Healthcare Recruiting
Michigan PA License 2026: Physician Assistant Requirements, Supervision, and Salary
Michigan physician assistants are licensed by the Michigan Bureau of Professional Licensing (part of LARA — Licensing and Regulatory Affairs). The state requires PA practice under physician supervision, with the arrangement documented through institutional credentialing frameworks. Michigan's healthcare market is anchored by Detroit and Grand Rapids, with a secondary tier in Lansing, Flint, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The post-Beaumont/Spectrum merger Corewell Health system is now one of the largest health systems in the Midwest by employee count.
Practice Model: Supervision Required
Michigan PAs practice under physician supervision with the arrangement documented through their employer. The supervising physician must be licensed in Michigan. No on-site physician presence is required for routine PA practice.
- Supervision required: Documented through institutional credentialing
- Prescriptive authority: Schedule II–V with DEA registration
- Multiple sites: PAs may practice at multiple employer locations under one supervising physician relationship
Application Requirements
- Active NCCPA certification
- Graduation from ARC-PA accredited program
- Michigan LARA application and ~$148 fee
- Background check
- DEA registration (separate)
Processing Timeline
Michigan LARA processes complete PA applications in 6–8 weeks. Total time to practice-ready including DEA: approximately 8–10 weeks.
PA Salary in Michigan (2026)
| Setting | Median Base | Typical Sign-On |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital / Inpatient (Detroit / Grand Rapids) | $122,000 | $8,000–$18,000 |
| Surgical First-Assist | $132,000 | $10,000–$22,000 |
| Emergency Medicine | $128,000 | $8,000–$18,000 |
| Primary Care / Outpatient | $114,000 | $5,000–$12,000 |
| Rural Michigan / Upper Peninsula | $118,000 | $10,000–$22,000 |
Top PA Employers in Michigan
Henry Ford Health (Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and 6 hospital campuses) is one of the state's premier integrated systems and a large PA employer with established PA residency programs. Corewell Health (post-Beaumont + Spectrum merger — Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak/Dearborn plus Spectrum Health Grand Rapids and 20+ hospitals) is now one of the largest health systems in the Midwest and the dominant PA employer by volume in western Michigan. University of Michigan Health (Michigan Medicine — Ann Arbor) is the academic flagship for subspecialty and research PA roles. Sparrow Health (Lansing) and Trinity Health Michigan (Saint Mary's, Mercy Health) round out the major markets. The Upper Peninsula has critical access hospitals with NHSC-eligible positions and significant lifestyle appeal.
What We See at Ava Health
Michigan is a high-volume PA market with two distinct tiers: Detroit/Grand Rapids metro (competitive, moderate sign-ons) and the Upper Peninsula (genuine shortage, NHSC eligibility, lifestyle premium). Corewell's post-merger scale creates both opportunity and negotiating complexity — their standardized PA compensation structure leaves less room for individual negotiation than smaller systems. University of Michigan positions attract national competition for subspecialty roles.
Related: NP License Michigan 2026, PA Salary by State 2026, Healthcare Recruiting in Michigan 2026.
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