Hey everyone, Hope everything is well!
As we mentioned in our last article, Physician Assistants are medical
professionals who develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, serve as
the principal healthcare provider for a patient, and diagnose illness. This profession is
one of the fastest-growing, in-demand, and highest paid in the country. If you are
interested in the healthcare field, and being on the front lines of helping patients,
becoming a Physician’s Assistant is definitely a job you want to consider. Here’s a little
overview of the basics:
The difference between a doctor and a physician’s assistant is that they are
“medical support professionals.” This means that they care for patients under a doctor’s
supervision. Although this varies between states and practices, PAs tend to assist and
perform all the tasks a doctor has to, except for the fact that they may need approval
before going through with some actions. This is great for people that work best in teams
where you are a member and not a leader. Additionally, becoming a PA can be extremely
rewarding. You get to spend the rest of your life helping people feel better. You work in
the same environment a doctor does, however, the most rewarding part is you focus
mostly on patient care. While the doctor’s come in to primarily diagnose, you will be
there to assist the treatment and take care of the patient to help them feel their best.
A huge difference between physicians and physicians assistants is the amount of
time they spend in the classroom. It is a commonly known fact that doctors need to
study for 4 years in undergrad, 4 years in medical school, along with varying years of
residency. Although it isn’t easy, students who want to become a physician’s assistant
have to go through about half the amount of years doctors do. To become a physician’s
assistant it takes 4 years of undergraduate, followed by a 25 month PA program. This
means you can become a physician’s assistant in around 6-7 years compared
to 11+ years as a doctor. Additionally, PAs can get quite a bit of money for their salary.
They make around $80,000-$150,000 annually, with most PAs making 6 figures later
into their job.
One of the biggest perks of being a PA is the job flexibility. For doctors, they have
to go through years of residency to work in their specialty. Meaning if they were to
choose a different specialty afterwards, they would have to go through the same
years-long process again. Physician’s Assistants on the other hand, have the luxury of
transitioning to whichever specialty they would like after obtaining a PA license. Not
only that, but being a PA means shorter hours and a stable schedule. They tend to have
schedules similar to a 9-5, due to the fact that a majority of their daily tasks occur within
clinic hours. Furthermore, PAs will always be in high demand due to the numerous
physicians who need assistance, as well as the multiple practices that go for cheaper
employee alternatives for less serious jobs.
Overall becoming a Physician’s Assistant is a very fulfilling and rewarding career
choice which should most definitely be an option when considering a job in the
healthcare field. We hope you enjoyed this article, and if you have any questions, want
more information, or need help getting into the field, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Stay Safe,
Jasmine Wani - Vice President
Here are some amazing PA schools:
1. Duke University - Durham, NC
2. University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA
3. Baylor College of Medicine - Houston, TX
4. University of Utah - Salt Lake City, UT
5. Emory University - Atlanta, GA We wanted to say one more note:
Don't forget to vote!
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