If you are a practicing Physician Assistant this will surely make you laugh! How many times have you had this conversation?
The Conversation Highlights:
- What are you doing these days?
- I have a great girlfriend, Kim and she's a nurse
- I met her here at the hospital where I sometimes work as a physician assistant
- that's nice
- I heard from Wendy that you were working in a doctor's office
- so how long have you been a medical assistant?
- I'm not a medical assistant I'm a physician assistant
- do you know what a physician assistant is?
- I think so
- you give a doctor needles and bandages when he gives shots and stuff
- well, not really
- I actually practice medicine but under the supervision of a physician
- I do a lot of the same things that the doctor does
- well there's a medical assistant in our building and she gets to do a lot
- she doesn't even need any supervision because when she gives me my shot the doctor isn't watching
- Mary what I mean by supervision is that the doctor just has to be available to me if I have a question or need him
- he doesn't have to watch me
- he doesn't have to be in the same room as me
- most the time we are not even in the same building or the same town
- but is a simple agreement that he is there if I need him
- that's the kind of supervision I'm talking about
- honestly, I can't remember the last time I have to ask either doctor Adams or
- doctor Spencer a question
- sometimes they even have to ask me questions
- it is a mutual respect
- I know that my doctor Baker
- respects her medical assistant to but I don't think they would never let her
- work in another office is that even legal?
- Mary, I'm not a medical assistant I'm a physician assistant that is totally different
- so I think the assistant in my doctor's office is a doctor's assistant to
- they depend on her a lot
- I'm a physician assistant, not a medical assistant and not a doctor's assistant
- Are you familiar with nurse practitioners
- Sure, my little sister, Beth is a nurse practitioner well
- but a Physician Assistant is a lot like a nurse practitioner
- I don't think so, Beth had to go to college to be a nurse
- then she had to get a masters degree to be a nurse practitioner
- did you have to have any formal training or did you learn what you do on the job
- of course, i had formal training
- I got a college degree too, mine was in biochemistry
- then I worked for three years as a paramedic
- then I got a masters degree to be a PA
- Mary do you understand that I see my own patients, I examine them, I order the tests, diagnose them and order treatment
- I basically do almost everything the doctor does except for surgery by myself
- Richard, i think you should be careful what you say
- I mean you don't need to impress me
- remember on your old high school friend
- I'm proud of you even if you are just a physician's helper
- but if you go around telling people that you actually practice medicine or see patients
- I'm afraid that the doctor's office might find out and fire you
- I give up
- before I go can I ask you a medical question? sure..
- I was playing tennis about seven months ago and twisted my knee really hard
- now it has a passionate and when it happens it hurts like the dickens
- maybe you could ask your girlfriend what she thinks since she is a nurse.
- Kim is a wonderful nurse but she works OB
- I'm an orthopedic physician assistant in knees are my specialty
- I actually run my own clinic in our office
- I see my own patience
- I make their diagnoses and set up their treatment
- Great, since you work with the doctors then maybe at work you could ask one of the doctors or maybe a nurse about my knee
- Mary, this is what I do for a living
- don't you understand?
- I'm an orthopedic PA
- I take care of knee problems
- no disrespect Richard but I just thought that they might know a lot more than you
- because you're just their assistant
- do you get to wrap ankles as a doctor's assistant?
- I had a trainer do that for me in the gym
- it's physician assistant and of course, I wrap ankles unless I ask our tech to do it
- but I do a lot more than that
- Richard, so you help a doctor
- big deal
- just forget it
- I will ask that the next time I talk to her
- when did you get to be so freaking arrogant
- I guess it was when I got my freaking doctor's helpers badge at the freaking first-aid store
- I think I'm starting to feel ill.
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Lol! I posted too soon! Then i read the physician assistant vs. physician associate
Article. 🙂
I think you are right. For a long time I wanted to avoid a name change in fear of even more confusion. But the name itself is the source of the confusion.
I am sure there will be a change coming in the next couple years. It will be interesting to see what is finally decided on. But both the term “Physician” and “Assistant” may be equally at fault!
Stephen
Why dont they just change the name of the profession? The “assistant” in physician assistant seems to throw people off.
This was hysterical! I actually don’t ever get the medical assistant problem, but the rest of it is dead on. Very funny.