A physician assistant (US/ CANADA ) or physician associate (UK) is a healthcare professional who practices medicine as a part of a healthcare team with collaborating physicians and other providers. In the United States, PAs are nationally certified and state licensed to practice medicine. A certified PA may add "C" at the end of his/her postnominal credentials. PAs are trained with the medical model and complete these qualifications in less time than a traditional medical degree. The educational model for PAs is based on the fast-tracked training of physicians during World War II. In Canada, Canadian Certified Physician Assistant (CCPA) is the credential awarded upon licensure.
PAs are concerned with preventing and treating human illness and injury by providing a plethora of health care services under a supervising physician. Their scope of practice varies by jurisdiction and healthcare setting.
The occupational title originated in the United States in the 1960s ; similar occupations elsewhere include clinical officers in parts of Africa and feldshers in states of the former Soviet Union.
Several other countries including Australia and New Zealand have begun developing the new role of physician assistant or physician associate to fill actual or perceived deficiencies in rural medical care.
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