Gender preference when hiring PAs?

[futurePAS]

In California's private practices, I'm seeing a trend where the midlevels are comprised entirely of young, (often blond) female PAs. I've seen this in many of the ortho, derm, and family medicine private practices in both southern and northern CA.

 

Is it just my imagination or do the older docs prefer to hire women mid-levels for their practices? Have any of you experienced gender preference or discrimination during job search as a PA?

[zepoPA]

I can't comment about Nor Cal, but in So Cal I know mostly men (younger and older) and fewer females, not blonde. And usually the NP's and MW's I know are even older than PA's. I am often asked to cover vacations and it usually it's male PA's who I cover for. (Riv-SBDO-LA Counties). Then again, what do you mean by "young"??

I attended a CAPA conference last April in LA and I was one of the very few "seasoned PA's" in attendance. 18yrs PA, 30yrs in Heath Care total. Ha! I just dated myself ;[

 

As far as preference to hire younger PA's... I think not. In my side of the woods they prefer experience over anything else. I know a couple doctors who would move their vacation plans in order to have "a specific PA :)" be the one to cover their clinic during their absence. Hey, that's trust. BTW, brunette here.

[futurePAS]

I can't comment about Nor Cal, but in So Cal I know mostly men (younger and older) and fewer females, not blonde. And usually the NP's and MW's I know are even older than PA's. I am often asked to cover vacations and it usually it's male PA's who I cover for. (Riv-SBDO-LA Counties). Then again, what do you mean by "young"?? I attended a CAPA conference last April in LA and I was one of the very few "seasoned PA's" in attendance. 18yrs PA, 30yrs in Heath Care total. Ha! I just dated myself ;[ As far as preference to hire younger PA's... I think not. In my side of the woods they prefer experience over anything else. I know a couple doctors who would move their vacation plans in order to have "a specific PA :)" be the one to cover their clinic during their absence. Hey, that's trust. BTW, brunette here.

Thank you for the input! My experience must have been coincidental.

[mackjacks]

Perhaps it's related to the PAs who seek out jobs in those fields. As a younger (though brunette) PA-S, clinic jobs appeal to me because the hours are good while having a family with children.

[EMEDPA]

perhaps it has to do with the fact that you just described a typical pa student in 2012.....

[Guest Paula]

Plus a pretty female with nice skin would enhance a dermatology practice that has the esthetics side of it.

[susiemw]

A lot of practices with male docs want female PAs/NPs otherwise they are losing their female patients who prefer a female practitioner. A large percentage of women do not want to see a male for their annual gyn exams and some don't want to see a male provider at all. So, if the practice is smart they will want to add female providers to their staff... why lose that revenue? As a female PA (not young and not blonde... I have 30 years experience as a a PA) I have taken advantage of this situation for 3 decades!

[just_me]

perhaps it has to do with the fact that you just described a typical pa student in 2012.....

 

^^^^ this! We have 56 newly admitted students in our class (some of us recycled so Im not counting us) and maybe 6 are guys. Only diff is most of our ladies are brunettes :;;D:

 

but seriously, lots of schools post pictures of each class on their websites....take a look, you'll see