Our Physician's Assistant job description includes the responsibilities, duties, skills, education, qualifications, and experience.
About the Physician's Assistant role
A Physician's Assistant is a health care professional who works with a doctor or other medical specialists, providing medical and administrative services. They often help to diagnose, treat, and manage patients' medical conditions and illnesses. Physician's Assistants also provide education and counseling to patients and their families.
Role Purpose
The purpose of a Physician's Assistant (PA) is to assist a physician in providing medical care to patients. PAs provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive health care services, as delegated by the physician. They take medical histories, perform physical exams, order and interpret tests, counsel patients on preventive health care, assist in surgery, and assist with patient education and rehabilitation. PAs work in a variety of medical settings, such as hospitals, clinics, physician’s offices, long-term care facilities, and private practices.
Physician's Assistant Summary
A Physician's Assistant (PA) is a health care professional who works closely with physicians and other healthcare providers to diagnose and treat illnesses. PAs provide a broad range of medical services including taking medical histories, performing physical exams, ordering and interpreting laboratory tests, diagnosing illnesses, developing treatment plans, prescribing medications, providing patient education and counseling, assisting in surgery, and more. They also provide education to their patients on preventative care and health promotion. PAs must have a master's degree in a medical field and must be licensed to practice in the state in which they work.
Physician's Assistant Duties
- Collect patient medical histories, perform physical examinations and basic laboratory tests
- Order and interpret diagnostic tests
- Provide patient education and counseling on preventive health care
- Assist physicians in surgery and other medical procedures
- Provide treatment and prescribe medications under the direction of a physician
Physician's Assistant Skills
- Ability to provide patient education and counseling
- Ability to perform physical exams and diagnostic tests
- Ability to interpret laboratory results
- Ability to diagnose and treat common health conditions
- Ability to order and interpret imaging studies
- Ability to refer patients to specialists
- Strong knowledge of medical terminology and pharmacology
Physician's Assistant Requirements
- Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program
- Current National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification
- Current state licensure or eligibility to practice as a Physician Assistant
Personal Traits
- Team-oriented
- Organized
- Excellent communication skills
- Compassionate
- Detail-oriented