Medical Malpractice

Do most hospitals hire Physician Assistants?

I want to work in the medical field and I want to work in a the emergency department. If I decide to become a Physician Assistant then I would apply for residencies in emergency medicine or surgery. I would like to work in a big city hospital in California. For example hospitals near San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, or San Diego. Do a lot of hospitals employ physician assistants in these areas? I think I can make the biggest difference working in a hospital rather than a private practice. Thank you for your help.

Public Comments

1. The only time I've ever had a P.A. see me is in private practice. But that's just my experience.
2. There are many PAs used in emergency rooms throughout the USA. The military uses PAs more so than actual MDs it seems. On occasion, PAs are used in the fast-track area to free the ER physicians to see the higher level trauma patients. The bulk of the health care in the US is seen in ambulatory clinics, not emergency rooms. Emergency rooms do have a great function, but their function is to stabilize patients, so the private practice practitioners can assume the care.