A Physician Assistant (PA) is a licensed medical professional who practices medicine on a healthcare team,
performing many of the same functions as a physician under defined supervision and scope of practice.
Key responsibilities
- Conduct thorough patient evaluations, including medical histories, physical examinations, and review of symptoms.
- Diagnose illnesses and injuries and formulate differential diagnoses within their scope of practice.
- Order, interpret, and act on diagnostic tests such as bloodwork, imaging, and other studies.
- Develop and implement treatment plans, including prescribing medications and non-pharmacologic therapies where permitted.
- Perform common clinical procedures (for example, wound care, suturing, injections, splinting, or assisting in surgery, depending on setting and training).
- Provide patient and family education on diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, and preventive health measures.
- Monitor patient progress, adjust treatment plans, and coordinate follow-up and referrals to specialists as needed.
- Collaborate closely with supervising physicians and the broader care team to deliver safe, efficient, patient-centered care across inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and specialty settings.
