Physician assistant employment is projected to grow 20% from 2024 to 2034, adding roughly 12,000 openings per year (BLS, 2024). The median annual wage reached $133,260 as of May 2024, and 189,907 board-certified PAs now hold the PA-C credential nationally (NCCPA Annual Report, 2024). That growth also means competition: surgical, emergency, and primary care PA postings at large health systems attract dozens of applicants, and most are screened by ATS before a recruiter reads a single line. This guide gives you four fully filled physician assistant resume examples across the most competitive specialty tracks, an ATS keyword table, a certifications reference, and a quantification framework drawn from how top-performing PA candidates document their clinical impact.

What Hiring Managers Look for in a PA Resume

Healthcare recruiters and credentialing teams evaluate PA resumes against a specific checklist before any clinical interview takes place. Understanding that checklist lets you structure every section to pass both ATS and human review.

Must-Have Credentialing Signals
  • NCCPA certification (PA-C) with expiration date visible
  • State medical license number, state, and active status
  • DEA registration for any prescribing role (Schedule II–V)
  • BLS for all clinical settings; ACLS for hospital and EM roles
  • ATLS for surgical and trauma PA positions
  • CAQ specialty certification where held
Clinical Experience Signals
  • Specialty name (surgical, EM, primary care) stated explicitly
  • Patient volume per day or per year
  • Procedures performed with volume data
  • EHR system proficiency (Epic, Cerner, MEDITECH)
  • Clinical hours by rotation type (for new grads)
  • Supervising physician specialty for context

Large health systems that use Epic-integrated HR tools (Workday, Taleo, iCIMS) score PA resumes heavily on credential density in the header and the first third of the document. Place your NCCPA certification, state license, and DEA registration in the contact block, not buried in a separate certifications section at the bottom of the page.

ATS tip for PA applications: Epic-integrated applicant tracking systems at large health networks flag NCCPA certification as a hard filter on many PA postings. If "PA-C" appears only in the middle of your resume body, you risk a false rejection. Put it in your name line and your credentials section.

Physician Assistant Resume Examples

The four examples below cover the specialty tracks that account for the largest share of PA employment: surgical subspecialties (18.7% of board-certified PAs), family medicine and general practice (16.5%), emergency medicine (10.8%), and new graduate entry-level positions (NCCPA, 2023). Each example is fully filled with realistic data and annotated with ATS and formatting notes.

Example 1: New PA Graduate (First Post-Certification Role)

New grad PAs must compensate for limited post-graduation experience with thorough rotation documentation, high credential visibility, and a summary that frames clinical hours as primary evidence of clinical readiness.

Sample Resume: New Graduate Physician Assistant (PA-C)

Jordan Ellis, PA-C, MMS

Chicago, IL • (312) 555-0294 • j.ellis@email.com • NPI: 1467823095

IL PA License No. 085-004782 (Active) • NCCPA Certified PA-C (exp. 12/2027) • DEA Registration No. BE8823451 • BLS/ACLS (exp. 06/2027)

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

NCCPA board-certified Physician Assistant with 2,200 hours of supervised clinical training across internal medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, and pediatrics. Completed accredited MMS program at Midwestern University (ARC-PA, 2026). Proficient in Epic and Cerner. Seeking a primary care or emergency medicine PA-C position to apply clinical rotation competencies in a collaborative, high-volume setting.

CLINICAL ROTATIONS (2,200 hours total)

  • Emergency Medicine — Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL (320 hrs): Managed acute presentations (chest pain, dyspnea, lacerations, fractures); performed laceration repair, wound care, and splinting under attending supervision; average 18–22 patient encounters per 12-hour shift
  • Internal Medicine / Primary Care — Advocate Health, Downers Grove, IL (280 hrs): Conducted history and physical exams, SOAP note documentation in Epic, and patient education for chronic conditions (DM, HTN, hyperlipidemia); managed 12–15 patients per day with supervising physician
  • General Surgery — Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (260 hrs): Assisted in 35+ surgical cases (laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy, hernia repair); performed pre-op H&P, post-op wound checks, and discharge planning
  • Pediatrics — Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL (200 hrs): Well-child visits, immunization counseling, acute illness management for patients ages 0–18; Epic pediatric module documentation
  • Psychiatry • OB/GYN • Orthopedics — Rotating sites, Chicago metro (560 hrs combined)
  • Elective: Cardiology — University of Illinois Health, Chicago, IL (580 hrs): ECG interpretation, stress test monitoring, post-cath follow-up under cardiologist supervision

EDUCATION

Master of Medical Science (MMS), Physician Assistant Studies — Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL (May 2026) | ARC-PA Accredited

Bachelor of Science, Biology (Pre-Health Track) — University of Illinois at Chicago (May 2023)

CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES

NCCPA Certified PA-C • IL PA Medical License No. 085-004782 (Active) • DEA Registration No. BE8823451

BLS — American Heart Association (exp. 06/2027) • ACLS — American Heart Association (exp. 06/2027)

CLINICAL SKILLS

Suturing • Wound Care • Splinting • Laceration Repair • SOAP Note Documentation • Epic EMR • Cerner • Patient Assessment • Differential Diagnosis • Patient Education • ICD-10 Coding • BLS • ACLS

New grad annotation: The clinical rotations section replaces the work experience section for most new PA graduates. List each rotation with facility name, city, hours, and 2–3 specific clinical activities or procedure counts. Vague entries like "rotation at hospital" score poorly in ATS systems that parse procedure keywords. The 2,200-hour total in the section header also serves as an implicit patient volume signal for ATS scoring.

Example 2: Primary Care PA (3–5 Years, Family Medicine)

Primary care PAs at the 3–5 year mark should document panel management metrics, chronic disease outcomes, and telemedicine experience. 42.7% of PAs now participate in telemedicine (NCCPA, 2023), and postings at multi-site family medicine groups increasingly require it.

Sample Resume: Primary Care PA (Family Medicine, 4 Years)

Maya Reyes, PA-C, MMS

Phoenix, AZ • (602) 555-0187 • m.reyes@email.com

AZ PA License No. PA-22874 (Active) • NCCPA Certified PA-C (exp. 10/2028) • DEA Registration No. BR3345782 • BLS/ACLS (exp. 08/2027)

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Board-certified Physician Assistant with 4 years of family medicine experience managing a panel of 700+ patients across preventive care, chronic disease management, and acute illness. Reduced 30-day diabetic readmission rate by 18% through structured care coordination protocol. Proficient in Epic and Athenahealth; telemedicine-certified. Bilingual English/Spanish. Seeking a family medicine or internal medicine PA position in a multi-provider outpatient setting.

CLINICAL COMPETENCIES

Chronic Disease Management • Preventive Care • Acute Illness Management • Patient Assessment • Differential Diagnosis • Patient Education • SOAP Documentation • Prescriptive Authority (Schedule II–V) • Telemedicine • ICD-10/CPT Coding • Epic EMR • Athenahealth • HEDIS Measures • Chronic Disease Management • Care Coordination • Minor Procedures (suturing, joint aspiration, I&D)

WORK EXPERIENCE

Physician Assistant, Maricopa Family Health Partners — Phoenix, AZ (Jun 2022 – Present)

  • Manage autonomous panel of 720 patients (ages 18–75) across preventive care, DM, HTN, hyperlipidemia, and acute illness; average 18–20 patient encounters per day
  • Reduced 30-day readmission rate for diabetic panel from 14.2% to 11.6% by implementing structured HbA1C tracking and quarterly medication reconciliation protocol
  • Conduct 8–10 telemedicine encounters per week for chronic disease follow-up and medication management; maintained patient satisfaction score of 4.7/5.0 across telehealth visits
  • Perform minor office procedures including suturing (avg 6/month), joint aspiration, incision and drainage, and cerumen removal; reduced urgent care referrals by 22% through in-office procedure expansion
  • Supervise one PA student per semester during clinical rotations; completed preceptor training program (2023)

Physician Assistant, Banner Urgent Care Network — Scottsdale, AZ (Aug 2021 – Jun 2022)

  • Provided acute care for 25–30 patients per shift at high-volume urgent care clinic; managed lacerations, fractures, infections, and acute respiratory illness
  • Documented all encounters in Cerner; average documentation turnaround under 8 minutes per visit

EDUCATION

Master of Medical Science (MMS), Physician Assistant Studies — A.T. Still University, Mesa, AZ (2021) | ARC-PA Accredited

Bachelor of Science, Health Sciences — Arizona State University (2018)

CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES

NCCPA Certified PA-C • AZ PA License No. PA-22874 (Active) • DEA Registration No. BR3345782 • BLS — AHA (exp. 08/2027) • ACLS — AHA (exp. 08/2027)

Primary care annotation: The combination of panel size (720 patients), daily volume (18–20 encounters), and a specific outcome metric (18% readmission reduction) gives ATS systems and human reviewers three independent data points for clinical volume and quality. Telemedicine experience is increasingly a filter criterion at multi-site outpatient groups; list it explicitly in both the competencies section and the experience bullets.

Example 3: Emergency Medicine PA (6+ Years)

Emergency medicine is the third-largest PA specialty by volume (10.8% of board-certified PAs, NCCPA). EM PA postings at Level I and Level II trauma centers require explicit procedure documentation, ACLS and ATLS certification, and shift-based volume metrics that demonstrate high-acuity throughput.

Sample Resume: Emergency Medicine PA (7 Years)

Derek Okonkwo, PA-C, MMS

Atlanta, GA • (404) 555-0361 • d.okonkwo@email.com

GA PA License No. PA065918 (Active) • NCCPA Certified PA-C (exp. 06/2029) • DEA Registration No. BO4471923 • ACLS/BLS/ATLS (exp. 09/2027)

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant with 7 years of high-volume Level I trauma center experience. Manage 22–26 patients per 12-hour shift; performed 400+ procedures annually including RSI intubation, central venous catheter placement, lumbar puncture, thoracentesis, and laceration repair. ACLS and ATLS certified. CAQ in Emergency Medicine (NCCPA, 2023). Proficient in Epic. Seeking a senior EM PA position in a teaching or Level I trauma environment.

CLINICAL COMPETENCIES

Emergency Medicine • Acute Care • Trauma • Patient Assessment • Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) • Central Venous Access • Lumbar Puncture • Thoracentesis • Laceration Repair • Fracture Management • Chest Tube Placement • Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) • Diagnostic Reasoning • SOAP Documentation • Epic EMR • ACLS • ATLS • BLS • Triage • Interdisciplinary Collaboration

WORK EXPERIENCE

Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant, Grady Memorial Hospital (Level I Trauma Center) — Atlanta, GA (Mar 2019 – Present)

  • Manage 22–26 patients per 12-hour shift in 85,000-visit/year Level I trauma center; lead triage for 30% of high-acuity presentations (ESI Level 1–2)
  • Perform an average of 400+ independent procedures per year: RSI intubation (avg 35/yr), central line placement (avg 28/yr), lumbar puncture (avg 40/yr), laceration repair (avg 200/yr), thoracentesis (avg 12/yr)
  • Reduced door-to-provider time by 14% through implementation of fast-track triage protocol for ESI 3–5 patients in collaboration with ED medical director
  • Achieved 96th percentile patient satisfaction score (Press Ganey) across 24-month review period; recognized in department's annual PA Excellence award (2023)
  • Precepted 4 PA students per year through the Emory University PA program rotation; received 4.9/5.0 preceptor evaluation average

Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant, WellStar Kennestone Hospital — Marietta, GA (Jul 2017 – Mar 2019)

  • Provided EM coverage for 50,000-visit/year community hospital ED; managed full acuity spectrum from minor illness to STEMI and stroke activations
  • Completed ATLS certification (2018) and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) credentialing (2018)

EDUCATION

Master of Medical Science (MMS), Physician Assistant Studies — Emory University, Atlanta, GA (2017) | ARC-PA Accredited

Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science — University of Georgia (2014)

CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES

NCCPA Certified PA-C • CAQ: Emergency Medicine (NCCPA, 2023) • GA PA License No. PA065918 (Active) • DEA Registration No. BO4471923 • ACLS — AHA (exp. 09/2027) • ATLS — ACS (exp. 09/2027) • BLS — AHA (exp. 09/2027) • POCUS Credentialed

EM PA annotation: The CAQ in Emergency Medicine is a differentiator that fewer than 15% of EM PAs hold. List it immediately after PA-C in both the name line and the certifications section. Procedure volume data (400+ per year, with specific breakdowns by procedure type) is the single highest-value addition for EM PA resumes at teaching hospitals; most competing resumes omit it or generalize it.

Example 4: Surgical PA (First Assist, Specialty Procedures)

Surgical PAs work in the largest PA specialty cluster by volume (18.7% of board-certified PAs, NCCPA). Surgical PA postings require explicit first-assist documentation, case volume by procedure type, OR proficiency, and ATLS for trauma-adjacent surgical subspecialties.

Sample Resume: Orthopedic Surgical PA (First Assist, 8 Years)

Sandra Whitfield, PA-C, MHS

Dallas, TX • (214) 555-0442 • s.whitfield@email.com

TX PA License No. PA-42198 (Active) • NCCPA Certified PA-C (exp. 03/2030) • CAQ: Orthopedic Surgery (NCCPA, 2022) • DEA Registration No. BW9912047 • ACLS/BLS/ATLS (exp. 11/2027)

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Board-certified Surgical Physician Assistant with 8 years of orthopedic surgery experience as primary first assistant. NCCPA CAQ in Orthopedic Surgery (2022). Assisted in 500+ cases annually across total joint arthroplasty, spine surgery, sports medicine, and trauma. Proficient in Epic and Cerner; experienced in robotic-assisted surgery (Mako, Stryker). ATLS certified. Seeking a senior first-assist PA position in an orthopedic or musculoskeletal specialty program.

CLINICAL COMPETENCIES

Surgical First Assist • Orthopedic Surgery • Total Joint Arthroplasty • Spine Surgery • Sports Medicine • Trauma Surgery • Pre-Op Assessment • Post-Op Care • Patient Assessment • Wound Closure • Fracture Management • Cast Application • Robotic-Assisted Surgery (Mako/Stryker) • Epic EMR • Cerner • ATLS • ACLS • BLS • Discharge Planning • Patient Education

WORK EXPERIENCE

Orthopedic Surgical Physician Assistant (First Assist), Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital — Dallas, TX (Sep 2018 – Present)

  • Serve as primary first assistant in 500+ annual surgical cases across total hip arthroplasty (avg 120/yr), total knee arthroplasty (avg 110/yr), lumbar spine fusion (avg 80/yr), and arthroscopic shoulder/knee procedures (avg 190/yr)
  • Reduced average surgical assist time by 11% by standardizing pre-op positioning protocols for robotic-assisted total hip cases using Mako platform; implemented with three attending surgeons
  • Manage full post-operative rounding on 20–24 inpatient surgical patients daily; reduced post-op complication reporting time by 40% through structured daily SOAP template in Epic
  • Conduct all pre-operative H&P assessments and patient education sessions; patient readiness documentation compliance rate of 99.2% over 36-month audit period
  • Precept two PA students per year in surgical rotation; developed written competency checklist adopted by the department (2023)

Orthopedic Surgical PA, Baylor Scott & White Health — Temple, TX (Aug 2016 – Sep 2018)

  • Provided first-assist coverage for orthopedic surgery service at 300-bed Level II trauma center; assisted in 280+ cases per year across trauma, spine, and sports medicine
  • Completed ATLS certification (2017) and Mako robotic surgery credentialing (2018)

EDUCATION

Master of Health Science (MHS), Physician Assistant Studies — University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (2016) | ARC-PA Accredited

Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology — Texas A&M University (2013)

CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES

NCCPA Certified PA-C • CAQ: Orthopedic Surgery (NCCPA, 2022) • TX PA License No. PA-42198 (Active) • DEA Registration No. BW9912047 • ACLS — AHA (exp. 11/2027) • ATLS — ACS (exp. 11/2027) • BLS — AHA (exp. 11/2027) • Mako Robotic Surgery Credentialed

Surgical PA annotation: The CAQ in Orthopedic Surgery is listed in three places: the name line, the summary, and the certifications section. This repetition is intentional. ATS systems at large health systems parse each section independently. The procedure volume breakdown by type (arthroplasty, spine, arthroscopic) is critical: surgical PA postings often specify minimum annual case counts, and resumes that omit this data fail ATS screening on surgical volume filters.

PA Resume Template (Blank, Annotated)

Use the structure below as a starting point for any PA specialty. Replace bracketed placeholders with your own data. The ordering of sections is optimized for ATS parsing at large health systems.

Physician Assistant Resume Template

[Full Name], PA-C, [Degree]

[City, State] • [Phone] • [Email] • NPI: [10-digit NPI]

[State] PA License No. [Number] (Active) • NCCPA Certified PA-C (exp. MM/YYYY) • DEA Registration No. [Number] • [BLS/ACLS/ATLS] (exp. MM/YYYY)

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

[Board-certified/NCCPA-certified] Physician Assistant with [X] years of [specialty] experience. [1 outcome metric]. Proficient in [EHR systems]. [CAQ or specialty certification if held]. Seeking [target role/setting].

CLINICAL COMPETENCIES

[ATS keyword list: 12–16 clinical terms, EHR systems, and procedures separated by bullets]

WORK EXPERIENCE (or CLINICAL ROTATIONS for new grads)

[Job Title], [Employer Name] — [City, State] ([Month Year] – [Month Year or Present])

  • [Action verb] + [clinical context] + [quantified result]: e.g., "Managed panel of [X] patients across [conditions]; reduced [metric] by [%]"
  • [Procedure performed] + [volume]: e.g., "Performed [X] procedures annually including [types]"
  • [Quality or patient satisfaction metric]
  • [EHR, protocol, or workflow improvement]

EDUCATION

[Degree], Physician Assistant Studies — [Institution] ([Year]) | ARC-PA Accredited

[Bachelor's Degree], [Field] — [Institution] ([Year])

CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES

NCCPA Certified PA-C • [CAQ specialty if held] • [State] PA License No. [Number] (Active) • DEA Registration No. [Number] • [BLS/ACLS/ATLS] — [Issuing body] (exp. MM/YYYY)

ARC-PA accreditation note: Always state that your PA program was ARC-PA accredited. Many large health systems require graduation from an ARC-PA accredited program as a condition of PA credentialing. Including it in the education line eliminates a credentialing question before it is asked.

ATS Keywords for Physician Assistant Resumes

ATS systems at large health networks parse PA resumes for specific clinical terms. The table below maps each keyword category to the context where it should appear on your resume. Include exact phrases as they appear here; ATS systems typically do not synonymize healthcare credential abbreviations.

Keyword Context (where to include it) Specialty
NCCPA certified Header, summary, and certifications section All
PA-C Name credentials and summary line All
DEA registration Header with registration number; certifications section All prescribing PAs
Patient assessment Competencies section and experience bullets All
Differential diagnosis Competencies and summary (for diagnostic roles) Primary care, EM
Diagnostic reasoning Summary and competencies Primary care, EM
Clinical rotations Rotations section header (new grads); summary for experienced PAs New grad, all
Surgical assist / First assist Title, summary, and experience bullets Surgical
Suturing Competencies and procedures bullet Surgical, EM, primary care
Intubation / RSI Competencies and procedure volume bullet EM, critical care
Lumbar puncture Procedures bullet with annual volume EM, hospital medicine
Central line placement Procedures bullet with annual volume EM, critical care, hospital medicine
EMR / EHR Competencies section and summary All
Epic Competencies and summary; name it explicitly All (most common system)
Cerner Competencies and rotations/experience bullets All
Primary care Summary, title, and competencies Primary care, family medicine
Acute care Summary, title EM, hospital medicine, urgent care
Chronic disease management Competencies; outcome bullet with metric Primary care, internal medicine
Patient education Competencies and experience bullets All
BLS Certifications section with expiration date All
ACLS Header and certifications section Hospital, EM, surgical
ATLS Header and certifications section Surgical, trauma, EM
Telemedicine Competencies and experience bullet with volume data Primary care, urgent care
Interdisciplinary collaboration Competencies or summary phrase All

Certifications and Licenses PAs Must List

Healthcare credentialing teams verify certifications independently. An expired certification in your resume will trigger a credentialing hold; always list the expiration date alongside each certification.

Certification / License Required vs. Optional Renewal Cycle
NCCPA Certification (PA-C) Required for all clinical PA positions 10-year certification; 100 CME credits per 2-year cycle; Pathway 1 or 2 renewal every 10 years
State PA Medical License Required in the state where practicing Biennial renewal in most states; varies by state board
DEA Registration Required for any PA with prescribing authority for controlled substances 3-year renewal
BLS (Basic Life Support) Required for all clinical PAs 2-year renewal; must be AHA or equivalent
ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) Required for hospital, EM, and surgical PA roles; strongly recommended for all inpatient settings 2-year renewal
ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) Required for surgical and trauma PA roles; recommended for EM PAs 4-year renewal (ACS)
CAQ (Certificate of Added Qualifications) Optional specialty credential; differentiates candidates in 8 NCCPA-recognized specialties 10-year cycle; requires ongoing specialty practice and CME
PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) Required for pediatric PA roles; recommended for EM PAs 2-year renewal
NPI Number Include in header for hospital system applications Does not expire; update if address changes

The CAQ: Should You List It?

The Certificate of Added Qualifications is available in eight NCCPA-recognized specialties: Emergency Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Nephrology, Orthopedic Surgery, Psychiatry, Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery, Dermatology, and Neurology. If you hold a CAQ, list it in three places: immediately after PA-C in your name credentials, in the professional summary, and in the certifications section. It is a hard differentiator in competitive surgical and EM markets where fewer than 15% of candidates hold one.

If you are eligible for but have not yet pursued a CAQ, mention specialty experience in your summary in a way that signals readiness: "7 years of emergency medicine experience; CAQ-eligible."

How to Quantify PA Resume Achievements

Most PA resumes fail at the quantification step. Generic duty statements like "provided patient care" and "performed procedures" give ATS systems nothing to score and give human reviewers no basis for comparison. Use the formulas below to convert your actual clinical work into measurable resume bullets.

PA Resume Quantification Formulas
Metric Type Formula Example Bullet
Patient volume Patients per day or panel size + condition mix "Manage panel of 720 patients (DM, HTN, hyperlipidemia); average 18–20 encounters per day"
Procedure volume Procedure name + annual count + setting "Perform 400+ annual procedures including RSI intubation (35/yr), central line placement (28/yr), and lumbar puncture (40/yr)"
Clinical outcome Baseline metric + intervention + result + timeframe "Reduced 30-day diabetic readmission rate from 14.2% to 11.6% through structured HbA1C tracking protocol over 18 months"
Patient satisfaction Score or percentile + measurement tool + period "Achieved 96th percentile patient satisfaction score (Press Ganey) across 24-month review period"
Supervisory experience Role + number supervised + outcome "Precepted 4 PA students per year; received 4.9/5.0 average preceptor evaluation"
Workflow efficiency Metric affected + change + implementation "Reduced door-to-provider time by 14% through implementation of fast-track triage protocol for ESI 3–5 patients"
No metrics at your practice? If your employer does not track individual PA metrics, use directional language with context: "contributed to practice's 18% improvement in diabetic control rates over 12 months" or "participated in department-wide reduction of ED walkout rate from 6.2% to 3.1%." Directional metrics are more credible than no metrics.

Common PA Resume Mistakes

  1. Credentials buried in the body of the resume. NCCPA certification, state license, and DEA registration belong in the contact header where ATS systems and credentialing teams check them first. Placing them only in a certifications section at the bottom risks a false rejection.
  2. Generic duty statements with no metrics. "Provided patient care" and "performed procedures" are unusable for comparison. Every experience bullet should contain at least one number: patient count, procedure volume, or outcome percentage.
  3. Omitting specialty from the job title. "Physician Assistant at General Hospital" scores lower than "Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant at General Hospital" on specialty-filtered postings. Include the specialty in every title and in the summary.
  4. Missing expiration dates on certifications. Healthcare credentialing requires current certifications. An ACLS certification listed without an expiration date looks expired to credentialing teams. Always include "exp. MM/YYYY" for every time-limited credential.
  5. Using a one-size resume for multiple specialties. A surgical PA resume submitted to a primary care posting will score below a tailored primary care resume because the keyword density for chronic disease management, preventive care, and panel metrics will be low. Maintain specialty-specific versions.
Optimize My Resume

Upload your PA resume and see which ATS keywords you are missing for your target specialty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Include your NCCPA certification, state licensure, DEA registration, clinical rotations and specialties, EHR experience (Epic, Cerner), procedures performed with volume data (suturing, intubation, lumbar puncture), and patient volume data. All certifications should include expiration dates.

One to two pages. New PA graduates should use one page. Experienced PAs with 5+ years and multiple clinical rotations can extend to two pages. Hospital credentialing applications may require a more comprehensive document, but the resume submitted via ATS should remain concise.

Always list your NCCPA certification (PA-C), state medical license, DEA registration (if applicable), BLS, and ACLS. ATLS and PALS certifications are valuable for emergency and pediatric roles. If you hold a CAQ, list it immediately after PA-C in your name credentials and again in the certifications section.

Emphasize your clinical rotations with patient volume data, procedures performed, and supervising physician specialties. List all certifications and your PA program's ARC-PA accreditation. A strong summary noting rotation hours and specialty exposure compensates for limited post-graduation experience. Total clinical hours (typically 2,000+ for ARC-PA programs) should appear in the rotations section header.

List Epic, Cerner, MEDITECH, Athenahealth, or any system you used during rotations or employment. Epic and Cerner are the most common in hospital and large health system hiring. Always list systems by their exact brand name; ATS systems at health networks typically filter for exact EHR name matches.

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