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VHC Health
Arlington, Virginia

Physician Assistant - Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery

Physician AssistantIncludes callFull-Time

Listed compensation

$110K - $210K

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Position Title

Physician Assistant - Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery

Job Description

Purpose & Scope:

A Physician Assistant (PA) employed by VHC Health Physicians (“Physician Group”) is required to complete a PA Agreement with their Collaborating Physician(s).

This PA Agreement will describe the PA’s role and function of the PA, including but not limited to, number of patients, types of illnesses, nature of treatments, special procedures, the nature of physician’s involvement, and the evaluation process.

In addition, it will indicate the prescriptive authority of the PA and approval of invasive procedures authorized by the executed PA Agreement.

Overall, the PA will support objectives, budget, performance metrics and medical activities at an Individual level including implementation of quality control standards, risk management and compliance programs.

Education

Graduation from an accredited Physician Assistant program required.

Experience

One year of experience as a Physician Assistant preferred.

Certification/Licensure

Licensed as a Physician Assistant by the Virginia Department of Health Professions required.

Awards & Recognition

Washington Commanders selected VHC Health as its women’s health partner because of the health system’s continued commitment to advancing women’s health, reducing the stigma of mental health, and creating greater access to care in the Washington, DC metro region.

Received a top ranking in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals for the fourth year in a row. Ranking over 2,800 hospitals in 28 countries, this study asked 85,000 medical experts across the world to participate in an online survey covering topics such as recommendation of hospital, satisfaction of patient care, quality of care for specific treatments, among other factors.

Recognized by the Women’s Choice Award for Best Hospital in eight categories: bariatric surgery, obstetrics, heart care, minimally invasive surgery, orthopedics, cancer care, comprehensive breast care, women’s services, mammogram and patient experience. This award is graded based on the best publicly available information, patient surveys and accreditation information, and the Women’s Choice Award delivers a simplified, objective ranking to each category.

Named a 2023 Best Cancer Hospital by Newsweek. One of 175 hospitals and just three in the Washington, DC metro region to be included in the rankings.

Named best hospital for billing ethics by Money magazine and The Leapfrog Group. This is the first-ever Leapfrog Best Hospitals ranking to help patients make educated decisions about which institutions are best for the money.

Our Community

Living in Northern Virginia, one of the best places to live near D.C., you can have it all: a lucrative job at a forward-thinking company – plus access to the country’s greatest historical sites, a bustling café culture, active nightlife and concert going, a thriving wine region, seven professional sports teams, and a mild four-season climate with year-round kayaking, biking, and hiking.

We offer some of the best public and private schools in the nation and access to 60 colleges and universities. In fact, we are the most educated region in the country. Here, there are no compromises. NOVA is one of the best places to live and work in the country.

Arlington is home to the Pentagon, and the Arlington National Cemetery.

Home to more than 100 U.S. and global corporate headquarters, including the 6th highest number of Fortune 500 companies.

Northern Virginia is one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in the United States

Fairfax County has many of the highest ranking schools in the nation according to U.S. News and World Reports.

Arlington County also offers outstanding schools - about 94 percent of all graduating high school seniors in Arlington go on to attend college.

Two major airports with direct flights to 109 domestic and 60 international destinations.

Northern Virginia has many recreational and community amenities including: over 89 miles of biking/jogging trails, 167 public parks, approximately 14 community centers, 7 live stage theaters, 8 libraries, and 652 restaurants.

Minutes to the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian Museums, Tyson’s Corner, and Wolftrap National Park for the Performing Arts

Whether you choose to live in Arlington County, Fairfax County, City of Alexandria or in any of the other great areas in the DC area, you will have little problem in finding a location that is right for you.

We look forward to hearing from qualified candidates interested in joining us in a highly collegial environment where the patient is at the center of what we do

Additional Job Description

At VHC Health, every role contributes to exceptional care, better outcomes, and stronger communities.

In addition to your base compensation, VHC Health offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage (subject to eligibility requirements), as well as additional wellness and retirement benefits designed to support our employees and their families.

VHC Health is committed to wage transparency and equitable pay practices. The compensation offered for this position—whether expressed as an annual salary or hourly rate—is determined based on a variety of legitimate, non-discriminatory factors.

These factors include, but are not limited to, a candidate’s qualifications, relevant training and experience, skill level, shift differentials (where applicable), internal equity, and current market conditions.

The posted hiring range reflects the range VHC Health, in good faith, believes is appropriate for this role at the time of posting. This range may be adjusted in the future based on business needs or market changes.

No portion of compensation is considered earned until it is vested and determined in accordance with the terms of applicable policies and benefit plans.

The availability and amount of any bonuses, incentives, or other benefits are subject to the terms of those plans and may be modified at the sole discretion of VHC Health, in accordance with applicable law. VHC Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, pregnancy (including childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions and lactation), race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristics protected by law.

VHC Health maintains a drug-free workplace. The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited at all VHC Health locations.

Key Responsibilities

The Physician Assistant will collaborate with physicians to manage patient care, perform medical treatments, and execute invasive procedures. They are also responsible for implementing quality control standards, risk management, and compliance programs within the cardiovascular and thoracic surgery department.

Requirements

Candidates must have graduated from an accredited Physician Assistant program and hold a valid license from the Virginia Department of Health Professions. One year of experience in a similar role is preferred.

Key Skills

Cardiovascular surgeryMedical proceduresClinical documentationPhysician collaboration

Surgery — Physician Assistant Career Context

Of the 50 active Physician Assistant listings this role was benchmarked against, 4% are remote, 76% have no call, 78% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$160k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $158k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Physician Assistant Jobs

35 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution35 jobs · 16 employers

14
<$135k
2
$135k-155k
7
$155k-175k
8
$175k-195k
4
$195k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks33 jobs · 16 employers

401k / retirement match
94% this job
Sign-on bonus
76%
CME allowance
70%
Loan repayment
18%
Relocation assistance
15%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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#3

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#4

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+ 33 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 2.4this job 1.5
Better work-life than 10% of Surgery (PA) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 381 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call

Living in Arlington

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.00M≈ 9.1× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,702/mo≈ 29% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.9
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.