PA can be a great career choice due to the relatively lower cost of education and academic/training requirements compared to that of becoming a physician.
Given that our nation’s life expectancy continues to grow, the resources for our health care infrastructure will be required to rise in correlation. However, the fact of the matter is we’re not creating enough physicians to fulfill our healthcare demands.
Among the primary solutions from the health care sector to handle this shortage has been the growth and encouragement of the Physician Assistant (PA) role. The PA, functioning under the oversight of a Physician, delivers essential medical care to patients.
PA Perk: A Certain Degree of Autonomy
While PAs require Physician supervision, they are able to work with some degree of autonomy. This role does not always involve “direct” supervision. For example, a Physician Assistant assigned to a non-urban or outlying location may be supervised in person by a Physician only 1 or 2 days out of the week with supervision via telecommunication most of the time. This remote PA placement provides an improved range of medical treatment that can be supplied in rural or remote areas. Since PA’s earn less than doctors, it makes fiscal sense to have a PA carry out the Physician’s general medical tasks, resulting in less cost to the patient.
The Function of a PA
PAs are capable of performing a considerable array of medical duties; basic physical checkups, write prescriptions, order and assess diagnostic exams, identify and treat disease, and also assist in surgery. The particular set of a PA’s duties is mostly defined by the physician they are working with. Many of these responsibilities are performed in work settings where you’d typically find physicians - namely medical centers, various types of health clinics and private medical practices.
As an integral part of health care provision, PAs deliver an essential service in the medical industry. Ultimately, they enable an extension of the functionalities of a physician at a considerably decreased expense. If you’re considering working in the medical field the opportunities are plentiful as a PA. The potential to become specialized in different areas such as cardiology or orthopedics or to practice primary medical treatment offers a large degree of options.
The less comprehensive academic/training criteria required of a PA (compared to that of a physician) allows for a PA having the ability to practice medicine much earlier and at a significantly decreased cost of education. Due to the need for their services both at the present time and in the long term, PAs can be confident their career decision is worthwhile.
Every state in America requires PAs to be licensed and permits them to prescribe pharmaceuticals with state-specific regulations. PAs are trained in arranging and assessing the outcomes of different exams performed to determine the health status of patients. They will then usually provide information on preventive actions the patient can take to safeguard against health conditions or injuries in the future. Physician assistants can also transition to professional roles outside of performing work duties under a doctor, such as academic clinical research and health administration.
PA Education and Training
Education and training programs to become a PA are primarily available at both public and private 4 year universities and colleges. PA degree programs are also offered at community colleges and through the armed forces. Most physician assistant schools necessitate that a student hold a bachelor’s degree prior to enrolling in their program. Educational requirements differ from school to school, so it is necessary for the student to comprehensively inform themselves with programs they intend on applying to. All states require PM to be licensed.
89 percent of PA degree programs are on the master’s level with the remaining 11% offering bachelor’s, associate and certificate credentials. By 2020 all physician assistant schools will have the master’s in physician assisting degree available.
Examples of key coursework in a PA master’s degree curricula include pathology, human anatomy, human physiology, physical diagnosis, and bioethics. A large number of accredited physician assistant programs have clinical training partnerships with med schools. As part of continuing education and professional competence, physician assistant are required to pass a recertification exam every six years. Starting in 2014, this cycle will shift to every 10 years.
PA Job Security and Pay
PAs benefit from being in one of the quickest growing occupations in the United States today, not only within the health care field, but compared to all occupations. If you’re thinking about a career as a PA, then you don’t have to worry about being laid off and not being able to find jobs in once you become one. It’s estimated that PA employment opportunities will have grown by 30 percent from 2010 to 2020. A PA’s median earnings as reported in May 2012 was $43.72 per hour with the median salary found to be at $90,930 per annum.
Job security is not the the sole factor why you should pursue a PA career. A strong passion to treat patients and the determination to withstand a rigorous work schedule should be the key focal point when determining whether to go down the route to become a physician assistant.
