The Two Fundamental Components of Any Physician Assistant Program

ByJohn CJ Parker

Physician assistant programs are taught under the medical model, just like how physician programs are taught in medicine school. PA programs are composed of pre-clinical and clinical components, each with its own purpose. Both are taken separately but build knowledge and skills on top of the other. Both are important in order to have the most competitive and most able physician assistants at the end of each course.

Pre-Clinical Component of PA Programs

PA programs start with the basics. The pre-clinical components concentrate on the fundamentals or the building block of medicine. Usually, PA students study biology, chemistry, physiology and anatomy. These courses are considered as the main subjects that others are based on. PA students will further take courses that are more specialized. These are the ones that concentrate on a specific body system such as obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, cardiovascular medicine, endocrinology, neurology, pulmonary medicine, dermatology, and behavioural medicine, among others.

Higher courses include medical research methods, medical ethics, and HIPPA rules and regulations. These are also essential in terms of legalities and importance of having a moral code in the field of medicine.

The pre-clinical component of the PA programs delves into all the aspects of the field of medicine in order to give PA students a taste of everything about the industry. This is important so that they are able to have the same background and training such as the supervising physicians that they will assist.

Clinical Component of PA Programs

After the PA students are able to learn about the fundamentals of medicine and science, and then they can move on to the clinical component of physician assistant programs. The clinical component focuses on refining the knowledge that was acquired from the previous half of the program and then translating it to the real world. In essence, PA students can now see the application and practice of the scientific and medical concepts that they have learned before.

In the clinical component of PA programs, students are expected to:

Create an accurate and very detailed medical history of the patients. This means that they have to ask the patient some questions, run tests, and even talk to the family members for verification.Perform a complete physical examination to get baseline data from the patient.Draw a primary diagnosis on the condition of the patient, order tests and interpret laboratory tests accurately as much as possible.Draft a treatment plan, consult with the supervising physician on this and administer the treatments when approved.Perform medical procedures and emergency interventions.Be available for consultation with patients.Carry out positive and fruitful interactions with the patients as well as the other members of the health care industry.Provide possible referrals, if needed.

PA programs are split into two components that are both essential in providing the knowledge and training for a good physician's assistant. Most schools for PA's follow this structure and it is then important to do well in both components.

Choosing the right physician assistants program is a crucial step in determining the overall direction and longevity of your career. For more information and advice on how to become a physicians assistant click here

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MLA Style Citation:
Parker, John C.".".20 Mar. 2012EzineArticles.com.8 Apr. 2012 .APA Style Citation:
Parker, J. C. (2012, March 20). . Retrieved April 8, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Two-Fundamental-Components-of-Any-Physician-Assistant-Program&id=6951113Chicago Style Citation:
Parker, John C. "." EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Two-Fundamental-Components-of-Any-Physician-Assistant-Program&id=6951113EzineArticles.com© 2012 EzineArticles.com
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