Can a PA travel like a nurse?

Asked by: Houston Hand  |  Last update: September 15, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (14 votes)

A locum tenens (or travel) physician assistant Practitioner (PA) shares similar job requirements and duties to a fulltime or permanent PA. Travel PAs, known as locum tenens PAs, typically work short-term jobs, filling temporary and often urgent staffing needs at medical facilities around the country.

Can a PA be a travel nurse?

As a result, traveling for work as a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or therapist has become more common. Physician assistants (PA) are directly involved in patient care and fall into this group of healthcare providers who can travel, so long as they get the right licensing.

Can you make 300k as a PA?

The best Physician Assistant jobs can pay up to $400,000 per year. Physician Assistants, or PAs, work in hospitals and medical practices in routine and emergency situations. The duties of a Physician Assistant vary from obtaining patient histories to performing medical procedures and assisting in surgical operations.

Do travel PA's exist?

The professional and personal benefits of physician assistant travel jobs may be just what you've been seeking. Just like with permanent positions, traveling physician assistants can examine, diagnose, and treat patients in inpatient or outpatient settings.

Are there travel PA positions?

Working a PA locum position offers several benefits, including flexibility with your schedule, competitive pay and the opportunity to travel across the country and practice in diverse care settings.

Can a Nurse Become a Physician Assistant ? | The Posh PA

15 related questions found

What PA position pays the most?

The highest-paying PA specialty is cardiovascular/thoracic surgery. The median salary for this specialty is $152,500.

How much does a travel rn earn in pa?

Travel Nurse Salary Guide: Pennsylvania

The average salary for a Travel Nurse in Pennsylvania is $2,096 per week. This is 1% lower than the US average of $2,110. Last updated on January 26, 2025. Based on 3,401 active jobs on Vivian.com in the last 7 days.

Can you be a PA remotely?

To become a remote physician assistant, you must be a licensed nurse practitioner or physician assistant. Many employers require CPR and NCCPA certification as well. Other qualifications include at least three years of practical experience in a clinical setting and excellent communication skills.

Can you be a travel physician?

What Is a Traveling Physician? Traveling physicians work as locum tenens physicians. These physicians travel from state to state (and sometimes abroad) to practice medicine. They fill in during another physician's absence or provide additional care when there is more of a demand for medical care than there is supply.

What are physician assistants not allowed to do?

While physician assistants can do many things, they cannot perform all the duties of a medical doctor. For example, physician assistants can assist in surgery, but we cannot perform surgery. Physician assistants do not become PAs as a stepping stone on their path to becoming medical doctors.

Can I make $200,000 as a PA?

Physician Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) - Urgent Care. Earning potential of $200k+, as part of Indigo's market leading total rewards and compensation philosophy for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants At Indigo, we embrace innovation and value ...

Is becoming a PA worth the debt?

The authors conclude that the average family medicine PA, despite graduating with $125,000 of debt, would enjoy a financially comfortable career at the 75th percentile of US incomes.

What can a PA do that an RN Cannot?

Due to limitations in their education and clinical training, some nurses cannot diagnose patients or prescribe medications. This is where physician assistants have advantages over registered nurses. They can examine and diagnose patients.

Can an NP be a travel nurse?

Many people don't realize that nurse practitioners can also take travel assignments anywhere in the country to provide great care and reap all the benefits of being a traveling nurse. Let's talk about traveling NPs and how you can become one.

What states are in the PA compact?

States in the PA Licensure Compact: Delaware, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Nebraska, Virginia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Maine, Colorado, Minnesota and Tennessee.

Can doctors travel like nurses?

While many doctors pursue employment in rural or suburban areas, you can also pursue work as a travel doctor who helps many developing countries and underserved or remote areas. Knowing the role a travel doctor plays in the medical industry can help you determine if this job is the right fit for you.

How to become a travel obgyn?

Basic travel OB-GYN job qualifications include:
  1. One to two years of recent experience in an OB-GYN care field.
  2. Active license or accreditation in one of the 50 U.S. states.
  3. Willingness to obtain additional requirements or certifications as requested.
  4. Having an adventurous, flexible and empathetic personality.

Can you travel as a PA?

In many ways, working as a traveling physician assistant can be very beneficial to your professional success, especially if you're ready for a change in your day-to-day routine and more freedom to choose your schedule.

What is a PA salary?

Higher-cost areas generally offer competitive wages to compensate for increased living expenses. It helps if you weigh the pros and cons of working as a PA in each state. For example: A Physician Assistant in California makes about $144,520 annually because of the high cost of living.

How much does a virtual PA make?

Average Virtual Assistant Salary

A virtual assistant can make on average between £24,000 and £48,000 depending on the number of clients they provide services to. In some cases, virtual assistants can make upwards of £100,000.

Do travel nurses make $100 an hour?

California, for instance, stands out as the highest-paying state, offering a taxable hourly wage of $86.54. This is closely followed by Hawaii and Oregon, with hourly rates of $73.48 and $69.19 respectively.

What is the highest RN salary in PA?

As of Jan 21, 2025, the average hourly pay for a Registered Nurse in Pennsylvania is $42.35 an hour. While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $72.29 and as low as $7.47, the majority of Registered Nurse salaries currently range between $31.59 (25th percentile) to $50.10 (75th percentile) in Pennsylvania.

What is the difference between PA and NP?

Physician assistants train using the medical model, similar to physicians, which means they focus on the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease that the patient has. Nurse practitioners train on the nursing model, which means they focus on the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of the patient with the disease.