The American Academy of Physician Assistants recently released the results of their annual nationwide PA Salary Survey.

   As reported in the January 15, 2002 edition of the AAPA News, PA salaries overall stayed ahead of the 2001 inflation rate of 2.6 per cent. When compared with salaries from the 2000 survey, the mean total income from the primary employer increased 4 per cent for clinical PAs.

   Who did well? PAs out of school for 1 to 3 years increased an average of 5 per cent, while 4 to 6 year experienced PAs increased 4 per cent. All those with more experience in the profession than 6 years only saw an average increase of 2 per cent.

   The PAs who changed jobs saw similar increases. Those who moved from primary care to non-primary care had an average increase of 4 per cent. Those who left a hospital setting for outpatient care increased 5 per cent. The PAs who started employment in the hospital by leaving the outpatient setting averaged 4 per cent.

   Looking at those who did not start new employment, the PAs in general pediatrics did the best, with increases of 5 per cent. Surgical subspecialties found 4 per cent, but only 3 per cent increases were seen by those in internal medicine subspecialties, family/general practice, and emergency medicine.

   Are these increases part of a continuing trend or an anomaly? Unlike the large increases seen in the early nineties, the AAPA reports the mean per cent change in total income has been modest the last four years. PAs in 1997-98 saw an increase of 2 per cent, enjoyed 5 per cent in 1998-99, but in 1999-2000 had small 1 per cent increase.