Physician assistants, or PAs, relieve primary care physicians of some of their duties. They are trained to perform such medical procedures as taking medical histories, performing physical examinations, making preliminary diagnoses, prescribing treatments, and suggesting medications and drug therapies. In some states, PAs are permitted to prescribe medication.
PAs also treat minor medical problems such as cuts and burns. They provide pre and postoperative care and sometimes assist in surgery.
PAs work in several medical specialties, including family practice, internal medicine, general and thoracic surgery, emergency medicine, and pediatrics.
Other titles for PAs include MEDEX, surgeon's assistant, child health associate, and physician associate.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
PAs work in physicians' offices, hospitals, and clinics. Some work in inner city or rural clinics where a physician comes only once or twice a week. The rest of the week, the PA independently provides health care services after consulting with the supervising physician by telephone.
PAs have varying schedules depending on their work setting. Usually they share the same work hours as their supervising physician. If their employer provides 24-hour medical care, they may be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
PAs should enjoy working with people. Leadership skills, confidence, and emotional stability are also important qualities.
Almost all states require that PAs complete an accredited formal education program. There are currently several educational programs for physician assistants. Most offer a bachelor's degree; others offer a certificate, an associate's degree, or a master's degree.
Admission requirements for many programs include two years of college and work experience in the health field. A number of programs, however, are doing away with requirements for previous work experience.
PA programs are usually two years long. They are offered by medical schools, schools of allied health, and four-year colleges; a few are sponsored by community colleges or hospitals. Coursework includes classroom instruction and supervised experience in clinical practice.
Most states have laws concerning the qualifications or practice of PAs and require them to pass a certifying exam given only to graduates of accredited programs.
Potential and Advancement
There should be very good opportunities for physician assistants through the years to come. The health services industry is expected to expand greatly, and PAs will be in demand to relieve doctors of some of their more routine tasks and assist them in more complex medical and surgical procedures.
PAs sometimes advance by taking additional training that allows them to work in a specialty area such as surgery and emergency medicine. Others earn higher salaries and are given more responsibility as they gain experience and increase their knowledge. PAs, though, are always supervised by doctors.
Salary
Physician assistants earn an annual salary of about $91,000, on average. Salaries vary depending on location and practice type.
Additional sources of information
- American Academy of Physician Assistants
- American Medical Association
