Physician assistant practice is centered on patient care and may include educational, research and administrative activities. The role of the physician assistant demands intelligence, sound judgment, intellectual honesty, appropriate interpersonal skills, and the capacity to react to emergencies in a calm and reasoned manner. An attitude of respect for self and others, adherence to the concepts of privilege and confidentiality in communicating with patients, and a commitment to the patient's welfare are essential attributes. The specific tasks performed by individual physician assistants cannot be delineated precisely because of the variations in practice requirements mandated by economical, geographical, political, and social factors. At a minimum, however, physician assistants are educated in areas of basic medical science, clinical disciplines and discipline-specific problem solving.
Physician assistants practice in ambulatory, emergency, inpatient and long-term care settings.
Physician assistants deliver health-care services to diverse patient populations of all ages with a range of acute and chronic medical and surgical conditions. They need knowledge and skills that allow them to function effectively in a dynamic health-care environment. Applicants are then ranked according to objective criteria that are weighted to reflect maturity, leadership potential, life experience, previous health-care experience and a commitment to the profession and South Texas. Bilingual skills, especially Spanish are considered valuable. Three letters of recommendation and a personal letter indicating reasons for choosing a career as a physician assistant will also be evaluated.