Physician Assistants
Overview
Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.
What do they do?
Physician assistants, also known as PAs, examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.
How to become one
Physician assistants typically need a master’s degree from an accredited educational program. Applicants to these programs typically have a Bachelors and experience caring directly for patients. All states require physician assistants to be licensed.
Although programs vary, most require applicants to have taken undergraduate coursework with a focus in science. Bachelorss are often in healthcare or a related field, such as biology. Programs also may require that applicants have experience as a medical assistant, EMT or paramedic, or another occupation that involves patient care.
Physician assistant education includes classroom and laboratory instruction in subjects such as human anatomy, clinical medicine, and pharmacology. The programs also include supervised clinical training in several specialties, such as family medicine, internal medicine, and emergency medicine.
Some physician assistants pursue additional education in a specialty. Postgraduate programs are available in specialties such as emergency medicine and psychiatry. To enter one of these programs, a physician assistant must be a graduate of an accredited program and have their PA-C.
