Introduction Most physician assistant (PA) students choose to study to become PAs because they want to care for patients. If they had wanted to study for a research-oriented degree, they would have applied for MS or PhD programs in biochemistry,…
Learning outcomes After carefully reading this chapter, the physician assistant student will be able to: 1. Provide an overview of the history of evidence-based medicine. 2. Describe the steps to evidence-based practice. 3. Write a foreground (“PICO”) question for a…
Introduction Physician assistant (PA) students who train in the early 21st century are being prepared as never before for interprofessional practice (IPP) via interprofessional education (IPE) ( Box 40.1 ). IPE is a newer concept in medical education; therefore PAs…
Learning outcomes The reader of this chapter will be able to: 1. Describe the concepts of burnout, resilience, compassion fatigue, depersonalization, wellness, and self-care. 2. Understand the current models of burnout and wellness, including the individual and external factors that…
Introduction Employment opportunities and clinical roles for physician assistants (PAs) have rapidly expanded to include positions in a wide variety of specialty areas. Postgraduate curricula are designed to build on the knowledge and experience acquired in PA school, enabling individuals…
Introduction A physician assistant‘s (PA’s) medical practice deals in a world of gray. There are few clinical situations a PA encounters that clearly and unequivocally present themselves so that a ready diagnosis and treatment plan can be implemented. The vast…
Introduction Every clinical and public health decision has ethical components that are at times difficult to recognize and process. As John Glaser noted, there are “no ethics free zones.” , In the context of clinical care, ethical awareness is as…
Introduction Trust between the patient and clinician is central to the therapeutic relationship. Without this requisite level of trust, patients will not reveal information about themselves nor will they follow treatment recommendations. Trust builds from the belief that the clinician…
Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to provide physician assistant (PA) students interested in international clinical education with an overview of international clinical rotations (ICRs) to facilitate decision making about participation and to provide guidance on how to maximize…
Introduction Patients who require subspecialty surgical care may be referred to the surgeon by a primary care provider (PCP), a medical specialist, or another surgeon. Physician assistants (PAs) now work in nearly all surgical subspecialties. The need for PAs in…