What is a Physician Assistant?

About Physician Assistants

Physician assistants, often referred to as PAs, are advanced healthcare providers trained as medical generalists, within the same medical model as doctors. Their programs consist of a combination of intensive in-class study on medical foundations across different specialties and clinical placements in various areas of medicine including internal medicine, family medicine, psychiatry, emergency medicine, surgery, and more.

The scope of practice of a physician assistant mirrors that of their supervising physician, they can work in clinical and non-clinical settings as an extension of physicians and to complement existing services. They can aid in treating and diagnosing illnesses, educating patients on various treatment options, as well as advising patients on preventative care. Physician assistants can order and interpret lab tests while performing therapeutic and diagnostic interventions for the patients.

Physician assistants practice in various specialties such as family medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, and many more. They also work in a variety of different inpatient and outpatient settings such as physician offices, hospitals, long-term care homes, and clinics.

Useful Resources

Canada

Canadian Association of Physician Assistants

British Columbia

Alberta

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Ontario

Quebec

Newfoundland and Labrador

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia