Career Resources

PA Scope of Practice

PAs are proven and integral members of the U.S. healthcare system. But what exactly do PAs do? And who decides? The boundaries of each PA’s scope of practice are determined by these parameters: education and experience; state law; policies of employers and facilities, and the needs of the patients. 

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 smiling on the computer

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.

Image of a PA talking to her colleagues.

Fact-Checked: Myths About Malpractice Insurance

AAPA has partnered with CM&F for more than 20 years to provide trusted insurance protection for PAs’ assets and careers. To help you understand the complexities of malpractice insurance, they debunk five of the most common myths they hear from PAs.

AAPA Insurance Services "Protecting PA careers for over 30 years" promo

What PAs Need to Know About Malpractice Insurance

All clinically practicing PAs should carry professional liability coverage, often called malpractice insurance, during all time periods in which they practice. But the ins and outs of malpractice insurance can be confusing, so we have the official answers to nine of your most frequently asked questions.

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.

Thumbnail for Protecting Your Assets and Your Career webinar

Protecting Your Assets and Your Career

Learn basic concepts of medical malpractice law, how they apply to PAs, and how you can transfer malpractice risk away from the PA’s personal assets.

Thumbnail for Educating Employers About PAs video

Video: Educating Employers About PAs

Be ready to educate your current and future employers about working with PAs using these talking points.

Three PAs talking

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.

PAs and Team Practice

A summary of PAs in team-oriented care models.

Explaining PA Practice to Employers

Be ready to explain PA practice to potential employers and share the ways you can contribute to medical care.

PAs and Consent to Settle

AAPA Insurance offers consent to settle with no hammer clause, and might be the right choice for you.

A physician associate/physician assistant in surgical gear

What is a PA?

What is a PA (physician associate/physician assistant)? PAs are licensed clinicians who practice medicine in every specialty and setting.

Competencies for the Physician Associate Profession

Professional competencies for physician assistants include the effective and appropriate application of medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, patient care, professionalism, practice-based learning and improvement, and systems-based practice.