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Physician Assistant
A Physician Assistant, or P.A., is a licensed health professional who has has passed the national certificated exam that is administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants after completing a physician assistant program.
The typical physician assistant program is 24 to 32 months long, requires at least four years of college and some health care experience prior to admission.
A Physician Assistant practices medicine directly under a supervising physician. College prerequisites for a physician assistant are the same as those for medical school.
Physician Assistants cannot admit patients to a hospital, but they can take patient histories, perform physical exams, diagnose and treat basic health problems, order and administer tests, coordinate patient care, prescribe medications with some restrictions, and provide education and counseling to patients on medications and healthy lifestyles.
They also can assist patients in the management of health conditions such as diabetes, colds, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and women's health care such as Pap smears.
Education is a very important part of a physician assistant's role.
PA's co-manage patient care with family doctors, and work closely as a medical team to provide better patient access and continuity of care.
MCHA presently employs two physician assistants, one in Orthopedics, and one in Family Medicine.
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