Orthopedic PA Staffing Specialists Since 2006. This guide is maintained by Blake Moser, founder of Advanced Practice Recruiters — a Tyler, Texas firm that has placed physician assistants exclusively since 2006. Below: the actual Orthopedic Physician Assistant subspecialty roles we work, what hiring managers and candidates need to know about credentials and compensation, and how the search runs in practice.
Orthopedic physician assistants are the highest-demand surgical PA subspecialty in the United States. Joint replacement programs, spine surgery practices, sports medicine groups, and orthopedic trauma services all rely heavily on PAs for first-assist, clinic management, hospital rounding, and post-op care. Experienced ortho PAs receive multiple concurrent offers and command premium compensation packages.
Advanced Practice Recruiters has built dedicated orthopedic PA sourcing pipelines across total joint replacement (hip, knee, shoulder), spine surgery (cervical, lumbar fusion, MIS), sports medicine, hand and upper extremity, foot and ankle, and orthopedic trauma. Our recruiters understand first-assist privileges, case volume expectations, call rotation, fracture clinic responsibilities, and CAQ-Orthopedic Surgery credentials.
Whether your orthopedic group needs a first-assist PA for a high-volume joint replacement program, a spine PA for a fellowship-trained surgeon, or a clinic-heavy sports medicine PA, we have the candidates and the relationships to deliver fast.
The physician assistant role types we routinely fill in this subspecialty:
We recruit ortho PAs across joint replacement, spine, sports medicine, trauma, hand, foot, and pediatric ortho — with dedicated subspecialty sourcing for each.
We verify first-assist case logs, procedural competencies (TJA, ACDF, ACL, scopes, fracture fixation), and OR efficiency expectations during candidate screening.
We benchmark orthopedic call frequency, trauma exposure, and call compensation as standalone components of total comp during intake.
From university orthopedic programs to high-volume private joint replacement and spine groups, we recruit across every orthopedic employer model.
Every Orthopedic Physician Assistant search opens with a 20-minute scoping call: clinical scope, certification and credentialing requirements, productivity expectation, supervision or collaboration framework, geography, and a realistic compensation envelope. From there we work our active and passive physician assistant pipeline, screen each candidate against the role's specific subspecialty fit (board certification, state licensure or licensure-eligibility, DEA where required, malpractice history, recent case mix), and present a credentialed shortlist within a few business days.
Engagement is contingent — no upfront fee, no exclusivity required. Permanent placements carry a written replacement guarantee covering the initial employment period; if the placed physician assistant leaves inside the guarantee window we re-run the search at no additional fee.
Compensation for physician assistants in this subspecialty has continued to climb through 2026 as demand outpaces supply. Below are typical base ranges we see across our placement activity. Total compensation often runs 10–25% higher with productivity incentives, signing bonuses, and benefits factored in.
Factors that move compensation within these ranges:
Reference data: U.S. BLS — Physician Assistants (OOH), NCCPA Statistical Profile, and AAPA Compensation Resources.
Every candidate we present is verified for the PA-C with optional CAQ-Orthopedic Surgery credential issued by the NCCPA — CAQ-Orthopedic Surgery available, plus active state licensure, DEA registration where required, malpractice history, and recent clinical practice. We do not paper-blast resumes — every shortlist is screened against the role's specific credential and scope requirements.
Standard credential requirements:
Orthopedic PA demand continues to expand as joint replacement and spine volumes grow.
Orthopedic PA demand will intensify through 2026 as total joint replacement volumes continue rising, spine surgery shifts toward MIS techniques requiring strong first-assist support, and orthopedic groups increasingly rely on PAs for clinic-side throughput. First-assist PAs with TJA or spine experience are among the most recruited surgical providers in healthcare.
Hottest markets we are placing in right now: Sunbelt growth metros (TX, FL, AZ, NC, SC), Joint replacement program hubs nationwide, Spine surgery centers in academic medical centers.
Orthopedic PAs with first-assist experience receive multiple concurrent offers. Most are placed through direct outreach, professional networks, and warm introductions — not job boards. Generalist recruiters lack the orthopedic-specific relationships and urgency to compete in this market.
Yes. Spine PA recruiting is one of our highest-volume orthopedic subspecialties. We recruit for cervical, lumbar fusion, minimally invasive spine, and complex deformity practices.
Orthopedic PA compensation ranges from $130,000 to $180,000+, with first-assist spine and joint replacement PAs at the higher end. Call pay, case bonuses, and wRVU productivity incentives can add significantly to base salary.
Yes. For employers that require or prefer NCCPA CAQ-Orthopedic Surgery, we identify candidates who hold or are pursuing the credential. CAQ holders typically command premium compensation.
Initial orthopedic PA shortlists are typically delivered within 24–48 hours of intake. Most placements close within 30–60 days depending on credentialing and hospital privileging timelines.
We screen for case volume and case mix specific to the role. A high-volume joint replacement program typically expects candidates with 200+ first-assist TJAs annually; spine programs look for documented ACDF, lumbar fusion, and MIS experience. We pull case logs during candidate vetting where required.
Many orthopedic PA roles include trauma call, particularly in hospital-employed and trauma-center practices. We benchmark call frequency and call compensation during intake so candidates can self-select before interview.
Reach Blake Moser at Advanced Practice Recruiters: 469-457-4570 or blake@advancedpracticerecruiters.com. Most inquiries get a same-business-day reply.