The PA Profession

The healthcare sector offers a variety of professional opportunities that include pediatric, geriatrics, public policy and many other areas in which I hope to make a impact towards. I have always been intrigued by medicine and continue to gain more interest in public health. In the future, I desire to combine both medicine and public health by participating in an MD and MPH program. My experiences and education provide me with constant motivation in achieving my goals.

While the demand of healthcare need increasers the United States facing a physician shortage. In recent years the number of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) has significantly increased and they are taking the part in providing healthcare cervices to the majority of patients. I believe nurse practitioners and physician assistants can practice independently from doctors and be free of oversight. Expanding the scope of NPs and PAs is essential to overcome the healthcare crisis we are facing; it will increase patient satisfaction and stabilizing the healthcare economy.

The Physician Assistant (PA) and Nurse Practitioner (NP) career fields were the medical fields’ response to the physician shortage that began in the 1960s, but the shortage still exists today. As the population continues to grow, the gap continues to grow as well. Medical schools were having a hard time producing as many doctors that were needed to fill in the gaps in a timely manner, leaving the medical field looking for ways they could have health care providers diagnose and treat patients, but educated in half the time of a doctor. The PA program was then born out of the military. Medical doctors watched as military doctors and medics came back, but they had no formal training except for on-the-job training. The NP program was derived from previous midwifery program. Currently, as the physician shortage is still impending more and more PAs and NPs are being hired to fill in the gaps. This is causing many questions to arise: Are they qualified?, What kind of education do they have?, and Should I feel safe?. Patients want to know that they are getting excellent care, and that their medical providers are qualified to diagnose and treat patients accurately.

Physician assistant job description is stated to be able to practice medicine under the supervision of physicians and surgeons. PA 's are properly educated to offer diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive health care services, as authorized by a physician. They record medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and x-rays, and make diagnoses (“Physician assistant job description,” n.d.). However, PAs may be the primary care providers in rural or inner city clinics where a physician is present for only one or two days each week. PAs may also make house calls, round in hospitals, and go to nursing care facilities to check on patients. In such cases, the PA consults with the supervising physician as needed and as required by law.

The biggest challenge that Physician Assistances face is when a patient questions their competency or their ability to care for them. PA’s are one of the youngest allied health fields and some people are unaware of the role of a physician assistant. The best way to reassure the patient that they are being properly taken care of is to educate the patient on the topic of Physician Assistant. The first Physician Assistant program started in 1960 in the military, to help with the growing need for primary care doctors (Mittman). Physician Assistance must first obtain a four year degree with a competitive GPA of 3.6 or

Every year, an estimate of 5.9 million people dies from disease (World Health Organization, 2016). Some of these diseases are caused by bacteria, parasites, virus, trauma, mutations, and environment. Although these diseases can cause death and injury, in many cases, they can be treated by a specialist called a physician. A physician is a person who is qualified to practice medicine. Often, these medical specialists need help in treating large numbers of patients in need of care. In the 1960s, the physician assistant (PA) profession was created.in 1965, there was a noticeable shortage of physicians. Eugene A. Stead Jr., MD, of the Duke University Medical Center assembled the first class to take on the role as physician assistants. These men received medical training in fast track manner to what a physician might learn (Academic Academy of Physician Assistants Organization, 2014).The duties of a physician assistant are similar to what a physician may carry out but differ in some ways. Today, the physician assistant profession is a growing field, but more difficult to achieve. Recently, there has been an increase in the amount of school time and pre requisites to be accepted into a physician assistant graduate program. Specialization of a particular field is even more difficult to achieve. In addition, work environments can be often challenging. However, high salaries and benefits of working in the medical field give reward to the employee.

A physician assistant is licensed to do various things. They are licensed to diagnose and treat illnesses and diseases and they are even able to prescribe medications. The responsibilities of a PA are just as high as an actual doctor. Even assisting in surgeries is included, they are obviously required to be under the supervision of a physician. The amount of and how in depth work you can do on a patient is the

Physician assistants review patients’ medical histories, conduct physical exams to check patients’ health, order and interpret diagnostic tests such as x rays or blood tests, make diagnoses concerning a patient’s injury or illness, give treatment such as setting broken bones and immunizing patients, educate and counsel patients and their families, record a patient’s progress, research the latest treatments to ensure the quality of patient care and etc on the daily basis. A physician assistant works under an official physician or a surgeon. They work in a wide range of medicine, This means there isn't a specific type of population that they work with besides doing whatever an official physician or surgeon ask them to do. You must obtain a master degree in an accredited program as well as pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam to become a PA. I chose to research about physician assistants because I never knew anything about PA’s or what it would take to be

“Physician assistants provide health care services under the supervision of doctors” (Idaho Career Information System). Some occupational tasks include; examining patients, diagnosing patients and

Several months ago, while sitting at work the command phone rang. Moments later, the doctor states “cardiac arrest, ETA 5 minutes." My heart dropped - this is the second one this week. After a flutter of activity and preparation, the stretcher finally comes barreling through the double doors. The EMT states, "I have a 37 year old male with a sudden onset of left sided chest pain that radiates into his left arm. He went into cardiac arrest secondary to ventricular fibrillation while en route to the hospital." I diligently document every detail into the computer.

A physician assistant provides patient services under the direct supervision and responsibility of physicians and directly assists the doctors as needed (waytogori.org). A typical work day for a PA would include visiting patients on hospital rounds, aiding the physician during surgery or intricate medical procedures, and prescribing therapy or medication with a physician’s consent. They may also perform therapeutic procedures,

Research suggests that APRN’s are qualified to deliver many primary healthcare services and may subsequently be able to help increase access to healthcare, particularly in rural areas. APRN’s offer a wide array of services, including preventive care, health education, and treatments of common illness, along with management of acute and chronic conditions. By widen the scope of practice for APRN’s in restricted states it will help decrease the burden of the influx of new patients in the primary care setting along with providing optimal, scientific based healthcare (Full Practice Authority, n.d.).

By educating PAs as medical providers within a shorter timeframe and inexpensively PAs are able to deliver healthcare under a physician’s supervision. This allows PAs to increase efficiency in medical practices. PAs are uniquely equipped with a generalist medical skill set that allows them the career flexibility unlike other medical providers. To be able to change specialties in response to changing medical demands in society gives the PA greater flexibility than other providers.

Physician Assistants are also known as a PA’s; they practice medicine under the direction of physicians and surgeons. They formally trained to examine patients, diagnose injures and illness, and provide treatment. Physician Assistants also evaluate and treat patients under the supervision of doctors and surgeons. A Physician Assistants is a graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant educational program who is nationally certified and state- licensed to practice medicine with the supervision of a physician. Core tasks of a Physician Assistant are they take medical histories and examine patients. They Interpret lab test and make diagnoses, Treat minor injuries with stitches, splints, casts, and prescribes certain medications, The