Physician assistants, often seen in white coats and performing many of a doctor’s tasks, are on the rise.
Physician Assistants Are Everywhere—Should You See One?
Over the past 25 years, the U.S. medical workforce has undergone a major transformation: the number of physician assistants (P.A.s) has quadrupled. Often mistaken for doctors, P.A.s wear white coats and can prescribe medications, make diagnoses, and manage treatment plans.
What Is a Physician Assistant?
Created in the 1960s to expand healthcare access in rural areas, P.A.s were originally meant to assist doctors with routine tasks like taking patient histories and performing physical exams. Today, P.A.s practice in nearly every medical specialty, often with greater independence.
While doctors complete four years of medical school plus three to seven years of specialty training, P.A.s typically attend a two- to three-year master’s program. In most U.S. states, P.A.s still work under physician supervision, though the degree of oversight varies by specialty and state. In primary care, P.A.s can often diagnose, prescribe, and manage treatment plans without a doctor physically present, while in surgical fields, they assist doctors but cannot perform major procedures independently.
The American Academy of Physician Associates is pushing to rebrand the role as “physician associate” and expand independent practice, citing potential benefits such as shorter wait times and lower costs. The American Medical Association, however, cautions that P.A.s do not have the same training as physicians and independent practice could risk patient safety.
P.A.s vs. Nurse Practitioners
P.A.s should not be confused with nurse practitioners (N.P.s), another growing group of non-physician providers. Both attend master’s programs, but P.A.s follow a general medical curriculum, while N.P.s often specialize in one area, such as oncology or orthopedics. N.P.s also have more autonomy in many states, with some allowed to practice entirely without physician oversight.
Is Care From a P.A. Safe and Effective?
Research comparing P.A.s and doctors shows that adding a P.A. to a medical team often improves access and reduces delays in care. For example, a study of geriatric P.A.s working in nursing homes found annual hospital visits fell by 38% when P.A.s were part of a physician-led team. P.A.s have also been shown to provide high-quality chronic disease management and perform effectively when working alongside doctors.
However, evidence is less clear in situations where P.A.s practice independently, particularly in diagnosis-heavy roles, because studies are limited and often compare simpler cases handled by P.A.s to more complex ones managed by physicians.
For many patients, access to any qualified provider matters most. As Roderick Hooker, a P.A. workforce researcher, notes: “Quite frankly, if the patient’s needs are met, they’re satisfied. They don’t care who delivered it, as long as they were taken care of.”
