As healthcare continues to grow and evolve the role of physician assistants have not changed, but they remain a crucial part for medical facilities everywhere. Throughout the years they have become well known and jobs for them have opened up allowing them better access to treat and help patients. Without physician assistants, healthcare would not be the same as it currently is. Physician assistants are applicable resources and are necessary for health-care to continue to progress the way it does today. The road to becoming a physician assistant is not easy and can take a long time. In order to become a PA one must first complete all prerequisites for the PA program they plan to attend. These programs are very competitive and competition increases …show more content…
They can work in general hospitals and clinics, private practices, or specialty clinics. “Currently, 50 percent of all PAs practice primary care medicine, which is family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology” (source 4 direct quote). One of the main reasons PAs are a crucial part of medicine is that there is always a need for them and there are many specialties that they can work in. The more physician assistants that a clinic or hospital has allows them to see and treat more patients in a timely manner. Some of the tasks PAs do daily consist of taking medical histories, performing physical exams, reading lab tests, and diagnosing and treating illnesses by prescribing medications (source 4). By completing the simple daily tasks like the ones just listed the PA is able to take a significant portion of the physician’s work load allowing them to treat more urgent cases. “When something more significant comes up the doctor is able to handle that and is not tied up with those simpler aspects” (Crowe, Daniel PA-C). This is just one of the ways that physician assistants and physicians are able to work as a team and provide the best care possible to their patients. Physician assistants must report back to their supervising physician at certain times, this relationship allows the PA to ask questions if necessary and continue to learn …show more content…
Leading physicians in many offices and organizations are constantly needed for various reasons that take them away from the practice for a given amount of time. The PA is able to fill in where needed by the physician along with completing their daily jobs. When doing this the physician assistant is able to consult with their supervising physician electronically with any questions they may have or problems they encounter (source 8). In this way physician assistants are much more helpful for a physician to have in the office than a registered nurse or nurse practitioner who cannot practice alone. As previously stated, physician assistants are able to switch specialties if the demand for PAs changes from certain areas. In this way PAs have a job that allows them more freedom than the physician. This is one of the main reasons many people chose a career as a physician assistant. They know they will not be trapped if for some reason healthcare changes and they are needed in different specialties. As stated by PA-C Daniel Crowe, “as long as physician assistants are practicing under a physician they can basically do whatever that physician says they can do.” This means that physician assistants can meet the needs of changing healthcare faster and more effectively than a physician would be able to do
Being a medical assistant is not an easy job; it requires mentally and physically functions. According to the Medical Assisting and Administrative and Clinical Competencies seventh edition, to become a successful medical assistant I have to obtain specific knowledge base, skills, and prove precise behaviors such as professional characteristics. The medical assistant is an intermediary between the doctor and the patient so the ability to think critically, analyze and communication is very important. Furthermore, it explains that the general skills of the medical assistant can be divided in...
Depending on your state’s laws and/or regulations, medical assistants are typically allowed to perform the following clinical services under the supervision of a physician or other healthcare provider, like a physician assistant (PA) or nurse practitioner (NP):
Physician assistants (PA's) practice medicine under the supervision of physicians and surgeons. PA's are trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive health care services, as delegated by a physician. They work with members of a healthcare team, they take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and x rays, and make diagnoses. PAs may be the principal care providers in rural or inner city clinics where a physician is present for only one or two days each week. In such cases, the PA confers with the supervising physician and other medical professionals as
The physician assistant is a team player in the medical world, working daily with surgeons, physicians, therapists, and many other health care professionals. Similar to the job description of physicians, PAs see patients, take medical histories, preform physical exams, make diagnoses, order and interpret tests, and develop treatment plans (Ludwig). A physician assistant, nowadays, may even perform procedures that were once performed exclusively by physicians. Because every PA must have a supervising physician who oversees their work, it is assumed by many that PAs are “assistants to doctors”, however, that is not the case because a vast majority of PAs work independently. The extent of supervision by a physician varies depending on location and branch of medicine. Although, a physician assistant may carry out much of the same roles as a physician would, the amount of schooling required to become a PA is nearly half as many as that of a physician. Physician assistant programs nationwide require an undergraduate degree in one of many sciences, such as biology, and certain
To me, being a physician assistant means having the knowledge and tools to help those that may not have otherwise receive care. Obtaining a master’s degree in public health while studying to become a physician assistant will provide me with the knowledge and expertise to evaluate how environment can affect a population's well-being. Completing the dual degree allows a better understanding of how the community is affected—not just the individual. By becoming a physician assistant with a strong background in public health, I will be able effect change and be at the forefront of health decisions in a community.
A medical assistant is an individual that works alongside but not limited to physicians, mainly in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities, such as medical offices and clinics (Medical Assistant Job). A Certified Medical Assistant provides services necessary to support the physician and to help keep the facility running smoothly. It is possible for a Certified Medical Assistant to work without being certified (Medical Assistant Job). However, most employers are wanting the best out of the bunch. Not only would it be likelier for an individual to get a job, it looks better on a resume to have completed the course into becoming a Certified Medical Assistant.
health care team who, with doctors, provide quality care to patients. In order to do that,
The general purpose of being a medical assistant is that you are helping people that are in need of help. They also perform routine/ clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians and other practitioners running smoothly. Scheduling appointments for patients, billing, coding, etc. In this job you perform administrative and certain clinical duties under direction of a physician. Some tools/ skills that will be used daily is tools; hypodermic needle, blood pressure units, scope sets; skills; speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, monitoring, writing, active learning etc. Tasks and activities that will be performed
Moreover, as a physician assistant, my duties and responsibilities would include various tasks. I would examine patients and review patients’ medical history. I would perform diagnostic tests and diagnose a patient’s injury. I would provide treatment and console patients’ on the proper treatment. Lastly, I would assess
An article by Ponte and O’Neill (2013), states that applicants entering a nurse practitioner program must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing along with clinical nursing experience. In comparison, the article states that physician assistant programs encourage an undergraduate education focused on the sciences followed by a two year graduate program. All physician assistants must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination to become certified while nurse practitioners obtain certification in their specialty under state certifying organizations (Ponte & O’Neill, 2013). Salaries for physician assistants and nurse practitioners are comparable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014), the mean annual wage for a physician assistant in the U.S. is $97,280 compared to nurse practitioners average of $97,990 annually. The scope of practice between physician assistants and nurse practitioners is also similar. The article by Ponte and O’Neill (2013), explains that while both physician assistants and nurse practitioners can diagnose and treat patients, their independence varies from state to state. Most physician assistants must be overseen by a physician in their specialty; meanwhile in some states, nurse
Standing at the starting line of the full marathon I felt anxious and nervous. Not only was I excited to accomplish this goal, but also I was nervous about the difficulty of this task. However, when I crossed the finish line and accomplished this goal, I realized that a new and possibly more difficult goal was about to start. This goal was not only to complete Physician Assistant School but it was to strive to excel in a career as a Physician Assistant in a rural primary care setting. Driven by my intrinsic personal traits of leadership, compassion, and commitment, I am motivated to achieve this goal of excelling in my career as a Physician Assistant.
At Seton Hill, I will be a student of the 5-year physician assistant program. From visiting campus and interviewing with the PA program staff, I am confident that Seton Hill will shape me into a competent and compassionate medical professional. Furthermore, I am confident that my fellow students and I will have an opportunity to make a difference in the community. A main pillar of the physician assistant career is catering the underserved populations. With a simple internet search, anyone can deduce
My lifetime goal is helping others and I plan to use my career to fulfill it. The classes I’m taking right now and the ones I’m planning to take senior year are classes I believe will influence my decision in my college major/career as well as counting toward my GPA. This will help me get into schools who have medical programs that I’m considering. Also, taking AP classes can help me save money since I can earn college credit. I’m taking all AP classes, and the electives I’m taking have been classes that have helped me consider being in the medical field. I’ve found that over the years, science and math are what I’m doing better in versus history and english. I believe by being in the medical field, I can help others in the best way I can.
The Medical field is very important in everyday lives, it will always be around. There are many careers that involve the some of the same duties as a CNA career. Nursing Assistants and Orderlies give patients the much needed attention and care the deserve. Being a Nursing Assistant is a great place to start when wanting to work in the Medical field. Nursing Assistance have different duties depending on the location and where you are hired. There is a big amount of information to learn and memorize while training for this career to receive a degree. There are many roles and requirements to receive a degree in the medical field.
My educational experiences sparked my first consideration of a career in physician assistant and encouraged me to further explore this interest. At the same time, I started giving community services to healthcare. My first opportunity to personally interact with the patient was in the emergency department as a volunteer at Dekalb Medical Center. The first day I stepped onto the floor, my