Physician Assistants are health care professionals licensed to practice with physician supervision. Because of the close working relationship P.A.s have with physicians, they are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training. Physician Assistants may graduate with a bachelor degree or masters degree from an accredited program. After graduation, P. A.s must take and pass a national certifying exam. To maintain their certification, Physician Assistants must continue their education, logging 100 hours of CME every 2 years and passing a recertification exam every 6 years.
P. A.s are considered physician extenders. They are capable of providing similar services to that of their supervising physician, within their scope of practice. At Fox Valley Orthopaedic Institute, this includes:
- New patient evaluation
- Fracture care
- Order and interpret tests
- Prescription authorization
- Injection therapies
- Suturing
- Minor procedures such as pin removal and debridements
- Dressing and cast changes
- Pre-operative education
- Surgical assisting
- Hospital inpatient rounds
- On call assistance
- Participation in sports physicals
Along with physicians, nurses, therapists, athletic trainers, and radiology technicians, P.A.s function as part of the health care team at Fox Valley Orthopaedic Institute to provide quality health care for our patients.