Let’s look at some interesting facts about the physician assistant:
1. The modern Physician Assistant (PA) profession officially began on October 6, 1967, founded by Dr. Eugene Stead, where the first PA class of four students graduated from the Duke University PA Program.
2. A PA does most of a doctor’s daily work, from performing tests, diagnosing conditions, prescribing medications, to assisting in surgery.
3. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners have similarities but have different underlying philosophies in training and practice.
4. PA only needs to be trained for 2-3 years after getting a degree.
5. PA is a good option to study as the development of health care is being strongly supported and using a PA instead of a doctor saves money, resulting in an increase in demand for PA.
6. To use the “Physician Assistant Certified (PA-C)” credentials, a PA will need to be licensed as per the license in accordance with the specific state laws of their states. On the other hand, certification is established through a certificate organization, with requirements for minimum standards of practice that are consistent across states.PA must meet the requirements set forth by state law and the national organization to maintain certification requirements to renew its license.
7. The average PA salary in the United States is $71,000 as of November 6, 2009. In addition, average PA salaries for job postings nationwide are 11% higher than average salaries for all job offers throughout the country. (indeed.com)
8. PA employment is expected to grow rapidly due to the anticipated expansion of the health services industry and the shortage of PAs in rural areas.
9. PA is ranked by Money/PayScale.com as the second best job in America in 2009.
10. The supply of doctors will not be able to keep pace with the expected increase in demand. A shortage of 124,000 physicians is expected by 2025. (Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Forecast).
