgery! In addition, more and more PAs are entering the surgical field, helping to ease provider shortages and representing a larger trend towards team-based care in the operating room.

Dermatology

Are you interested in practicing in a busy specialty with predictable hours that also offers a nice work-life balance? Dermatology offers PAs the opportunity to evaluate, diagnose, and treat a wide variety of skin-related health conditions, both medically and surgically.

Mental Health and Psychiatry

Mental health disorders, as well as the physical health complications associated with them are on the rise – and are expected to continue to grow even more over the next twenty years. PAs can play a unique role in combatting the mental health crisis that affects communities across the United States.

How to Find PA Shadowing

Shadowing hours can strengthen your PA School application and show the admission committee you understand the unique role PAs play in healthcare. Here are three ways you can secure shadowing hours.

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.