Physician Assistant Resume—PA Template & Examples in 2024

So much of what makes you a great physician assistant does nothing to prepare you for writing a physician assistant resume.

But there is a way to harness your medical skills, play to your strengths, and write a winning resume for a physician assistant job.

In this guide:

• A physician assistant resume sample better than four out of five out there.
• How to create the perfect PA resume job descriptions.
• How to write a resume for physical assistant jobs that stands out.
• Expert tips and professional examples to boost your chances of landing a PA job.

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Not yet a physician assistant or thinking of a side-step? Check out our guides:

• Medical School Resume Examples
• Paramedic / EMT Resume Examples
• Nursing Resume Examples
• ICU (Critical Care) Nurse Resume Examples
• Nursing Student Resume Examples
• New Grad Nursing (RN) Resume Examples
• RN (Registered Nurse) Resume Examples
• Radiology Technologist Resume
• Phlebotomist Resume Examples
• Nurse Practitioner Resume Examples
• Medical-Surgical Nurse Resume
• Medical Resume Examples
• Medical Assistant Resume Examples

Physician Assistant Resume Sample

Now here’s how to write a resume for physician assistants, stat:

1. Choose the Correct Physician Assistant Resume Format

Things you wouldn’t do:

• Haphazardly scrawl patient notes
• Improvise what sections go on preoperative data sheets
• Write five pages when one is enough.

So don’t make your physician assistant resume the exception—Make your resume format as clean and orderly as an OR. Here’s how:

Physician Assistant Resume Format

• Use the reverse-chronological resume format to put recent successes first. It’s a resume style most liked by recruiters.
• Choose an appropriate resume font like Arial or Noto in 11–12 pt.
• Use one-inch resume marginsand allow for plenty of white space.
• Submit a one-page resume. Go to a second page only if you’ve got 20+ years experience.
• Include at least these resume sections: Header, Qualifications Summary, Work Experience, Education, and Skills. Add extra sections.
• Use a modern resume template. Avoid infographics, though, as they’re not ATS-friendly.

Saving or exporting your physician assistant resume in PDF seems like a no-brainer—But when it comes to whether PDF or something like *.docx is better for a resume, the deciding factor is always what the job ad requires.

Expert Hint: In your resume header add only your name and surname, telephone number, and email address. Don’t waste valuable resume space for your address.

2. Write an Attention-Grabbing Physician Assistant Resume Objective or Summary

Knowing how to start a resume is a lot easier than starting a difficult conversation with a patient. Do it with a resume profile—

Got experience? Then your resume profile will take the form of a career summary.

Use:

1. One adjective (efficient, empathetic, energetic)
2. Job title (Physician Assistant, PA)
3. Years of experience (4+, 5+)
4. What you have to offer (provide excellent patient care)
5. Two or three of your most relevant achievements (treated 8–10 patients a day, maintained patient satisfaction ratings at 4.78 / 5.00)

These career summary examples show how:

Physician Assistant Resume Summary

Detail-oriented physician assistant with 6+ years’ experience in busy surgical and dermatological clinics. Seeking to use proven medical skills and compassionate bedside manner to help ZappCare maintain its high standards of patient care. At MediPlus Services, performed 330+ procedures and reduced diagnostically redundant testing by over 10%.

Personable physician assistant with 6 years’ experience in surgical and dermatological clinics. Seeking to gain new experience and broaden skill set with ZappCare. At MediPlus Services, independently performed various procedures and reduced diagnostically redundant testing.

The second example isn’t bad at all—But there’s a lot that’s missing. The first example is concrete and everything is quantified. It’s also focused on what the candidate can do for the company, not the other way around. Both examples, though, are good with using resume power words.

Short on experience? Just got through the PANCE? Start with a career objective and put the focus on non-PA jobs that show relevant skills in action.

Physician Assistant Resume Objective

Detail-oriented, newly certified physician assistant with placement experience in busy surgical and dermatological clinics. Seeking to use medical knowledge and compassionate bedside manner to help ZappCare maintain its high standards of patient care. During Master’s studies, pursued a keen interest in urgent care and emergency medicine.

Inexperienced physician assistant, just graduated and passed PANCE on first attempt. Looking for a clinic with a relaxed, friendly atmosphere to gain hands-on experience.

Once again—Concrete and focused on what the candidate can do to help.

Struggling to piece together the perfect resume profile? Here’s a neat trick: Write it last. It’ll be so much easier once you have your job descriptions and skills section done. 

Expert Hint: Make sure your resume profile mentions the name of the company you're applying to. This is a key feature of an ATS-friendly resume.

3. Create the Perfect Physician Assistant Job Description and Skills Section

Your physician assistant resume has one job: To get you an invitation to a job interview.

The best way to do that is to show you’ve handled it all before. Your resume work history section is where you do that.

How to write a job description for PAs:

1. Put the job ad under a microscope.
2. Mark all the physician assistant resume skills.
3. Go over times you’ve used those skills to nail your duties.
4. Write resume bullet points that describe and quantify those things.

These physical assistant resume examples show how:

Physician Assistant Job Description for a Resume

Surgical Physician Assistant

MediPlus Services

April 2017–present

• Ordered and evaluated appropriate laboratory and diagnostic studies, reducing diagnostically redundant testing by over 10%.
• Performed 330+ procedures including transnasal flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy, nasal endoscopy, binocular microscopic ear procedures, and biopsies.
• Prepared 180+ preoperative data sheets.
• Monitored patients undergoing neoadjuvant protocols, raising the alarm 13 times, 11 of which were true positives.

Surgical Physician Assistant

MediPlus Services

May 2017–present

• Ordered and evaluated appropriate laboratory and diagnostic studies.
• Performed procedures including transnasal flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy, nasal endoscopy, binocular microscopic ear procedures, and biopsies.
• Prepared preoperative data sheets.
• Monitored patients undergoing neoadjuvant protocols.

The first example is packed full of resume achievements, fully quantified.

But what if you’re writing a physician assistant student resume with no work experience? Probe your non-PA experience for relevant achievements.

Expert Hint:How to show promotions on a resume? List each job in a separate entry under the company name umbrella.

One more thing—Include skills for a resume.

Be very selective about which PA skills you add. Let the job ad be your filter. It’s called targeting a resume to the job ad and makes it easier for your document to pass the ATS scan. Here are some examples to get the ball rolling:

Key Physician Assistant Resume Skills

Hard Skills

• Pre-and post-operative care
• Ultrasound
• ChartWare EMR
• MEDITECH software
• Anoscopy and proctoscopy
• Blood collection
• Arterial line catheters insertion
• Chest tube insertion
• Electrocardiography
• Nasogastric intubation
• Computer and software skills

Soft Skills

• Adaptability
• Independence
• Teamwork
• Compassion
• Detail orientation
• Communication
• Stress management
• Critical thinking
• Diligence
• Interpersonal skills

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4. Make Sure Your PA Resume Education Section up to the Task

There’s no downplaying the importance of education to being a PA. Make your education section clear and concise.

Degree, school, years attended. That’s all you need. Include your NCCPA CAQs in a separate section.

For extra effectiveness: Add extra bullet points that point to key PA skills.

This physician assistant resume example shows how:

Physician Assistant Example—Education

MS in Physician Assistant Studies, Medical University of South Carolina, SC

2013–2015

• Pursued a keen interest in urgent care and emergency medicine.
• Volunteered at local family planning clinic.

BS in Biology, Clemson University, SC

2009–2013

• Pursued a passion for human physiology coursework.
• Worked as part-time phlebotomist in campus clinic.

Short on PA experience? Add more bonus bullet points that cover projects, classes, relevant coursework, and accomplishments. Anything that speaks to your physician assistant resume skills.

Expert Hint: Short on experience or writing a new grad physician assistant resume ? Add scholarships to your resume. Create a separate “Awards” section and list them there. 

5. Supplement Your PA Resume With Additional Sections

The resume sections discussed above are must-haves of every physician assistant CV. But they don’t paint a full picture of your candidature. Not to mention other physician assistants also include those things in their resumes. There’s a way to make your resume more original:

Add one or two extra sections. You can choose from:

• Additional Activities
• Foreign Languages
• Classes Taken
• Awards
• List of Hobbies and Personal Interests
• Certifications
• Professional References

If you don’t have much experience under your belt, you can add volunteering to your resume, too. These two physician assistant resume examples show yes vs no:

Physician Assistant Resume—Sample Extra Sections

Certifications

• NCCPA CAQ (Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery)
• NCCPA CAQ (Emergency Medicine)
• ACLS, MedTrain Center
• BLS, American Red Cross

Professional Memberships

• South Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants (SCAPA)

Certifications

• NCCPA CAQ x 2
• ACLS & BLS

Interests

• Cryptocurrencies
• Aromatherapy
• Lock sports

The second example looks ridiculous, but people do this all the time. The two guiding principles are to keep it concrete, and make sure it’s relevant to the job.

One last thing: A resume and a cover letter go together like a cannular and ultra-strength tape. You’ll need to write a physician assistant cover letter, unless you’ve been specifically asked not to include one. Fortunately, we have a guide that shows you how to write a cover letter.

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Key Points

For a physician assistant resume that gets interviews:

• Use the physician assistant resume template given at the beginning. It has a clean bill of health.
• Put PA achievementsin your summary/objective, work history, and education sections to show you’ve already got what it takes.
• Pick the right physician assistant skills. The right skills are first and foremost those that are mentioned in the job ad.
• Write a physician assistant cover letter. Use it to demonstrate your passion for the job and make a case for why you’re the best person for the job.

Got any unanswered questions about writing a PA resume? What about state-specific advice for our readers? Leave a comment down below, we’ll be happy to get back to you.

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