Alaska PA?

[DrB]

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I found out through the bls web page that Alaska is the highest paying state for PAs. Is this true? What are the working conditions like in Alaska?

see www.bls.gov for earning stats

Thanks

 

[emtp2pac]

I have a number of friends who work up there. most of the jobs are solo or pa only practices with distant supervision(>6 hrs away by plane). new grads need not apply for most of these. salary ranges among my friends is 90k-120k+ depending on overtime, # night shifts, etc
keep in mind that the cost of living is much higher there too so a pa in the lower 48 making 100k probably keeps as much as an ak pa making 125k.
ak pa licenses cost $750/2 years also compared to $120-300/2 years for most other states.
most jobs are either:
working on the pipeline
working at a native clinic
working at a very distant/rural site. I have a friend who works solo on a tiny island in the berring strait who takes care of a fishing/tourist population of up to 5000 during the peak season down to around 800 during the rest of the year.he has a few emt's as ancillary staff and a pilot for medevacs to anchorage.
the national health service corps also has lots of loan repayment jobs up there( mostly native clinic)

 

[DrB]

Wow talk about anonymity!

What about Anchorage PAs... similar situation?

 

[deleted6669]

my understanding is that most pa's in ak work for the oil companies or at eskimo villages. don't know of any traditional jobs up there although they must exist. I would contact the ak academy of pa's for info about the job scene up there.