If you have decided to become a Physician Assistant, then you should have already known what the job entails. Basically what you will be doing is practicing medicine, but you will be under the supervision of physicians and surgeons. This job is different from being a medical assistant whose job function is doing routine clinical and clerical tasks. Physician assistants (or PAs) diagnose health related problem, provide therapeutic and preventive services under the delegation of a physician and are formally trained. They do a variety of work such as diagnosing a problem, providing treatments, carry out tests and should also be able to interpret these tests and x-rays. PAs jobs also includes treating minor injuries, prescribe medication and in some places are required to do managerial work as well such as ordering medical supplies and supervising other staffs.

As PA’s work under the supervision of a Physician, they will need to consult them in situation where PAs are the sole care giver and the Physician only visits the area few times a week. This is normally the case when the PA is assigned to a remote or rural area, where the Physician will remain at their main place of work. During this time, PA’s will have to consult their physician or other Opioid Detox medical professionals as required by the law. As it is required by the law, the said Physician must be contactable at all times to provide insight and guidelines. If a PA’s has to make house calls or visit other health care establishments in order to check on a patient, then upon their return, they will need to report back to the Physician. The actual job scope or description will normally depend on the Physician and is governed by the State law. Therefore, PA’s must always have knowledge of the law in order to determine their limits and boundaries.

The working hours will of course depend on the practice they are in. A job at the hospital might include working weekends, nights, early mornings or during public holidays. A job in clinic on the other hand might just involve working 40 hours a week.