Physician Assistants (PAs) are state licensed health care professionals who provide assistance to physicians and health-related staff in provision of patient care. They contribute quite significantly in the diagnosis, treatment and management of various diseases. PAs may perform many of the functions of a doctor including patient assessment, test interpretation, drug prescription, and the performance of some surgery. This profession demands a great deal of medical knowledge, excellent communicative abilities and love of service.
Resume Description for This Job
It is equally necessary to emphasize the clinical and interpersonal skills of the PA in the PA resume. Stress on direct medical practice, procedural medicine and teamwork in healthcare setting. Probably it would be applied for practice and add PA-C recognition in such a way. Also mention any additional relevant skills associated with your area of practice such as compulsory practice area like cardiology, surgery or pediatrics.
Sample Resume Description:
“Dedicated Physician Assistant possessing remarkable 5 years of experience working in diverse Medical settings and managing multi-level patient care. Qualified in performing hands-on ventilatory examinations, deciding the management options, and integrating care practices. Committed to practicing medicine to attain positive health outcomes in the patients and nurses.”
Key Skills to Include:
- Clinical assessment and diagnosis
- Patient care and treatment management
- Medications prescription and coordination
- Management of Medical situations
- Physicians and healthcare team partnership
- Educating and counseling patients
- Crisis intervention and assessment
- Preserving, storing, and updating records
Feel free to adjust details to better match your experience!
Salary (Based Range in USA)
There exists a disparity of salaries for a Physician Assistant in the state of United States. This varies with experience, area of specialty , and area of region. below is an upward view of the salary range of PAs.
- Junior physician assistant – $85,000 – $95,000 per year.
- Physician assistant with two to three years experience – $100,000 – $115,000 per year.
- Fellowship trained physician assistant – 120,000 – 140,000 +[LIUC] per year.
Physician assistants who specialize in fields with acute shortage such as surgery, cardiology or dermatology, can take home larger amounts. So also, area does matter as higher pigeons live in places with high living costs and so there’s a higher earning capacity among the PAs.
Responsibilities
Physician Assistants have a wide variety of responsibilities when it comes to patient care based on their area of specialization. Here are some of the common responsibilities of a PA:
Patient Assessment
- Examining patients to identify their ailments.
- Collecting medical records and collecting data which is pertinent to diagnosis and treatment planning.
- Requisitioning and reviewing test results including x-rays, blood tests, MRI.
Diagnosis and Treatment
- Based on the history of the patient and conducting an examination, a pertinent illness, injury, or medical condition will be diagnosed.
- Making patient recommendations based on a physician supervisor’s directions.
- Creating wellness treatment protocols and tracking patients’ movements.
Medical Procedures
- Administering simple invasive procedures such as wound closure, sabscess drainage and IV line placement
- Acting in the theatre and all other operations of a service area, where applicable.
Patient Education
- Informing the patients concerning their illnesses, available therapies and how to control the illness.
- Providing the patient with emotional reassurance together with the family members during the course of treatment.
Collaboration with Healthcare Teams
- Communicating with other physicians, nursing staffs, and the whole interdisciplinary team in rendering patient care.
- Working on the planning and delivery of patient care and participating in case conferencing of patients.
Administrative Tasks
- Updating electronic medical records (EMR) to reflect all patient encounters, actions taken and treatment plans.
- Engaging with insurance companies and health institutions to help organise all necessary care for the patients.
Qualifications
There are some consistencies that must be met if you want to become a Physician Assistant in terms of education, licensure and experience.
Education
- It is important to note that the curriculum necessitates obtaining a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies.
- PA programs usually last between 2 and three years as they include courses in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, medical ethics, and clinical rotations in various specialty areas.
Licensure and Certification
- Physician Assistants are required to obtain a certificate from the state where they practice. While it is worth noting that all 50 states have their own requirements, such licenses usually require candidates to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).
- Having a certificate issued by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is one of the conditions for being allowed to practice as a PA. There is also a requirement for continuous education that is updated every 10 years.
Experience
- Experience in clinical practice is an important aspect for a PA, this is, however, acquired during the internship or rotation while in the PA program.
- Most of the practicing PAs begin with working under licensed physicians to gain practical experience after completion of their studies.
Skills and Competencies
- Clinical Skills: Medical assessment skills, diagnosis and treatment.
- Communication: Strong communication and interpersonal skills when dealing with patients, families, and healthcare team members.
- Critical Thinking: The capacity to evaluate multifaceted clinical problems and make clinical decisions.
- Compassionate care: This is the ability to delivers patient-centered care.
- Focus on Hard Facts: Making sure that patients’ evaluations, medical documentation, and treatments are precise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: But what is the distinction between a physician assistant and a nurse practitioner?
But, whereas both functions include the look after of patients and their functions can be similar – physician assistants (PAs) work along side doctors and all other health care professionals and as such have a wider scope of practice that also includes surgical or other invasive procedures and specializations. Nurse practitioners’ (NPs), however, tend to have a more self-sustained practice doing more of the integrated model of care.
Q2: What is the typical time frame in which you can practice as a Physician Assistant?
For an individual to practice as a Physician Assistant normally takes approximately 6-7 years. It however includes of earning a bachelor’s degree (usually a science oriented one), master’s degree in physician assistant studies and clinical practice.
Q3: Do physician assistants have any ability to practice autonomously?
The tasks of physician assistants are carried out under the direction and management of a licensed physician, but may have high levels of independence depending on their skills and the individual State or medical practice they belong to. They often carry out many of the same tasks as doctors but rather their practice is always in tandem with other doctors.
Q4: Which specialties suit a Physician Assistant best?
Many Physician assistants take up surgical center’s practice and specialties such as cardiology, dermatology, orthopedic and emergency medicine among others. These specializations are popular because practitioners always want to get more work and also hard work equals good money.
Q5: How desirable is being a Physician Assistant in the job market?
Employment gains for Physician Assistants over the decade 2020 – 2030 will be very brisk at the rate of 31% over 2020 which is quite faster than other professions average growth. Such developments are explained by more healthcare requirements and PAs being integrated in a wider range of medical services.
Conclusion
Physician Assistants are important in the modern community and assist in delivering quality patient care as well as help physicians in different practices. In deed, a Physician Assistant is a complicated profession that is highly rewarding. Aside from the pay being good and the job market being promising, the rest of the work allows you to enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you are making a difference in people’s lives. It does not matter whether you want to be a general practitioner, or hit the theatre room, or pursue anything in between, if becoming a PA is your goal rest assured that healthcare will remain as a challenging working environment.