Looking for physician assistant jobs in California? Barton Associates specializes in locum tenens PA jobs, with well over a decade of experience placing locum tenens physician assistants (PAs) on short and long-term assignments throughout the US.
What’s it like to work as a physician assistant in California? Visit our Physician Assistant Guide to Locum Tenens Jobs in California here.
Looking to work your next physician assistant job in California, but aren’t licensed in the state yet? If you’re already licensed to practice as a physician assistant in another state, our expert licensing team will work with you to secure your California PA license, on us.
We are seeking a dedicated Plastic Surgery Physician Assistant for a 120-day locum tenens assignment with our client in California, starting Mar 30, 2026. This vital role involves providing comprehensive care within the Plastic Surgery and Burn department, including daily 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM shifts, with one dedicated OR day each week. Key responsibilities...
Location:CA
Specialty:Plastic Surgery
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
Our client in California is seeking an experienced Physician Assistant - Surgery - Otolaryngology/ENT for a 60-day assignment, beginning Mar 30, 2026. This role involves 8a-5p shifts, with a primary focus on follow-up and outpatient visits for ENT/Otolaryngology/Head and Neck cases. The Physician Assistant will be instrumental in managing all ENT outpatient...
Location:CA
Specialty:Otolaryngology/ENT Surgery
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
We are seeking a dedicated Urgent Care Physician Assistant for an exciting 260-day assignment with our client in California, starting Jul 1, 2026. This role involves night shifts from 4pm-2am, primarily focused on seeing patients for 9 hours out of a 10-hour scheduled shift within a fast-track emergency medicine environment. You will provide excellent...
Location:CA
Specialty:Urgent Care
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
We are seeking a Thoracic Surgery Physician Assistant for a 60-day assignment in California, starting Mar 30, 2026. This role involves managing pre-operative and post-operative thoracic cases, rounding on patients daily, and covering the thoracic floor during 7a-5p shifts at a specialized thoracic-only surgery center.Responsibilities and DutiesRounding...
Location:CA
Specialty:Thoracic Surgery
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
Our client in California is seeking a dedicated Family Practice Physician Assistant for a 120-day assignment starting Feb 23, 2026. This role involves providing comprehensive family medicine care in an outpatient clinic, managing a wide scope of cases, and working 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM shifts. You will be instrumental in supporting a rural community, addressing...
Location:CA
Specialty:Family Practice
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
We are seeking a Family Practice Physician Assistant for a 60-day locum tenens assignment in California. This position begins on Feb 16, 2026, offering day shifts from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday, in a busy clinic setting. The ideal candidate will have recent experience in Family Practice and must possess an active California DEA and furnishing...
Location:CA
Specialty:Family Practice
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
We are seeking a Gynecology Physician Assistant for a 120-day assignment in California, starting May 4, 2026. This role involves 8-hour shifts, focusing on comprehensive women's health cases like pap smears, IUD insertions, nexplanon procedures, and cervical exams. The ideal candidate will be adaptable and maintain a dynamic pace while managing...
Location:CA
Specialty:Gynecology
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
Our client in California is seeking a dedicated Family Practice Physician Assistant for an impactful 60-day assignment starting May 11, 2026. This role involves working 8:30-5 shifts, providing essential primary care basics within an FQHC setting, addressing rural health aspects, and managing multiple patient complaints per visit across all age groups.Responsibilities...
Location:CA
Specialty:Family Practice
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
Our client in California is actively seeking a Pediatric Physician Assistant for a 120-day assignment, commencing May 4, 2026. This role involves comprehensive pediatric care, focusing on a mix of common illnesses, preventative health, and managing high-acuity conditions, with all duties performed during 8-hour shifts and no procedures required.Responsibilities...
Location:CA
Specialty:Pediatrics
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
Our client in California is actively seeking a Pediatric Physician Assistant for a 4-day assignment, commencing May 13, 2026. This role focuses on direct patient care with 8:00am - 5:00pm shifts, emphasizing patient interaction throughout the day without charting responsibilities due to an efficient EMR system.Responsibilities and DutiesCheck-in with...
Location:CA
Specialty:Pediatrics
Provider Type:Physician Assistant
Locum tenens PA jobs are contract roles designed to fill gaps in care at healthcare facilities over a specific timeframe. These assignments can range from a week to well over a year. Locum and travel physician assistants hold all the same qualifications as a permanent physician assistant, and often choose locum work for higher pay and increased flexibility. Explore our locum tenens guide to learn more.
In California, the average PA salary is $153,960 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
PAs in California must have a written practice agreement with at least one supervising physician. It should outline the policies, procedures, and a level of supervision required. In general, PAs in California have moderate practice authority. Moderate authority refers to the fact that state law requires additional administrative burdens. This impacts the practice environment and limits the PA.
In California, physician assistants (PAs) must engage in continuing education (CE) to maintain their license and stay up-to-date with medical knowledge. The California Physician Assistant Board sets the CE requirement, which is currently 50 CE hours per two-year renewal cycle. Completing CE ensures PAs remain proficient in their clinical skills, promotes lifelong learning, and upholds patient safety. By fulfilling the CE requirement, PAs demonstrate their commitment to professional growth and contribute to the overall quality of healthcare services provided in California.
The highest paid PA specialty is cardiovascular surgery at $152,500 annually, according to the American Academy of Physician Associates.
The employment for PAs is expected to grow 27% between 2022 to 2032. This is much faster than other jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are 12,200 openings for PAs every year, over the course of the decade.