Physician Assistant Profession
A physician assistant is academically and clinically trained to practice medicine with the supervision of a doctor of medicine or osteopathy. A physician assistant performs diagnostic, therapeutic, preventative, and health maintenance services. The role of the physician assistant demands intelligence, sound judgment, intellectual honesty, strong interpersonal skills, and the capacity to react to emergencies in a calm and reasoned manner.
The education of physician assistants covers areas of basic medical science and clinical disciplines. They are trained in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, and surgery, as well as in the concepts of behavioral medicine and psychiatry. In addition, physician assistants are educated in pharmacotherapeutics; health maintenance; ambulatory, emergency, and long-term care. The breadth of educational preparation enables physician assistants to practice in a wide variety of settings in all 50 states, as well as outside the United States.
The Physician Assistant Educational Association Web site is a good resource for exploring the PA profession.
Your Future
Government statistics indicate that physician assistants are among the most in-demand professionals in the United States, with rapid career growth expected throughout the next decade. Your NYIT degree will prepare you to work in medical facilities, private practices, schools, and community health settings. You will also be prepared for state and professional licensing exams and for further graduate study.