The relationship you have with your provider is one of the most important. Here at Sound Family Medicine we have a team of physicians, physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners who work with the same goal in mind: to provide excellent, comprehensive and compassionate care to our patients.
One of the most common questions we get asked is the difference between a doctor and a physician assistant (PA). In family medicine, the major difference in job function is that a doctor works autonomously whereas a PA works under the supervision of the doctor although the doctor does not need be present during the visit.
PA’s are licensed to practice medicine, prescribe medication, and treat chronic illnesses. Studies show that they also enhance care coordination, increase access and elevate health outcomes. Following earning their graduate degree, a PA will spend a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical rotations in the first year out of the classroom. There are now more than 108,000 certified physician assistants in the United States who practice medicine, perform consultations and see new patients from specialty medicine to primary care.
We’d like to help bust the myths you may have heard. Check out the infographic below to learn more about the value our physician assistants can bring to your healthcare. For more information on the different types of providers at Sound Family Medicine.
Learn more about our team of doctors and providers.
Infographic provided by www.aapa.org/.
