Key Points:
In the heart of the nation’s capital, where every second counts and public safety intersects with public health, the District of Columbia’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (FEMS) is elevating the future of emergency response with the help of its Mobile Integrated Health Team (MIH). Designed to fill the critical care gap between the community and emergency rooms, this initiative is seeking two skilled Physician Assistants (PAs) ready to take their training to the next level—and into the field.
Operating under a delegation agreement with the FEMS Medical Director, the selected candidates will become key clinicians in a fast-paced, high-impact role. From delivering complex prehospital care to performing procedures and diagnostics using point-of-care imaging tools, this is a position that moves beyond traditional emergency medicine. The MIH program is designed to reduce emergency room overcrowding by treating stable patients on-site, thereby providing more personalized, efficient care while reducing the strain on hospital systems.
But this role is about more than treating symptoms—it’s about building trust and delivering dignity to underserved populations. Whether responding to a mental health crisis on the sidewalk or administering life-saving care in a patient’s living room, you’ll be the calm, capable provider who brings medical expertise to the doorstep. You’ll work alongside highly trained EMS professionals, social workers, and public health officials to create lasting healthcare solutions—right where people need them most.
With a 13-month term appointment, an annual salary between $126,178 and $162,565, and the unique chance to be a part of something bigger, this position offers a rewarding blend of medicine, public service, and impact-driven innovation. For those ready to practice at the highest level with unmatched autonomy, this is more than a job—it’s a calling.
Mobile Emergency Healthcare That Saves Lives Fast
Fast Fact: Mobile emergency healthcare has become a critical component of modern emergency response. For the District of Columbia, the Mobile Integrated Health Team (MIH) stands as a pioneering effort that brings hospital-grade care directly to the community—often within minutes of a 911 call. As a Physician Assistant in this program, you won’t just be an assistant—you’ll be the clinical lead, the first to arrive and the first to act. Your presence will redefine what emergency care looks like outside traditional medical facilities. Whether the call comes from a busy Metro station during rush hour or from a high-rise apartment late at night, you will respond swiftly, conduct thorough assessments, and deliver hands-on treatment. Your ability to stabilize a patient on-site—without requiring emergency transport—can free up ambulances, reduce ER congestion, and, most importantly, deliver better health outcomes.
This approach aligns with a growing trend in prehospital care, where the goal is not only to treat but to triage and redirect care safely. With access to mobile technology and clinical autonomy, the Physician Assistant becomes a mobile command unit—equipped to assess respiratory distress, cardiac events, diabetic crises, or minor trauma right where it happens. And because the MIH program integrates with the city’s broader emergency response system, your interventions are supported by top-tier paramedics, access to advanced equipment, and direct oversight from the FEMS Medical Director. This is high-speed, high-stakes medicine with a purpose. Your work won't just save minutes—it will save lives.
On-Site Diagnostics and Critical Care Procedures in the Field
This position is defined by its scope and autonomy. Unlike traditional roles in hospital emergency rooms or urgent care centers, the Physician Assistant in DC’s Fire & EMS MIH Team carries the authority—and equipment—to conduct real-time diagnostics and life-saving procedures in the field. With mobile access to point-of-care technologies such as handheld ultrasound machines, digital ECGs, and portable diagnostic labs, your decisions will be rooted in immediate data and clinical observation. This allows you to identify conditions like pneumothorax, internal bleeding, fractures, or acute cardiac events with confidence, even in non-clinical environments.
In high-acuity cases, your role becomes even more hands-on. You’ll perform advanced airway interventions including intubation or cricothyrotomy, insert IVs, administer critical medications, and conduct thoracostomies when trauma patients require chest decompression. You may also carry out soft tissue repairs such as laceration suturing, dislocation reductions, and abscess drainage—all while maintaining infection control and documentation standards.
This level of procedural independence is rarely granted to Physician Assistants outside of hospital surgical teams or military field medics. In DC’s MIH model, it is not only permitted but essential. These interventions can be the difference between life and death, especially when response times matter and hospital access is delayed. Additionally, your ability to interpret lab values and imaging without direct oversight empowers you to lead with speed and precision, qualities that are critical in the chaotic world of urban emergency medicine. Each decision you make in these moments will define the care pathway for your patient—transforming emergency scenes into points of real recovery.
Responding to Behavioral Health and Substance Use Emergencies
In the current healthcare landscape, behavioral health crises and substance use emergencies represent a growing percentage of 911 calls. As a Physician Assistant in this role, you will be on the front lines of some of the most complex and sensitive medical cases in the District of Columbia. These situations require more than just clinical skill—they demand compassion, de-escalation expertise, and a deep understanding of community health dynamics.
When responding to a call involving a patient experiencing psychosis, suicidal ideation, or substance-induced agitation, your role becomes multifaceted. You’ll need to conduct rapid mental status evaluations, determine psychiatric risk levels, administer stabilizing medications, and assess for any co-occurring medical conditions. In the case of opioid overdoses or withdrawal symptoms, your ability to initiate treatment protocols on-site can reverse overdose symptoms and buy time for long-term intervention. You’ll be the bridge between street-level crisis and long-term support.
One of the most powerful aspects of this role is its ability to offer alternatives to hospitalization. Instead of defaulting to emergency room transport, you may be able to refer patients to crisis stabilization units, residential detox programs, or mobile behavioral health crisis teams. This diversionary approach helps reduce strain on hospitals and law enforcement while providing more effective and dignified care pathways for vulnerable individuals. Working in partnership with public health agencies and outreach workers, you’ll also help connect these patients to housing support, addiction recovery programs, or psychiatric follow-ups—turning a single response into a continuum of care.
This type of service not only improves clinical outcomes but builds long-term trust between emergency services and underserved communities. In neighborhoods where health disparities persist, your presence can symbolize hope, help, and healing.
Integrated Collaboration Across Emergency and Social Services
One of the most innovative elements of this role is its collaborative foundation. The MIH model thrives on inter-agency cooperation, making the Physician Assistant a linchpin in a citywide strategy that goes far beyond reactive care. Each response brings you into contact with a network of professionals working toward a common goal: comprehensive, patient-centered healthcare delivered at the moment it’s most needed.
From the moment you arrive on scene, you are part of a real-time triage unit alongside EMS crews. You assess the patient medically while simultaneously gathering context—Is this a repeat caller? Does the individual have chronic conditions? Are there social determinants affecting their health, such as homelessness or domestic abuse? Based on your findings, you can escalate or de-escalate the case with precision.
Behind every action is a system designed for wraparound support. You’ll work with case managers to arrange follow-up visits, with behavioral health liaisons to navigate psychiatric care, and with DC agencies to coordinate transportation, housing, and medical continuity. You’ll also play a crucial role in data collection and quality improvement initiatives—providing feedback that helps evolve city protocols and policies around mobile health delivery.
By bridging the divide between acute care and chronic needs, this integrated model ensures that patients receive not just emergency treatment, but the resources to stay well long after the crisis passes. For the PA, this means being both a responder and a reformer. You’ll impact individual lives while helping to shape a healthcare system that truly meets people where they are.
Qualifications, Expectations, and What You Bring to the Table
This high-responsibility role demands a unique combination of qualifications, temperament, and commitment. At a minimum, you must be a licensed Physician Assistant in the District of Columbia, certified through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), and hold active credentials in Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). A minimum of one year of prior experience delivering advanced care in emergency, trauma, or prehospital environments—especially at the GS-13 level or equivalent—is required.
What makes this opportunity exceptional is the autonomy it grants. You will practice under a formal delegation agreement with the FEMS Medical Director but will be expected to function independently in field conditions. The ability to perform under pressure, use judgment in chaotic environments, and work compassionately with diverse populations is essential. Given the safety-sensitive nature of the role, candidates must pass drug and alcohol screening (including tests for marijuana, even if medically authorized), as well as background and driving record checks.
The role follows a weekday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM schedule, but the nature of emergency response may require flexibility. This is a 13-month term appointment through DC’s Career Service, with potential for long-term placement as the MIH model continues to expand.
If you are a clinically advanced, socially conscious, and mission-driven provider ready to deliver care in some of the most meaningful ways imaginable, this role is calling. It’s not just about having the certifications—it’s about having the courage to lead care outside the hospital and in the real world, where it’s needed most.
Why This Physician Assistant Role in DC Matters
Joining the DC Fire & EMS Department as a Physician Assistant is not just another job—it’s a high-impact opportunity to deliver care where and when it's needed most. In today’s evolving landscape of emergency medical services, traditional hospital models are increasingly strained. That’s why integrated mobile care—where trained clinicians meet patients where they are—is emerging as one of the most innovative and sustainable approaches to healthcare delivery.
The role offered through the Mobile Integrated Health Team exemplifies this shift. These PAs act as autonomous clinicians on the front lines, often being the first and only medical providers on the scene. From managing asthma attacks in high-rise buildings to de-escalating behavioral health emergencies in public parks, every shift presents new challenges and the chance to save lives. The DC government is investing in this future-forward model by equipping teams with the tools, technology, and autonomy needed to make decisions in real time, without waiting for a hospital setting.
Moreover, the clinical authority granted in this position sets it apart. While many physician assistant roles are limited by setting or specialty, this job gives access to wide-ranging responsibilities—such as point-of-care imaging, minor surgical interventions, and critical care decisions in the field. That kind of latitude doesn’t just build skill—it builds leadership in medicine.
This is also a chance to make a difference in equity. Many 911 callers are part of underserved populations, such as the unhoused or individuals struggling with substance use or mental illness. Being able to provide them with dignified, immediate medical attention, outside the intimidating setting of a hospital, is a step toward healthcare justice. It also builds relationships and trust between government services and the communities they serve.
Applicants with a strong clinical foundation, independent judgment, and passion for public service will thrive in this role. It offers a competitive salary ranging from $126,178 to $162,565, with excellent benefits and the opportunity to work alongside experienced EMS and medical professionals in a mission-first culture.
If you're a PA looking for a role that’s far from routine—and full of purpose—this is the job for you. Every call you answer brings the possibility of changing someone’s life for the better. Don’t miss your chance to help reshape emergency medicine in the nation’s capital.
Apply now or explore the full job details here
- Position based in DC’s Fire & EMS Department.
- Advanced care for 911 callers in non-hospital settings.
- Full-time, career service appointment with no promotion track.
- Requires PA certification, DC license, and BLS/ACLS/PALS.
- Work includes field response, minor procedures, and diagnostics.
In the heart of the nation’s capital, where every second counts and public safety intersects with public health, the District of Columbia’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (FEMS) is elevating the future of emergency response with the help of its Mobile Integrated Health Team (MIH). Designed to fill the critical care gap between the community and emergency rooms, this initiative is seeking two skilled Physician Assistants (PAs) ready to take their training to the next level—and into the field.
Operating under a delegation agreement with the FEMS Medical Director, the selected candidates will become key clinicians in a fast-paced, high-impact role. From delivering complex prehospital care to performing procedures and diagnostics using point-of-care imaging tools, this is a position that moves beyond traditional emergency medicine. The MIH program is designed to reduce emergency room overcrowding by treating stable patients on-site, thereby providing more personalized, efficient care while reducing the strain on hospital systems.
But this role is about more than treating symptoms—it’s about building trust and delivering dignity to underserved populations. Whether responding to a mental health crisis on the sidewalk or administering life-saving care in a patient’s living room, you’ll be the calm, capable provider who brings medical expertise to the doorstep. You’ll work alongside highly trained EMS professionals, social workers, and public health officials to create lasting healthcare solutions—right where people need them most.
With a 13-month term appointment, an annual salary between $126,178 and $162,565, and the unique chance to be a part of something bigger, this position offers a rewarding blend of medicine, public service, and impact-driven innovation. For those ready to practice at the highest level with unmatched autonomy, this is more than a job—it’s a calling.
Mobile Emergency Healthcare That Saves Lives Fast
Fast Fact: Mobile emergency healthcare has become a critical component of modern emergency response. For the District of Columbia, the Mobile Integrated Health Team (MIH) stands as a pioneering effort that brings hospital-grade care directly to the community—often within minutes of a 911 call. As a Physician Assistant in this program, you won’t just be an assistant—you’ll be the clinical lead, the first to arrive and the first to act. Your presence will redefine what emergency care looks like outside traditional medical facilities. Whether the call comes from a busy Metro station during rush hour or from a high-rise apartment late at night, you will respond swiftly, conduct thorough assessments, and deliver hands-on treatment. Your ability to stabilize a patient on-site—without requiring emergency transport—can free up ambulances, reduce ER congestion, and, most importantly, deliver better health outcomes.
This approach aligns with a growing trend in prehospital care, where the goal is not only to treat but to triage and redirect care safely. With access to mobile technology and clinical autonomy, the Physician Assistant becomes a mobile command unit—equipped to assess respiratory distress, cardiac events, diabetic crises, or minor trauma right where it happens. And because the MIH program integrates with the city’s broader emergency response system, your interventions are supported by top-tier paramedics, access to advanced equipment, and direct oversight from the FEMS Medical Director. This is high-speed, high-stakes medicine with a purpose. Your work won't just save minutes—it will save lives.
On-Site Diagnostics and Critical Care Procedures in the Field
This position is defined by its scope and autonomy. Unlike traditional roles in hospital emergency rooms or urgent care centers, the Physician Assistant in DC’s Fire & EMS MIH Team carries the authority—and equipment—to conduct real-time diagnostics and life-saving procedures in the field. With mobile access to point-of-care technologies such as handheld ultrasound machines, digital ECGs, and portable diagnostic labs, your decisions will be rooted in immediate data and clinical observation. This allows you to identify conditions like pneumothorax, internal bleeding, fractures, or acute cardiac events with confidence, even in non-clinical environments.
In high-acuity cases, your role becomes even more hands-on. You’ll perform advanced airway interventions including intubation or cricothyrotomy, insert IVs, administer critical medications, and conduct thoracostomies when trauma patients require chest decompression. You may also carry out soft tissue repairs such as laceration suturing, dislocation reductions, and abscess drainage—all while maintaining infection control and documentation standards.
This level of procedural independence is rarely granted to Physician Assistants outside of hospital surgical teams or military field medics. In DC’s MIH model, it is not only permitted but essential. These interventions can be the difference between life and death, especially when response times matter and hospital access is delayed. Additionally, your ability to interpret lab values and imaging without direct oversight empowers you to lead with speed and precision, qualities that are critical in the chaotic world of urban emergency medicine. Each decision you make in these moments will define the care pathway for your patient—transforming emergency scenes into points of real recovery.
Responding to Behavioral Health and Substance Use Emergencies
In the current healthcare landscape, behavioral health crises and substance use emergencies represent a growing percentage of 911 calls. As a Physician Assistant in this role, you will be on the front lines of some of the most complex and sensitive medical cases in the District of Columbia. These situations require more than just clinical skill—they demand compassion, de-escalation expertise, and a deep understanding of community health dynamics.
When responding to a call involving a patient experiencing psychosis, suicidal ideation, or substance-induced agitation, your role becomes multifaceted. You’ll need to conduct rapid mental status evaluations, determine psychiatric risk levels, administer stabilizing medications, and assess for any co-occurring medical conditions. In the case of opioid overdoses or withdrawal symptoms, your ability to initiate treatment protocols on-site can reverse overdose symptoms and buy time for long-term intervention. You’ll be the bridge between street-level crisis and long-term support.
One of the most powerful aspects of this role is its ability to offer alternatives to hospitalization. Instead of defaulting to emergency room transport, you may be able to refer patients to crisis stabilization units, residential detox programs, or mobile behavioral health crisis teams. This diversionary approach helps reduce strain on hospitals and law enforcement while providing more effective and dignified care pathways for vulnerable individuals. Working in partnership with public health agencies and outreach workers, you’ll also help connect these patients to housing support, addiction recovery programs, or psychiatric follow-ups—turning a single response into a continuum of care.
This type of service not only improves clinical outcomes but builds long-term trust between emergency services and underserved communities. In neighborhoods where health disparities persist, your presence can symbolize hope, help, and healing.
Integrated Collaboration Across Emergency and Social Services
One of the most innovative elements of this role is its collaborative foundation. The MIH model thrives on inter-agency cooperation, making the Physician Assistant a linchpin in a citywide strategy that goes far beyond reactive care. Each response brings you into contact with a network of professionals working toward a common goal: comprehensive, patient-centered healthcare delivered at the moment it’s most needed.
From the moment you arrive on scene, you are part of a real-time triage unit alongside EMS crews. You assess the patient medically while simultaneously gathering context—Is this a repeat caller? Does the individual have chronic conditions? Are there social determinants affecting their health, such as homelessness or domestic abuse? Based on your findings, you can escalate or de-escalate the case with precision.
Behind every action is a system designed for wraparound support. You’ll work with case managers to arrange follow-up visits, with behavioral health liaisons to navigate psychiatric care, and with DC agencies to coordinate transportation, housing, and medical continuity. You’ll also play a crucial role in data collection and quality improvement initiatives—providing feedback that helps evolve city protocols and policies around mobile health delivery.
By bridging the divide between acute care and chronic needs, this integrated model ensures that patients receive not just emergency treatment, but the resources to stay well long after the crisis passes. For the PA, this means being both a responder and a reformer. You’ll impact individual lives while helping to shape a healthcare system that truly meets people where they are.
Qualifications, Expectations, and What You Bring to the Table
This high-responsibility role demands a unique combination of qualifications, temperament, and commitment. At a minimum, you must be a licensed Physician Assistant in the District of Columbia, certified through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), and hold active credentials in Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). A minimum of one year of prior experience delivering advanced care in emergency, trauma, or prehospital environments—especially at the GS-13 level or equivalent—is required.
What makes this opportunity exceptional is the autonomy it grants. You will practice under a formal delegation agreement with the FEMS Medical Director but will be expected to function independently in field conditions. The ability to perform under pressure, use judgment in chaotic environments, and work compassionately with diverse populations is essential. Given the safety-sensitive nature of the role, candidates must pass drug and alcohol screening (including tests for marijuana, even if medically authorized), as well as background and driving record checks.
The role follows a weekday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM schedule, but the nature of emergency response may require flexibility. This is a 13-month term appointment through DC’s Career Service, with potential for long-term placement as the MIH model continues to expand.
If you are a clinically advanced, socially conscious, and mission-driven provider ready to deliver care in some of the most meaningful ways imaginable, this role is calling. It’s not just about having the certifications—it’s about having the courage to lead care outside the hospital and in the real world, where it’s needed most.
Why This Physician Assistant Role in DC Matters
Joining the DC Fire & EMS Department as a Physician Assistant is not just another job—it’s a high-impact opportunity to deliver care where and when it's needed most. In today’s evolving landscape of emergency medical services, traditional hospital models are increasingly strained. That’s why integrated mobile care—where trained clinicians meet patients where they are—is emerging as one of the most innovative and sustainable approaches to healthcare delivery.
The role offered through the Mobile Integrated Health Team exemplifies this shift. These PAs act as autonomous clinicians on the front lines, often being the first and only medical providers on the scene. From managing asthma attacks in high-rise buildings to de-escalating behavioral health emergencies in public parks, every shift presents new challenges and the chance to save lives. The DC government is investing in this future-forward model by equipping teams with the tools, technology, and autonomy needed to make decisions in real time, without waiting for a hospital setting.
Moreover, the clinical authority granted in this position sets it apart. While many physician assistant roles are limited by setting or specialty, this job gives access to wide-ranging responsibilities—such as point-of-care imaging, minor surgical interventions, and critical care decisions in the field. That kind of latitude doesn’t just build skill—it builds leadership in medicine.
This is also a chance to make a difference in equity. Many 911 callers are part of underserved populations, such as the unhoused or individuals struggling with substance use or mental illness. Being able to provide them with dignified, immediate medical attention, outside the intimidating setting of a hospital, is a step toward healthcare justice. It also builds relationships and trust between government services and the communities they serve.
Applicants with a strong clinical foundation, independent judgment, and passion for public service will thrive in this role. It offers a competitive salary ranging from $126,178 to $162,565, with excellent benefits and the opportunity to work alongside experienced EMS and medical professionals in a mission-first culture.
If you're a PA looking for a role that’s far from routine—and full of purpose—this is the job for you. Every call you answer brings the possibility of changing someone’s life for the better. Don’t miss your chance to help reshape emergency medicine in the nation’s capital.
Apply now or explore the full job details here