What is a PA?
A PA is a physician assistant. PA’s are licensed and accredited medical professionals who work as a team with a supervising physician.  Physician assistants graduate from an accredited program that is nationally certified and licensed in the state to practice medicine.

What do they do?
Physician assistants are able to perform exams, diagnose, order and interpret labs and various tests, perform procedures, first assist in surgery, educate patients, fill out various paperwork and insurance forms, prescribe medicine, and perform rounds in hospitals.

What type of training do they do?
Physician assistants attend an intense and competitive educational program that is designed to model the medical school curriculum. It consists of both classroom time and more than  2,000 hours of clinical instruction through clinical rotations. Typical programs run between 2-3 years after undergraduate degrees with premedical courses required by medical schools as well as some type of medical experience. PA’s must maintain national certification. They must also complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years and recertify through board exams every 10 years.

How do Physicians and PAs work together?
PAs work together as a team with a supervising physician, however supervision does not mean the physician must be present with the PA at all times. PAs are independent practitioners and have autonomy in decision making for patient care. Physicians do not direct every aspect of care through the PA. Because PAs are educated using the medical model they share similar clinical reasoning.