Surgical Physician Assistant Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Surgical Physician Assistant roles qualify as specialty occupations under H-1B visa, requiring a master's or bachelor's degree in physician assistant studies. Many hospital systems and surgical groups sponsor H-1B and EB-2 green cards for PAs with first-assist experience. Competition for OR-focused roles is real, but sponsoring employers do exist.
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Get Access To All JobsJob ID: R1065072
Type: Full Time
Location: Moorestown, New Jersey
Standard Hours: 40
Shift: 1st Shift
About the Role:
Virtua Reconstructive Orthopedics is looking for an experienced Physician Assistant to join their patient focused orthopedic practice. This position will primarily support the Surgical Sports Medicine Team with ancillary support provided to the other service lines within the practice when necessary. The position schedule is full-time, weekdays, and one weekend shift every three months. Weekend work is second call with an attending surgeon taking first call and includes hospital rounds, consults, and first assist in OR for add-on cases. This position will float to all Virtua Reconstructive Orthopedics office locations. The position presents the opportunity to split the working week between the office and the operating room. Orientation will be approximately three months, working five days per week, eight-hour shifts. Once orientation is completed, the position will move to four ten-hour shifts.
Position Responsibilities:
- Obtains a relevant and complete social, medical and orthopedic history.
- Performs an appropriate physical examination with strong knowledge of anatomy and physiology.
- Appropriately selects diagnostic tests.
- Accurately interprets test results including labs, X-rays, and complete documentation.
- Synthesizes information accurately from PE, test results, written forms, EMR and patient verbal report.
- Integrates the patient’s PMHx and PSHx into decision making regarding orthopedic treatments.
- Appropriately orders pharmaceuticals (antibiotics, anticoagulants, pain management), braces, therapies, weight-bearing status.
- Provides quality patient education: timely and thorough during office visit and callbacks.
- Provides health education aimed at preventing problems or maintaining health.
- Appropriately sizes, applies & removes casts/splints/braces.
- Performs diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including but not limited to joint/tendon/bursa injections.
- Conducts hospital rounds and consults for hospital patients including evaluation, formulation of treatment plan, and completes all necessary documentation.
- Maintains sterile technique and safety standards.
- Performs all duties related to surgical first assisting.
Qualifications
- Graduation from accredited Physician Assistant program.
- NCCPA Certification and Physician Assistant license issued by the State of New Jersey.
- Minimum two years of orthopedic experience including surgical first assist (with a preference for experience in assisting in complex sports surgery cases such as ACL Reconstruction, Shoulder Arthroscopy, and Shoulder Arthroplasty).
- BLS Certification.
- Valid Driver’s License.
Compensation:
In compliance with New Jersey pay transparency laws, all physician assistant roles include a posted minimum base salary. The minimum base salary for this position is $131,250.00 per year. Final compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience, qualifications, and prevailing market factors.
Our Culture:
At Virtua, we embrace the Culture of We, where our community is our family. We believe every interaction is an opportunity to build relationships and loyalty by listening to our patients, anticipating their care needs, collaborating with care partners in our region, and engaging with our community.
Virtua Medical Group treats patients of all ages with an emphasis on providing an outstanding patient experience. Conveniently located throughout four counties in Southern New Jersey, VMG offers internal medicine, primary care, urgent care, and many medical and surgical specialties. Clinicians are supported by the vast network of Virtua facilities, offering advanced diagnostic testing, outpatient surgery, physical therapy, and health and wellness centers. Hospitalization and nursing home care are also part of the care continuum. Virtua Medical Group clinicians provide the care patients need, when and where they need it.
Interested in joining our team?
Submit your CV through this posting or email it directly to vmgrecruiting@virtua.org attention Stephanie McNasby.
Virtua offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: medical/prescription, dental and vision insurance; health and dependent care flexible spending accounts; 403(b) (401(k) subject to collective bargaining agreement); paid time off, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, colleague and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; tuition assistance, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.
Job ID: R1065072
Type: Full Time
Location: Moorestown, New Jersey
Standard Hours: 40
Shift: 1st Shift
About the Role:
Virtua Reconstructive Orthopedics is looking for an experienced Physician Assistant to join their patient focused orthopedic practice. This position will primarily support the Surgical Sports Medicine Team with ancillary support provided to the other service lines within the practice when necessary. The position schedule is full-time, weekdays, and one weekend shift every three months. Weekend work is second call with an attending surgeon taking first call and includes hospital rounds, consults, and first assist in OR for add-on cases. This position will float to all Virtua Reconstructive Orthopedics office locations. The position presents the opportunity to split the working week between the office and the operating room. Orientation will be approximately three months, working five days per week, eight-hour shifts. Once orientation is completed, the position will move to four ten-hour shifts.
Position Responsibilities:
- Obtains a relevant and complete social, medical and orthopedic history.
- Performs an appropriate physical examination with strong knowledge of anatomy and physiology.
- Appropriately selects diagnostic tests.
- Accurately interprets test results including labs, X-rays, and complete documentation.
- Synthesizes information accurately from PE, test results, written forms, EMR and patient verbal report.
- Integrates the patient’s PMHx and PSHx into decision making regarding orthopedic treatments.
- Appropriately orders pharmaceuticals (antibiotics, anticoagulants, pain management), braces, therapies, weight-bearing status.
- Provides quality patient education: timely and thorough during office visit and callbacks.
- Provides health education aimed at preventing problems or maintaining health.
- Appropriately sizes, applies & removes casts/splints/braces.
- Performs diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including but not limited to joint/tendon/bursa injections.
- Conducts hospital rounds and consults for hospital patients including evaluation, formulation of treatment plan, and completes all necessary documentation.
- Maintains sterile technique and safety standards.
- Performs all duties related to surgical first assisting.
Qualifications
- Graduation from accredited Physician Assistant program.
- NCCPA Certification and Physician Assistant license issued by the State of New Jersey.
- Minimum two years of orthopedic experience including surgical first assist (with a preference for experience in assisting in complex sports surgery cases such as ACL Reconstruction, Shoulder Arthroscopy, and Shoulder Arthroplasty).
- BLS Certification.
- Valid Driver’s License.
Compensation:
In compliance with New Jersey pay transparency laws, all physician assistant roles include a posted minimum base salary. The minimum base salary for this position is $131,250.00 per year. Final compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience, qualifications, and prevailing market factors.
Our Culture:
At Virtua, we embrace the Culture of We, where our community is our family. We believe every interaction is an opportunity to build relationships and loyalty by listening to our patients, anticipating their care needs, collaborating with care partners in our region, and engaging with our community.
Virtua Medical Group treats patients of all ages with an emphasis on providing an outstanding patient experience. Conveniently located throughout four counties in Southern New Jersey, VMG offers internal medicine, primary care, urgent care, and many medical and surgical specialties. Clinicians are supported by the vast network of Virtua facilities, offering advanced diagnostic testing, outpatient surgery, physical therapy, and health and wellness centers. Hospitalization and nursing home care are also part of the care continuum. Virtua Medical Group clinicians provide the care patients need, when and where they need it.
Interested in joining our team?
Submit your CV through this posting or email it directly to vmgrecruiting@virtua.org attention Stephanie McNasby.
Virtua offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: medical/prescription, dental and vision insurance; health and dependent care flexible spending accounts; 403(b) (401(k) subject to collective bargaining agreement); paid time off, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, colleague and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; tuition assistance, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.
See all Surgical Physician Assistant Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Surgical Physician Assistant roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Surgical Physician Assistant
Verify your PA degree meets specialty occupation standards
USCIS evaluates whether your degree directly relates to the surgical PA role. A master's in physician assistant studies strengthens your case, but a bachelor's with clinical surgical rotations documented in your transcripts also supports specialty occupation classification.
Target hospital systems with surgical subspecialty departments
Large academic medical centers and multi-specialty surgical groups file LCAs far more consistently than small private practices. Focus your search on employers with dedicated cardiothoracic, orthopedic, or neurosurgery programs, where first-assist PA demand is structural, not incidental.
Search verified sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to browse surgical PA roles at employers with confirmed H-1B LCA filing history. This cuts out the guesswork of cold-applying to practices that have never sponsored a visa before.
Check prevailing wage tiers before accepting an offer
Your employer must meet DOL prevailing wage requirements. Run the OFLC Wage Search for your SOC code and work location before signing. Surgical PAs in Level I trauma centers often fall under a higher wage tier than outpatient surgical roles, which affects what your employer must certify.
Secure your state PA license before the H-1B filing date
USCIS requires that you hold an unrestricted state license authorizing you to practice as a PA at petition time. Provisional or supervised licenses create RFE risk. Apply to the state medical board immediately after accepting an offer so licensure doesn't delay the I-129 filing.
Ask your employer about PERM sponsorship timing upfront
If green card sponsorship matters to you, confirm whether the employer will initiate PERM labor certification before your H-1B hits the six-year cap. Surgical PA roles classified under EB-2 require an advanced degree or exceptional ability, so your credentials and the employer's intent both need to align early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Surgical Physician Assistant role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?
Yes. USCIS consistently treats physician assistant roles as specialty occupations because they require at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. For surgical PAs, the clinical specificity of first-assist duties in the OR strengthens the specialty occupation argument further. Your employer documents this in the LCA and I-129 petition.
What degree do I need to qualify for H-1B sponsorship as a surgical PA?
USCIS requires at minimum a bachelor's degree in physician assistant studies or a closely related health sciences field. Most surgical PA roles now expect a master's degree, which is the standard award from accredited PA programs. A degree in a general or unrelated field, even with PA certification, creates higher RFE risk during adjudication.
Do surgical PA employers sponsor green cards through PERM?
Some do, particularly large hospital systems and academic medical centers. PERM labor certification requires the employer to prove no qualified U.S. workers are available for the role. Surgical PA positions in subspecialty areas like cardiothoracic or neurosurgery can support this showing more easily than general surgical roles because the candidate pool is narrower.
How do I find surgical PA jobs where the employer already sponsors visas?
Migrate Mate shows surgical PA roles at employers with verified H-1B LCA filing history, so you can focus on positions where sponsorship is already established practice rather than negotiating it from scratch.
Can a surgical PA on H-1B change employers mid-status?
Yes. Under H-1B portability, you can start working for a new employer once your new I-129 petition is filed, without waiting for USCIS approval. The new employer must file a fresh LCA and petition. Your state PA license must remain valid and cover the new practice location, since surgical privileges are institution-specific and don't automatically transfer.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Surgical Physician Assistant jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.