Physician Assistant Resume Example & Writing Guide

A physician assistant resume should concisely demonstrate your ability to help patients in various settings, allowing you to impress hiring managers and secure a job interview. It should showcase your most prominent PA skills and accomplishments, portraying you as an adept and experienced healthcare professional.

In this article, we’ll teach you how to format your physician assistant resume, get a strong layout, and write each of the sections. Moreover, we’ll give you specific examples you can use for additional learning and as inspiration. Without further ado, let’s jump in!

The Ideal Format to Use for a Physician Assistant Resume

There are three commonly used formats for a physician assistant resume, and they are:

Physician Assistant Resume Layout

Your physician assistant resume layout is a critical aspect of the document that enhances its legibility and visual appeal. This maximizes the chances of recruiters and hiring managers focusing on your document and getting all the relevant information about your qualifications.

Here are the guidelines that will help you create an outstanding resume layout:

Physician Assistant Resume Sections

There are five must-have sections that every physician assistant resume should include, and they are:

On top of that, you can include multiple optional sections if they are relevant to the role you’re applying for and can help you stand out among the competition. Some of these are:

Now that you know about the format, layout, and sections, you can start crafting your physician assistant resume from scratch. However, if you want to significantly speed things up while minimizing the chances of making a mistake, you should check out our resume builder.

We built a custom software solution for all your resume writing needs. It’s packed full of expert-grade templates that you can use as-is or customize to your liking. To use them, simply input your information in pre-designated areas, and you can download a document in minutes!

Physician Assistant Resume Template

Here’s one physician assistant resume template as an example to show you what the document should look like and what you can find if you use our resume builder:

How to Add Contact Details to Your Physician Assistant Resume

You should add contact details to your physician assistant resume header. You want to concisely list the following details at the top of your document:

Depending on the details you want to disclose or the requirements from the job ad, you can include additional information, such as:

For privacy reasons, you want to avoid listing sensitive information, such as marital status, gender, religious affiliations, and even a personal photo.

Here’s what the contact information section should look like in practice:

How to Craft a Physician Assistant Resume Objective/Summary

You want to craft an engaging assistant resume objective or summary since it’s an introductory paragraph written to grab the reader’s attention. You can think of this section as a short description of your physician assistant resume. Write it to impress a recruiter or hiring manager with your key strengths, persuading them to pay close attention to the rest of your resume.

Junior Physician Assistant Resume Objective

If you’re a junior professional, you should write a physician assistant resume objective to emphasize your skills and career goals. This way, you’ll present yourself as a qualified and driven entry-level professional.

Here’s a good example:

For comparison, here’s a bad example that doesn’t highlight anything specific about the candidate:

Established Physician Assistant Resume Summary

As an established healthcare expert, you want to write a physician assistant resume summary to mention one or two of your most notable accomplishments. This gives recruiters and hiring managers an idea of what you’re capable of, enticing them to examine your professional efforts further.

Let’s start with a good example:

And now, here’s a bad example that lacks any substantial information about the job hunter’s accomplishments:

Physician Assistant Resume Professional Experience

Professional experience is generally the most important section in a physician assistant resume, so let’s learn how to make it perfect.

Physician Assistant With No Experience

If you’re someone looking for their first job in the field and writing a physician assistant resume with no experience, you can leverage other activities to craft a compelling work history section. 

For example, you can talk about your internship or volunteer experience to highlight relevant skills and showcase job-related accomplishments.

Let’s see that in an example:

Experienced Physician Assistant

If you’re writing an experienced physician assistant resume, you want to demonstrate a wide array of qualifications. This includes more than just demonstrating your job-related skills. For instance, you can showcase your leadership competence or managerial prowess.

Here’s a good example:

Physician Assistant Resume Education Section

The education section of your physician assistant resume is essential in adding credibility to your skills. In general, it’s enough to include your highest degree and call it a day.

Here are the details to list:

In practice, that looks like this:

If you’re an entry-level professional with a modest work history section, you can put more emphasis on your education. For instance, you can create a bullet list of notable academic achievements, including high GPA, relevant coursework, extracurricular activities, etc.

You can also list multiple degrees, such as a bachelor’s degree in addition to a master’s. However, you should never include your high school diploma, as it’s considered obsolete.

Physician Assistant Resume Skills

Adding your skills to your physician assistant resume helps show recruiters and hiring managers that you have the necessary knowledge and expertise to do the work.

The main thing here is to include skills that are relevant to the specific role you’re applying for. For instance, some employers might look for more tech-savvy PAs adept at handling patient records, while others might want to hire those with expertise in medical procedures.

A concise list of relevant hard and soft skills is much more impactful than adding a lengthy collection to your resume with all the abilities you can think of. Furthermore, you should separate hard and soft skills due to their differences.

In addition to creating the skills section, you want to demonstrate your abilities throughout your physician assistant resume. The best way to do this is to mention your key skills in the resume summary and work history sections. Connect them to relevant accomplishments, and you’ll show concrete results of your expertise.

Physician Assistant Hard Skills

Let’s see what job-specific hard skills you can add to your physician assistant resume:

Physician Assistant Soft Skills

Here are some of the most sought-after interpersonal and transferable soft skills that hiring managers look for in physician assistant resumes:

Physician Assistant Resume Other Sections

Let’s examine some optional sections you can add to your physician assistant resume to emphasize your competence better.

Conferences/Lectures

By highlighting that you regularly attend conferences (like AAPA events) and lectures, you demonstrate a commitment to the profession and continuous learning and improvement. This is particularly important for PAs, as the medical field is continuously evolving, and there are always new studies, procedures, and technologies.

You can list the conferences and lectures you attended in reverse chronological order to show your desire to enhance your skills and network with other professionals.

Publications

Publications like articles, research papers, journals, and case studies position you as an expert in the field. In addition to emphasizing your extensive knowledge in the medical field, they are a testament to your research and communication skills. These skills are essential when corresponding with patients and coworkers.

Languages

Proficiency in foreign languages is crucial for PAs as it allows them to communicate with and provide healthcare to diverse patient populations. Knowing the patient’s native language helps you understand their needs better, build trust, and improve their outcome.

When emphasizing language skills on your resume, you should list them in descending order, starting with the one you’re most proficient in. You should also use an established standard for language proficiency, such as ACTFL.

Hobbies & Interests

Hobbies and interests might not be directly related to your profession as a physician assistant, but they give hiring managers insight into your character and personality. This can help set you apart from the competition and make your application more memorable.

Furthermore, some hobbies and interests can indicate in-demand soft skills in candidates, such as leadership, organization, and collaboration. That’s why you should briefly list things and activities you’re genuinely passionate about. They can be a great icebreaker during interviews.

Do I Need a Cover Letter as a Physician Assistant?

While a cover letter usually isn’t mandatory, you need it to maximize your chances of impressing hiring managers and potential employers. Going the extra mile to write an additional document that’s typically optional demonstrates motivation and willingness to go the extra mile. 

On top of that, you get more room to talk about your skills, qualifications, experience, and drive.

Let’s wrap it up with several expert strategies you can use to polish your physician assistant resume to perfection:

2 Refined Physician Assistant Resume Examples

Here are two complete examples of physician assistant resumes that can help you put into practice everything that you’ve learned so far.

Let’s start with a physician assistant resume of an accomplished professional:

#1. Experienced Physician Assistant Resume Example

Use this example

Here’s a resume example of a physician assistant who specialized in dermatology:

#2. Dermatology Physician Assistant Resume

Use this example

Closing Thoughts

Physician assistants have a much faster-than-average projected job outlook of 28% between 2023 and 2033. Such a large demand for these healthcare professionals means there will be around 12,900 new openings each year. 

A well-written physician assistant resume that highlights your skills and expertise will significantly improve your chances of getting the job.

Remember to leverage a strong objective or summary to grab the hiring manager’s attention. You can then capitalize on that with a compelling work history section and a list of skills tailored to the role. Do that well, and it won’t be long before you’ll be preparing for the most common interview questions.