Physician Assistant jobs can be vast and varied, and they can all be quite rewarding, regardless of the field of medicine involved.
Physician Assistant jobs are some of the most in-demand career choices in the medical field today. In fact, the federal government expects there to be more than 80,000 positions by the year 2016 around the United States. And Physician Assistant salary ranges indicate this profession is among the most financially rewarding careers available that does not involve becoming a fully licensed doctor.
What might these jobs entail? What can you expect?
Duties associated with Physician Assistant jobs
As you might expect, the majority of these positions are found within the offices of private practices. However, you’ll also find positions with hospitals, the federal government, within universities and colleges, as well as in outpatient care facilities, and even in your own business.
What types of duties might you perform as a Physician Assistant? You’ll discover that these duties can be quite varied and include some areas that most consumers associate with doctors or surgeons. For instance, Physician Assistants might assist during surgery, provide X-rays and administer medicines. You might suture, splint, cast or otherwise treat minor and moderate injuries, or you might conduct lab tests and interpret results of those tests. These are only a few examples of the possible duties you might encounter in the Physicians Assistant field.
Educational requirements for Physician Assistant jobs
All Physician Assistants within the United States must be certified through the NCCPA (National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants). To complete this examination, you’ll need to have finished your education with an accredited education provider or Physician Assistant program. In addition, you will need to ensure that you are provided with the right courses of study. You’ll need to study emergency medicine, home health care, human anatomy, internal medicine, microbiology, pathology, prenatal care, biochemistry and quite a few other specialized topics in order to attain the level of education needed for success.
You will also need to check the specific requirements within the state you intend to practice. While all states do require that you be licensed, you’ll find that some states have other requirements that must be met. For instance, quite a few states require that you undergo 100 hours of training every two years in order to maintain your certification.
Other resources
The Bureau of Labor Statistics offers information about Physician Assistant jobs.
You can visit PremedGuide.com to learn more about Physician Assistant jobs and other topics.
PAWorld offers some information about Physician Assistant jobs on a global scale.
Premed Guide