Physician Assistant
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
Physician assistants help physicians expand their services. They assess patients to the degree determined by the supervising physician. They work with health care providers to improve patient access to care. They may also provide patient education and conduct research. As part of a health care team, physician assistants work under the direction of registered physicians to provide patient care in various clinical settings. (alis)
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, including typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational descriptions
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- OCCinfo from alis - Alberta-based occupational information
- PA Facts - Canadian Association of Physician Assistants
- A Day in the Life of a Physician Assistant - Princeton Review (U.S.)
- Certified PAs Do That! - practice overviews from the National Council on Certification of Physician Assistants (U.S.)
- Physician Assistants & Nurse Practitioners: Similarities and Differences in Canada - from CanadianPA.ca
- Discover your Future in Healthcare: Physician Assistant - University of Manitoba
- Physician Assistant Career Profile | Job Description, Salary, and Growth | Truity
- Sokanu - Physician Assistant occupational profile
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit U of M's faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities.
- Master of Physician Assistant Studies - Faculty of Graduate Studies
Exploring Other Education Options
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region) - Gov. of Canada Job Bank
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
- Physician & Clinical Assistants of Manitoba - Collective Agreements list
- Opportunext.ca for Physician's Assistant (Canada)
Professional Associations
Professional associations may organize events and provide directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities may also be available: engage, learn and network!
- Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA)
- Physician and Clinical Assistants of Manitoba
- The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba
- American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Regional Health Authorities - Province of Manitoba
- Canadian Association of Community Health Centres - members
- Physician Assistants Certification of Canada (PACCC)
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
These external resources may provide you with additional information about the occupation and opportunities to build experience:
- University of Manitoba Undergraduate Leaders in Healthcare - campus student group
- Rady Faculty of Health Science Community Mentorship Program - U of M student-led program
- Manitoba Physician Assistant Fellowship - resources for pre-PA students, current students and alumni
- Clinical Advisor - information website for PAs and Nurse Practitioners
- Official Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants
- Canadian Medical Association
- Health Force Ontario - Physician Assistant - overview and resources list
- UM welcomes new physician assistant students at inaugural exercises - welcome to new students