What is a Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C)?
A Physician Assistant (PA) is a unique health care provider who is licensed by the State Board of Medicine or certified by the State Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. The Boards approve physician assistants who are of good character and reputation, have graduated from a physician assistant training program certified by the Board, and have passed a national certifying examination by the Board.
A PA is neither a physician nor a physician trainee, e.g., resident, intern, or medical student. At the direction of a supervising physician and as his or her employee, the PA provides medical services and other tasks as allowed by law. The physician assistant augments the physician’s data gathering abilities in order to assist the supervising physician in reaching and instituting care plans for the physician’s patients.
Patients have the right to be seen by the physician instead of the PA. If this is your wish, please inform scheduling personnel. Please direct any questions, comments or concerns about physician assistants to the doctor.