“What is the role of a physicians assistant?”

Correct title is Physician Assistant, soon to be Associate. A PA is usually a person that has some type of prior medical training ie..paramedic, nurse, xray tech. A bit of history, during the Vietnam War many corpsman, medics were returning home and had extensive training in the battle field. Duke University Medical Director recognized this and did formal training in a fast trend model of mini medical school. Thus, the result was the PA. The PA does much as a MD or DO. They are trained in extensive physical exams, lab, diagnostic radiography and interpretation. A diagnosis. Usually, common diagnosis seen in hospitals, ER, outpatient clinics. This is supposed to free up the Physician to concentrate on more complex diagnosis. However, over the years PAs have been gained more acceptance and allowed wider range of responsibilities. It is a highly competitive and respected profession. Feel free to ask me more. I, myself, was a paramedic and army medic. I did all required pre PA undergrad classes over time and eventually, graduating 1990.

Well first, let's get the title correct. A PA is a Physician Assistant not a Physician's Assistant. As a PA we don't assist physicians and most PA's have their own panel of patients especially in a clinic setting. A PA (the name is changing to Physician Associate) is trained via the medical model which is how physicians are trained. A PA can order labs and imaging, interpret those tests, consult with other specialists, diagnose and treat. PA's can work in the hospital, home health, clinics, telemedicine and other venues. PA's can specialize in areas like surgery, cardiovascular, neurology, primary care, peds, etc. I have loved being a PA and being able to establish a relationship with my patients. I hope this helps

A Physician Assistant can be a wonderful asset to a medical practice. They practice under the direct supervision of a physician, and are able to perform exams, diagnose, and treat. In the state of Michigan they are also allowed to prescribe medications. It is a master's program that consists of 1 year of didactics (classroom/lectures) and 1 year of clinicals (rotations). It is very similar to a medical school curriculum but basically cut in half. PA's are not required to do a residency in a specific specialty after they graduate (as physicians do) but are expected to be trained by the physician in their specialty. This may be changing in the future though. I started out as a PA in Neurology prior to attending and completing medical school. I practiced for 10 years as a PA but did find that I was constantly in search of additional education to assist my patients with complicated medical illnesses. Nutrition and Functional Medicine have been a cornerstone of my educational process for many years and I am now able to incorporate this in my medical practice as an MD.
I would highly recommend the PA profession as it is very rewarding! But I am a little biased as I love the practice of medicine!

PAs are not Doctorate level train, most have a Master's degree. Physician Assistants work in collaboration with physicians and surgeons providing all aspects of medical care. PAs can diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses and have prescriptive privileges. They see, treat and manage patients, assist in the OR and provide a myriad of healthcare services in all sorts of in and outpatient settings. I would suggest exploring the AAPA (American Academy of Physician Assistants) web site for more information. Good luck to your son!

Hi,
Thank you for this question. I am happy to answer! I have been a PA for over 30 years. As you can imagine , the profession has drastically changed and grown over this time. The Physician Assistant really has an important role as a health care provider. We can diagnose, write prescriptions with our own DEA license, perform minor surgeries, procedures and formulate and perform much the same treatment regimens as physicians do. By law, we must have a supervising physician who is available for consult if needed (not necessarily on site). a perfect role , for example, is in the ER the PA could be suturing lacerations which would free the physician for perhaps more serious or complicated cases. Many PAs are trained in multi-specialties which allows us to work, thrive and excel in pretty much any field of medicine.
Hope this helps.

Suzanne

Physician assistants are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, and write prescriptions.

Physician associates typically do most of the same things doctors do. We often have our own clientele of patients. We see patients for sick visits, check ups, annual exams, interpret labs, x-rays, and various other tests. We do procedures in office such as cyst removal, mole removal, ingrown toenail removal, etc. In other settings, PA's assist in surgery, alongside the surgeon.

Physician assistants (PAs) hold advanced degrees (masters or doctorate degrees) and they hold an important place in the healthcare system. The PA profession provides some of the best opportunities available for healthcare professionals expanding their scope of practice, enjoying greater autonomy, taking on more responsibility, and, of course, earning pretty good salaries. Physician assistants diagnose illnesses and injuries, perform examinations and provide treatment plans, and routinely do so without any direct supervision from a physician. The role of the physician assistant is largely to perform services within the scope of their training and legal authority that might otherwise be performed by a physician. PAs prescribe medications and work in doctors’ offices, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other settings. They also work for or manage stand-alone PA-led clinics, and can own their own practice in collaboration with a physician. Getting into PA school is very competitive and it requires a bachelors degree with specific undergraduate courses prerequisites and over 2,000 hours of healthcare experience. I hope your son pursues his dream of becoming a PA. I have been a PA for over 20 years and truly love what I do! I get to help people everyday, making it a very rewarding career!