What does a Physician Assistant do?
Physician Assistants are medical professionals who work with doctors to perform physical examinations, diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medications, order and analyze lab tests, perform procedures, assist in surgery and educate and counsel patients. The education of a physician assistant is very similar to that of medical students. As a result, physician assistants do their clinical fieldwork in a variety of different areas and are found in many different and diverse departments throughout a hospital.
Are you interested in becoming a Physician Assistant?
To become a Physician Assistant requires enrolling in an intensive medical training program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Currently the average PA program curriculum runs approximately 26 months.
Learn More
- Explore the Physician Assistant profile for more information on this career path.
- Discover what Physician Assistant programs Cleveland Clinic is affiliated with.
- Visit the Cleveland Clinic Physician Assistant (PA) Services webpage.