What is a Physicians Assistant?
Physician Assistants (PAs) are licensed health professionals who practice medicine with physician supervision. As part of the physician/PA team, PAs exercise autonomy in diagnosing and treating illnesses. PAs deliver a broad range of medical and surgical services to diverse populations in both rural and urban settings throughout the United States. Their focus is patient care, and their practice may include education, research, and administrative activities. The Role of the Physician Assistant PAs are highly skilled professionals educated to use the same medical procedures as their physician counterparts. For example, PAs take medical histories, perform physical examinations, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret laboratory tests, perform minor surgery, and in most states can prescribe medications. PAs practice in virtually every medical specialty – from family medicine to surgery.
Physician assistants (PAs) are licensed health care providers who practice medicine or surgery with the supervision of a physician. They bring a comprehensive skill set to patient care and can conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventative health care, assist in surgery and write prescriptions. Within the physician-PA relationship, physician assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. To earn the PA-C or Physician Assistant-Certified credential, PAs must complete an intense accredited PA educational program, often housed in medical colleges or universities. Then they must pass a national certification exam, demonstrating a breadth of general medical and surgical knowledge. To stay certified, PAs must earn at least 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years and pass a recertification exam every six years.
