Outpatient Imaging Physician Assistant

About the Role

The Outpatient Imaging Physician Assistant (PA) supports the delivery of high-quality outpatient diagnostic and cardiology imaging services across Columbia’s outpatient imaging network. The PA plays a critical clinical and operational role by facilitating imaging utilization, protocolling diagnostic examinations, placing radiology orders, performing patient assessment and monitoring, administering and monitoring contrast media and procedural medications, supporting clinical and research protocols, and ensuring timely communication and follow-up of imaging findings, including incidental findings. Depending on site assignment and clinical need, the PA also supports specialized outpatient imaging programs including cardiac CT, PET nuclear cardiology, electrophysiology (EP) device interrogation workflows, and MR-guided breast biopsy. This position functions exclusively in outpatient settings and works collaboratively with diagnostic radiologists, cardiologists, electrophysiology teams, technologists, nursing staff, referring providers, research teams, and administrative leaders to enhance patient safety, imaging quality, access, and care coordination across the regional outpatient network. What You'll Do

• Support outpatient diagnostic imaging operations by assisting radiologists, imaging physicians, and cardiologists in the clinical management of patients undergoing advanced CT, MRI, and PET/CT examinations.
• Protocol outpatient diagnostic imaging studies (CT, MRI, radiography, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine including PET) to ensure appropriate modality selection, radiopharmaceutical and contrast use, and imaging parameters.
• Review imaging requests for clinical appropriateness and collaborate with referring providers to optimize exam selection and scheduling.
• Place and manage outpatient radiology orders in the EMR in accordance with institutional policies and New York State law.
• Review outside imaging studies uploaded for outpatient interpretation to ensure completeness prior to radiologist review.
• Perform patient assessments and preparation, including review of clinical history, imaging indications, contraindications, relevant laboratory data, and physical, psychological, and cognitive status as appropriate to the procedure and patient condition.
• Obtain and monitor vital signs and perform point-of-care testing (glucose, creatinine, pregnancy) as clinically indicated.
• Monitor patients throughout the imaging process for changes in clinical status and implement appropriate interventions; escalate critical occurrences to the appropriate level of authority.
• Evaluate patients prophylactically medicated for claustrophobia or contrast allergy and confirm an appropriate escort home is in place when required.
• Initiate pre- and post-procedure care and discharge planning.
• Administer contrast media (intravenous, oral, rectal, and intracavitary routes), procedural medications, and intravenous fluids in accordance with physician orders, departmental standards, institutional policy, and applicable protocols.
• Monitor patients for contrast or medication reactions and initiate appropriate response per departmental policy.
• Establish intravenous access for contrast administration and other clinically indicated purposes; accesses PORT and PICC lines using sterile technique.
• Perform blood draws as needed and monitor arterial lines for research participants when indicated.
• Cardiac CT and PET Nuclear Cardiology: support outpatient coronary and cardiac CT imaging, including patient preparation, physiologic monitoring, and administration of medications such as beta blockers and nitroglycerin per departmental protocol to optimize image quality and patient safety.
• Assess heart rate, blood pressure, and contraindications prior to cardiac CT studies and monitor patients during and after imaging for medication effects or adverse reactions, escalating care when indicated.
• Supports PET nuclear cardiology exams, including patient screening, informed consent, stress-test preparation and performance, physiologic monitoring, and timely escalation of abnormal symptoms or findings.
• Electrophysiology Device Services: Performs and supports EP device interrogation workflows for CIED patients in collaboration with EP, cardiology, and device manufacturer teams. Evaluates device status and imaging-related considerations for patients with implanted or abandoned/capped leads; coordinates MRI conditionality review, documentation, monitoring requirements, and escalation when needed.
• MR-Guided Breast Biopsy: Supports MR-guided breast biopsy workflows, including patient assessment, preparation, contrast safety review, procedural coordination, post-procedure instructions, documentation, and care escalation as needed. What We're Looking For
• Experience as a Physician Assistant in outpatient imaging settings or equivalent clinical environment that supports cross-disciplinary imaging workflows.
• Ability to review imaging requests, coordinate exam selection, and manage EMR-based radiology orders.
• Strong patient assessment, monitoring, and discharge planning capabilities; comfort with contrast administration and managing reactions.
• Collaboration skills across radiology, cardiology, EP teams, and nursing staff.
• Familiarity with MR-guided procedures and advanced imaging modalities (CT, MRI, PET) is beneficial. Nice to Have
• MR-guided breast biopsy experience.
• Experience with EP device interrogation workflows.
• Experience with cardiac CT and PET nuclear cardiology imaging. Compensation & Benefits
• Salary range: USD 135,000–175,000 per year. The final salary will be set based on a variety of factors including budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. This range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate at the time of posting.