Job Description: Physician Assistant

Physician Assistant Job Duties | Physician Assistant Schools | Physician Assistant Salary | Physician Assistant Pros and Cons

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

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The role of a Physician Assistant should not be confused with that of a medical assistant. Physician assistants practice medicine while medical assistants are tasked with performing routine clerical and clinical tasks. Physician assistants are trained professionals who provide a range of healthcare services including diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic services under a physician’s orders.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 53 percent of physician assistants work in doctors’ offices. The rest are employed in private or public general medical and surgical hospitals, health maintenance organizations, outpatient care centers, public or private colleges, universities and professional schools and the federal government.

What Are The Job Duties Of A Physician Assistant

· The principal role of physician assistant is to provide medical services that a physician normally would, under the supervision of the physician.
· Work as part of a healthcare team to take medical histories; examine and treat patients.
· Administer or order diagnostic tests including X-rays, laboratory tests and electrocardiograms.
· Make patient diagnoses based on interpretation of diagnostic test results to identify medical deviations.
· Examine patients to gather information about a specific physical health condition.
· Compile and record patient medical information such as health history, progress notes, and physical exam results.
· Perform various therapeutic procedures including immunizations, injections, suturing, wound-care treatment and infection management.
· Instruct patients about therapeutic procedures as prescribed for individual patients.
· Provide counseling on various issues including family planning, emotional issues, health, lifestyle and normal growth.
· Make tentative decisions based on diagnoses related to treatment plans for patients.
· Prescribe medication or therapy based on the approval of the consulting physician.
· Perform hospital rounds and make house calls to observe patients, update charts, order therapy and present reports to the physician in-charge.
· Provide assistance to physicians during surgical and medical procedures.
· Supervise the activities of technicians and technical assistants.
· Perform managerial duties as required such as ordering medical equipment and laboratory supplies.
· Treat minor injuries and perform basic treatments including suturing, casting and splinting.

Physician assistants need to have excellent knowledge to diagnose and treat injuries, deformities and diseases; identify symptoms, present treatment alternatives and practice preventive healthcare measures. Physician assistants need good communication skills, listening skills, patient handling skills, therapy and counseling skills, and need to possess the ability to know when something is wrong. Physician assistants need to have a keen desire to serve, be proactive, self-motivated, welcome challenges, have a good bedside manner, be emotionally stable and capable of making level-headed decisions in an emergency situation.

Duties and responsibilities of physician assistants are determined by state laws and the supervising physician.

What Type of Degree is Needed To Be A Physician Assistant

A physician assistant is a highly respected professional in the healthcare industry. Since the 1960s, physician assistants as a profession was created based on an increased need for medical professionals. Working under the supervision of a physician, the individual will contribute to a patient’s primary care. When there is a shortage of physicians, the physician assistant may step in to become the principal patient care provider.

Most education programs for physician assistants cover primary care clinical principles, the role of the physician assistant, how to initiate care for seriously ill or injured patients, emergency care procedures, and diagnosis and treatment procedures.

Physician Assistant Associate Degree Programs

Academic prerequisites for the associate degree programs are limited to a high school diploma. However, educational institutions may select students based on completion of general education programs, letters of recommendation, prior healthcare experience and high grade point averages.

There are some accredited associate degree programs that lead to a student receiving the physician assistant credential. The programs cover the full physician assistant curricula including microbiology, human anatomy, pharmacology, biochemistry, physical diagnosis and pathophysiology.

Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies

The academic prerequisites for the bachelor’s degree are high school students with a background in the sciences (biology, physics and chemistry) and high level mathematics. Based on the recommendations made by the American Academy of Physician Assistants, physician assistant programs are approximately 26 months in duration. The accredited physician assistant program combines multiple semesters of scientific and humanities education, medical training requirements and clinical rotations.

Program course work consists of 12 months of core medical sciences to prepare students for clinical rotations. Course work includes human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, pathophysiology, biology, pharmacology and clinical procedures.

Physician Assistant Licensure

All states in the U.S. have laws governing the practice of physician assistants. They are required to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). The exam is only open to students who graduate from an accredited physician assistant program.

Physician Assistant Continuing Education

To maintain certification status, physician assistants need to complete 100 hours of continuing medical education over a two year period. Once every six years, individuals need to pass recertification exams to retain their certification.

What Is The Salary Of A Physician Assistant

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports in its Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition that employment prospects for physician assistants is expected to grow at a faster than average growth rate. The growth projected in this field of occupation is 39 percent for the period 2008 to 2018. It is anticipated that job opportunities will be very good for physician assistants, particularly in rural and inner-city healthcare institutions.

Physician Assistant Wages

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010-11 reports (for 2008) that the median annual wage for physician assistants was $81,230; the middle 50 percent earnings range between $68,210 and $97.070. The highest 10 percent earnings were above $110,240 and the lowest 10 percent was below $51,360.

Employment of physician assistants by largest numbers, by industry include: general medical and surgical hospitals, outpatient care centers, offices of physicians, federal executive branch and colleges, universities and professional schools.

Estimates for employment and mean wages for physician assistants from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the figure of 74,800 people employed in this role in 2008 will increase by approximately 39 percent by the year 2018 to reach 103,900.

National annualized data shows: the average hourly rate for a physician assistant ranges between $20 and $65 depending on the number of years of experience; the bonus for a physician assistant ranges between $497.5 and $15,050 approximately. Overall annual pay scales range between $63,832 and $109,328 for a physician assistant.

Median annual wages paid by the largest employers of physician assistants by industry: general medical and surgical hospitals - $84,550; outpatient care centers - $84,390; offices of physicians - $80,440; federal executive branch - $78,200; colleges, universities and professional schools - $74,200.

The pay scales for physician assistants will vary based on education, years of experience, job responsibilities, specialty, working hours and size of employer institution. Benefits typically include professional liability insurance, state licensing fees, credentialing fees and registration fees with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency).

(Figures are approximate and have been rounded off to the nearest full number)

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Being A Physician Assistant

In every job there are advantages and disadvantages; the same holds good for physician assistants. The advantages include:

· The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected faster than normal growth rate of an amazing 39 percent between the years 2008 and 2018 for physician assistants.
· There are various factors influencing the demand for increased employment opportunities for physician assistants including continued expansion of the healthcare industry and the fact that physician assistants are cost effective, productive members of the healthcare team.
· Widening scope of work environments to include institutional settings such as public clinics, prisons, hospitals, medical centers, and rural and inner-city clinics.
· Pay scales are high and physician assistants can earn good salaries that equate to a high standard of living.
· Working conditions are very good for physician assistants who mostly work with some of the best physicians in the business.
· Physician assistants generally work in comfortable, well-lit, well equipped work environments.
· The work is challenging enough to keep the individual stimulated and provide job satisfaction.
· A definite plus for physician assistants who take a proactive and self-motivated approach is the fact that they are given as much responsibility as they can handle. There is also great flexibility to be enjoyed in the role.

The downside to becoming a physician assistant may be attributed to the following negative aspects in the job:

· To maintain certification status can take a lot of time and money to acquire a continuing medical education. For individuals who choose to work in rural or inner city areas this can be quite a challenge.
· Physician assistants will always be just that – assistants! Even with an own business, the physician assistant will need to operate under the supervision of a licensed, practicing MD, to comply with state laws.
· The role can become frustrating for some individuals who perform all the duties of a licensed physician, but need to do so under supervision.
· The level of knowledge and skills required for the role of a physician assistant is at par with that of a physician. Yet, the pay scales do not always reflect the true worth of the physician assistant.
· Taking and passing the recertification exam once every six years is a major inconvenience that is very expensive as well.
· Physician assistants need to have an inherent desire and enthusiasm to pursue a career that involves lifelong learning. This is something that people find hard to cultivate.
· Physician assistants who specialize in surgical procedures and assist surgeons often end up standing for very long periods of time each day.
· Physician assistants can end up working night shifts, weekends and holidays or be on call, depending on the nature of the job.