Physician Assistant

Physician AssistantNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$152k-$226k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Where You’ll Work

Dignity Health’s Pacific Central Coast Health Centers (PHC) is a non-profit Community clinic organization comprised of more than 40 health centers located primarily from Ventura to Templeton, spanning the coast.

Our experienced physicians and advanced practice providers offer a wide range of primary and specialty care services. PHC is a part of Dignity Health Central Coast’s award-winning network of outstanding hospitals, imaging centers, laboratories, and post-acute services.

One Community. One Mission. One California

Job Summary and Responsibilities

As our Physician Assistant, you will deliver advanced primary health care to adult patients, upholding Pacific Central Coast Health Centers' health care philosophy through your credentialed expertise and advanced clinical training.

Every day you will take patient health histories, perform physical examinations, and manage acute and chronic medical conditions, providing care in close collaboration with physician members of the health care team.

To be successful in this role, you will bring strong clinical knowledge and sound judgment to the assessment and management of diverse patient conditions, along with excellent collaboration and communication skills to work effectively within a team-based care model.

Demonstrates basic to intermediate skills in technology and proficient knowledge of clinical procedures, taking patient medical histories and performing physical examinations for any presenting problem(s).

Orders specific laboratory studies, x-rays, and other tests as appropriate, including blood draws and other collections as indicated.

Counsels patients and their families on health promotion, diagnosis, prognosis, and management possibilities; makes necessary comprehensive referrals as required; and diagnoses and prescribes treatment as needed.

  • Job Requirements
  • Required
  • Master's degree in Physician Assistant studies
  • Physician Assistant: CA (PA: CA)
  • Completion of a training program or work as a physician assistant
  • Ability to develop treatment plans based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines
  • Preferred
  • One to three (1-3) years prior PA experience

Key Responsibilities

The Physician Assistant will deliver advanced primary health care to adult patients by performing physical examinations and managing acute and chronic conditions. They will collaborate with the healthcare team to order diagnostic tests, counsel patients, and prescribe treatments.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's degree in Physician Assistant studies and possess a valid California Physician Assistant license. One to three years of prior experience is preferred, along with the ability to develop treatment plans based on professional practice guidelines.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Acute medical conditionsPatient counselingTreatment planningMedical documentation

Primary Care — Physician Assistant Career Context

Of the 50 active Primary Care listings this role was benchmarked against, 6% are remote, 62% have no call, 72% require no weekends.

Primary Care pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.9% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$189k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $170k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Physician Assistant Jobs

49 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution49 jobs · 39 employers

12
<$150k
8
$150k-175k
21
$175k-200k
4
$200k-225k
4
$225k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks41 jobs · 39 employers

401k / retirement match
90% this job
CME allowance
68%
Sign-on bonus
59%
Loan repayment
17%
Relocation assistance
17%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Advanced Practice Provider - Behavioral Health

Sentara Health · Newport News, Virginia

$101k-$312k
#2

Primary Care Functional Medicine - Physician Assistant

OnePeak Medical · The Dalles, Oregon

$300K+
#3

Clinic Director - Physician Assistant (PA-C) or Nurse Practitioner (NP)

$250k
#4

Physician Assistant

$150k-$225k
+ 47 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 5.1
Better work-life than 40% of Primary Care (PA) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 446 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights

Living in Santa Maria

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$644k≈ 4.3× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,537/mo≈ 20% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
22 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.8
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Pacific Central Coast Health Center logo

About Pacific Central Coast Health Center

Medical Practices
Santa Maria, California
11-50 employees

Benefits & Perks

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
Retirement Plan