Physician Assistant
Physician Assistants provide health care services with the supervision of a physician. They have many responsibilities which include taking a patient’s medical history, performing physical examinations, ordering lab work or x-rays, assisting in surgery, applying casts, supervising technical assistants, prescribing certain medications, and counseling patients and their families on medical problems, treatments and the use of prescriptions.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Physician assistants work in doctor’s offices, clinics, hospitals, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), health departments and the military. Some work in clinics away from the direct supervision of the physician and communicate with the physician by telephone or radio.

HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION
General college preparation is recommended: Three courses in math including algebra I, algebra II and geometry, or a higher level math course for which algebra II is a prerequisite; three science courses including one biological science, one physical science and one lab course; four English units and two social studies units, including one in U.S. History; and two years of foreign language.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
To become licensed as a Physician Assistant, an applicant must complete a course of study which has been approved and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) of the American Medical Association. Two-year programs generally follow two or three years of undergraduate preparation or a bachelor's degree. Four-year programs are combined with a baccalaureate degree program. Programs cover science courses as well as supervised practice. The graduate must pass an examination given by the National Commission for Certification of Physician Assistants. Finally, the candidate must apply to the NC Medical Board for a license to practice in the state.

AVERAGE STARTING SALARY
$42,000 - $55,000