ipl-logo

Why I Want To Be A Physician Assistant Essay

652 Words3 Pages

Physician Assistant What do physician assistants precisely do? Many people do not know what the job entails, since it is a job that is rarely spoken about in an average public school. According to the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, "A physician assistant (PA) is a licensed medical professional who holds an advanced degree and is able to provide direct patient care" (Physician Assistant). PAs have various challenging responsibilities that are performed daily. Physician assistants require immense years of education, perform numerous responsibilities, and receive multiple benefits. The journey to becoming a PA begins the moment when someone enters high school. During high school, it is important to take as many science and math …show more content…

After being accepted into a PA program one can expect to spend 3 years in class and clinical rotations to receive a master's degree (Ravenelle). Following graduation from a PA program, one will be prompted to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (Ravenelle). Passing the exam will result in one becoming a Certified Physician Assistant. Before any individual can begin their career they must procure a state license. To practice in any state there are certain requirements to follow to obtain a license, but Ravenelle writes, " Each state has different requirements, so consult your licensing board in your state for the next steps” (Ravenelle). It takes immense years of education to become a …show more content…

On a typical day, a PA will perform various responsibilities such as patient exams, diagnosing illnesses, and assisting in surgery (Physician Assistant). Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science writes in reference to a PA's responsibilities, “They work with patients of all ages in virtually all specialty and primary care areas, diagnosing and treating common illnesses and working with minor procedures" (Physician Assistant). Being able to work in almost all care areas means that PAs are able to provide help to varying amounts of people. PAs complete many laborious tasks every day. Many careers have rewarding benefits, and PAs are no exception. Kasey D'Amato states, "A new PA may receive some benefits including: paid time off, health insurance, malpractice insurance, CME allowance, or 401k (Kasey D'Amato). For a beginner, those are very grand benefits. PAs also received a lofty median compensation of $121,530 in May 2021 (Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physician Assistants). The employment of PAs is projected to grow by 31% from 2020-2030 (Physician Assistant). PAs benefit from having high rates of projected job growth, large annual salaries, and various insurance

Show More
Related
1132 Words | 5 Pages

Every state in the US has an affiliated chapter branching from the national organization that advocates for all Physician Assistants, known as the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). The American Academy of Physician Assistants handles licensing requirements, networking opportunities, job resources, and provides tools to improve PA practice and patient care for each state and federal service chapter. These individual state affiliations branching from the AAPA are pertinent to the Physician Assistant profession because they allow for more direct and local resources for Physician Assistants. Having an individual state chapter makes it easier to find local jobs in the area and get answers to questions about each state law requirement.

Read More
134 Words | 1 Pages

However, in some cases, the physician assistant can perform autonomously. Being a physician assistant is typically full-time work and at times can be physically and emotionally demanding. A prospective PA must be able to work long hours on their feet, have good

Read More
452 Words | 2 Pages

I admire the mission statement of the PAS program, as I am a firm believer in providing excellent care to all populations. A Physician Assistant, as well as any other medical professional, should provide compassionate care to those needing it, despite their financial status, race, disabilities, and more. As a future PA, I want to advocate for all populations and let their voices be heard, inside and outside of the walls of medicine. One reason I am compassionate about advocating for my patients is because I understand what it is like to be in their shoes.

Read More
2228 Words | 9 Pages

History of Physician Assistants The initial purpose of the physician assistant (PA) profession was to enhance and broaden access to healthcare. When doctors and educators realized primary care doctors were scarce. “In the mid-1960s, physicians and educators recognized there was a shortage of primary care physicians. To help remedy this, Eugene A. Stead Jr., MD, of the Duke University Medical Center, put together the first class of PAs in 1965.

Read More
791 Words | 4 Pages

When Physicians assistants start the career of their lives, there are many requirements needed in order to succeed. In Texas, years of education is needed to take the first steps in becoming a Physician’s assistant. Basics in Anatomy, Physiology, Medical Terminology, Micro Biology, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. Seems like so much but, those classes are just basics.

Read More
596 Words | 3 Pages

Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Medical Assistant Are you thinking of becoming a medical assistant (MA)? You are not alone. Medical assisting is an ideal career for individuals who want to help others. They work in a variety of healthcare settings assisting doctors and nurses in providing quality care to patients.

Read More
624 Words | 3 Pages

Calvin Neal Exploring a Health Career: Physician Assistant Ever since my cousin Paul, whom I’ve always looked up to, went to college and became a PA, I’ve wanted to follow in his footsteps. The definition of a physician assistant is “someone qualified to assist a physician and carry out routine clinical procedures under the supervision of a physician.” However, physician assistants can be so much more than that. They work in numerous fields such as pediatrics, obstetrics, orthopaedics, and with several health care providers such as nurses, surgeons, and physicians.

Read More
590 Words | 3 Pages

After completing your education as a medical assistant and you qualify for national certification as a medical assistant, the certifying organizations require successful completion of continuing education credits within a certain time frame to maintain active Medical Assistant certification. Flexible Schedules Another benefit of working as a medical assistant is choosing between part-time or full-time work. For those who thrive on having a stable schedule with predictable hours, many MAs work in clinics that operate during standard business hours. This can be a big plus for working parents with kids in school or childcare. A predictable daytime schedule has perks, like not being called to work in the middle of the night or getting pulled away from your child’s weekend soccer game to cover a shift.

Read More
562 Words | 3 Pages

Specialty Certification Is the physician assistant (PA) profession shifting away from its origins? At the beginning of the PA profession, the majority of PAs worked in primary care to ameliorate the shortage family medicine clinicians. However, in actuality, only one-third of PAs work in primary care while the vast majority has transferred to specialty practice (Bodenheimer & Cramback, 2009). Furthermore, the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), has introduced specialty certification programs which could further change the original purpose of the PA occupation. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the goal of the NCCPA specialty certification program, its advantages, and disadvantages.

Read More
830 Words | 4 Pages

A Medical Assistant is an allied health professional that supports the work of physicians and other health professionals, usually in a clinic setting. They are four easy steps to do to become a Medical Assistant. The very first step is to go to school. Most Medical Assistants go to school for two years, usually at a community college or vocational school. What I really like about this career is that Medical Assistants programs are both abundant and flexible, no matter what your situation is you can always find a school to suit your schedule.

Read More
1069 Words | 5 Pages

It is also the responsibility of the physician assistants to examine patients, as would a doctor, in order to obtain information about a patients’ physical condition. In some hospitals physician assistants could find themselves practicing medicine on teams with other physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare workers. They would examine, diagnose and treat a multitude of patients from a broad range of backgrounds.

Read More
626 Words | 3 Pages

But, Why PA school? Why not just go to medical school? I’ve gotten this question from a lot of people and it’s a question I’ve had to ask myself as well. PAs work interdependently with their supervising physician to “take patient histories, perform physical examinations, order laboratory, and diagnostic studies, prescribe medications, and develop patient

Read More
1027 Words | 5 Pages

Pathologist’s assistants (PA) play a crucial role in the diagnoses of patients, as they are the eyes of the pathologist. These skilled professionals provide the hidden connection between a patient’s pre- and post-diagnosis life, and it must not be understated how much professional trust and confidence a pathologist places in their PAs to best serve patients. After being introduced and experiencing this relatively unknown and underappreciated profession first-hand, it is my life goal to become a PA and share my passion with others. When I began my shadowing experience at the Akron Cleveland Clinic, I was asked how many hours I needed to reach my requirements for graduate programs.

Read More
495 Words | 2 Pages

A pharmacist aide might not be the most exciting job, but it is a very important job in the healthcare of medicine. They do many different things, and help you feel better. They get your medicine from the doctor, and give it to you. They keep you out of pain. A pharmacist adie also, records drugs that have been delivered to the pharmacy, stock the medicine, and tell the manager what ran out, or what needs to be put back on the shelf.

Read More
1068 Words | 5 Pages

In the East coast, South, and Midwest, there are more PAs working as Cardiology PAs compared to cardiology NPs. However, at the time of the interview, NPs dominated the cardiology field in the West Coast and the State of Washington. Although the many responsibilities of NPs and PAs overlap, NPs lack the hands-on experience of PAs, meaning PAs can take on tasks that NPs cannot. This unique opportunity is what makes cardiology a prime specialty for PA graduates to seek out. Another opportunity for PA graduates is the licensing.

Read More

More about Why I Want To Be A Physician Assistant Essay

Open Document