The role of a physician assistant (PA) has been a vital part in the history of the health care system and continues to serve a much needed role in the medical model today. Although many patients are well-informed regarding the physician assistant profession, there are also some who are wary of seeing a PA over seeing a medical doctor (MD) for their health care needs. Despite the differences between the training and overall education model of a Physician Assistant versus a Medical Doctor, the quality of patient care is not affected. Therefore a patient’s perception of the care received during a medical visit should not decrease because of the type of health care provider. A physician assistant is a mid-level health care provider who provides …show more content…
A PA student is in school for approximately two and a half years, while an MD student is in school for up to eight years. Although there is a drastic difference in length, this is does not necessarily mean a difference in competence. Most PA programs require the same prerequisite courses as medical schools and also require students to have approximately three years of healthcare training and experience before admittance. With the added experience and similar teaching material being provided, both a PA and MD should be knowledgeable regarding the same medical topics. Another topic that produces opposition is the difference in the training of a PA and MD after they complete the didactic portion of school. As previously mentioned, a PA is trained in approximately 10 different specialties and can choose to work in any field that they choose after graduation and licensure. A MD student is required to complete residency that can last anywhere from three to seven years, receiving specialized education only in the specialty chosen. Therefore a PA receives extensive training of all allowed specialties, while an MD receives a very specialized education in one specialty. This fact alone discredits that a PA will not be as competent as a MD when it comes to general medical …show more content…
In the medical field today, a PA is considered one of the best careers in America and continues to increase in importance and prevalence as knowledge about this career increases. There is also a dire need for this profession in the health care field. Due to an increasing shortage of doctors, increases in physician specialization, and a changing health care system, the United States is relying heavily on the PA career to solve this medical workforce problem (Hooker et al., 2007). There is not only a need for physician assistants but a want for them by the general patient population as well. This want is demonstrated through a series of Patient Satisfaction Surveys performed comparing the satisfaction of care received from a medical doctor versus a physician assistant. The patients involved in the survey came from a variety of cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and health status. The results of numerous surveys all conveyed the following results: “In our national cross-sectional satisfaction surveys comparing physicians and PAs, PAs were rated as favorably as physicians suggesting that there are no differences in satisfaction between provider types regardless of patient sociodemographic characteristics and health status” (Hooker et al., 2005). In multiple studies, it was also proven that PA satisfaction was not only equal to but greater
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 road to gaining admission to medical school and becoming a physician is long, difficult, and intensely competitive. Once admitted, however, medical students spend the first two years primarily in laboratories and classrooms learning basic medical sciences. They also learn how to take medical histories, perform complete physical examinations, and recognize symptoms of diseases. During their third and fourth years, the medical students work under supervision at teaching hospitals and clinics. Following medical school, new physicians must complete a year of internship that emphasizes either general medical practice or one specific specialty and provides clinical experience in various hospital services. Physicians then continue in residency training, which lasts an additional three to six years, depending on the specialty. Immediately after residency, they are eligible to take an examination to earn board certification in their chosen specialty. Most traditional specialties include the following: anesthesiologist, cardiologist, dermatologist, family practitioner, gastroenterologist, internist, neurologist, oncologist, pathologist, psychiatrist, pulmonologist, and urologist
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.
Cipher, D. J., Hooker, R. S. and Guerra, P. (2006). Prescribing trends by nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the United States. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 18, 291–296.
The number of doctors that present in the United States of America directly affects the communities that these doctors serve and plays a large role in how the country and its citizens approach health care. The United States experienced a physician surplus in the 1980s, and was affected in several ways after this. However, many experts today have said that there is currently a shortage of physicians in the United States, or, at the very least, that there will be a shortage in the near future. The nation-wide statuses of a physician surplus or shortage have many implications, some of which are quite detrimental to society. However, there are certain remedies that can be implemented in order to attempt to rectify the problems, or alleviate some of their symptoms.
Within this essay the discussion of what the differences are between two professions in the medical field. These two professions consist of nurses and medical assistants, or other wise known as M.A’s. Each of these professions have their own descriptions and skill sets. These two professions also have differences in salary and qualifications needed to work within that pacific field. Even though these two professions are in the same field, they have many similarities and differences.
Mundinger, M., (1994). Advanced-Practice nursing—good medicine for physicians? New England Journal of Medicine, 33(3), 211-214. Retrieved from http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM199401203300314
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
If you are a new student and are thinking about pursuing a career in the medical field, like me, you have a lot of options. You could become a Registered Nurse, a Physician, a Physician Assistant, a Dentist, an Audiologist, an Anesthesiologist or many other professions. In this article I am going to narrow it down for you between a Physician and a Physician Assistant and I am going to tell you why I would prefer being a Physician Assistant over the highly prestigious Physician career. Physician Assistant is a relatively new career and there are many misconceptions about what individuals with this title do in the medical field.
Any job in the medical field is great, because it will always be needed no matter what. Doctors, nurses, techs, etc. are all very important and necessary people, but the people behind the scenes are just as important, medical administrative assistants. Being a medical administrative assistant seems awfully difficult, you have all these responsibilities but at the end of the day you’ll have a sense of satisfaction because you may have possibly really helped a patient or family with a serious and hard situation. There are different types or categories of medical administrative assistants, you have the front office, the back office, the clinic setting, private practices, and the floating position. Duties for
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
Lastly, Medical assistants are of great help to the physicians they work for. They make it possible for the practitioners to be effective in their practice. Just like all the other practitioners in the medical field, the medical assistants are expected to maintain high standards in the field. For the medical assistants this will include acting on the instructions given by the practitioners and adhering to the code of ethics as set by AAMA. The medical assistants are also expected to make sound decisions when faced with medical dilemmas. All this should be focused on giving the patient quality care.
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