Tag: doctor assistant

Physician Assistant – A Rewarding Career in Health Care

Any career in the medical field can be very rewarding and this is not only in the professional and financial sense but also because medicine is about helping people and saving lives. One of the medical careers that has statistically shown an increasing demand of practitioners over the years is the physician assistant position. Also called PAs, they are health care providers who are certified or licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of doctors or physicians.

The exact job scope of PAs is not definite as they vary depending on training, certification and specialization. However, they take care of general duties such as taking patient histories, conducting physical exams, treating minor injuries, diagnosing illnesses, rendering treatments, carrying out the doctor’s orders during recovery, assisting in surgeries and procedures and many more. PAs can also be trained to work in specialized fields of medicine. In short, PAs are to perform any tasks delegated by the supervising physician.

Responsibilities and Educational Requirements of a PA

The field of medicine will always be in demand for practitioners and health care workers. One of the medical careers that has statistically shown an increase in demand for practitioners in the next few years is the physician assistant position or PA. According to physicianassistantinfo.org, PAs are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine under the direct supervision of a doctor or a physician. The responsibilities of a PA include providing primary care medicine, routine diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative care.

They also take medical histories, perform patient examinations, treat minor injuries, prescribe medications as well as order and interpret laboratory tests. To become a PA, one must possess a high school diploma with a strong background in biology and chemistry to be accepted into accredited programs. Two years of college level study in biology, healthcare, chemistry, math and social sciences are the usual minimum requirements of these programs. These programs also include broad supervised clinical training and extensive education in medicine.

Physician Assistant Salary

If you are considering becoming a physician assistant but do not know how much you might be earning in the future, then I guess it’s a consolation if I tell you that the salary bracket for these professionals is really good.

However, the pay scale still varies with experience and education. Physician assistants are encouraged to continue learning even if they are already employed. So, as PA, what duties should you be doing? A Physician Assistant is someone who has the functions of a doctor. He can assess any patient, get medical history and form a medical diagnosis for the patients. Some PA also treats patients and do minor surgeries. Higher level PAs can prescribe medicines.

So, literally, your function is like that of a doctor. The subject you will be learning from school is the same subjects that MDs take. The only difference is that they spend 9 years in residency while you will graduate and work after 5-6 years of study. Still, the physician assistant salary is almost the same as a doctor. The average income for PAs is set on $80,000 per annum. Some earn around $68,000 per year and some earn around $97,000. However, fresh graduates earn only around $50,000 per year.