nPostednon October 3, 2014 n
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nThenfirst Physician Assistant (PA) graduated from Duke University of thisndate in 1967. To commemorate this important anniversary, PhysiciannAssistants all over the U.S. celebrate and urge all the rest of us tonlearn more about their profession.
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nSo…nphysician is another word for “doctor,” so a PhysiciannAssistant is a doctor’s helper. In other words, a nurse. Right?
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nWrong!
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nAnPA is a healthcare professional who is licensed to practice medicinenas part of a team that includes physicians (doctors). n
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nPAsnconduct physical exams, diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses,norder tests, perform procedures, and prescribe medicines….just likendoctors! What’s the difference?
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A character on the show “Royal Pains,” Divya, is a Physician Assistant. |
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nThendifference is partly in the training. To be a doctor, you must have anBachelor’s Degree (which generally takes 4 to 5 years), plus 4 yearsnof medical school, plus 3 or more years of residency after graduationnfrom med school. That’s a total of at least 11 years after highnschool before you can be a full-fledged doctor!
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nTonbe a PA, you generally have to have a Bachelor’s Degree, again, butnonly 2 to 3 years of study and a 1-year clinical rotation. That’snjust 7 years out of high school.
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nThenother difference, of course, is in the responsibility. PAs operatenunder a doctor’s supervision and share the responsibility for thenpatients’ health with that doctor. A doctor can go it alone, withoutna PA, but a PA cannot go it alone, without a doctor.
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nAlsonon this date:
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nMadnHatter Day
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nEthnographernThor Heyerdahl’s birthday
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nNationalnGerman-American Day
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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- Historicaln anniversaries in October
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nNovembern holidays
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nNovembern birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in November
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