Locum Tenens Physician Assistant - Trauma Surgery
San Diego, CA
Prime Staffing
3x12 hrs, Days

Location: Hillcrest, San Diego, CA
Start Date: November 16, 2026
Assignment Length: November 16, 2026 – January 31, 2027, with a strong possibility of extension
Rate: All-Inclusive

Position Overview

UC San Diego Health is seeking a strong, experienced Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner to provide inpatient trauma coverage at the Hillcrest location. This is a fast-paced clinical environment caring for trauma patients with variable acuity across the Trauma Floor and Stepdown Unit (INU).

This position is focused exclusively on inpatient clinical support. There is no ICU-level care, OR work, or first-assist responsibility.

Hard Requirements
Acute Care certification required
Trauma experience required
Level I Trauma experience strongly preferred
Current California Physician Assistant (PA) OR Nurse Practitioner (NP) license
Current NCCPA certification
Current BLS/CPR certification
Current ACLS certification
Clinical Responsibilities

The PA will support the trauma team with:

Daily inpatient rounding
Daily progress note documentation
Patient evaluations and ongoing clinical management
Discharges and discharge planning
Care coordination
General clinical support for the trauma service as needed
Managing a fast-paced and variable-acuity inpatient trauma population

Patient volume: Up to 15 patients per day

Current APP support: Approximately 2 APPs per shift

Schedule
12-hour day shifts: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Monday – Sunday
Weekend availability required
30-minute lunch break
Holiday coverage is required
Significant preference for providers who are available to work holidays
What This Role Does NOT Include
No OR responsibilities
No first-assist responsibilities
No ICU-level care

The primary focus is providing strong, reliable daily inpatient support to the trauma service and helping ensure efficient patient care, rounding, documentation, discharges, and coordination.

Ideal Provider

The ideal candidate is a strong, experienced trauma APP who is comfortable working independently in a high-volume, fast-paced inpatient environment. The team is looking for a provider who can step in and provide dependable daily support to the trauma service.

This is an excellent opportunity for a PA/NP with Level I trauma and acute care experience who prefers inpatient trauma work without OR or first-assist responsibilities.