Physician Assistant

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

• 3414: Other Assisting Occupations in Support of Health Services*

2006 NOC-S

• D313: Other Assisting Occupations in Support of Health Services*

2011 NOC

• 3124: Allied primary health practitioners

2016 NOC

• 3124: Allied primary health practitioners

2021 NOC

• 31303: Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals

2023 OaSIS

• 31303.01: Physician Assistants

*This NOC group is considered similar to the Physician Assistant occupation. Because this occupation is only similar to the NOC group, related details and labour market information may not be accurate.

Physician assistants are highly skilled health-care providers. They support supervising physicians and enhance their productivity. This allows more patients to gain access to quality health care. They can order investigations, diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, and surgically assist supervising physicians, among other things.

In general, physician assistants:

• Conduct patient interviews and record medical histories
• Perform physical exams
• Counsel patients on preventive health-care practices
• Perform and evaluate routine diagnostic tests
• Diagnose and treat disease and injury
• Tend to cuts, casting, and splinting
• Provide referrals within the health-care system
• Prepare patients for surgery
• Manage patients before, during, and after surgical procedures
• Act as a first or second assistant during surgery
• Provide prescriptions and medical orders

Specific duties may vary with the physician assistant’s skill set and relationship with the physician in charge.

As part of a health-care team, physician assistants work under the direction of registered physicians to provide patient care in various clinical settings. Their schedules and working conditions depend on where they work and the role their supervising physician may have. In a hospital they may work rotating shifts of weekends, nights, or early mornings. In an outpatient clinic, they may work regular day-time hours. It can be a high-stress role.

Physician assistants work in:

• Public and military hospitals
• Community health centres
• Private offices of specialist physicians
• Clinics

Physician assistants train as generalists but work in many specialties (such as orthopaedics, oncology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry). As they gain greater clinical knowledge and experience, they can assume new duties and seek higher wages. For example, they may supervise other staff and PA students. Additional education improves career prospects.

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

In the 3124: Allied primary health practitioners occupational group, 94.6% of people work in:

• Health Care and Social Services

Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

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Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors. Learn how these factors can affect your career decisions.

• Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
• Location in Alberta
• Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
• Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
• Size of the occupation
• Trends and events that affect overall employment

Explore emerging workplace trends in Alberta that could affect this occupation.

In Alberta, the 3124: Allied primary health practitioners occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.8% from 2021 to 2025. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 16 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.

Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Alberta Health Services website: www.albertahealthservices.ca

Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA) website: capa-acam.ca

Canadian Medical Association (CMA) website: www.cma.ca

College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) website: www.cpsa.ca

Physician Assistants Certification Council of Canada (PACCC) website: capa-acam.ca/paccc

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.