Surgical Physician Assistant – CV Surgery | Houston, TX

Location & Practice Overview

This position is based with Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group at the Medical Center campus in the Texas Medical Center. The practice operates as part of a specialty physician group supporting the cardiovascular surgery service line within a large academic medical center environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide first-assist and/or second-assist services during cardiovascular surgical procedures under physician direction.
• Obtain patient histories, perform comprehensive health assessments, and identify normal and abnormal clinical findings.
• Interpret diagnostic information such as X-rays and laboratory results, then contribute to treatment decisions and prescribe medications within delegated authority.
• Participate in clinical rounds and coordinate timely care with surgeons, ancillary clinicians, and the interprofessional team.
• Maintain accurate medical records with appropriate diagnosis and CPT coding while following established protocols and safety standards.

Qualifications & Requirements

Applicants must hold current Texas licensure and national certification together with required life-support credentials. A minimum of one year of surgical experience is required.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation for this position is presented as an annual range. Specific benefits such as medical coverage, retirement contributions, paid leave, and CME support are not detailed in the available posting and should be confirmed directly with the employer.

• Compensation: $140,000–$165,000 per year
• Benefits package details available upon inquiry with Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group

Schedule & Work Environment

Patient Population & Clinical Setting

The role serves adults and other patients who require surgical management of conditions affecting the heart and vascular system. Care is delivered across hospital inpatient units and associated outpatient clinical settings.

Clinical Focus & Key Services

The professional core of this position is surgical assistance within cardiovascular surgery combined with continuous clinical oversight of patients moving through the surgical pathway. The work emphasizes operative support for heart and vascular procedures and the clinical management that links preoperative evaluation with postoperative recovery.

Role Highlights

This position is structured around a defined operating-room commitment paired with ongoing clinical responsibilities across the cardiovascular surgery service, rather than a purely clinic-based or limited-assist model.

• Defined minimum of 30% of working time spent providing surgical assist services in the operating room
• Dual presence across inpatient and outpatient phases of cardiovascular surgical care
• Potential to serve as a clinical resource or preceptor for PA students and medical residents when appropriate

About Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group

Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group is part of the Houston Methodist health system. The system includes a flagship academic medical center in the Texas Medical Center and seven community hospitals serving the Greater Houston area. It maintains an affiliation with Weill Cornell Medicine and supports specialty medical practice through physician groups and related clinical operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Surgical Physician Assistant – CV Surgery | Houston, TX

A surgical physician assistant working in cardiovascular surgery occupies a dual position that bridges the operating room and the broader clinical pathway of cardiac and vascular patients. In this setting the PA contributes operative skill during procedures while also carrying responsibility for clinical judgment that supports patients before and after surgery. The professional demands include rapid assessment of complex physiologic changes, clear communication within a multidisciplinary surgical team, and the ability to sustain continuity of care as patients move between acute and recovery phases. Within a large academic medical center environment, such roles often involve collaboration with attending surgeons, residents, and other advanced practice clinicians, creating a practice pattern that differs from purely clinic-based or limited-assist models. Candidates evaluating this type of position should weigh the balance of operative time against ongoing clinical accountability and the structural expectations of call coverage that accompany surgical service lines.