How to hire a certified physician assistant

How to hire a certified physician assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step certified physician assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a certified physician assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new certified physician assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the certified physician assistant you need to hire. Certain certified physician assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a certified physician assistant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a certified physician assistant that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of certified physician assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Certified Physician Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Certified Physician Assistant	Physician assistants, also known as PAs, practice medicine on teams with physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare workers. They examine, diagnose, and treat patients.	$35-103
   Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner	An advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) is responsible for patient care. An ARNP may practice independently or work with other healthcare professionals such as physicians... Show more	$29-73
   Clinical Laboratory Technician	A clinical laboratory technician typically works under the direction of a physician or medical technologist to perform tests that will aid in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions and illnesses. You will perform various duties, including preparing samples for analysis, monitoring tests and procedures, and matching blood for transfusion... Show more	$17-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Diagnosis
   • Surgical Procedures
   • Outpatient Clinic
   • Urgent Care
   • Internal Medicine
   • Physical Exams
   • Suturing
   • Surgery
   • Patient Histories
   • Medical Care
   • Primary Care
   • Direct Patient Care
   • Emergency Room

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
   • Provide bio-identical hormone replacement therapy to select patients and provide coordination of patient care in a rural primary care setting.
   • Perform comprehensive history and physical exams and provide a multidisciplinary care plan for patients suffering from acute and chronic pain.
   • Perform suturing repair for laceration repairs.
   • Work in an outpatient orthopedic clinic with emphasis on physical medicine, rehabilitation of both chronic and acute orthopedic conditions.
   • Document all procedures via dictation or handwritten in patient chart.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your certified physician assistant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A certified physician assistant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, certified physician assistants' average salary in idaho is 51% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level certified physician assistants earn 66% less than senior-level certified physician assistants.
   • Certifications. A certified physician assistant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a certified physician assistant's salary.

   Average certified physician assistant salary

   $126,201yearly

   $60.67 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level certified physician assistant salary

   $73,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

4. Writing a certified physician assistant job description

   A good certified physician assistant job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a certified physician assistant job description:

   Certified physician assistant job description example

   We are a health care company that makes a difference in our community . We pay our Certified Physician Assistants a competitive salary starting at $115,000 - $125,000/year . Our team also enjoys great benefits , including generous paid time off (PTO), health insurance, life insurance, and weekends and holidays off work . Plus, we make it easy to apply with our initial quick mobile-optimized application . If we have your attention, please continue reading!

   
   

   ABOUT ARCADIA MEDICAL ASSOCIATES

   Arcadia Medical Associates is a medical center that provides an array of services. We are committed to high-quality and compassionate care delivered in a coordinated and patient-centered way. We are eager to assist our patients with any of their healthcare needs! Our medical team and staff are committed to providing a personalized, pleasant, and discreet experience.

   We know that we would not be able to do this without our outstanding team. We recognize the hard work that our employees put in and offer competitive pay, excellent benefits, and an awesome work environment!

   
   

   ARE YOU A GOOD FIT?

   Ask yourself: Is your attention to detail exceptional? Do you enjoy interacting with members of the community? Can you work effectively in fast-paced and stressful situations? If so, please consider applying for this health care position today!

   
   

   YOUR LIFE AS A CERTIFIED PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

   The hours for this position are semi-flexible. You may go into the hospital during the morning and do a round, then come back and do rounds in the evening. You might also work a straight shift.

   As a Certified Physician Assistant, you do rounds in the hospital, checking in on different patients. Working as a part of a health care team, you examine patients, diagnose illnesses, develop/manage treatment plans, and prescribe medications. You work in all areas of medicine, depending on what is needed.

   You are highly energetic, and your upbeat demeanor makes our patients feel safe and comfortable. They appreciate you taking the time to make sure they understand exactly what you're saying. You answer questions they have and follow up as needed. Knowing that you are making such a difference and providing such a critical service brings your heart joy!

   
   

   WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

   • A PRN or PA license

   New graduates are welcome to apply, even if they don't have a lot of experience! We will support the right candidate. If you can meet these requirements and perform this health care job as described above, we would be happy to have you as part of our team!

   Location:34205

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right certified physician assistant for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your certified physician assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit certified physician assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit certified physician assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new certified physician assistant

   Once you've found the certified physician assistant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new certified physician assistant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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