your opinions of PAs

[Miguel]

Just wondering your opinions on PAs, both pos/neg.

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[Jamier2]

If you'll do a search with the button near the top, you'll find more opinions on PA's than you can read.

 

[richierich]

PA's and NP's are great care "extenders" and great when they practice within the scope of their traing/experience. I will say that I explored becoming a PA before deciding to go to Medical school and came to the decision that I would not possible learn enough in two years to provide the care that I would like. If you compare the two directly a PA is in school a total of 2 years to get similar training that physicians acquire in 7 (4 in school and a min. of 3 in residency)
Care extenders become more and more competent after years of experience but, it is those years in between that I fear.

Richard

 

[Mr. happy clown guy]

Unfortunately, I have worked with some NP's that were absolutely aweful. One disliked consulting physicians because "Dr. so and so doesn't like me", so he just did his own thing. Another NP came up to my attending with a radiograph and said "this is an ankle of a kid, could you look at this, I'm not good at the epiphiseal plate thingies..." .
THingies? Another, thought that a pt had either Bells Palsy or had a stroke, and wanted to treat the pt with Racemic Epinephrine because the pt's voice was scratchy. What!!!?? That doesn't make a bit of sense.
I wouldn't have believed it if I wasn't there ALL THREE TIMES!!

Listen, this is gonna get scarier and worse before it gets better, and these episodes will stick in my mind for a long time!! And the way things are going, something terrible will happen...and the physician will get sued.

 

[Kal El]

Mr. happy clown guy,
What kind of monkey is it?

 

[Mr. happy clown guy]

Freeeedom! uses dead lab monkeys...I have shaved monkeys. I like to shave my monkey.

But back to the issue at hand...

 

[platinumdoc]

I have had the chance to work very closely with Physician Assistants and Nurse Practioners. They are flexible in the area of primary care and have lead to decreasing operating costs for the health care industry. Skills and knowledge will vary based upon experience, obviously. Overall, many do realize their limitations and will pass patients up to the higher level, in those cases.

 

[sbrandon]

There are great ones and horrible ones... kinda like doctors...