Career Resources
Specialty Transitions: Researching the Best Options for You
PA Career Coach Jennifer Hohman frequently works with clients who are considering changing their specialty. Find out how she helps her clients find the right specialty for them through careful self-assessment, research, and networking.
PA Administrators
PAs in administration utilize leadership and management competencies above and beyond their clinical skill set to positively affect patient care; they are aspiring or current experts in the business of medicine, revenue cycle management, quality improvement, health information technology, and compliance. AAPA supports PA administrators by offering opportunities to acquire skills and knowledge.
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.
![PA smiling on the computer](https://www.aapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bindi_featuredimage-620x380.jpg)
How to Tailor Your Job Application for a Specialty Transition
Any successful career transition is rooted in self-knowledge, curiosity and a zestful movement towards what inspires you as a clinician. PAs have unique career journeys given their ability to navigate specialty transitions that can be both exciting and daunting.
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AOP Guide
Explore a new career direction or specialty with this collection of AAPA and partner resources, salary data, and CME on various practice areas, including Administration, Dermatology, Education, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Internal Medicine, Orthopaedic Surgery, Telemedicine, and Urgent Care.
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Q&A with PA Leader Clair Kuriakose
Clair Kuriakose, MBA, PA-C, is a high achiever. She sets goals for herself, achieves them, and then strategically lays out her next steps. She finished PA school, got her MBA and Lean Six Sigma certification, and now leads advanced practice providers at Stanford Health Care.
![Nicole S. Cournoyer reviewing a chart](https://www.aapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Reviewing-a-chart-at-the-clinic_featuredimage.png)
A Day in the Life of PA Faculty and Clinician
Nicole S. Cournoyer, PA-C, faculty member at Thomas Jefferson University, started her career in a community-based oncology office. Teaching patients and family members about disease processes, medications and interventions led to lecturing then teaching full-time at her alma mater.
![PA pointing at a computer in front of another PA](https://www.aapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/comphealth_featured-620x380.jpg)
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3 Ways PAs Can Advance Their Careers Through Leadership
For PAs looking to grow in their careers, there are also many opportunities to become a true leader in your field — either directly or through thought leadership. Here are three ways to advance in your career and become a leader.
![Three PAs talking](https://www.aapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Sept_CH_featured-600x380.jpg)
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Why I Changed Specialties as a PA
One of the major advantages of becoming a PA is that it is relatively easy to change from one specialty to another without the need for new certification. More than 50% of PAs will change specialties during their careers, according to AAPA’s Salary Report.
![PA sitting at her desk, smiling](https://www.aapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/20150807_Davis_aapa_2933_featuredimage-620x380.jpg)
Looking for a Non-Clinical Role? Consider Medical or Clinical Science Liaison
PAs who serve as medical and clinical science liaisons play a unique role in pharmaceutical and other medical organizations. They use their clinical skills to interpret clinical trials, medications’ chemical composition, safety matters, and help to educate clinicians.
![Andrea Lowe headshot](https://www.aapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/AndreaHeadshot1_FB_social-620x380.jpg)
PA, Leadership Consultant, Career Expert: Meet Andrea Lowe
Andrea Lowe, MHA, PA-C, has a lot of ideas about raising PA public awareness and increasing career opportunities for PAs. Lowe practiced as a PA in emergency medicine and then transitioned to increasingly visible leadership roles.
![Katherine Wilkens, Kasey Drapeau D’Amato, and Stephen D’Amato posing outside](https://www.aapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Kasey-3-1.jpg)
PA Entrepreneur Develops Popular Skincare Line
Kasey Drapeau D’Amato, a PA in dermatology, used her clinical skills to build a skincare business. Read how D’Amato became an entrepreneur and started Airelle Skincare. She also shares her skincare secrets and advice for PAs who want to start a business.
Three Steps to Making a Non-Clinical Career Move
The PA profession offers unique latitude and flexible employment opportunities across the medical spectrum. For those PAs interested in non-clinical career options, Jennifer Hohman, founder of PA Career Coach, offers tips and ideas for your next steps.
PA Executive: Javier Esquivel-Acosta
Physicians have traditionally filled the roles of medical directors. However, with the right background and determination, many PAs have shown they, too, have what it takes to be successful in those positions. One prime example is PA Javier Esquivel-Acosta, who for several years served as associate medical director at the Foothill Community Health Center (FCHC) in San Jose, Calif. The center oversees a number of local health clinics throughout the area.
PAs in Administration
For Sheri A. Shebairo, MBA, PA-C, getting to the bottom of an issue has been a driving force throughout her professional life. Her first career was as a television news reporter in New York, but she always knew she wanted to have a more personal impact on the lives of others.