Physician assistants, also known as PAs practice medicine under the supervision of physicians and surgeons. They should not be confused with medical assistants, who perform routine clinical and clerical tasks. Physicians assistants are formally trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive health care services, as delegated by a physician. Working as members of the health care team, they take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and x rays, and make diagnoses. They also treat minor injuries, by suturing, splinting, and casting. Many PAs record progress notes, instruct and counsel patients, and order or carry out therapy. The duties of physician assistants are determined by the supervising physician and by State law. Aspiring physician assistants in the United States should investigate the laws and regulations in the States in which they wish to practice.



The United States require that physician assistants complete a US accredited, formal education program and pass a national exam to obtain a state license. Programs for physician assistants usually last at least 2 years and are full time. Most programs are in schools of allied health, academic health centers, medical schools, or 4-year colleges; a few are in community colleges, the military, or hospitals. Many accredited programs have clinical teaching affiliations with medical schools. Currently more than 135 education programs for physician assistants were accredited or provisionally accredited by the American Academy of Physician Assistants. More than 90 of these programs offered the option of a master’s degree, and the rest offered either a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree. Most applicants to PA educational programs already have a bachelor’s degree.

Physician assistants are educated in the allopathic medical model and in some schools they attend many of the same classes as medical students. One of the main differences between a physician assistant and physician education is not the core content of the curriculum, but the amount of time spent in formal education. In addition to time in school, physicians are required to do an internship, and the majority also complete a residency in a specialty following that, also physician assistant do not have to undertake an internship or residency.

According to the United States Department of Labor “Physician assistants held about 62,000 jobs in 2004. The number of jobs is greater than the number of practicing PAs because some hold two or more jobs. For example, some PAs work with a supervising physician, but also work in another practice, clinic, or hospital. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, about 15 percent of actively practicing PAs worked in more than one clinical job concurrently in 2004." More than half of jobs were in the offices of physicians and medical doctors. About a quarter were in hospitals, public or private healthcare institutions. The rest were mostly in outpatient care centers, including health maintenance organizations; the Federal Government; and public or private colleges, universities, and professional schools. A few were self-employed."

A medical assistant career is often an excellent alternative for students who can not afford the time or tuition costs of a physician assistant program. Medical Assistant program details can be viewed at www.medassistant.org where St. Augustine Medical Assistant School offers online classes for students interested in pursuing a career as a Medical Assistant. Both physician assistants and medical assistants work in primary care specialties, such as general internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine. Other specialty areas for physician assistants may include general and thoracic surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, and geriatrics. Physician assistants specializing in surgery provide preoperative and postoperative care and may work as first or second surgical assistants during major surgery. Additional information about a career as a physician assistant can be obtained by contacting The American Academy of Physician Assistants or The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.