1. Physician’s
Assistant
McKenzie Wilson

2. Introduction
• A Physician’s Assistant is someone who is qualified
to carry out routine clinical procedures under the
supervision of a physician.
• Practice medicine with a team of healthcare
professionals
• Generally focus on primary care
• Began after WWII many former corpsmen with
health experience, but no formal training
• In high demand, and growth rate is much higher
than most other professions

3. History
• Began in the mid 1960’s to meet the need for more
primary care physicians
• Former WWII military corpsmen had extensive
medical experience, but no healthcare profession
to be able to utilize gained skills
• Dr. Eugene Stead created curriculum based on the
“fast-track” physician training implemented by the
military in WWII
• 1st PA class enrolled in 1965 at Duke University
Medical Center in North Carolina
"History of the PA Profession." MEDEX Northwest. UW Medicine, n.d. Web. (visited January 23, 2015).

4. History (cont.)
• In late 1960’s, Dr. Richard Smith also noticed
a need for primary care physicians,
especially in the rural Pacific Northwest.
• Received a fund for federal demonstration
project
• First class enrolled in the MEDEX program at
the University of Washington in Seattle
• Consisted of former military medics and
corpsmen
"History of the PA Profession." MEDEX Northwest. UW Medicine, n.d. Web. (visited January 23, 2015).

5. What do they do?
• Review patients’ medical histories
• Conduct physical exams to check patients’ health
• Order and interpret diagnostic tests (i.e. xrays or blood
tests)
• Make diagnoses concerning a patient’s injury or illness
• Give treatment, such as setting broken bones and
immunizing patients
• Prescribe medicine when needed
• Record patients’ progress
• Research the latest treatments to ensure the quality of
patient care
• Conduct or participate in outreach programs
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition,
Physician Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm (visited
January 22, 2015).

6. Why PA?
• Median annual wage: $90,930 (May 2012)
• Salary Range: $62,000-$125,000
• Most work full time including nights, weekends, and holidays
o May be on call, ready to respond to a work request with little notice
• Growth Rate: 38% from 2012 to 2022
o High compared to the total occupation growth at 11%
• More demand:
o Aging population (Baby Boomers)
o Increase in chronic disease
• Higher demand than physicians:
o Can perform most of the same duties
o More cost effective
• Focus on primary care:
o As physicians retire or enter specialty care
o Increasing number of individuals who will have access to primary care (Federal
health insurance reform)
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition,
Physician Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm (visited
January 22, 2015).

7. Education
• Bachelor’s degree
o 2-4 years undergrad with science focus
• Healthcare-related work experience
o Many registered nurses or EMT’s and Paramedics
• Physician’s Assistant education programs
o 2 years
o Combination of classwork and laboratory instruction
o Supervised clinical training
• Must pass Physician Assistant National Certifying
Examination (PANCE) from National Commission on
Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
o Become “Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C)”
o Must complete 100 hours of continuing education every 2 years
o Recertification exam every 10 years
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition,
Physician Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm (visited
January 22, 2015).

8. PA Schools of Interest
• MUSC (Master’s) Charleston, SC
o Program length: 27 months
o Class Size: 67 students
o Estimated Cost (Resident): $70,501
o No Bachelor’s degree required
o Entrance Exam: GRE
o Experience: 0 hrs. required, but direct “hands-on” patient care experience
preferred
o Application Deadline: September 2015
o Program: May 2016-Aug 2018
• Elon (Master’s) Elon, NC
o Program length: 27 months
o Class Size: 38 students
o Estimated cost (Resident): $90,705
o Bachelor’s degree required
o Entrance Exam: GRE
o Experience: 250 hrs. minimum, at least 20 shadowing a physician’s assistant
o Application Deadline: November 2015
o Program: January 2017-March 2019
"PA School – Physician Assistant Education Website.” PhysicianAssistantED. N.p., n.d. Web. (Visited
January 22, 2015).

9. Important Qualities
• Communication Skills
o Must be able to communicate complicated procedures to both doctors
and patients
• Compassion
o Enjoy helping others
• Detail oriented
o Focused and observant
• Emotional Stability
o Be able to work under pressure and stay calm in stressful situations
• Problem-solving skills
o Evaluate symptoms and administer appropriate treatments
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition,
Physician Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm (visited
January 22, 2015).

10. Why me?
• How my skills and values line up with the Important
Qualities of Physician’s Assistants
o Communication Skills: I can communicate clearly with a wide range
of people, whether in a one-on-one setting or in front of a large group.
o Compassion: I am passionate about helping others, making sure that
they are well taken care of in every aspect that’s within my ability.
o Detail oriented: I am attuned to the little things that many people
neglect to notice.
o Emotional Stability: I am good at staying calm and making wise
decisions in high stress situations.
o Problem-solving skills: I am skilled at noticing what needs to be fixed
and figuring out a solution. I also enjoy analyzing situations and figuring
out what’s going on.

11. O*Net Profile
• Theme code: ISE
• Investigative:
o Interests: science, medicine, mathematics, research
o Skills: mathematical ability, researching, writing, analyzing
o Values: independence, curiosity, learning
• Social:
o Interests: people, teamwork, helping, community, service
o Skills: people skills, verbal ability, listening, showing understanding
o Values: Cooperation, generosity, service to others
• Enterprising:
o Interests: Business, politics, leadership, entrepreneurship
o Skills: verbal ability, ability to motivate and direct others
o Values: risk taking, status, competition, influence

12. Conclusion
• The PA program began to accommodate the
former military corpsmen with extensive medical
experience, but no formal medical career to use
their skills.
• PA School is required to become a Physician’s
Assistant and is usually a two year program
consisting of class work, laboratory instruction, and
clinical training.
• Physician’s Assistants should care about and be
able work well with people as well as having ample
problem-solving skills.