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Point of clarification: physician assistants are qualified to diagnose, treat, and recommend courses of action related to health care. Per the American Academy
by seanstickle 13y ago
Point of clarification: physician assistants are qualified to diagnose, treat, and recommend courses of action related to health care.
Per the American Academy of Physician Assistants: "PAs perform physical examinations, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret lab tests, perform procedures, assist in surgery, provide patient education and counseling and make rounds in hospitals and nursing homes. All 50 states and the District of Columbia allow PAs to practice medicine and prescribe medications."
http://www.aapa.org/the_pa_profession/what_is_a_pa.aspx http://www.aapa.org/the_pa_profession/what_is_a_pa.aspx
Disclaimer: I work for the Physician Assistant Education Association.
- eldavido 13y agoInteresting. This seems like a step in the right direction. What can't PAs do, that MDs can?
- cwal37 13y agoJust FYI nurse practitioners (NPs) can also diagnose/prescribe/refer. I happen to know this because my mom's finishing up school to become one. When she's finished, she'll get a huge pay bump, and have quite a few options open to her. A clinic at Walgreens, for example, is often staffed by a nurse practitioner. Cheaper than a doctor, but with their general prescriptive abilities. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_practitioner http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_practitioner