1. Hours of work/compensation: Researchers found female and graduate-level physician assistants found hours of work required each week to be important. In addition, the survey showed salary was important only to physician assistance with graduate degrees.
2. Support of/for significant other: Researchers found physician assistants also chose practice location based on how their spouses or families would fit. The survey revealed this factor affected decisions about location the most.
3. Community and job amenities: Male physician assistants found it more important that the practice location offered some cultural or recreational activities.
4. Educational resources/access to care growing up: Researchers found access to educational and healthcare opportunities was a predictor of satisfaction among rural physician assistants, though the researchers acknowledged this factor may become less important as more of these opportunities move online.
5. Practice opportunities: Survey results showed the scope of practice or breadth of responsibility/relationships held no bearing on where physician assistants chose to practice, despite previous published research that showed some urban practitioners prefer a wider scope of practice and rural practitioners sometimes prefer closer patient relationships.
6. Location: Younger and female physician assistants were found to be more likely to choose practice location based on where they grew up, compared to older and male physician assistants.
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