Physician Assistant FAQs

Answers to the most frequently asked questions about Physician Assistants (PA)

What is a Physician Assistant?

A Physician Assistants (PA) is a health professional licensed by the province, certified by the Physician Assistants Certification Council of Canada (PACCC), and employed to practice medicine as delegated under the supervision of a physician. PAs provide a broad range of medical services, traditionally performed by physicians. A hallmark of a PA's practice is to work as a team member with their supervising physician as the leader. PAs diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses. They meet the needs of patients in a broad range of clinical and hospital settings. PAs have long been recognized as valued health care providers in Canada, the United States and abroad.

What is the Role of the Physician Assistant?

The Physician Assistant evaluates patient health through comprehensive history-taking, physical examinations and by using a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. These include ordering and interpreting radiological and laboratory test, suturing of lacerations, cast applications, surgical assistance, patient education and medication prescription. Within the physician/PA relationship, Physician Assistants are often afforded autonomy in clinical decision-making. PAs must have a supervising physician available for consultation in person or by telecommunication.

What is the Scope of Practice for a Physician Assistant?

CAPA has outlined a National Standard for the Physician Assistant's scope of practice. Generally, a PA and a supervising physician will see patients with similar illnesses. The cases handled by physicians are usually more complicated or those that require care outside the PAs scope of practice. The supervising physician determines the spectrum of patients and conditions they wish the PA to treat. Close consultation between the patient, the PA and the physician is maintained for all complex cases. Physician Assistants are taught to know their limitations, and when it is appropriate to have the patient seen by the physician.

How are Physician Assistants Trained and Educated?

Physician Assistants are trained in the Biomedical Model as are physicians. Typical applicants to a PA program have backgrounds in health care and/or a Bachelors Degree in Health Science. The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) accredits all PA programs which are typically 24 to 28 months in length.

PA programs provide students with a broad education in medicine through two phases. The first phase includes lectures and lab sessions in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, acute cardiac and acute trauma life support, medical ethics and similar courses. The second is spent in clinical rotations with direct patient contact in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, obstetric and gynecology, surgery, psychiatry and other specialties.

A PA's education carries on after graduation through continuing medical education as part of maintaining their National Certification status.