Physician Assistant Surgical - Orthopedics

Physician AssistantNo callFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, weekend coverage and nights and shift pattern.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’ resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.

Individualized orthopedic care and customized treatment and training programs are delivered by experienced sports medicine-trained orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, biomechanists, strength & conditioning coaches and athletic trainers. This experienced team, including orthopedic doctors, offers a comprehensive suite of services to help athletes perform at their highest level:

  • Orthopedic injury prevention and evaluation
  • Orthopedic surgery, including minimally invasive options
  • Post-injury rehabilitation and physical therapy
  • Sports concussion management
  • Strength & conditioning training
  • Performance testing

Sports Nutrition

In addition, advanced diagnostic imaging services and an ambulatory surgery center are conveniently located adjacent to the Institute to ensure a seamless treatment process.

Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:

  • 100%25 paid medical premiums for our full-time employees
  • Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equates to around 37-38 days per year)
  • The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue!
  • Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service)
  • Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!

We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as...

  • Free financial and legal counseling
  • Free mental health counseling services
  • Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs
  • Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
  • Resources for child and elder care
  • Plus many more!

Position Summary

Provides advanced medical care to patients, in a surgical setting, in one or more specialized surgical areas under the direction of a surgeon.

Position Key Accountabilities

Conducts complex, standardized patient care procedures which require experience and specialized training which would otherwise be performed by a physician but which do not constitute the practice of medicine.

  • Assesses patient's medical complaints and provides appropriate treatment.
  • Performs minor surgical procedures as delegated by the supervising physician.
  • Manages pre-operative and post-operative patients in coordination with the faculty supervising physician.
  • Utilizes advanced assessment skills to anticipate complex patient problems specific to surgery while communicating information to supervising / attending physician.
  • Assists in collecting patient histories.
  • Performs physical examinations and provides episodic care or problem oriented care under the supervision of a physician.
  • Orders appropriate laboratory tests and interprets the laboratory data such as blood and urine samples.
  • Monitors the treatment program of the patient to inform the attending physician of pertinent medical/surgical information.
  • Provides guidance and instruction to patients on preventive health care or postsurgical care.
  • Assists physicians in formulating therapeutic decisions.
  • Enters chart documentation for review and counter signature by the physician.
  • Prepares and cares for supplies and equipment.
  • Responds to emergency situations.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills

Proficient in the use of medical and surgical instruments and equipment required by work.

Manages Human Resources activities of department in regards to: recruiting and selection, hiring and termination, training, professional development, mentoring, counseling, performance evaluations, and salary planning.

Work may involve handling biohazardous, chemical, and radiological materials, as well as operating associated equipment. Required safety training and appropriate engineering and administrative controls including the use of personal protective equipment must be followed.

Physician Assistant - Certified (PA-C) by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) required

  • Basic Life Support (BLS) by American Heart Association (AHA) required
  • Clinical specialty certification determined by the department required

Minimum Education

Master's Degree as Physician Assistant required Bachelor's Degree as Physician Assistant with at least two years of professional experience in the role is acceptable based on terminal degree requirements at the time of graduation required

Minimum Experience

Previous experience in a surgical specialty preferred

Physical Requirements

Exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds frequently and/or up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51.215 and Texas Government Code §411.094.

To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position.

Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791.4.

Veteran Information

Military occupations that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include but are not limited to: 0904, 0963, 1976, 46Y1C, 46Y1H, 66B, 66C, 4A0X1, 46YX, 65D, 230X, PHA10, 42GX, 66P, 66R, 290X.

For a complete list please visit uthealth-veterans.jobs.

Residency Requirement

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.

Key Responsibilities

Provides advanced medical care to patients in a surgical setting under the direction of a surgeon. Manages pre-operative and post-operative care, performs minor surgical procedures, and assists with patient assessments and diagnostic interpretations.

Requirements

Requires a Master's degree as a Physician Assistant and certification as a PA-C by the NCCPA. Candidates must hold Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and have experience in a surgical specialty.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Orthopedic surgery assistancePatient assessmentPre-operative managementPost-operative managementDiagnostic imaging interpretationLaboratory data interpretationPatient educationEmergency responseMedical documentationSurgical equipment handlingPhysical examination

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Physician Assistant Surgical - Orthopedics at UTHealth (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston) a 6.1 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Orthopedic Surgery (PA) — ranked against 305 active Orthopedic Surgery (PA) listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties.

Orthopedic Surgery — Physician Assistant Career Context

Of the 50 active Orthopedic Surgery listings this role was benchmarked against, 10% are remote, 66% have no call, 58% require no weekends.

Orthopedic Surgery pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Oct 2026).

Orthopedic Surgery by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score6.1 / 10 · above average in orthopedic surgery (pa)ranked against 305 Orthopedic Surgery (PA) listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed paynot listedOrthopedic Surgery median $126k (middle half $110k–$155k)42 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost of livingTexas index 97.1US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Orthopedic Surgery listings in Texas30 active312 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 10% remote · 66% no call · 58% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedTexas Physician Assistant listings: 19% state a sign-on bonus · 4% offer loan repayment295 active listings, Nov 2026
Orthopedic Surgery hiring demand#4 of 6 specialtiespostings stay open a median 45 days · 9% state a sign-on bonusWeekdayDoc Hiring Index, October 2026 · 77 postings, 149 closed
New Orthopedic Surgery listings345 in the last 30 days230 the 30 days before (+50%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Orthopedic Surgery pay trend+1.8% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (305 Orthopedic Surgery (PA) listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024), WeekdayDoc Hiring Index; as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Location & Logistics

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

Top Physician Assistant Jobs

45 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

44 jobs · 36 employers
15
<$145k
7
$145k-165k
10
$165k-185k
10
$185k-205k
2
$205k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

42 jobs · 36 employers
401k / retirement match
81% this job
CME allowance
62%
Sign-on bonus
52%
Loan repayment
12%
Relocation assistance
12%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Physician Assistant (PA) - Poughkeepsie, NY

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+ 43 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 6.1
Better work-life than 70% of Orthopedic Surgery (PA) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 305 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No call
  • On-site
UTHealth (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston) logo

About UTHealth (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston)

Business Consulting and Services
Houston, Texas
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

100% paid medical premiums
Generous time off (37-38 days per year)
Longevity Pay
Retirement/pension plan
Free financial and legal counseling
Free mental health counseling
Gym membership discounts
Employee discounts

Living in Houston

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$243k
Typical market rent
$1,544/mo
Residents’ average commute
27 min
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

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