Physician Assistants, or PAs, are medical professionals who can diagnose a patient's illness, create and manage treatment plans, prescribe their patients' medications, and are often a patient's main health care provider. Having completed thousands of hours of medical training, PAs are knowledgeable, versatile, and collaborative. They are able to work in any state and in every medical setting and specialty.
What Does a Physician Assistant Do?
There are multiple duties that physician assistants will perform. Specific duties will depend on the medical setting, their experience level, the specialty they are working in and state laws. Typically, physician assistants will take medical histories, conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, assist in surgery, develop treatment plans, counsel on preventive care and perform clinical research.
Where Do Physician Assistants Work?
Physician assistants can practice in every medical setting in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They are able to work in hospitals, medical offices, community health centers, nursing homes, retail clinics, workplace clinics, educational facilities and correctional institutions. They can also serve in the military and other federal government agencies.
What is the Difference Between Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner (NP)?
There are a lot of similarities between PAs and NPs, but there are two key differences. Physician Assistants are educated in general medicine, which offers a view of all aspects of medicine. Nurse Practitioners choose a “population focus”, like pediatric nurse practitioner or family nurse practitioner. Secondly, Physician Assistants are trained to practice medicine and use a curriculum modeled on medical school educations. Nurse Practitioners are specifically trained in the advanced practice of nursing.
Are You in Need of a Physician Assistant?
Many people choose to see a Physician Assistant for their primary care needs. If you are looking for a physician assistant, you’ve come to the right place! Our PAs are dedicated to improving and helping you manage your health and wellness. You can contact Community Care's Concierge Care Coordinator anytime to help you find a physician assistant that meets your needs. Call (518) 782-3800 or click here to search for a PA on our website.
Would you like to be a Physician Assistant at Community Care Physicians?
CCP is focused on the physician-led model of medicine and is always on the lookout for skilled talent. Join the Capital Region’s largest healthcare provider and help improve the health and wellness of our community. To learn more or see current openings, click here.
For more information:
https://www.aapa.org/what-is-a-pa/
https://publichealth.tufts.edu/graduate-programs/physician-assistant/what-physician-assistant