What is Physician Assistant?
Physician Assistants (PAs, also called RPAs for Registered, or PA-Cs for Certified, or RPA-Cs) are licensed health professionals who practice medicine as members of a team under the supervision of a physician. PAs see many of the same types of patients as physicians and deliver a broad range of medical and surgical services. PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel patients on preventive care, assist in surgery, and (in all states except Indiana) prescribe medication.
The scope of a PA’s practice is determined by training, experience, state law, and the supervising physician’s practice. Essentially, PAs work wherever physicians work, whether in family practice, surgery, a specialty area, or research. A PA’s duties and autonomy depend upon the PA’s clinical experience and his/her relationship with the supervising physician. For more information, click here.
Check out the "What is a PA" Infographic for quick statistics about the profession.
Work Setting
Although PAs work under supervision, the supervision can be remote, which means the physician is not necessarily present. PAs may be the principal healthcare providers in rural or inner city clinics, where the physician is present for limited times or only for consultation via telephone or other media. PAs may also make house calls, check on patients at nursing care facilities, and conduct hospital rounds on their own.
The PA profession began in the 1960s and remains one of the fastest-growing occupations. Like physicians, PAs serve in all types of communities, from rural to urban, and in a variety of settings, from private practice to clinics and hospitals. PAs also work in specialized settings such as nursing homes, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and the armed forces.
Related Careers
Nursing (RN or APRN) and medicine (MD or DO).
Information is compiled from the following webpage: A Patient’s Guide to the Physician Assistant. Please note that these are just some notable differences among the fields and are not intended to be comprehensive. It is important to double check with certain schools regarding pre-requisites and program specifics.
| CATEGORY | NURSE PRACTITIONER (NP) | PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT (PA) |
ALLOPATHIC or OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIAN
|
| Total Post High School Education | 6-8 years | 4-6 years | 8 years |
| Prerequisite Education | B.S. in Nursing (some exceptions) and clinical hours |
B.A. or B.S. and clinical hours (for most) |
B.A. or B.S.
(strongly recommended) |
| Entrance Exams | May or may not be required | GRE or PACAT (some may accept MCAT) | MCAT |
| Application Timeline | Varies | Standard | Accelerated |
| Time in Classroom* | 500 hours | 1000 hours | 2 years |
| Time in Clinic* | 500-700 hours | 2000 hours | 2 years |
| Residency | None | Optional (1-2 years depending on specialty) | 3-8 years |
| Degree or Certification Awarded | Master's Degree or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) | Physician Assistant Certified (PA-C) |
Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or
Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) |
| Recertification | 1000 professional and practice hours AND ~15 CE credits/year OR exam every 5 years |
100 education hours every 2 years AND exam every 10 years |
MD: 50 education hours every year & ABMS certification recommended DO: 120 education hours every 3 years & ABMS certification recommended |
| Salary (US National Average May 2014) | $97,990 | $97,280 |
$202,357 (varies greatly by specialty)
|
| Independent Practitioner | MOST STATES | X | |
| Complicated or High Risk Cases | VARIES | ASSIST | X |
| Perform Surgery | ASSIST | ASSIST | X |
| Deliver Babies | X | VARIES BY STATE | X |
| Write Prescriptions | X | X | X |
| Conduct Physical Exams | X | X | X |
| Diagnose | X | X | X |
| Treat Illness | X | X | X |
| Order and Interpret Tests | X | X | X |
| Patient Counseling | X | X | X |
*Varies from school to school or program to program