Physician Assistant - General Description

General Description

A Physician Assistant (PA) is concerned with preventing, maintaining, and treating human illness and injury by providing a broad range of health care services that are traditionally performed by a physician. Physician Assistants conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, prescribe medications, counsel on preventive health care and may assist in surgery.

PAs work in hospitals, clinics, and other types of health facilities, and exercise autonomy in medical decision making as determined by their supervising or sponsoring physician. A period of clinical training precedes obtaining a license to practice as a Physician Assistant. Renewal of licensure is necessary every few years, varying by state. They are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training, rather than in the nursing model as nurse practitioners are. Physician Assistants are not to be confused with medical assistants, who perform administrative and simple clinical tasks with limited postsecondary education under the direct supervision of physicians and other health professionals, or nursing assistants.

In the United States, the profession is represented by the American Academy of Physician Assistants. In Canada, it is represented by the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants. Similar providers have different titles in other countries such as clinical officers in Africa, assistant medical officers in Malaysia, Medical Care Practitioners in the UK, Assistant Doctors in China, and Feldsher in countries of the former Soviet Union.