Physician assistant can be a rewarding career choice for those who are interested in medicine and always have a desire to make a difference in the lives of patients. Since its inception in 1965, this profession has had an impact in terms of improving the quality of service provided in the health care industry.
In response to the need to expand the delivery of primary care medicine, this work was born and continues to evolve. For those unfamiliar with the job of a PA, it is essentially a job where the professional assists the physician in many tasks traditionally restricted to physicians. Members of this profession practice under the supervision of a physician. They help provide about 80 percent of the functions that doctors normally perform.
A medical assistant can perform a variety of tasks. This set them apart from health personnel who normally work within a specific rank with clearly defined responsibilities. The scope of work of a PA ranges from taking interviews, examining and treating patients, giving injections to counseling patients. Since the functions performed are virtually the same as those performed by a physician, the PA is medically, administratively, and legally accountable to patients.
In terms of professional qualification, a national certification is required to practice in most states in the United States. Before taking the exam, aspiring physician assistants must earn a PA degree. After that, they are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE).
Physician assistants are educated as generalists in medicine, so they can work in many disciplines. Examples of specialty areas in which they may work are cardiovascular surgery, orthopedics, and emergency medicine. An emerging trend for this profession is that PAs can see their doctors even when they are physically away from them. This is achieved through the application of telemedicine.