Physician Assistant

BANNER UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER - TUCSON; Surprise (AZ); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Banner University Medical Center - Tucson seeks a capable Physician Assistant to function as a true clinical extension in a fast-paced otology/neurotology practice in the Phoenix metro area. The role emphasizes independent patient management and ownership of care from assessment to plan.

Cochlear implant readiness and postoperative care are integral parts of the job. This position requires proactive problem-solving, clear patient communication, and strong clinical judgment, with collaboration

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program.
• Arizona PA license or ability to obtain one.
• Strong clinical judgment and communication skills.
• Ability to manage a high-volume patient schedule.
• Excellent organization and documentation skills.
• ENT, otology, neurotology, surgical, postoperative, or cochlear implant experience is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Manage approximately 30 patients per day.
• Evaluate follow-up, urgent, and postoperative patients.
• Review imaging, testing, and diagnostic results.
• Clearly communicate results and treatment plans to patients.
• Perform appropriate in-office procedures within scope and training.
• Coordinate cochlear implant readiness with physician input and case submission.
• Address postoperative questions and reinforce postoperative instructions.
• Handle after-hours patient calls within scope and responsibility.
• Maintain timely, accurate documentation.
• Train clinical staff on instrument handling, organization, and inventory processes.

Skills

Clinical judgment

Communication skills

Organization

Documentation

High-volume patient management

ENT/otology experience

Education

Accredited Physician Assistant program

Job description

Physician Assistant / Otology Provider Extender

Locations: Phoenix & Surprise, Arizona

Schedule: Monday–Friday | 7:30 AM–5:00 PM

Patient Volume: Approximately 30 patients per day

About the Role

We are seeking a highly capable, confident Physician Assistant to function as a true clinical extension of our physician in a fast-paced otology/neurotology practice.

This is not a passive PA position.

We need someone who can independently manage patients, think critically, solve problems, communicate difficult information, and take ownership from beginning to end.

The expectation is simple:

Know the patient. Know the plan. Know what is outstanding. Get it done.

Core Responsibilities

Patient Care

• Manage approximately 30 patients per day.
• Evaluate follow-up, urgent, and postoperative patients.
• Review imaging, testing, and diagnostic results.
• Clearly communicate results and treatment plans to patients.
• Perform appropriate in-office procedures within scope and training.
• Identify when physician involvement is truly necessary.
• Maintain timely, accurate documentation.

Patient Communication

We need a provider who is compassionate, confident, and direct.

You must be able to:

• Educate patients instead of simply telling them what they want to hear.
• Set realistic expectations.
• Have difficult conversations professionally.
• Empower patients to take an active role in their healthcare.
• Manage upset or challenging patients without automatically handing them off to the physician.
• A difficult patient is still your patient.

Come to the physician with an assessment and proposed solution, not simply a problem.

Cochlear Implant Patient Ownership

The PA will own the cochlear implant patient's clinical readiness before the case reaches the physician.

Responsibilities include:

• Track all required testing, imaging, clearances, documentation, and clinical requirements.
• Ensure all required tasks are completed.
• Coordinate with audiology, surgery scheduling, outside providers, and imaging facilities as needed.
• Educate patients throughout the cochlear implant process.
• Follow up proactively on incomplete requirements.
• Review the entire case for completeness.
• Sign off that the patient is ready for physician review.
• Submit the case to the physician only when the required workup is complete.
• The physician should receive a completed case—not a list of unfinished tasks.

Postoperative Care

• Follow postoperative patients through recovery.
• Address patient questions and concerns.
• Identify possible complications.
• Reinforce postoperative instructions and expectations.
• Escalate appropriately when physician-level care is required.
• Ensure follow-up is completed and concerns are closed out.

After-Hours Calls

This position includes responsibility for after-hours patient calls.

You must be comfortable assessing concerns, determining urgency, providing appropriate guidance within scope, recognizing when escalation is necessary, and documenting communication appropriately.

Clinical Operations Ownership

The PA will also take ownership of the clinical environment.

This includes:

• Clinical and procedural supplies.
• Steroids and medications used in clinic.
• Needles, syringes, tubing, and procedure supplies.
• Otology instruments.
• Exam-room scopes.
• Scope bulbs and light sources.
• Equipment readiness.
• Instrument organization and inventory.

You are expected to notice supply or equipment needs before they become a problem.

You will also train clinical staff on proper instrument handling, organization, and inventory processes.

This Role Is Not for You If You:

• Need constant direction.
• Avoid difficult patients.
• Automatically send unhappy patients to the physician.
• Frequently say, "That's not my job".
• Identify problems without trying to solve them.
• Leave incomplete tasks for others.
• Are uncomfortable working at a fast pace.
• Do not want responsibility beyond seeing patients.

Why Join Us?

We are looking for more than someone to fill a PA position.

We want a provider who becomes a trusted clinical partner—someone patients rely on, the team depends on, and the physician knows will follow through.

If you have it, it's handled.

If that describes how you work, we want to meet you.

• Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program.
• Active Arizona PA license or ability to obtain one.
• Strong clinical judgment and communication skills.
• Ability to manage a high-volume patient schedule.
• Excellent organization and documentation skills.
• ENT, otology, neurotology, surgical, postoperative, or cochlear implant experience is preferred but not required for the right candidate.