FP's and Surgery

[secretwave101]

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Some ?'s about Family docs and assisting in surgery:

-Is it often that they can assist on surgeries?
-Do they actually do much, or do they just hand over the sponge, etc.?
-Are they paid for it?

I'm asking because, like many people I've read in this forum, I'd like to have patients like an FP, but do alot of what surgeons do. I also think the surg. residencies are just too nightmarish for me. So, maybe 1st assistant on my patients would be my best compromise.

Thanks

 

[tussy]

I just finished a community surgery rotation. I was the only surgery resident there, so they had FP's hired to help assist the surgeons. The FP's did all the retracting, cutting suture etc. The really didn't get to do any of the surgery, but they were first assisting which does take some skill. As for pay, i believe they were paid 30% of what the surgeon made for the procedure. Most of them only did assists one or 2 days a week.

Hope this answers your questions

 

[Winged Scapula]

It depends on the venue. Most community based programs I am familiar with use PAs as assist (as do many university based programs.). However, in smaller communities where a PA or other specialty trained person might not be available, an FP might be used - however, as others have stated, most of the time you are just "hanging hook" and not actually doing much of the procedure. The use of General Practitioners as FA was also quite common in Australia.

Hope this helps.

 

[cchoukal]

I know that I've heard of rural FPs actually performing minor surgeries (appendectomies, tissue biopsies, etc.). Sounds weird, I know, but people are doing it.

 

[GTMD2Bee]

For what it's worth: The FP that I did my rotation with did some minor surgery on his own including appy's, C-sections, BTLs, and TAH/BSO. Not to mention things like tissue bx, etc... His practice was in a rural suburb of Atlanta (about 45 min. out). Go figure how he did so much as an FP, but it was the only fun that I had while I was on the FP rotation, considering I'm going into surgery. 😀

 

[Fah-Q]

I met a rural FP guy that was trained at a program that gave them actual surgical training, not just assisting. He is the only guy around for 40 miles. He does his own appy's, choly's, C-sections, biopsy, and has even done a few vasectomies. I don't know if this is really unusual but he made it sound like a lot of rural FP's do about the same. I imagine a FP in a large city would do zero surgery but I guess if you are the only one around in three counties it would help to be trained in some of the more basic procedures. By the way this guy is in the Texas hill country/valley.

 

[Mr. happy clown guy]

Rural FP's do a LOAD of procedures. From labor and delivery to vasectomy to manipulation (DO's) on and on. Very cool.