For many people, the Strong Interest Inventory® is the first step to finding a career that is a good fit for their personality, professional strengths, and lifestyle preferences. This test assesses many different criteria, from work-life balance to recreational pursuits, and then refers an individual to one to three of six Theme Code Categories, each of which contains a number of different careers. Being a Physician Assistant is considered part of The Strong Interest Inventory® Social Theme Code Category of careers because it is highly interpersonal and involves communicating and caring for other people.

Physician Assistants provide healthcare services under the supervision of a physician. For example, they might conduct complete physicals or otherwise examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition. This examination may include performing diagnostic tests, such as x-rays, electrocardiograms (EKGs), and laboratory tests. They might also interpret the diagnostic test results, make tentative diagnoses, provide treatment, and counsel patients. In some cases, they may even prescribe medication or mental or physical therapy. If a patient requires additional services, a Physician Assistant might instruct and counsel patients about their care regimens, including normal growth and development, family planning, health maintenance, and emotional problems of daily living.

Like many medical professionals, Physician Assistants also have many clerical and professional responsibilities. For example, they may order medical and laboratory supplies and equipment and supervise or coordinate the activities of technicians and technical assistants. They obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, diagnosis, progress notes, and the results of any interventions or examinations that were conducted.

Physician Assistants use many different kinds of tools and technologies to provide services to their patients. For example, they should be comfortable using computers and basic programs, such as Microsoft Office Suite. In addition, teleconferencing software and medical software may also be necessary, depending on the precise responsibilities of their role and context. Individuals who are considering this career should become proficient with using computers.

In order to fulfil their daily tasks and responsibilities, Physician Assistants need to have a foundational knowledge of medicine and dentistry, biology, psychology and anatomy. They must be proficient in English as well as any other languages spoken by their patients. Most Physician Assistants are highly educated and hold a Master’s Degree (50%) or a professional degree (15%). In addition, due to the significant amount of communication inherent in their responsibilities, they must have well-developed active listening, critical thinking, and reading comprehension skills.

The median salary for Physician Assistants is $104,860 annually. In most of the country, they earn well over $100,000. However, notably in Mississippi and Puerto Rico salaries dip under $60,000. Current employment is over $106,000 nationwide, with projected growth rates of over 15% annually. The fastest growing states are Georgia, Colorado, Nevada, and Florida, while because of their high population, New York and California lead the way in terms of total job openings.

Below are some employment trends for Physician Assistants.

• Median Salary: $50.41 hourly; $104,860 annually
• Employment: 106,000 employees
• Projected growth (2016-2026): much faster than average (15% or higher)
• Projected job openings (2016-2026): 10,600

[Information retrieved from Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2016-2026 employment projections]

Visit Our Strong Interest Inventory® Resource Page

Visit Our Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® Career Resource Database for Information on MBTI® Personality Type Careers

To Learn More About the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, visit our About MBTI Test Page

Gain access to your best-fit careers, occupational preferences and interests with these career based Strong Interest Inventory® Assessments:

 

Explore our Strong Interest Inventory® Blog Pages:

• Strong Interest Inventory Realistic Theme Explained 
• Strong Interest Inventory Artistic Theme Explained
• Strong Interest Inventory Investigative Theme Explained 
• Strong Interest Inventory Social Theme Explained 
• Strong Interest Inventory Enterprising Theme Explained 
• Strong Interest Inventory Conventional Theme Explained 

Assessment Categories

References

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2012-2022 employment projections Onetonline.org