What is a PA?
PA is an abbreviation for ‘physician assistant,’ which has been recently changed to ‘physician associate.’ According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, “a PA is a licensed clinician who practices medicine in every specialty and setting.” This can include:
- Diagnosing and treating medical conditions
- Prescribing medications and therapy
- Assisting in surgery
- Performing procedures in the office or hospital settings
PAs require direct supervision by a supervising physician – Dr. Grossfeld is my supervising physician! We have a very close working relationship and collaborate daily for our patients’ best interest.
What Do I Do with Dr. Grossfeld?
I see patients in the office on a daily basis and regularly perform a physical exam, obtain any imaging studies, and determine a treatment plan for patients based on my findings. Treatment plans differ for every patient, but for my cases, I commonly prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, apply casts and splints, order labs and imaging, write prescriptions for physical therapy, give cortisone or hyaluronic acid injections, and assist in surgery!
How Can You Become a PA?
PAs must first complete a four-year bachelor’s degree at a university. There are many pre-requisite courses required prior to acceptance into PA school. These include, but are not limited to:
- General chemistry
- Organic chemistry
- Psychology
- Multiple biology courses
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Statistics
Patient contact hours, shadowing hours, recommendation letters, and scoring in the 50th percentiles on the GRE are additional requirements, too! PA school is 2.5-3 years long, comprised of one year spent completing a classroom learning and skills lab while the remainder is spent in clinical rotations of all specialties. Finally, you then must pass the national licensure exam – the PANCE – which is comprised of 300 questions about any and all disease states.
If you have any questions for me about what I do here at Orthopaedic Specialists, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact me at our office number (502) 212-2663!
If you or someone you love has suffered an injury in the Louisville, Kentucky-area, Orthopaedic Specialists, PLLC can help! Orthopaedic Specialists PLLC is accepting new patients, and same day appointments are available. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Orthopaedic Specialists PLLC today at 502-212-2663.
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