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A physician assistant may be defined as a licensed medical practitioner
who carries out healthcare practice under the supervision of a licensed
practitioner. His or her main profile is to prevent and treat human
illness. They counsel healthcare preventive measures, diagnose
diseases, assist physicians in surgeries and even write prescriptions.
Broadly, they assist in all functions performed by a physician.
However, they should not be confused with medical assistants who
basically perform administrative and clerical tasks. In some
institutions, they also perform managerial duties such as ordering
medical supplies, supervising medical technicians and assistants.
Physician Assistant Salary Information:
The physician assistant salary is governed by a number of factors like
education, work experience and area of specialization. The salary
normally ranges from $110,000 to $200,000 per annum. The work location
also differs according to salary range. PA’s are also provided
with additional benefits which comprise of health insurance, retirement
plans, paid holidays etc. Thus, PA’s is a good job profile and
one can draw handsome salary with necessary skills and experience. The
salary range are approximate and may change under different
circumstances.
Physician Assistant Educational Requirements:
The educational qualifications to become a physician assistant(PA)
comprise of completion of training and educational programs which
generally are of a duration of 2 years. These programs focus on
subjects like human anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, clinical medicine
and the like. However, a college degree and some experience in health
related work will definitely add value to PA’s profile. A person
may serve in more than one area of specialization under the supervision
of a physician. With growing aspects of growth in this field in the
coming future, number of institutions offering training programs to
become a physician assistant have increased by a substantial number.
Physician Assistant Work Environment:
Although physician assistants work in a very comfortable environment,
but under certain situations they have to work for long durations and
irregular timings. The workweek may include weekends, nights, and early
morning rounds to visit patients. Usually they work for more than 40
hours a week. Their schedule varies according to practice settings. The
work place mainly comprise of hospitals, clinics, home health agencies,
nursing homes, prisons and even rehabilitation centers. They also
participate in rotations that offer clinical training in a variety of
areas such as emergency medicine, pediatrics and surgery. |
