PAs out there...

[sassy]

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I have an interview for PA school shortly, and I am just trying to absorb as much info as possible... Why PA school and not MD for you? I know the obvious reasons...time, $, family, etc...but what else? Also, have you ever dealt with a pt who doesn't want to be seen by you because you are a PA? 😛

 

[DrB]

Hello, I am not a PA, but I have thought about it.

The Physician Assistant position is one of increasing opportunity. With the decrease in available and affordable medical care, the system is prime for the PA.

Take a look at the Doctrine of Respondeat Superior to see another great reason for being a PA.

As for the question about the pt who wants to see a doc and not you... As a PA you are part of a team... Your niche in the team depends on your ability to provide a useful service as liaison to the physician. Try to help this patient as far as they will let you... they can always refuse treatment. Explain why a physician cannot see them at this time or that they will be delayed many hours.

-good luck on your interview... I have a med school interview Dec 7

 

[wickliffe2]

check out www.physicianassociate.com for more info on PAs

 

[DrB]

I could not open the link on the last thread... is it a new forum in SDN?

 

[CALIFORNIA PA-S]

In regards to being asked about a pt that doesn't want to see a PA during an interview-the school wants you to explain how you would educate the pt on what a pa does and the training involved. Explaining to them may change their mind about seeing a PA or may just enlighten them on the profession. Sometimes the whole assistant title throws them off. When I told all my friends I was going to Physician Assistant school to get my masters degree, they said "WOW thats a long time to learn to take blood pressures and stuff." Maybe I just have ingnorant friends-who knows 😛

I really like the flexibility of the PA profession. I look forward to working in dermatology, family practice, GI, ortho, sx, etc. When something becomes stagnant you can try a new specialty-I love it!

 

[wickliffe2]

DrB...no, it's a different forum on another website. It's bascially all about PAs and not doctors. I just tried the link and it worked for me. It pops up in a new window, so maybe you have popup blocker on? I guess you could type in the web address. I'll type it again. www.physicianassociate.com

 

[wickliffe2]

SASSY~
I'm a PA student, but I have been in cases where the patient didn't want to be seen by the PA I was shadowing. What usually works is telling the patient they can be seen now by a PA or they can make an appointment and come back to see the doc another day...they usually change their tune pretty quickly.