physician assistant
Doctor's clinical partner
A physician assistant, often abbreviated PA, is a licensed healthcare professional who practices medicine under the supervision of a physician.
PAs can examine patients, diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, and assist in surgeries, handling many of the same tasks as doctors.
The role was created in the 1960s to extend physicians' capacity and improve access to medical care.
The physician assistant stitched up my cut and sent me home with antibiotics.
First-line medical services
- urgent careWalk-in medical facility
- outpatientTreated without admission
- inpatientAdmitted overnight patient
- emergency medicineUrgent healthcare specialty
family medicine · internal medicine · dermatology · orthopedics · cardiology · oncology · psychiatry · pediatrics
Advanced-practice clinical caregiver
- registered nurseLicensed clinical care provider
- specialist referralRedirect to expert physician
- co-managementShared administrative responsibility
- handoffDirect physical exchange
consultation · care team · delegation · communication · coordination · healthcare team
Physician's interpersonal approach
- empathySharing another's emotions
- compassionConcern for others' distress
- advocacyPleading for a cause
- counselingProfessional guidance for problems
triage · vitals · charting · follow-up · patient education · reassurance · screening · preventive care
Supervised hospital training period
- preceptorshipSupervised professional training period
- medical educationInstruction for future physicians
- residencyState of dwelling somewhere
- internshipSupervised professional trial period
externship · apprenticeship · accreditation · certification · licensure · credentialing · competency · supervision
Systematic comparison of possible conditions
- symptomatologyStudy of disease manifestations
- auscultationMedical listening examination
- palpationMedical examination by touch
- percussionSound through impact
anamnesis · laboratory tests · bloodwork · interpretation · pattern recognition · ruling out · workup · chief complaint
Formally ordering treatment
- medication managementCoordinating drug therapy safely
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- therapyCurative mental treatment
- interventionPurposeful involvement to change course
treatment plan · pharmacology · procedures · suturing · injections · splinting · biopsies · rehabilitation
primary care
First-line medical services
- urgent careWalk-in medical facility
- outpatientTreated without admission
- inpatientAdmitted overnight patient
emergency medicine · family medicine · internal medicine · dermatology · orthopedics · cardiology · oncology · psychiatry · pediatrics · geriatrics
nurse practitioner
Advanced-practice clinical caregiver
- registered nurseLicensed clinical care provider
- specialist referralRedirect to expert physician
- co-managementShared administrative responsibility
handoff · consultation · care team · delegation · communication · coordination · healthcare team
bedside manner
Physician's interpersonal approach
- empathySharing another's emotions
- compassionConcern for others' distress
- advocacyPleading for a cause
counseling · triage · vitals · charting · follow-up · patient education · reassurance · screening · preventive care · holistic care
clinical rotation
Supervised hospital training period
- preceptorshipSupervised professional training period
- medical educationInstruction for future physicians
- residencyState of dwelling somewhere
internship · externship · apprenticeship · accreditation · certification · licensure · credentialing · competency · supervision · mentorship
differential diagnosis
Systematic comparison of possible conditions
- symptomatologyStudy of disease manifestations
- auscultationMedical listening examination
- palpationMedical examination by touch
percussion · anamnesis · laboratory tests · bloodwork · interpretation · pattern recognition · ruling out · workup · chief complaint · diagnostic criteria
prescribing
Formally ordering treatment
- medication managementCoordinating drug therapy safely
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- therapyCurative mental treatment
intervention · treatment plan · pharmacology · procedures · suturing · injections · splinting · biopsies · rehabilitation · patient monitoring
- Health Careersdoctor, nurse practitioner, nursing, surgeon, dentist
- doctor's officedoctor, appointment, checkup, exam room, examination table
- healthcare workersdoctor, nurse, surgeon, dentist, paramedic
- hospital staffdoctor, department head, surgeon, nurse practitioner, resident
- licensed professionalsdoctor, dentist, lawyer, attorney, pharmacist
- medical careersnurse, surgeon, pediatrician, cardiologist, oncologist
physician assistantattending physician
Senior doctor supervising care
chief of medicine · medical director · physician · solo practitioner · surgeon
physician, assistant, physicians, assistants, physic, physical, physically, physics, assist