What does a physician assistant do? If you are asking this question, you are probably weighing your options for starting a career in the medical field. You may like the idea of becoming a doctor, but not like the number of years you would have to spend in school and the money you would have to spend in order to become a doctor. Most people see the physician assistant position as a great alternative.
A physician assistant is about the closest you will ever come to being a doctor without going through medical school to actually become one. Since a physician assistant can do many things that doctors do, like prescribing medications, this is a great alternative for those who cannot go through medical school. You will work under a physician who has gone through medical school, but you can gain quite a bit of independence and even maintain your own list of patients in many circumstances (though not always).
Physician assistants are in great demand and can apply for jobs in many medical facilities. You can work in an office with a pediatrician, family doctor, or even a plastic surgeon. Your career may end up in a local hospital in any of their divisions. There are many medical clinics that need assistants as well. Any environment where physicians are employed you may find your skills in demand.
You can also decide to take on a particular specialization, or to go into general practice. This means you can choose to take special coursework if you have an interest in a particular field of medicine.
On the job, this position requires a lot of desk work as well as interaction directly with patients. Below you will find a quick overview of the duties, though the exact requirements will vary depending on where you work and what you choose to specialize in (if you specialize at all). You may also be limited in your duties depending on the state in which you practice.
What does a physician do when not working directly with patients? They mostly handle the paperwork and basic interactions with other doctors, insurance companies, and other parties of interest. A physician assistant may spend considerable amounts of time calling in prescriptions for all patients of the practice, getting referrals to other doctors patients need to see, and making sure that all insurance claims are handled properly and promptly.
It is basically the job of the physician assistant to make sure the doctor can do their job without complications. Doctors spend so much time working with their patients, that they often rely on their assistants to ensure all of the background duties are handled so there are no complications or setbacks.
Some physician assistants actually see patients in the office on a daily basis, just as the doctor is seeing patients. They are able to take a complete medical history for patients, listen to their problems, analyze symptoms and physical reactions, and come up with diagnoses. From giving medical advice to prescribing controlled substances, an assistant can cater to all needs of a patient.
When problems come up or the assistant is not sure about a course of action, the doctor is always standing by for assistance. Sometimes work will be carried out alongside a physician, but in many cases the majority of a physician assistant’s work is done independently.
After learning everything that a physician assistant can do, you may be wondering why they are not treated as full doctors. It is very easy to understand when you think about the extra training and experience a physician must obtain before taking on their title and establishing a practice. It must be noted that as a physician assistant you will have to go through some advanced learning, but you wont be required to go through the strenuous programs required to become a doctor.
A physician assistant is about the closest you will ever come to being a doctor without going through medical school to actually become one. Since a physician assistant can do many things that doctors do, like prescribing medications, this is a great alternative for those who cannot go through medical school. You will work under a physician who has gone through medical school, but you can gain quite a bit of independence and even maintain your own list of patients in many circumstances (though not always).
Physician assistants are in great demand and can apply for jobs in many medical facilities. You can work in an office with a pediatrician, family doctor, or even a plastic surgeon. Your career may end up in a local hospital in any of their divisions. There are many medical clinics that need assistants as well. Any environment where physicians are employed you may find your skills in demand.
You can also decide to take on a particular specialization, or to go into general practice. This means you can choose to take special coursework if you have an interest in a particular field of medicine.
On the job, this position requires a lot of desk work as well as interaction directly with patients. Below you will find a quick overview of the duties, though the exact requirements will vary depending on where you work and what you choose to specialize in (if you specialize at all). You may also be limited in your duties depending on the state in which you practice.
What does a physician do when not working directly with patients? They mostly handle the paperwork and basic interactions with other doctors, insurance companies, and other parties of interest. A physician assistant may spend considerable amounts of time calling in prescriptions for all patients of the practice, getting referrals to other doctors patients need to see, and making sure that all insurance claims are handled properly and promptly.
It is basically the job of the physician assistant to make sure the doctor can do their job without complications. Doctors spend so much time working with their patients, that they often rely on their assistants to ensure all of the background duties are handled so there are no complications or setbacks.
Some physician assistants actually see patients in the office on a daily basis, just as the doctor is seeing patients. They are able to take a complete medical history for patients, listen to their problems, analyze symptoms and physical reactions, and come up with diagnoses. From giving medical advice to prescribing controlled substances, an assistant can cater to all needs of a patient.
When problems come up or the assistant is not sure about a course of action, the doctor is always standing by for assistance. Sometimes work will be carried out alongside a physician, but in many cases the majority of a physician assistant’s work is done independently.
After learning everything that a physician assistant can do, you may be wondering why they are not treated as full doctors. It is very easy to understand when you think about the extra training and experience a physician must obtain before taking on their title and establishing a practice. It must be noted that as a physician assistant you will have to go through some advanced learning, but you wont be required to go through the strenuous programs required to become a doctor.
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