How Much Do Physician Associates Get Paid?

Physician associate pay is always an interesting topic.

PAs are handsomely compensated for their work however some may complain that their earning potential is capped too low.

How much do PAs get paid

Physician associates should expect to start earning £32,000 in their first role.

This is assuming you work a typical week which ranges between 37 to 42 hours.

As they get more experienced, PAs can earn up to £45,000 or more, depending on if they work additional weekend shifts, evenings and bank holidays.

How to become one

To become a physician associate, you must first gain an undergraduate degree in health or life sciences including subjects like biomedical science, nursing, pharmacy, biochemistry, and biology.

After this, you must study a recognised postgraduate course in physician associate studies which lasts for 2 years full-time.

Physician associate apprenticeships have also been available however this is a lesser-used route.

How does a PA salary compare to other healthcare workers?

Doctors

PAs actually start out earning more than junior doctors do!

An FY1 doctor can expect to make £29,384 in their first year, while a PA can expect to come in at £32,305.

This however assumes no additional shifts are taken by the doctor (which is almost always not the case).

FY2 doctors make a little more money at £34,012 which surpasses a new PAs introductory pay.

Nurses

PAs are paid more than nurses.

Nurses can expect to being their careers with a salary of £25,654.

This will later increase to around £31,000 after a few years of experience.

New PAs are able to make more money in their introductory years than experienced nurses working similar shift patterns.

Additional resources

Here are a few additional resources for anyone interested in the role!

Governmental resources

Preparation resources

PA Pack

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