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Kraena Pre-Health
Career Library

Diagnose & Treat

Physician Assistant (PA)

Diagnoses, treats, and prescribes in collaboration with a physician — much of a doctor's scope, in a fraction of the training time.

Years after high school

6–7

Degree

Master's degree (MPAS, MSPAS, or similar)

Entrance exam

GRE or PA-CAT (varies by program); some require neither

Median pay

$135,880 national median (BLS, May 2025).

What the job is actually like

Often nearly indistinguishable from a physician's day to a patient. You take histories, examine patients, order and interpret tests, prescribe, and perform procedures. The difference is structural: you practice in collaboration with a physician rather than independently, and you can change specialties without redoing residency.

The path

  1. 014 years undergraduate with science prerequisites
  2. 02Accumulate direct patient care hours — this is the step most applicants underestimate
  3. 03GRE or PA-CAT, depending on the program
  4. 0424–27 month master's PA program
  5. 05PANCE certification exam

Good fit if

  • You want to practice medicine but not spend your twenties in training
  • You like the idea of switching specialties later without starting over
  • You want strong pay and strong work-life balance in the same job

Think twice if

  • You want to be the final authority on every decision
  • You dislike the idea of accumulating 1,000+ patient care hours before you even apply

Worth knowing

Most PA programs require significant hands-on patient care hours before you apply — often 500 to 2,000+. This is why roles like medical scribe, EMT, CNA, and medical assistant matter so much for PA hopefuls. Start early.

Similar paths worth comparing

Physician (MD or DO)

Diagnoses and treats illness, leads the care team, and carries final responsibility for the plan.

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Pharmacist (PharmD)

The medication expert — catches dangerous interactions and dosing errors that would otherwise reach patients.

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Dentist (DDS or DMD)

Diagnoses and treats oral disease, with a heavy emphasis on procedural skill.

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All salary figures here are median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 — the most recent full national dataset. 'Median' means half of workers earn more and half earn less. Three things to keep in mind: (1) pay varies enormously by state, city, setting, and experience — a nurse in California and a nurse in rural Alabama earn very different salaries; (2) training lengths are typical, not guaranteed, and programs differ; (3) these numbers change every year. Always verify current figures at bls.gov/ooh before making a decision. For context, the BLS median wage for all U.S. occupations was $50,980, while healthcare practitioner and technical occupations had a median of $86,530 — one of the reasons health care is such a stable field.