Physician Assistants
In the Physician Assistants occupation, workers provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. O*NET rates it as extensive preparation, which usually means graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. It leans on reading comprehension, critical thinking, and writing. Expect to make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients. Its interest code is SIC. Social leads at 5.9 out of 7, so expect helping, teaching or caring for people, with Investigative next at 4.9. You may also need to interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal. It tends to suit people who want helping, teaching or caring for people, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.
Main tasks
- Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
- Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.
- Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.
- Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination.
- Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition.
- Administer or order diagnostic tests, such as x-ray, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Service Orientation
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You get energy from helping other people move forward.
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and critical thinking.
May not suit you if
- You find a full day of dealing with people draining.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.2 out of 7 here.
- You want to be working in the field within the next few years.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SIC takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.
Preparation
Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Master's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Cardiology Physician Assistant
- Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C)
- Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant (Emergency Medicine PA)
- Family Practice Physician Assistant
- Orthopaedic Physician Assistant
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.