Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
P.O. Box 64882
St. Paul, MN 55164-0882
651-201-3838
Minnesota’s Physician Assistant Workforce 2011
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), in cooperation with the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice,
collects information on demographics, education, career and future plans of physician assistants (PAs).
Minnesota PAs complete workforce surveys as part of the annual license renewal process. Unless noted, all data
are based on information collected from PAs renewing their licenses during the annual renewal period ending
June 30, 2011. The survey response rate was 65 percent. i
Overall
According to the Minnesota Board of Medical
Practice, 1,753 PAs were licensed to practice in
Minnesota as of January 2012. Of these, an
estimated 1,512 worked in Minnesota.
Sex, Race and Ethnicity
Most PAs are female (69 percent), a slight increase
from the proportion of female PAs reported in 2009
(66 percent).
A majority of licensed PAs (79 percent) identified
their race as white. Another 11 percent identified
multiple races/ethnicities, and 5 percent identified
as Asian. The remaining 5 percent of PAs identified
as American Indian, Black/African-American or
“other.” ii
Age Range
The reported median age of PAs in Minnesota is 37,
which is slightly younger than the median reported
in 2009 (39 years). Overall, female PAs are younger
than male PAs, with a median age of 35 years as
compared to a male median age of 42. Over twothirds of the PA workforce in Minnesota is under
the age of 45 (Figure 1).
Training and Education
Only 21 percent of Minnesota PAs reported that
they were trained in Minnesota. The state has two
active physician assistant programs, one at
Augsburg College and the other at St. Catherine
University. iii
Geographic Distribution
Most PAs live or work in urban areas of Minnesota,
with nearly 90 percent in urban or large rural
settings. Only 10 percent of PAs live or work in
small rural or isolated rural locations (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Minnesota physician assistant
geographic distribution by Rural-Urban
Commuting Area, 2011
4%
6%
Urban
Large Rural
10%
Small Rural
80%
Isolated Rural
Figure 1. Age Distribution of Minnesota
physician assistants, 2011
11%
1%
34 and
younger
35 to 44
41%
16%
45 to 54
55 to 64
31%
65 and older
Although most PAs live or work in an urban setting,
the geographic setting of work varies slightly by age
group. Slightly more Minnesota PAs who are 45 or
older work in small rural or isolated rural areas
(Figure 3).
Minnesota’s Physician Assistant Workforce 2011 – Page 2
Figure 3. Geographic distribution of
Minnesota physician assistants
by age group, 2011
Urban
Large Rural
Small Rural
Primary Work Settings and Activities
Most PAs report working in a clinic or in a hospital
(Figure 5). iv
Isolated Rural
Figure 5. Distribution of Minnesota
physician assistants by reported work
setting, 2011
5%
Clinic (n=509)
6%
6%
Hospital (n=273)
34 and younger
(n=645)
35 to 44
(n=479)
45 to 54
(n=251)
29%
55 and older
(n=190)
54%
Retail/walk-in
clinic (n=43)
Urgent Care
(n=58)
All other (n=59)
Work Status and Future Plans
Most survey respondents (97 percent) reported
being actively employed as a PA. The remaining 3
percent reported that they were either working in
another field, unemployed, not working due to
family or medical reasons, retired or in school.
Nearly 75 percent of PAs who are 55 and older plan
to retire in 10 years or less. Among PAs under 55
years of age, at least two-thirds plan to practice for
at least 10 more years (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Future practice plans of Minnesota
physician assistants by age group, 2011
10 years or less
77%
Over 10 years
The most commonly reported work activity was
providing patient care: PAs spent an average of 81
percent of their weekly effort performing this
activity. The next most commonly reported work
activities included administration (3 percent of
weekly time), telephone triage (2 percent of weekly
time) and supervising patient care (less than 2
percent of weekly time).
Of survey respondents, 71 percent reported working
40 hours or more each week. The mean weekly
hours for females (38.7 hours) was slightly lower
than for men (43.3 hours).
26%
For more information, contact:
Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
Health Workforce Analysis Program
651-201-3838
74%
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/orhpc/workforce
67%
81%
i
33%
23%
19%
34 and younger
35 to 44
45 to 54
55 and older
Survey response rate is based upon the number of surveys received
(1,143) divided by the total number of license renewals (1,753)
reported as processed in fiscal year 2011 (July 1, 2010 through June
30, 2011) by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.
ii
Of 1,033 survey respondents, 484 (47 percent) answered questions
on race and ethnicity.
iii
PAs earn degrees at associate, certificate, bachelor’s and master’s
levels. Bethel University (St. Paul) is planning to launch a Physician
Assistant master’s degree program in May 2013.
iv
“All other” includes long-term care facility, independent practice,
public health agency, rehabilitation facility, school/college/university,
or another undefined workplace.
April 2013