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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
A national analysis of the older PA workforce: Demographics, clinical dynamics, and retention
Roderick S Hooker1, James F Cawley, Mirela Bruza-Augatis
1Roderick S. Hooker is a retired health policy consultant. James F. Cawley is a professor and scholar in residence at the PA Leadership and Learning Academy within the University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies in Baltimore, MD. Mirela Bruza-Augatis is a senior research scientist, Kasey Puckett is a senior research analyst, and Andrzej Kozikowski is a senior director of research with the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) in Johns Creek, GA. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
Objective:
To compare the characteristics and dynamics of physician associates (PAs) aged 65 years and older with PAs younger than 65.
Methods:
A descriptive, quantitative study compared demographic and practice attributes of PAs aged 65 and older with those younger than 65, utilizing a 2023 national dataset (n = 149,909).
Results:
In 2023, 4.1% of board-certified PAs were 65 years and older. Among PAs 65 and older, 75.3% reported working clinically. Compared with PAs under age 65, a higher proportion of PAs 65 and older were male (50.2% vs 28.0%; P < .001), resided in rural/isolated areas (12.1% vs 6.9%; P < .001), and provided telemedicine services (44.5% vs 42.7%; P = .014). Older PAs were also less satisfied with their current job and reported lower burnout rates.
Conclusions:
Amid persistent physician shortages, understanding the practice patterns of PAs 65 and older is crucial for developing targeted policies and practices that support their retention.
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