Reasons PAs leave their jobs
Harrison Reed1, Kari Bernard, Noël Smith
1Harrison Reed practices critical care medicine at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., is an assistant professor in the PA program at George Washington University, and is a clinical editor for JAAPA . Kari Bernard is a child and adolescent psychiatry PA with Orion Behavioral Health Network in Eagle River, Ala. Noël Smith is research director at the American Academy of PAs in Alexandria, Va. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
Summary
Physician assistants (PAs) most commonly leave jobs for better work-life balance, relocation, or improved management. Addressing toxic work environments is crucial for retaining PAs.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Physician Assistant Studies
- Organizational Psychology
Background:
- Employee turnover in healthcare incurs significant financial costs.
- Understanding physician assistant (PA) turnover is vital for organizational stability.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the specific drivers of PA job departures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the primary reasons why physician assistants (PAs) leave their employment.
- To provide data-driven insights for healthcare organizations seeking to reduce PA turnover.
Main Methods:
- A 2019 survey distributed by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to eligible PAs.
- Respondents indicated if they had changed jobs in the past year.
- Follow-up multiple-choice questions identified the specific reasons for job changes.
Main Results:
- 1,261 out of 13,088 surveyed PAs reported leaving a job in the past year.
- Top reasons included better work-life balance (16.8%), relocation (16.7%), and improved management/work environment (13.6%).
- Better compensation was cited by 11.9% of departing PAs.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare employers should prioritize addressing common, actionable reasons for PA turnover.
- Improving work-life balance and management environments are key strategies.
- Mitigating toxic or abusive work environments presents a critical opportunity to enhance PA retention.
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