Being a PA is not a first step to becoming a physician. In fact, a study by the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment concluded that, within the limit of their expertise, physician assistants provide care that is equivalent in quality to the care provided by physicians. In order to maintain national certification, they are also required to log 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years and take the national recertification exam every six years. PA training is demanding in its own right. PAs must meet the same standards of care for the patients they treat as their supervising physician.
Most PAs enjoy what they are doing.
They get great satisfaction from providing quality, affordable, and accessible patient care. Most physicians who have worked with physician assistants want PAs on their staff. PAs can help make physician practices more productive, more cost effective, and more accessible to the patients. There are some physicians who have expressed concern about PAs and their ability to practice safe and comprehensive care. However, studies conducted by the Federal Government have shown that PAs provide care that is comparable to physician care.