The Phyician Assistant, or PA is an individual that is able to practice medicine under supervision. A PA, in many ways functions as a physician. It is not necessary that the PA be under the direct supervision of the physician, but instead, must work with them in a practice. The care rendered will be the responsibility of the physician and the PA.
The educational requirements for both are quite different, and a PA will attend school for a shorter period of time. Surprisingly however, the job requirements of a PA are quite similar to a physician.
The Physician Assistant job description is widely different from the Medical Assistant, who needs only a fraction of the education that is required of the PA to function. The PA has many different responsibilities in the offices of the physician. Their responsibilities are many and diverse, and quite often, the physician does not play a key role in their work. A PA could actually hold their own office hours within the practice, and act effectively as a separate physician. There are a number of instances in which a patient would much rather speak with a PA instead of a physician. The reason for this of course is the prevention of ‘white coat syndrome’ in most patients.
Each PA will differ, depending upon the practice act in their state; However as a general rule, the following tasks are expected of the PA, and fall within their scope of practice and physician assistant job description: diagnosis, x-ray interpretation, lab result analysis, prescription treatment, therapeutic decisions, patient examination and treatment and wound care.
The PA will also need to be able to view patients and determine their overall health and any problems that they might be facing. Along with that they are authorized to prescribe a treatment plan along with specific medications. The job of a PA will very quite a bit. It will not only be decided by the state of residence, but also by the physician under which they work.
It is not uncommon for those wishing to be a PA to already hold a degree. The course will move much faster if the individual in question already holds a bachelor’s degree. There will be many of course who have medical experience, for instance nursing, EMT, or paramedic training.
The entirety of the course will probably be two years. There are many degree paths to take in a PA program. It is possible to gain an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s, or for those who wish it, a masters. Dependent upon the prior education which you have, the degree you are awarded may vary.
There are specific requirements for each PA course. Of course, medical courses will be those which are most commonly attended, but there are also other courses which are necessary to become a PA, among them communications in order to more effectively interact you’re your patients. Additional courses will include: nutrition, pathology, chemistry, physiology, medical surgical treatments, immunology, and even biology.
Every school will differ in their courses and each school will require different things prior to your attendance. Remember that many colleges will offer PA courses, but it is important to attend an accredited course. You might find these offered by physical colleges, medical colleges, or even allied health programs.
PA’s are typically well compensated. The average salary of a PA in 2009 was around $85,000. The new graduate can expect to make 5-7K less than that fee upon graduation. It has been found that the lowest pay is 50k per year, which is nothing to scoff at.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States mentions that health care fields are very critical of PA’s as well as other members of the field. Over time the profession will grow along with the salary.
For more information about physician assistant job description, please visit: Physician Assistant Salary
Press the red button below and SIGN UP for FREE! You will soon have everything you need to begin building your Income For Life!
