Why Is A Physician? Essay

Physicians are responsible for the care provided to patients in any healthcare environment. Without these physicians, hospitals would crumble. While many others play a large role in patient care, it is the physicians who are responsible for ensuring the correct care plan for each individual patient. Hospitals need physicians to operate, and physicians can get great value from working with hospitals.

The physician assistant (PA) profession has grown exponentially and as a consequence more people are becoming familiar with the profession. The profession has grown in the United States from 80,019 certified PAs in 2010 to 115,547 certified PAs in 2016 which is an increase of 44.4% over the past 6 years.1 Furthermore, in the United States there are 36 PAs per 100,000 population.1(p6) PAs are found in all 50 states and the average salary among all certified PAs in all specialties is $104,131 making the profession ranked number 3 out of 100 best jobs.1(p11,21) Therefore, the PA profession is becoming more popular and demanding which makes for a competitive environment when applying to a PA graduate program.

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.

One good Career job in the medical field is to be a Physician Assistant. If a person wants to work under the Physician this is the job. They examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of the doctor. They also prepare casts, splints, suture small wounds and interpret medical tests. Another job duty is they can also prescribe medications. Some specialize in a specific area of medicine such as emergency care or other medical positions. Some may assist in advance medical techniques. PAs are often the first choice of medicine rural or underserved places. In some cases the PA will refer the patient to a medical doctor or make arrangements for transferring a patient to a hospital or clinic. The Career Outlook for this job is the employment

The work environment can differ depending on whether you work in a hospital, clinic or independent practice. They have less independence than if you have your own practice or work in a clinic.In hospitals Physicians work with a team of doctor and nurses. Hospitals are also known to be very fast paced and efficient. In a independent practice or clinic you have a small team of nurses and other doctors compared to if you worked in a hospital. Almost all physicians work full time. If you worked in a hospital you

Nurse practitioners work with other doctors to ensure that patients stay healthy or become healthier once again. Due to their training in clinical medicine, nurse practitioners are able to make diagnoses and treat patients for many different health problems (Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), n.d.). Although nurse practitioners are not doctors, they are advanced registered nurses. The description of duties that are expected of a nurse practitioner are as followed: developing treatment plans for different conditions, educating patients on proper healthy habits, conduct exams, preform different tests and exams, caring for patients and helping prevent further sickness,

VERSATILIY The physician assistant profession is extremely versatile and flexible which are wonderful traits for a healthcare provider. In part because of their core generalist education, physician assistants can change clinical specialties over the course of their work life; using medical care providers who can adapt quickly to new opportunities could help alleviate medical workforce shortages in primary care (Hooker, Cawley, & Leinweber, 2009). Their license allows them to practice any specialty that their supervising physician practices, which in turn allows physician assistants to fill necessary gaps as needed. This “Career Flexibility” gives physician assistants an edge over nurse practitioners and physicians who tend to be bound to one

The medical cases they handle depend on their education, experience, state laws, and type of practice they are in (“Fields,2”). Physician Assistants help reduce the waiting time for patients and spend more time answering questions and examining patients then the physicians do (“Physician”).

A day in the life of a physician assistant consist of duties similar to those a doctor, in a hospital making rounds to evaluate patients, ordering tests giving treatments and meeting with patients and families. In surgery, one would care for wounds and track progress. In a practice a PA meet and treat

A person in this career; Visits patients on hospital rounds, update charts, orders therapy and reports back to physician. Help physicians during surgery or complicated medical procedures. Prescribes therapy or medication with physician approval. Carries out therapeutic procedures, such as injections, immunizations, suturing and wound care. Complies patient medical data, including health history and results of physical examinations. Makes tentative diagnoses and decisions about patient treatment and

Physicians Assistants have a wide range of duties. For instance, PA’s who work in surgery perform specific operating room tasks. They are vital in the grand scheme of things when it comes to the patients’ health. There are also PA’s in primary care specialties. They are involved in health such as “gynecology, general internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine”(Career Cruising).

The process to become a doctor is one of the longest professional journeys. However, my experience at M. D. Anderson showed me how important and rewarding it will be in the end. I have a more in depth understanding of the purpose of being a doctor. It is not a flashy title nor a path for a secure job; being a physician is a key way to benefit another person’s life. Ultimately, my life goal is to help those around me and make a positive difference in their lives. Through biological sciences, I know I can impact the lives of current and future generations to

In the state of Florida there is a shortage of primary care physicians, and it’s expected that within 10 years half of the current primary care physicians who are practicing in this state will be reaching retirement age, possibly worsening the current shortage (Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2017). The United States Census Bureau (2016) showed that there was an estimate of 20,612, 439 people living within the Florida in 2016, and there were only 15,226 active primary care physicians workforce in 2016, meaning that there is less than one primary care physician per 1350 people (Florida Department of Health, 2016). Therefore, the current shortage of primary care providers, is only expected to get worst in the next ten years, the

Thesis: Being in the Medical Field has many benefits from saving people’s lives to making good money. In today’s time, we need all the medical professionals we can get.

Physicians are a crucial part of the healthcare team that aids in healing and betterment of all aspects of patient care. However, there is a prevalence of between five and fifteen percent of physician that suffer from a part of impairment that affects their position and can affect patient care (Griffith). Physician impairment can range on a spectrum from alcohol abuse to depression. It is important to address these concerns for proper patient safety. In order to effectively diagnose and provide treatment, it is important that all members of the medical staff, administration and the board work together to provide aid to the concerning physician.