Physician Assistants in Santa Cruz, California

What is a Physician Assistants?

A physician assistant (PA) is a licensed medical professional who practices medicine under physician supervision. PAs complete graduate-level education and can diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, and perform procedures across all medical specialties.

About Recruiting Physician Assistants in Santa Cruz, California

Santa Cruz, California is home to 14 physician assistants across hospitals, private practices, academic medical centers, and specialty clinics. According to the AAMC, the United States faces a projected shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034, and California is among the states feeling the impact of this gap. Healthcare organizations in Santa Cruz compete for physician assistants talent with neighboring markets, making targeted recruitment strategies important for filling open positions.

Based on the 2025 Medscape Physician Compensation Report, physician assistants in California earn between $115,000 - $145,000 annually. Compensation varies by subspecialty, years of experience, and practice setting. Hospital-employed positions typically offer higher base salaries, while private practice roles may provide greater income upside through production-based models. Sign-on bonuses, student loan repayment, and relocation assistance are standard components of competitive offers in the Santa Cruz market.

The most effective physician assistants recruitment approaches in Santa Cruz combine direct outreach with personal email addresses and phone numbers, referral networks through local medical societies, and relationships with residency programs in California. According to AAPPR survey data, direct sourcing yields faster time-to-fill than job board advertising alone, particularly for specialty positions.