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| *Ostroff, Fair and Company>>>Health Care |
What exactly do physician assistants do? |
According to wikipedia, they practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. But what does that mean? That you do everything they do, but you must get their approval first? Or do you follow them around like some drone and do what they tell you? It's very hard for me to picture it in my mind. "Physician assistants are health care professionals licensed, or in the case of those employed by the federal government they are credentialed, to practice medicine with physician supervision. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive 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. A PA's practice may also include education, research, and administrative services. PAs are trained in intensive education programs accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) . Because of the close working relationship the PAs have with physicians, PAs are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training. Upon graduation, physician assistants take a national certification examination developed by the National Commission on Certification of PAs in conjunction with the National Board of Medical Examiners. To maintain their national certification, PAs must log 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years and sit for a recertification every six years. Graduation from an accredited physician assistant program and passage of the national certifying exam are required for state licensure. " http://www.aapa.org/geninfo1.html... Source(s): http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos081.htm... they act in accordance with your physician. many times it is easier to get an appointment with the PA than the MD. the only thing a PA cannot do is write perscriptions....they need the MD signature for that. thanks and good luck :) ok i work in a doctors office right now so i will make it pretty black and white: PA's are like a doctor but they are not MD to where they can be called DR. HUGHES...etc. THEY SO CAN WRITE PRESCRIPTIONS. they can see patients while the MD is away the PA and MD are like best buds they do everything together. but no the MD will not boss around the PA but the PA must be under the MD's liscense. its like a FNP-nurse practioner. Basically they do the same thing as a physician. If you were a patient, you would not know the difference. The doctor has to be available (either in the hospital or available by phone) if the PA needs assistance. They can order tests, diagnose and write prescriptions just like and MD. They just can't work independently. |
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