Physician Assistants
Background
Physician assistants provide routine health care for patients, freeing physicians to concentrate on more serious health problems. Physician assistants examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of medical doctors.
What They Do
Physician assistants in the military perform some or all of the following duties:
- Order laboratory studies, such as blood tests, urinalysis, and x-rays
- Perform routine physical examinations and collect specimens for laboratory tests
- Provide emergency care in situations where doctors are not available
- Provide information to patients about diet, family planning, use of drugs, and the effect of treatments
- Record medical histories, examine patients, and make initial diagnoses
- Treat common illnesses or injuries, calling in supervising physicians for serious health problems
Physical Demands
No information available.
Special Requirements
Graduation from an accredited training program for physician assistants that is recognized by the services is normally required to enter this career. Depending upon the service, however, military job training may be available.
Helpful Attributes
Helpful attributes include:
- Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely
- Desire to help others
- Patience with others, especially those in pain or stress
- Self-confidence and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
Helpful School Subjects
No information available.
Helpful Fields of Study
No information available.
Work Environment
Physician assistants work in hospitals and clinics on land and aboard ships.
Services offering this career:
- Air Force
- Army
- Coast Guard
- Navy
Hiring Practices
To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.
This position is for officers.
Wages
The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.
Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay.
Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.
There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.
Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.
Training Provided
Job training, when available from the services, consists of about 40 weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in providing patient health care.
Course content typically includes:
- Fundamental medical care procedures
- Health care administration techniques
- Principles of behavioral and dental science
Civilian Counterparts
Civilian physician assistants work in hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, and nursing homes. They perform duties similar to those performed by military physician assistants.
Related Civilian Careers
Employment and Outlook
In peace time the services have about 1,000 physician assistants. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new physician assistants due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After job training, physician assistants provide health care under close supervision. With experience, they work more independently, although they remain under the supervision of a doctor. In time, they may advance to management positions in the military health care field.