Saturday 14 January 2012

Essential Requirements Of A Physician Assistant

The medical field can yield amazing rewards, and it can be exciting at the same time. Those who brave the perils of the medical world can help others and maintain a decent standard of living. If you were to become a doctor however, you would face some insane difficulties. Naturally, it leaves many people out of work, and the medical world short on doctors. Becomeing a physician assistant however would often be the better option.

A physician assistant is a bit different from a standard physician for a few reasons. First of all, you will hold a certification, but you will be a far cry from a PhD. The benefits that accompany the certification are quite nice, and one of these benefits is the fact that you can operate inside a physician's office. Along with that, there are quite a few people out there that actually opt to see the PA. This could either be due to scheduling issues, or more likely because the price is lower. No matter what, you will probably discover that the physician's assistant can work either under the supervision of the physician, or independently in the same office.

If you want to become a physician's assistant then you will be pleased to know that you will not be required to take quite as much schooling as a PhD. The job will only require two years of education in most cases. Before any license can be issue to a PA, the state does require an individual to pass a national exam.

Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (NCCPA) - Those certified will be elidgible for this examination, and it will be necessary for them to finish 100 hours of medical education every two years. Re-certification will need to be obtained once every six years.

As with any other medical profession, it is possible for the PA to meet other physician assistant requirements. As you probably know, there are a number of different branches that you might take in the medical field, and they could easily include pediatrics, neurology, surgery, and if you wish to branch out even further, you might even look into radiology. If you wish to truly expand into different areas, you will need to have experience in other duties.

In the event you meet the physician assistant requirements, there will be plenty of work. You might find yourself working in a hospital, an outpatient care center, or even a school. All of these are open to you should you obtain this highly coveted certification.

The state is the governing entity of the PA job responsibilities. In some cases it will be acceptable for a PA to fill out prescriptions, and in some states this is a job let only to degree holding physicians. The job description will change across state lines, but a few things will stay the same. The most noteworthy of course, would be that becoming certified calls for some hard work. A previous medical background will also be required. That being said, this is not the easiest job to get, even if it is simpler than a full fledged medical degree.

The last thing we will mention is the fact that there are too few physician assistants in the United States, and they are quickly becoming popular. There is no doubt that the profession will become highly sought after, and the overall physician assistant salary is going to increase significantly depending on the level of experience that you can bring to the table. If you're ready to search for your certification, then now is the time to do it.

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