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How to hire an orthopaedic physician assistant

Orthopaedic physician assistant hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring orthopaedic physician assistants in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire an orthopaedic physician assistant is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new orthopaedic physician assistant to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an orthopaedic physician assistant, step by step

To hire an orthopaedic physician assistant, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire an orthopaedic physician assistant, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step orthopaedic 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 an orthopaedic physician assistant job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new orthopaedic physician assistant
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an orthopaedic physician assistant do?

An orthopedic physician assistant is an assistant to an orthopedic physician, a trained healthcare professional who also works with an orthopedic surgeon in an operating room. The responsibilities of orthopedic physician assistants are limited compared to an orthopedic nurse practitioner and may perform patient examination and history, interpret diagnostic tests, and handle admissions and discharges. Orthopedic physician assistants are trained in orthopedic surgery thus specialized in the operating room, while orthopedic nurse practitioners are trained in general medicine.

Learn more about the specifics of what an orthopaedic physician assistant does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your orthopaedic physician assistant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an orthopaedic physician assistant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    An orthopaedic physician assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, orthopaedic physician assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    The following list breaks down different types of orthopaedic physician assistants and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Orthopaedic Physician AssistantDescriptionHourly rate
    Orthopaedic Physician AssistantPhysician assistants, also known as PAs, practice medicine on teams with physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare workers. They examine, diagnose, and treat patients.$50-165
    Pain Management PhysicianPain management physicians are medical doctors who diagnose and coordinate treatment while providing care for patients who are experiencing pain. By understanding the physiology of pain, these physicians are required to conduct specialized tests to diagnose complex pain conditions as well as prescribe proper medications and therapies to treat them... Show more$62-238
    Obstetrics Gynecology PhysicianObstetrics Gynecology Physician is a specialist doctor in childbirth, pregnancy, and female reproductive health. Their duties include conducting tests such as pelvic exams, breast exams, and pap smears, diagnosing diseases and disorders, carrying out a patient routine check-up, prescribing treatment plans, and monitoring expectant mothers during periods of postpartum, pregnancy, and childbirth... Show more$61-238
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Patients
    • Surgery
    • Patient Care
    • Diagnostic Tests
    • Medical Care
    • Sports Medicine
    • Epic
    • Knee
    • Physical Exams
    • Physical Therapy
    • Direct Care
    • Discharge Summaries
    • Consults
    • Acute Care
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage care for post-operative patients.
    • Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
    • Order and asses lab work and diagnostic procedures including xrays, cat scans, and MRI's.
    • Recommend and order surgery when indicate; assist staff with preoperative orders.
    • Provide continuity of care for long-term surveillance of sarcoma patients during bi-monthly resident rotations.
    • Work with pediatric populations, associate pediatric illness perform suturing orthopedic emergencies fracture care, reduction, splint and cast placement.
    More orthopaedic physician assistant duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your orthopaedic physician assistant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An orthopaedic physician assistant salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, orthopaedic physician assistants' average salary in mississippi is 30% less than in nebraska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level orthopaedic physician assistants earn 70% less than senior-level orthopaedic physician assistants.
    • Certifications. An orthopaedic 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 an orthopaedic physician assistant's salary.

    Average orthopaedic physician assistant salary

    $189,482yearly

    $91.10 hourly rate

    Entry-level orthopaedic physician assistant salary
    $104,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average orthopaedic physician assistant salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Nebraska$271,379$130
    2New Mexico$254,592$122
    3Minnesota$249,383$120
    4California$236,808$114
    5Washington$224,927$108
    6Colorado$221,098$106
    7Illinois$207,255$100
    8Arizona$206,428$99
    9Massachusetts$205,882$99
    10Texas$198,887$96
    11New York$197,146$95
    12Tennessee$188,805$91
    13Ohio$184,471$89
    14Louisiana$183,380$88
    15North Carolina$181,096$87
    16South Carolina$180,517$87
    17Florida$177,587$85
    18Pennsylvania$171,144$82
    19Maryland$170,427$82
    20Missouri$169,640$82

    Average orthopaedic physician assistant salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1ProMedica Toledo Hospital$245,876$118.217
    2Samaritan Medical Center$230,435$110.79
    3Unm Medical Group, Inc.$229,431$110.303
    4Hennepin Healthcare$226,717$109.004
    5IL Bone & Joint$220,358$105.946
    6VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System$211,730$101.79
    7UPMC$207,866$99.9426
    8Pinehurst Surgical Clinic$205,769$98.931
    9St Joseph Medical Group$201,700$96.9762
    10University of Maryland Medical System$200,965$96.6248
    11Community Health Systems$200,558$96.423
    12Geisinger Medical Center$199,725$96.02174
    13Vancouver Clinic$196,312$94.383
    14HCR ManorCare$195,589$94.0314
    15CHI Health$191,986$92.30
    16Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai$190,802$91.73
    17Partners Healthcare Solutions Inc$189,902$91.30
    18Ohio State University Medical Center$186,698$89.76
    19Dignity Health$184,752$88.82133
    20McLeod Health$183,712$88.3216
  4. Writing an orthopaedic physician assistant job description

    An orthopaedic physician assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an orthopaedic physician assistant job description:

    Orthopaedic physician assistant job description example

    University of Minnesota Physicians (M Physicians) is a non-profit organization seeking driven individuals in both clinical and non-clinical areas to help transform health and medicine. Headquartered in Minneapolis, our organization employs more than 1,200 physicians, 300 advanced practice providers and 2,200 health professionals and staff throughout Minnesota and beyond.

    Join us on a mission to advance medicine.

    The Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Minnesota is seeking a full-time orthopedic surgeon with a subspecialty interest and expertise in both clinical practice and hand surgery.

    • Opportunity for orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty interest and expertise in both clinical practice and hand surgery as an assistant, associate, or full professor.
    • Responsibilities include patient care at M Health Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center and community sites in Maple Grove and Blaine.
    • Exceptional mentorship by renowned senior faculty.
    • All faculty members have protected academic time to pursue educational, quality, service, or research interests.
    • Excellent compensation and benefits supporting all aspects of well-being.
    • Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualifying employer.
    • Candidates must have completed ACGME accredited hand fellowship training and must be board eligible/certified in orthopedic surgery with subsequent board certification in surgery of the hand.

    About the Department:

    Our faculty and physicians are passionate about providing excellent patient care. From the reconstruction of joints to treating sports injuries, the experts within our department cover the gamut of focus areas. We're also preparing the next generation of orthopedic surgeons through world-class education and training programs.

    M Health and Clinical Partnerships

    Providers practice at affiliated locations under the M Health Fairview shared care delivery system. This partnership represents a collaboration between University of Minnesota Physicians, University of Minnesota Medical Center and Fairview Health Services to build a nationally known academic health system that combines academic and community resources to provide the very best clinical care to patients and communities, while also supporting research and education across the joint healthcare delivery system.

    University of Minnesota

    The University of Minnesota is among the largest and most prestigious public research universities in the nation. The University Medical School is a world-class institution with a long history of leadership and discoveries that have changed the practice of medicine. The nearly 3,000 outstanding faculty members are committed to achieving excellence in research, clinical care, and developing the next generation of health professionals.

    Community Information
    We are based in Minneapolis and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in America by U.S. News & World Report. The Minneapolis-St. Paul area offers a high quality of life and a low cost of living. You'll find excellent school systems, a robust economy, an award-winning culinary scene, museums of all types, outstanding theaters, and a reliable international airport. If you love the outdoors, you can enjoy all four seasons with the plethora of lakes, parks, and some of the country's best bike trails!

    PandoLogic. Keywords: Orthopedic Hand Surgeon, Location: Minneapolis, MN - 55454
  5. Post your job

    To find orthopaedic physician assistants for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any orthopaedic physician assistants they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level orthopaedic physician assistants with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your orthopaedic physician assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit orthopaedic physician assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with orthopaedic physician assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    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 orthopaedic physician assistant

    Once you've selected the best orthopaedic physician assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    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.

    To prepare for the new orthopaedic physician assistant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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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How much does it cost to hire an orthopaedic physician assistant?

There are different types of costs for hiring orthopaedic physician assistants. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new orthopaedic physician assistant employee.

You can expect to pay around $189,482 per year for an orthopaedic physician assistant, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for orthopaedic physician assistants in the US typically range between $50 and $165 an hour.

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