Healthcare provider shortages in America have recruiters working overtime trying to fill an ever-increasing number of vacancies. In such a challenging market, it is vital for recruiters to know where to find the best candidates. When it comes to finding experienced Physician Assistants there is an important factor to consider, PAs that work a second job. Of the 131,000 certified Physician Assistants working today, approximately 11% endorse working a secondary clinical position⁽¹⁾. This represents a large pool of top-notch, experienced PA candidates that are open to new employment opportunities. To help tap into the PAs that are most open to working multiple jobs, often in a different medical specialty, it's important to where they are practicing.

If you are seeking Physician Assistant hires in the areas of Primary Care, Emergency Medicine, and Family Practice, then you are in luck according to the 2018 NCCPA Statistical Profile of Certified Physician Assistants, as these specialties have the largest number of PAs working a second job.

1. Emergency Medicine: The field of Emergency Medicine is the top place to find Physician Assistants working a secondary clinical job. Of all the PAs that endorse working more than one job, 23% of these endorse Emergency Medicine as their secondary practice area⁽¹⁾.
2. Primary Care: Physician Assistants have become part of the solution to America's healthcare provider shortages by filling many primary care vacancies. This is a logical fit for a profession built on the bedrock of primary care practice. Close to 3,000 PAs endorse working both in their specialty of choice as well as primary care⁽¹⁾.
3. Family Medicine/General Practice: These specialties also endorse a large number of experienced Physician Assistants willing to work more than one job. More than 2,220 PAs in these fields endorsing multiple practice, making it a worthwhile area to focus recruiting efforts⁽¹⁾.
4. Surgical Subspecialties: If filling surgical PA vacancies is on the agenda, it may be beneficial to consider an alternative approach that includes PAs working a second job. There are over 1,800 PAs working secondary jobs in surgical specialties, with Ortho Surgery, General Surgery, and Cardiovascular Surgery topping the list⁽¹⁾.