“How does a physicians assistant differ from a doctor?”
I am curious as to how a physicians assistant differs from a doctor. What limitations do physicians assistants have that doctors don't?
2 Answers
Physician assistants don’t go to medical school. They have training that is less rigorous and can’t be surgeons. They usually work under the supervision of an MD.
Physician assistants (PA) are different from doctors(MD,DO). They are health care practitioners who practices medicine in collaboration with or under the (indirect) supervision of a physician, depending on state laws. They are equivalent in most respects to nurse practitioners. Physician assistants attend PA programs, which are graduate degrees leading to a master’s degree. The programs are usually 2-3 years in length. Their scope of practice varies depending upon in which state they practice.
