Healthcare Recruiting
Arkansas PA License 2026: Physician Assistant Requirements, Process, and Salary
Arkansas physician assistants are licensed through the Arkansas State Medical Board (ASMB). The state requires a formal supervision agreement with a licensed supervising physician, a document that must be approved by the ASMB before the PA can practice. Arkansas is a lower-cost-of-living state with growing healthcare demand, particularly in rural counties and the Mississippi Delta region, where NHSC Loan Repayment eligibility is extensive.
Practice Model: Supervision Required
Arkansas PAs must have an ASMB-approved written supervision agreement with a licensed Arkansas physician. The agreement defines scope of practice, prescriptive authority, and supervisory oversight requirements. There is no required on-site physician presence for most PA practice settings, but the supervising physician must be accessible by phone or telemedicine.
- Supervision agreement: Required and must be ASMB-approved before practice begins
- Prescriptive authority: Schedule III-V controlled substances allowed; Schedule II requires additional documentation and physician co-signature in most settings
- Practice locations: Up to 4 sites may be covered under one supervision agreement with ASMB approval
Application Requirements
- Active NCCPA certification
- Graduation from ARC-PA accredited PA program
- ASMB application and $150 fee
- Written supervision agreement with licensed Arkansas physician
- Background check
- DEA registration (separate, $888 fee)
Processing Timeline
The ASMB typically processes complete PA applications in 6-8 weeks. Supervision agreement review adds 1-2 weeks. Total time to practice-ready: approximately 8-10 weeks.
PA Salary in Arkansas (2026)
| Setting | Median Base | Typical Sign-On |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital / Inpatient | $112,000 | $5,000-$15,000 |
| Surgical First-Assist | $120,000 | $8,000-$18,000 |
| Emergency Medicine | $118,000 | $5,000-$15,000 |
| Primary Care / Outpatient | $106,000 | $5,000-$12,000 |
| Rural / Delta Region | $112,000 | $10,000-$22,000 |
Top PA Employers in Arkansas
UAMS Medical Center (Little Rock) is the state's academic flagship and largest PA employer. UAMS offers subspecialty rotations, strong benefits, and a research-affiliated practice environment. Baptist Health (Little Rock, Fort Smith, North Little Rock) recruits across the state for hospital medicine, ER, and surgical PA roles. Mercy Health (Fort Smith, Rogers/Bentonville) covers northwest Arkansas, the state's fastest-growing market. CHI St. Vincent (Little Rock) rounds out the capital region employers. Rural delta counties, particularly Crittenden, Lee, and St. Francis, have NHSC-designated sites with up to $50,000 in loan-repayment eligibility.
What We See at Ava Health
Arkansas PA candidates should plan the supervision agreement negotiation in parallel with the ASMB application. It's the most common source of delays. Large systems like UAMS and Baptist Health have standardized agreements ready to file; smaller practices may need 2-3 weeks to execute and submit their agreement. The Bentonville/Rogers corridor (Walmart HQ region) has driven rapid healthcare market growth and increasingly competitive PA salaries in northwest Arkansas.
Related: NP License Arkansas 2026, PA Salary by State 2026, Healthcare Recruiting in Arkansas 2026.
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