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UnitedHealth Group
Galveston, Texas

Physician Assistant, Orthopaedic Surgery

Physician AssistantFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

To provide patient care assistance in a clinic setting in one or more specialized areas, under the supervision of a primary care physician.

Education & Experience

  • Minimum Qualifications:
  • Completion of a physician assistant program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)
  • No experience required

Licenses, Registrations or Certifications

Required

  • Certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
  • Licensed Physician Assistant by the Texas Physician Assistant Board/Texas Medical Board (TPAB/TMB)

Current students who have not yet completed their physician assistant program or recent graduates who have not yet obtained their NCCPA certification or TPAB/TMB physician assistant license are eligible to apply for this position. However, official employment is contingent upon the successful completion of an accredited physician assistant program, NCCPA certification and TPAB/TMB physician assistant licensure.

Job Duties

  • Provides patient services under direct supervision and responsibility of a physician.
  • Elicits detailed patient histories and does complete physical examinations.
  • Determines tentative diagnosis and orders appropriate laboratory tests.
  • Counsels patient and family on health and disease.
  • Sutures minor wounds, assists in surgery, apply and remove casts and traction apparatus, and perform other therapeutic procedures under supervision of a physician.
  • May supervise other Physician's Assistants.
  • Adheres to internal controls established for department.
  • Performs related duties as required.

Salary Range

Commensurate with experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Key Responsibilities

The Physician Assistant provides patient care in a clinic setting, including performing physical exams, ordering tests, and determining diagnoses. They also assist in surgery, perform therapeutic procedures like suturing and casting, and counsel patients on health and disease.

Requirements

Candidates must have completed an accredited physician assistant program and hold certification from the NCCPA. Additionally, they must be licensed or eligible for licensure by the Texas Physician Assistant Board.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Patient history takingLaboratory test orderingPatient counselingSurgical assistanceTraction applicationOrthopaedic surgery

Orthopedic Surgery — Physician Assistant Career Context

UnitedHealth Group holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 76/100, 1,189 active listings.

Of the 50 active Orthopedic Surgery listings this role was benchmarked against, 6% are remote, 60% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

Orthopedic Surgery pay on WeekdayDoc is down 12.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Texas is 97.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 57.7% of Texas clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

Texas has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top Physician Assistant Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution50 jobs · 39 employers

15
<$150k
14
$150k-170k
13
$170k-190k
5
$190k-210k
3
$210k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks39 jobs

CME allowance
77%
401k / retirement match
77%
Sign-on bonus
59%
Relocation assistance
23%
Loan repayment
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant, Orthopedic Surgery (Fairfield, CA)

Sutter Health · Fairfield, California

$175k-$243k
#2

Physician Assistant/Nurse Practitioner, Orthopaedics- Full time

Beth Israel Lahey Health · Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

$230k
#3

Physician Assistant- Dr. Fealy

$195k-$212k
#4

Pain Management Physician Assistant

$171k-$198k
+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 1.5
Below most Orthopedic Surgery (PA) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 302 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Galveston

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$395k
Typical market rent
$1,405/mo
Residents’ average commute
20 min
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.