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Sutter Health
Palo Alto, California

Physician Assistant

Physician AssistantIncludes weekendsNo nightsPart-Time

Listed compensation

$123k-$178k

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Weekend work is also flagged as required; confirm which days and how often.

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

Posted 57m ago · Verified live

Job Description

We are so glad you are interested in joining Sutter Health!

Organization

PAMF-Palo Alto Medical Foundation PAD

Position Overview

Assesses, diagnoses, plans and implements the medical care of patients in collaboration with a physician. Functions within the full scope of licensure; accountable for the assessment, coordination delivery and evaluation of care, including direct patient care, patient/family education and transitions of care.

Provides medical consultation including the performance of therapeutic procedures delegated by the supervising physician, assist with various procedures, provides patient education, treatment and follow-up, may complete daily rounds and as needed using an organized multi-disciplinary team approach to provide continuity of care throughout the care continuum.

The Physician Assistant's responsibilities may include managing patients in an office, hospital, emergency and/or perioperative setting. Follows ambulatory care and inpatient standardized procedures, protocols, policy and procedures regulated by the State of California Physician Assistant Practice Act.

Job Description

JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Patient Care

  • Performs patient assessments to include: obtaining basic medical information and history, reviewing patient's medical record, performing physical exam, documenting findings into patient medical record, and reporting deviations from normal findings to attending physician.
  • Provides health care services to patients under the direction and responsibility of physician.
  • Examines patient, performs comprehensive physical examination, and compiles patient medical data, including health history and results of physical examination.
  • Administers or orders diagnostic tests, and interprets test results for deviations from normal.
  • Develops and implements patient management plans, records progress notes, and assists in provision of continuity of care.
  • Instructs and counsels patients regarding compliance with prescribed therapeutic regimens, normal growth and development, family planning, emotional problems of daily living, and health maintenance.
  • Performs therapeutic procedures, such as injections, immunizations, and managing infection.

Administrative Responsabilities

  • Communicates orally and in writing with patients, physicians and staff as indicated.
  • Provides health education and counseling to patients.
  • Accurately documents patient encounter data.
  • Provides relevant quality assessment and reports.
  • Establishes and maintains effective and seamless communication between the practice and patients’ medical providers in order to provide continuity of care.
  • Serves as coordinator for patients to access community and other resources necessary for appropriate management of medical and psychosocial factors.

Performance and Process Improvement

  • Identifies, reports and contributes to performance improvement activities
  • Seeks process improvements consistent with organizational priorities and goals
  • Contributes to the development of clinical pathways, updating/maintaining physician order sets and physician preference cards
  • Collects and tracks targeted performance improvement data for projects
  • Assists with clinical effectiveness studies and projects

Speciality Specific Duties

Perioperative

  • Performs first/second assistant responsibilities in accordance with state scope of practice requirements.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of surgical anatomy, physiology, and operative technique relative to operative procedures wherein the PA assists.
  • Provides care for different types of patients with varying complexity.
  • Assists in the positioning, skin preparation, and draping of the patient.
  • Provides hemostasis and wound exposure, handles tissue appropriately to reduce the potential for injury, sutures tissue, and applies dressings to the wound under the direction of the surgeon.
  • Uses surgical instruments skillfully in ways consistent with their design and purpose.

Education

Graduate from an accredited Physician Assistant program

Typical Experience

2 years of recent relevant experience.

Skills and Knowledge

  • Demonstrates knowledge of patient care guidelines/policy as evidenced by quality of documentation.
  • Medical knowledge and skills applicable to perform within the scope of practice.
  • Thorough knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology.
  • Working knowledge of electronic health records such as EPIC.

Critical thinking skills as it relates to specialized departments this may include the ability to complete age-appropriate assessments

Communication skills (verbal, written and listening) with ability to work effectively across the organization, especially in situations requiring instructing, persuading, negotiating, consulting and advising.

Technical and analytical skills for analysis and interpretation of test procedures and results in order to determine appropriate correction actions

Interpersonal skills with the ability to work with and collaborate across the organization and with patients and their families as needed

  • Ability to effectively lead, mentor and/or develop others
  • Ability to maintain composure during challenging interpersonal interactions

Job Shift

Days

Schedule: Part Time

Days of the Week

Monday - Friday

Weekend Requirements

None

Benefits

Yes

Unions

No

Position Status: Exempt

Weekly Hours

24

Employee Status

Regular

Employees of Sutter Health and its entities may handle hazardous drugs in the course of their work, including patient care, which requires them to manage, store, prepare, receive, unpack, transport, dispose of, or administer drugs identified as hazardous or potentially hazardous by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and in accordance with the USP 800 guidelines.

  • Sutter Health is an equal opportunity employer EOE/M/F/Disability/Veterans.
  • Pay Range is $122,778.24 to $178,014.72 / annual salary

The compensation range may vary based on the geographic location where the position is filled. Total compensation considers multiple factors, including, but not limited to a candidate’s experience, education, skills, licensure, certifications, departmental equity, training, and organizational needs. Base pay is only one component of Sutter Health’s comprehensive total rewards program. Eligible positions also include a comprehensive benefits package.

Key Responsibilities

The Physician Assistant assesses, diagnoses, and implements medical care for patients in collaboration with a physician across various clinical settings. Responsibilities include performing therapeutic procedures, managing patient treatment plans, and providing continuity of care through a multi-disciplinary approach.

Requirements

Candidates must be graduates of an accredited Physician Assistant program and possess at least 2 years of recent relevant experience. Proficiency in medical terminology, anatomy, and electronic health records like EPIC is required.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Patient assessmentMedical diagnosisTreatment planningSurgical assistanceWound careSuturingDiagnostic testing

General — Physician Assistant Career Context

Of the 50 active Physician Assistant listings this role was benchmarked against, 8% are remote, 58% have no call, 74% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$150k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $136k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Physician Assistant at Sutter Health a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Physician Assistant roles — ranked against 4,545 active Physician Assistant roles listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no night shifts.

Top Physician Assistant Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution50 jobs · 38 employers

10
<$160k
10
$160k-180k
21
$180k-200k
4
$200k-220k
5
$220k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks44 jobs · 38 employers

401k / retirement match
86%
CME allowance
64%
Sign-on bonus
45%
Loan repayment
14%
Relocation assistance
14%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 6.4
Better work-life than 70% of Physician Assistant roles listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 4,545 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • Includes weekends

Living in Palo Alto

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$3.26M≈ 26.6× annual pay
Typical market rent
$4,678/mo≈ 46% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
21 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
110.4
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 · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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