OPT Physician Assistant Jobs
Physician Assistant jobs on OPT require an employer willing to file an H-1B visa or sponsor long-term, since PA roles qualify as specialty occupations under USCIS rules. Your 12-month OPT window, or 24-month STEM extension if your program qualifies, gives you time to find a sponsoring healthcare employer.
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Get Access To All JobsPosting Title: APP (Physician Assistant) - Cardiac Surgery First Assist
Location: 20 York Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday (Four 10-hour shifts 7a-5p) with call
Scheduled Hours: 40
Position Type: Full-time
EMR System: EPIC
To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the Yale New Haven Health System Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values - integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion - must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.
Why Choose Yale New Haven Health?
Excellent work environment – Flexible schedules to ensure work-life balance. Keeping the patient at the center of everything we do, we focus on improving clinical care, outcomes, patient satisfaction, safety, value, clinical research, and education. Our efforts reach beyond the walls of our hospitals to care for our communities, too.
Career Advancement – Unlock your potential and embrace exciting opportunities for professional growth and career advancement within our esteemed healthcare system!
Compensation Package – Enjoy an enhanced compensation package. If you're looking for a challenging and rewarding career where you can make a real difference, we want you on our team.
Relocation Assistance – We recognize how vital a smooth transition is, and with our relocation assistance, your journey can be seamless.
Benefits – Competitive salary, comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance. Pension plan matched tax-sheltered annuity plan and Roth contributions.
Employment Perks – Employee wellness initiatives and support programs. Professional development and continuing education opportunities. Yale New Haven Health includes Yale New Haven, Bridgeport, Greenwich, Lawrence + Memorial, and Westerly hospitals; several specialty networks; and Northeast Medical Group, a physician-led multi-specialty group with over 1,000 physicians. Intriguing cities with something for everyone, whether you love arts, history, parks or delicious food.
Responsibilities:
-
Clinical Care: The Physician Assistant (PA) or the Nurse Practitioner (NP) provides assessment, triage, and therapeutic management of patient/family needs throughout the disease process as an integral part of an interdisciplinary team. The NP/PA, whether the practice setting is the inpatient, ambulatory, or outpatient settings, provides optimal patient care, from diagnostic to prognostic matters. This individual works in collaboration with the attending supervising/collaborating physician(s) in accordance with state law and hospital regulations, hospital policy, protocols and clinical pathways and may provide autonomous team based care. Obtains medical histories, performs physical examinations, reviews/orders diagnostic/therapeutic tests and radiologic results, formulates and manages patient treatment plans. The NP/PA may perform procedures, prescribe treatment and medications in accordance with institutional and state guidelines, as well as, when necessary for scope within specialty or professional competency standards. In some clinical specialties, the NP/PA may have autonomous practice managing certain patient populations. The NP/PA may also function as first or second assistant on operative cases (as long as within position scope and job educational prerequisites are in place), using fine motor skills and manual dexterity. Other clinical job duties may be applied in accordance with departmental and operational goals, training related to profession and practice necessitated guidelines and responsibilities, inclusive but not limited to responding to emergency situations within the YNHHS parameters.
-
Patient Education & Psychosocial Support: The NP/PA will educate patients/families on care and recommended or available resources. In collaboration with the supervising/collaborating MD, this may be inclusive of admitting instructions, treatment plan, actual and potential side effects of treatments/medications, and discharge plan. The NP/PA, as part of a multidisciplinary team, provides psychosocial support to patients, their family members, and significant others in a caring, ethical, and professional manner.
-
Information Management: The NP/PA ensures appropriate documentation within the accordance of hospital and regulatory requirements and protects information of all forms, whether computer-based, paper, film, voice, or other media from unauthorized access modification, destruction, or intentional or accidental disclosure.
-
Quality Management: The NP/PA is expected to demonstrate a high standard of moral and ethical behavior, professionalism, compassion, and commitment to patient care. Ensures compliance with patient related healthcare regulatory requirements, standards and recommendations.
-
Professional Development: The NP/PA continuously engages in projects that maintain and advance professional competency. The NP/PA serves as a clinical resource for new house staff and may provide service specific orientation pertinent to clinical education. Consistently demonstrates high reliability organizational behaviors through reporting safety events as well as near misses. The NP/PA continuously engages in projects that maintain and advance professional competency. Maintains all employee requirements determined by hospital policy. The NP/PA may serve as a clinical preceptor for NP/PA students and other health care professionals and may serve as a mentor to pre-PA/NP candidates. The NP/PA may collaborate on research, quality assurance and performance improvement projects, and assist with the formation of protocols that will be applied to clinical practice or further their educational and clinical expertise.
Qualifications
Education
Graduate from an accredited Nurse Practitioner or an accredited Physician Assistant Program.
Experience
Prefer clinical working experience as a NP/PA within the given specialty/service line recommended, but none required. APRNs, PAs, CRNAs and CNMs are required to be appointed to the Affiliated Medical Staff of a YNHHS Hospital and credentialed through the Medical Staff process. Evidence of current competence to practice as {an APRN, PA, CRNA, CNM} via appropriate reference letters from physicians and other practitioners must be able to be obtained during the Medical Staff appointment process in order to be eligible.
LICENSURE
Active PA Certification by the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), Connecticut State Physician Assistant License, ACLS/BLS Certified, when indicated for position profile DEA License, when indicated for pediatric position profile PALS, when indicated for neonatal care NRP Certification. Additional licensure, certifications and/or continuing education credits may be required during employment based on position and area of specialty. OR Connecticut State Registered Nurse License, Connecticut State Nurse Practitioner License, Board specialty certification, as appropriate for position profile ACLS/BLS Certified, when indicated for position profile DEA License, when indicated for pediatric position profile PALS, when indicated for neonatal care NRP Certification.
REQUIREMENTS
- Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program.
- Current or eligible licensure as a Physician Assistant in the state of Connecticut.
- Ability to function in a high-acuity cardiac surgery environment and support a busy cardiac surgery service.
- Ability to assist in complex cardiac surgical procedures, including CABG, valve, aortic, transplant, LVAD/ECMO, and robotic cardiac surgery cases.
- Participation in call rotation, typically consisting of approximately one weeknight call per week and one weekend per month, subject to team coverage needs.
Preferred Qualifications
- Cardiac Surgery First Assist experience strongly preferred.
- Experience serving as a first or second assist in the operating room.
- New graduate Physician Assistants will be considered.
Additional Information:
To learn more, please email or schedule an interview with our In-House Provider Recruiter:
James Hammell
475-339-6050
James.Hammell@ynhh.org
EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran
Posting Title: APP (Physician Assistant) - Cardiac Surgery First Assist
Location: 20 York Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday (Four 10-hour shifts 7a-5p) with call
Scheduled Hours: 40
Position Type: Full-time
EMR System: EPIC
To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the Yale New Haven Health System Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values - integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion - must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.
Why Choose Yale New Haven Health?
Excellent work environment – Flexible schedules to ensure work-life balance. Keeping the patient at the center of everything we do, we focus on improving clinical care, outcomes, patient satisfaction, safety, value, clinical research, and education. Our efforts reach beyond the walls of our hospitals to care for our communities, too.
Career Advancement – Unlock your potential and embrace exciting opportunities for professional growth and career advancement within our esteemed healthcare system!
Compensation Package – Enjoy an enhanced compensation package. If you're looking for a challenging and rewarding career where you can make a real difference, we want you on our team.
Relocation Assistance – We recognize how vital a smooth transition is, and with our relocation assistance, your journey can be seamless.
Benefits – Competitive salary, comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance. Pension plan matched tax-sheltered annuity plan and Roth contributions.
Employment Perks – Employee wellness initiatives and support programs. Professional development and continuing education opportunities. Yale New Haven Health includes Yale New Haven, Bridgeport, Greenwich, Lawrence + Memorial, and Westerly hospitals; several specialty networks; and Northeast Medical Group, a physician-led multi-specialty group with over 1,000 physicians. Intriguing cities with something for everyone, whether you love arts, history, parks or delicious food.
Responsibilities:
-
Clinical Care: The Physician Assistant (PA) or the Nurse Practitioner (NP) provides assessment, triage, and therapeutic management of patient/family needs throughout the disease process as an integral part of an interdisciplinary team. The NP/PA, whether the practice setting is the inpatient, ambulatory, or outpatient settings, provides optimal patient care, from diagnostic to prognostic matters. This individual works in collaboration with the attending supervising/collaborating physician(s) in accordance with state law and hospital regulations, hospital policy, protocols and clinical pathways and may provide autonomous team based care. Obtains medical histories, performs physical examinations, reviews/orders diagnostic/therapeutic tests and radiologic results, formulates and manages patient treatment plans. The NP/PA may perform procedures, prescribe treatment and medications in accordance with institutional and state guidelines, as well as, when necessary for scope within specialty or professional competency standards. In some clinical specialties, the NP/PA may have autonomous practice managing certain patient populations. The NP/PA may also function as first or second assistant on operative cases (as long as within position scope and job educational prerequisites are in place), using fine motor skills and manual dexterity. Other clinical job duties may be applied in accordance with departmental and operational goals, training related to profession and practice necessitated guidelines and responsibilities, inclusive but not limited to responding to emergency situations within the YNHHS parameters.
-
Patient Education & Psychosocial Support: The NP/PA will educate patients/families on care and recommended or available resources. In collaboration with the supervising/collaborating MD, this may be inclusive of admitting instructions, treatment plan, actual and potential side effects of treatments/medications, and discharge plan. The NP/PA, as part of a multidisciplinary team, provides psychosocial support to patients, their family members, and significant others in a caring, ethical, and professional manner.
-
Information Management: The NP/PA ensures appropriate documentation within the accordance of hospital and regulatory requirements and protects information of all forms, whether computer-based, paper, film, voice, or other media from unauthorized access modification, destruction, or intentional or accidental disclosure.
-
Quality Management: The NP/PA is expected to demonstrate a high standard of moral and ethical behavior, professionalism, compassion, and commitment to patient care. Ensures compliance with patient related healthcare regulatory requirements, standards and recommendations.
-
Professional Development: The NP/PA continuously engages in projects that maintain and advance professional competency. The NP/PA serves as a clinical resource for new house staff and may provide service specific orientation pertinent to clinical education. Consistently demonstrates high reliability organizational behaviors through reporting safety events as well as near misses. The NP/PA continuously engages in projects that maintain and advance professional competency. Maintains all employee requirements determined by hospital policy. The NP/PA may serve as a clinical preceptor for NP/PA students and other health care professionals and may serve as a mentor to pre-PA/NP candidates. The NP/PA may collaborate on research, quality assurance and performance improvement projects, and assist with the formation of protocols that will be applied to clinical practice or further their educational and clinical expertise.
Qualifications
Education
Graduate from an accredited Nurse Practitioner or an accredited Physician Assistant Program.
Experience
Prefer clinical working experience as a NP/PA within the given specialty/service line recommended, but none required. APRNs, PAs, CRNAs and CNMs are required to be appointed to the Affiliated Medical Staff of a YNHHS Hospital and credentialed through the Medical Staff process. Evidence of current competence to practice as {an APRN, PA, CRNA, CNM} via appropriate reference letters from physicians and other practitioners must be able to be obtained during the Medical Staff appointment process in order to be eligible.
LICENSURE
Active PA Certification by the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), Connecticut State Physician Assistant License, ACLS/BLS Certified, when indicated for position profile DEA License, when indicated for pediatric position profile PALS, when indicated for neonatal care NRP Certification. Additional licensure, certifications and/or continuing education credits may be required during employment based on position and area of specialty. OR Connecticut State Registered Nurse License, Connecticut State Nurse Practitioner License, Board specialty certification, as appropriate for position profile ACLS/BLS Certified, when indicated for position profile DEA License, when indicated for pediatric position profile PALS, when indicated for neonatal care NRP Certification.
REQUIREMENTS
- Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program.
- Current or eligible licensure as a Physician Assistant in the state of Connecticut.
- Ability to function in a high-acuity cardiac surgery environment and support a busy cardiac surgery service.
- Ability to assist in complex cardiac surgical procedures, including CABG, valve, aortic, transplant, LVAD/ECMO, and robotic cardiac surgery cases.
- Participation in call rotation, typically consisting of approximately one weeknight call per week and one weekend per month, subject to team coverage needs.
Preferred Qualifications
- Cardiac Surgery First Assist experience strongly preferred.
- Experience serving as a first or second assist in the operating room.
- New graduate Physician Assistants will be considered.
Additional Information:
To learn more, please email or schedule an interview with our In-House Provider Recruiter:
James Hammell
475-339-6050
James.Hammell@ynhh.org
EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran
See all 1,315+ OPT Physician Assistant Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Physician Assistant Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Physician Assistant
Target hospital systems over private practices
Large hospital networks and academic medical centers have dedicated HR and legal teams experienced with H-1B visa sponsorship. Smaller private practices rarely have the infrastructure to navigate immigration filings, making them lower-probability targets for OPT students.
Confirm NCCPA certification eligibility early
Most PA employers require PANCE passage before hire. Confirm your graduation timeline aligns with your OPT start date so you can sit for the exam and begin authorized employment without gaps that could jeopardize your status.
Ask about sponsorship in the second interview, not the first
Raising H-1B sponsorship too early signals risk to hiring managers. Establish your clinical fit and value first. Once there is clear mutual interest, asking about immigration support lands much better with the decision-makers who control the offer.
Prioritize employers with existing H-1B filing history
Employers who have sponsored H-1B workers before understand the timeline and cost. Search DOL disclosure data to verify whether a hospital or health system has filed LCAs previously before investing significant time in their interview process.
Know your specialty's demand advantage
PA shortages in primary care, emergency medicine, and rural health create genuine leverage for international candidates. Emphasizing willingness to work in underserved or high-need settings can make sponsorship conversations easier with employers who struggle to fill those positions.
Get your OPT authorization documents organized before applying
Have your EAD card, I-20 with OPT authorization, and passport ready before submitting applications. Employers in regulated healthcare settings run compliance checks early, and delays in providing work authorization documentation can cost you an offer.
Physician Assistant OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Physician Assistant jobs qualify for OPT work authorization?
Yes. Physician Assistant is a specialty occupation requiring at least a master's degree from an accredited PA program, which satisfies USCIS criteria for both OPT authorization and eventual H-1B sponsorship. Your EAD card authorizes you to work as a PA for any employer willing to hire you during your OPT period.
Do PA programs qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension?
Most PA programs do not qualify for the STEM OPT extension because the Master of Physician Assistant Studies is not classified under a STEM-designated CIP code. You should confirm your specific program's CIP code with your DSO before assuming a 24-month extension is available. Plan your H-1B timeline around a standard 12-month OPT window to avoid gaps.
How do I find PA employers who sponsor H-1B visas?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT and visa-sponsored job searches, so you can browse Physician Assistant roles filtered by employers with sponsorship history. Beyond that, reviewing DOL Labor Condition Application disclosure data shows which hospital systems and health networks have filed H-1B petitions for PA roles in recent years.
Can I start working as a PA before my PANCE results arrive?
Most states require licensure before independent PA practice, and PANCE results typically take one to two weeks after your exam date. Some employers offer a supervised provisional period while awaiting results, but this varies by state and employer policy. Confirm your state's licensing board rules and your employer's internal compliance requirements before your start date.
What happens to my OPT status if my PA job ends before I find a new employer?
F-1 OPT allows up to 90 days of unemployment during your authorization period. If you lose your PA position, you have 90 days to secure new employment in a role directly related to your degree before your status is at risk. Report any employer changes to your DSO immediately and document your job search to maintain compliance throughout the gap.