About 3 percent of physician assistants are currently practicing in orthopedics, according to Medscape's 2023 "Physician Assistant Compensation" report, down from 10 percent last year.
The majority of PAs practice in family medicine — 13 percent in 2023 and 14 percent in 2022.
Compensation for PAs is up this year, with base compensation reaching $122,000 and total compensation reaching $134,000, up from $118,000 and $129,000 last year.
In 2022, orthopedic PAs earned an average of $134,000 a year, well above the average for all PAs.