Arizona · Ortho PA placement
Orthopedic PA jobs and hiring in Phoenix
In short
FirstAssistPA places orthopedic PAs across metro Phoenix, including Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and Glendale, permanent or on 3 to 6 month W-2 contracts, and matches ortho PAs to Arizona roles for free. Arizona PAs with fewer than 8,000 Board-certified clinical hours work under a signed supervision agreement; above that, they practice collaboratively. The BLS median for PAs in the Phoenix metro was $134,650 in May 2025. Your first placement is free.
Hiring an ortho PA in Phoenix
Metro Phoenix holds about four of every five PA jobs in Arizona in the BLS count, spread across a wide valley. A PA who lives in the West Valley may not want a Scottsdale or Chandler clinic, so we ask where a candidate will actually commute. The Valley has six adult Level I trauma centers verified by the American College of Surgeons, in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Chandler, and many ortho groups take call at one of them.
Arizona rewrote its PA law at the end of 2023. A PA with fewer than 8,000 Board-certified clinical hours needs a signed supervision agreement before doing any task, and it stays in your office rather than being filed with the Board. Once the Board certifies 8,000 hours, the PA needs no supervision agreement, and your practice writes collaboration policies instead. An experienced ortho PA and a new grad are different hires here.
We also place in northern Arizona. Flagstaff, Sedona and Prescott draw PAs who want the mountains over the desert, and BLS medians in the Flagstaff and Prescott metros are close to Phoenix's. Flagstaff Medical Center is an ACS-verified Level II trauma center.
What to plan for
- The PA's certified clinical hours. Under 8,000, sign the supervision agreement before the first clinic day or case.
- The supervision count: no more than six PAs working at the same time per supervising physician.
- An Arizona license. Arizona has joined the PA Licensure Compact, but privileges aren't projected until early 2027, and we found no temporary license.
- DEA registration and Arizona CSPMP access before the PA prescribes. Since 2026, the CSPMP check comes before every opioid or benzodiazepine prescription and refill, with an exception for scripts of five days or less after a procedure.
Trauma centers in the area
Adult Level I and II trauma centers in metro Phoenix, plus Flagstaff for northern Arizona, as verified by the American College of Surgeons. Phoenix Children's is also verified as a pediatric Level I center. If the role includes trauma call, check privileging requirements with each hospital's medical staff office.
| Hospital | City | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix | Phoenix | Level I |
| HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center | Phoenix | Level I |
| St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center | Phoenix | Level I |
| Valleywise Health | Phoenix | Level I |
| HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center | Scottsdale | Level I |
| Chandler Regional Medical Center | Chandler | Level I |
| Banner Desert Medical Center | Mesa | Level II |
| Banner Thunderbird Medical Center | Glendale | Level II |
| HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center | Phoenix | Level II |
| Abrazo West Campus | Goodyear | Level II |
| Flagstaff Medical Center | Flagstaff | Level II |
Source: American College of Surgeons, Find a Hospital (verified trauma centers, Arizona), checked September 24, 2026. Designations change; confirm with the hospital.
Arizona PA rules, in brief
A high-level summary for planning a hire, not legal advice. Each point links to its source.
- Since December 31, 2023 (HB 2043), a PA with fewer than 8,000 Board-certified clinical hours works under a signed supervision agreement, which must be in place before the PA performs any task. It stays on file at the practice; it isn't filed with the Board. A.R.S. 32-2531
- Once the Board certifies 8,000 clinical hours, the PA needs no supervision agreement. The practice designates an overseeing physician and writes collaboration policies instead. A.R.S. 32-2536
- A supervising physician may not supervise more than six PAs who work at the same time. Arizona sets no chart co-signature percentage; the supervising physician must log and review the PA's Schedule II and III prescribing. A.R.S. 32-2533
- Arizona joined the PA Licensure Compact in 2026 (HB 2190), but the Compact projects privileges to practice in early 2027. Until then, a PA needs an Arizona license, and we found no temporary PA license in Arizona law. A.R.S. 32-2571
What PAs are paid in Phoenix
Government data for all physician assistants, not ortho specifically. Use it as an anchor, then adjust for first assist, call and experience. The U.S. median was $135,880 (May 2025).
| Area | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler (metro) | $134,650$64.73/hr | $140,520 | $106,860 to $173,920 |
| Flagstaff (metro) | $135,600$65.19/hr | $141,390 | $108,220 to $169,490 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott (metro) | $135,630$65.21/hr | $138,590 | $107,680 to $171,790 |
| Arizona, statewide | $134,650$64.73/hr | $140,850 | $106,030 to $174,420 |
BLS publishes the same median for Phoenix and for Arizona as a whole. The Flagstaff and Prescott figures rest on about 70 and 120 PAs, so treat them as directional.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, Physician Assistants (29-1071), May 2025 estimates.
For practices and for PAs
Hiring in Phoenix?
Permanent, 3 to 6 month contract (locum) or per diem. Your first placement is free, and if you aren't happy with the PA we place, we find a replacement at no cost.
Ortho PA looking in Phoenix?
Free, ortho-only matching. We negotiate rate, stipend and schedule, and never send your CV without asking.
Questions about Phoenix
Does an Arizona PA need a supervision agreement?
Only until the Board certifies 8,000 hours of clinical practice. Under A.R.S. 32-2531, a PA below that must complete and sign a supervision agreement before performing any health care task, and keep it on file at the practice. A certified PA practices collaboratively under the practice's written policies instead.
How many PAs can one physician supervise in Arizona?
Under A.R.S. 32-2533, a supervising physician may not supervise more than six physician assistants who work at the same time. The limit counts PAs working simultaneously, not every PA on the roster.
Does a PA need an Arizona license to work in Phoenix?
Yes. Arizona joined the PA Licensure Compact in 2026, but the Compact projects that privileges to practice will be available in early 2027, so until then a PA needs an Arizona license. The Board's rules give a 120-day overall time frame for a regular license.
Do you place orthopedic PAs in Flagstaff, Sedona or Prescott?
Yes. We place in northern Arizona as well as the Phoenix metro. BLS medians for PAs in May 2025 were $135,600 in the Flagstaff metro and $135,630 in Prescott Valley-Prescott, close to Phoenix's $134,650.
What does FirstAssistPA charge to place an orthopedic PA in Phoenix?
Nothing for your first placement, permanent or contract. If you aren't happy with the PA we place, for any reason, we find a replacement at no cost. PAs never pay a fee.