Physician Assistant Burnout: The Role of Leader Well-Being and Span of Control

Physician assistants (PAs) increasingly expand access to psychiatric care, yet little evidence describes how organizational factors affect their well-being. This study evaluates the relationship between leader burnout, leader span of control (SOC), and PA burnout within a large Midwestern health system. Using data from the 2024 enterprise-wide Culture of Safety survey, burnout scores were analyzed from 778 employees, including 88 PAs and their 38 managers. Direct-report two-question summative scores were significantly higher when managers screened positive for burnout, demonstrating a cascading effect of leader well-being on employees. Total SOC did not show a statistically significant association with manager burnout, but the direction of effect aligned with prior literature and strengthened when analyses focused on emotional exhaustion. These findings underscore the need to support PA leaders and incorporate SOC considerations into work-force planning to improve clinician well-being.