If you’re interested in a career that’s both medically and research-oriented, consider becoming a physician assistant. But what does a physician assistant do, exactly? Let’s find out!
Physician assistants are highly trained professionals who assist physicians in providing medical care to patients. They can work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and private practices. As the field of medicine continues to evolve, physician assistants are becoming an increasingly important part of the health care team. So, what does a physician assistant do? Let’s take a closer look at this career.
What Does a Physician Assistant Do?
A physician’s assistant is a medical professional who provides care and treatment to patients under the supervision of a physician. Physician assistants work in all areas of medicine, including primary care, surgery, and specialized medicine. They may also work in hospital settings, clinics, or private practices.
What does a physician assistant do? Physician assistants are trained to perform many of the same duties as a licensed physician, including taking medical histories, performing physical exams, ordering and interpreting laboratory tests, administering medication, and providing patient education and patient care. In some states, physician assistants may also be authorized to perform certain procedures, such as suturing a wound or removing a lesion. They don’t directly treat patients, but they are very helpful in any healthcare system.
The scope of practice for physician assistants varies from state to state. In some states, they may practice independently, while in others they must work under the direct supervision of a licensed physician.
Physician assistants play a vital role in the healthcare system, and they are able to provide high-quality care to patients while freeing up physicians’ time so that they can see more patients or provide more specialized care.
What Does a Physician Assistant Do? PA Day-to-Day Duties
Most physician assistants (PAs) work in outpatient settings, such as medical offices and clinics. They may also work in hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities. PAs typically work during regular business hours. However, some PAs may work evenings or weekends to meet the needs of their patients. They work closely with nurse practitioners, family medicine doctors and general medicine doctors. What does a physician assistant do on a daily basis? Some of the most common duties include the following.
History and Physical Exams
Before meeting with a patient, a PA will review his or her medical history and current symptoms. A PA may then conduct a physical examination or ask basic questions. During the exam, a PA may palpate (feel) areas of concern, listen to the heart and lungs, and check blood pressure, among other things.
Medical Chart Review
The PA will often review a patient’s medical chart before meeting with him or her. This helps the PA to be better prepared for the visit and to identify any red flags or concerns. They often assist supervising physicians during the examination and collect laboratory specimens.
Diagnostic Testing
PAs may provide treatments, such as immunizations and injections, they may also perform basic laboratory tests and administer medications. They may also refer patients to different health care professionals and doctors of different specialties for further treatment and prepare patients for certain procedures.
Patient Education
A big part of a PA’s job is educating patients on their condition and how to best manage it. This may include diet and lifestyle recommendations, as well as details on taking medications properly. They also explain treatment procedures and diagnoses to patients.
PAs play an important role in the healthcare system, providing quality care to patients in a variety of settings. They often serve as a primary point of contact for patients, providing them with the necessary information and resources to make informed decisions about their health. PAs also play an important role in educating patients about their conditions and treatment options.
Follow-Up Care
After a patient has been seen and treated, the PA may follow up with him or her to ensure that the treatment is working and that there are no new concerns or illnesses.
Administrative Duties
What does a physician assistant do when it comes to the administration?. These tasks include welcoming patients, answering phones, updating charts and databases and medical records, scheduling appointments, handling correspondence, helping patients with health insurance forms.
Becoming a Physician Assistant
What does a physician assistant do? If you find our answer interesting and started considering becoming a physician assistant (PA), you’ll be happy to know that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for PAs to grow, with the growth rate of 37 percent from 2016 to 2026. This is much faster than the average for all occupations. To learn more about physician assistant education, read about these necessary steps:
- Obtain an undergraduate degree and relevant experience. Most physician assistant programs require applicants to have completed an undergraduate degree program prior to applying.
- You must complete a physician assistant program and get a degree from an accredited school. These PA programs typically take 27 months to complete and result in a master’s degree in physician assisting. However, some programs offer bachelor’s degrees instead or in addition to master’s degrees, or may even allow students who already have a bachelor’s degree or higher to complete the program in less than two years.
- Get licensed, certified and registered as needed. After completing a physician assistant program, you must get licensed by your state before you can start working. Each state has different requirements for licensure, but in most of them you must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). In addition, some states may require you to pass a state-specific exam.
- Every two years, physician assistants must take 100 hours of continuing education in order to maintain their certification. Every 10 years, the recertification exam is required.
What does a physician assistant do? Now you know their everyday job tasks and steps of education for a physician assistant. If you are interested in practicing medicine, but doctor studies seem to be too much for you, becoming an accredited PA might be a perfect choice for you. You will have a chance to gain a patient care experience and have a rewarding and challenging career.
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