Physician Assistant

Physician Assistant (PA) is a healthcare professional who is licensed to practice medicine as part of a team with physicians. PAs are concerned with preventing and treating human illness and injury by providing a broad range of health care services under the supervision of a physician. Their work is very similar to that of a doctor, but they are required to practice under the supervision of a physician or a surgeon.

History[edit | edit source]

The PA profession was created in the United States in the mid-1960s in response to a shortage of physicians. The first PA program was developed by Dr. Eugene Stead at the Duke University Medical Center; the first class graduated in 1967. The profession has since grown globally, with PAs now practicing in several countries worldwide.

Education and Certification[edit | edit source]

In the United States, a PA must complete an accredited PA program and pass the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) exam. The education for a PA is very rigorous and includes classroom and laboratory instruction in the basic medical and behavioral sciences (such as anatomy, pharmacology, pathophysiology, clinical medicine, and physical diagnosis), followed by clinical rotations in internal medicine, family medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, and geriatric medicine.

Role and Responsibilities[edit | edit source]

A PA's primary responsibilities are to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive healthcare services, as delegated by a physician. Working as members of the healthcare team, they take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and x-rays, and make diagnoses. They also treat minor injuries, by suturing, splinting, and casting. PAs record progress notes, instruct and counsel patients, and order or carry out therapy.

References[edit | edit source]

Physician Assistant Resources
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