Physician Assistant - Schooling, Jobs, Salary...
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One career choice that many people find appealing is to become a physician assistant. This is not only a great way to make money but it's also a wonderful way to care for others. Even though a physician must face a grueling educational program before they can begin their career, the same isn't true of an assistant to the physician. An assistant only has to undergo just a few years of schooling and then must pass a nationally recognized examination.
Physician Assistant College Degree, Certifying Exam
In order to qualify for enrollment in a doctor's assistant program, an individual typically needs to have already completed two years of college. It's also helpful if they have some experience in the field, such as working in a hospital or clinic environment. Once the educational requirements have been met, a person graduating from a physician's assistant degree program needs to pass a test. This test is called the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination. After the test is completed satisfactorily, the individual can then seek out employment as a registered assistant.
Physician Assistant Job Description, Duties, Salary Although it's easy to confuse the job of a medical assistant with that of a physician assistant they are actually very different. An assistant to the physician is actually allowed to prescribe medications, in most states. This is obviously viewed as very helpful to a physician, particularly one who is responsible for seeing many patients on a daily basis. The assistant to the doctor may also find that they are expected to examine patients and also order laboratory tests and x-rays. In some offices the assistant is also responsible for interpreting the results of those tests and x-rays and coming up with a diagnosis. Obviously this is all done under the watchful eye of a trained and certified doctor. Many clinics are now choosing to hire fewer doctors and more assistants. The reason is simple and it's economics. If a well-qualified physician's assistant can do the same job as a doctor for a fraction of the cost, most clinics will choose the former to keep expenses low. Qualified physician assistants are paid anywhere from between $70,000 - $85,000 a year depending on factors such as employer size, industry, employee credentials, years of experience and others. Physician Assistant: Variety of Job Disciplines One job duty that many assistants really enjoy is house calls. In some instances, after surgery or when a person is aging, they are not mobile enough to make their weekly or monthly visits to the doctor. In such cases, a physician assistant may be required to visit the patient and perform an exam, along with some tests. The assistant will also monitor the patient's medicines and arrange physical therapy for them, if that is part of their recovery. Physician assistants can choose to work in fields such as surgery, dermatology, pediatrics, orthopedics, radiology or join the forces - army, navy and air force. This is obviously a very interesting and demanding field. Many registered nurses actually turn to this as a career choice because it allows them to have more interaction with patients and many feel it's more rewarding as well.
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