Physician Assistant - Orthopedics Job Description

An orthopedic physician's assistant

The physician's assistant is usually responsible for preparing the operating room and telling the patient about the procedure. The assistant may give information about the types of anesthesia to be used, the risks involved, and the details of the operation itself. The assistant to the surgeon is the one who has the necessary equipment at hand when needed.

A person needs to have a bachelor's degree with a medical focus, work experience in a health-care setting, and complete a licensed physician assistant program to become an orthopedic physician's assistant. Most programs take about two years to complete. Prospective doctors in medical school take many of the same courses as students.

Physician Assistant Education Programs

Physician assistant education programs are required for becoming a PA. It's common to already have a bachelor's degree in science and have some experience in medical settings before entering a program. It will take about two years for the program to be completed if you attend it full time.

You may need to take more courses before you get admitted to your program. After graduating from the program, you will have the chance to specialize in orthopedics. PAs can take part in post-graduate programs in the specialty so they can get paid while they learn a specialty field.

Medical settings expose you to potential dangers, such as pathogens. The job of working in orthopedics can be draining and can still have a risk of diseases. PAs spend most of their day on their feet, moving from patient to patient or standing in surgery.

The median salary for physician assistants is $104,860 a year. Half of physician assistants bring in more and half earn less. The lowest 10 percent of workers make less than $65,590.

The top 10 percent make over $150,000. The projected job growth for the physician assistant field is 37 percent, which is much faster than the average growth for all career fields. The job outlook for a certain specialty may be different from the general physician assistant growth.

The Physician Assistants' Guide

The basis of the PA education curriculum is the national board examination that all PA graduates must pass. After completing PA school, a graduate can enroll and complete a post graduate program for a particular specialty, or the graduate PA can align with a specialized physician who is willing to mentor him or her in the physician's area of expertise. Gauthier says that physicians should educate themselves on the PA profession and think about what qualities a PA can add to the practice.

Try to find applicants who have had an accredited PA orthopedic fellowship, have previous work experience as a certified athletic trainer, or have had an orthodontist. The American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Organization for Physician Assistants in Orthopedic Surgery are recommended. The physicians believe in the concept.

Accreditation Review Commission Education for the Physician Assistant

Physician assistants and physicians provide medical and surgical care. The work of physician assistants is dictated by the states. In many states, physicians decide their scope of work, including their range of medical tasks and method of supervision.

Some states have more explicit rules regarding practice requirements. Physician assistants can often be called upon to support the matter if it is more serious. They can monitor the patient through office visits, pre- or post- surgery visits, and interactions with other medical specialists.

Physician assistants can help patients and their families with treatments and patient management plans. They may also take on managerial duties in which they supervise nurses, aides, and other office personnel. The first step in becoming a physician assistant is to complete an accredited physician assistant graduate program, which is recognized by the Accreditation Review Commission Education for the Physician Assistant.

OPAs in the field of orthopedic surgery

Physician assistants in the team provide medical care under the supervision of the surgeon. Their work includes performing exams, interpreting tests, and helping the surgeon in surgery. PAs in the field of orthopedics work in both the hospital and the outpatient setting.

Physician assistants in the same profession as orthopedic physician assistants are very different professions. PAs have broad training and work with physicians in any specialty. Medicare and Medicaid providers recognize them as providers of healthcare, and all U.S. jurisdiction licenses them.

They work as surgical assistants orthopedic technologists after receiving their training. The practice of OPAs is largely unregulated. Only Tennessee and New York have OPA Practice Acts.

The Physician's Assistant at the Keley-Seybold Practice

The Texas Medical Center is where the Mavis Kelsey founded the Houston's premier multispecialty group practice. There are more than 500 physicians and allied health professionals in the Greater Houston area. Quality medical care is offered by the Kelsey-Seybold.

The organization has the largest freestanding ambulatory surgery center in Texas and offers Varian Edge radiation therapy technology at a national cancer center. An accredited Sleep Center, comprehensive laboratory services, advanced diagnostic services, and 16 on-site Kelsey Pharmacy locations are part of its comprehensive offerings. The Physician's Assistant will be assisting the busy orthopedic surgeon.

The job combines independent and collaborative practice in the office with surgery in the hospital and ambulatory surgery setting. Candidates must be available between the hours of 8a-5p on weekends. The group of PAs have the same on-call duties.