If you've booked an appointment at Northwest Family Clinics, you may have been offered a visit with a Physician Assistant, or PA. Maybe you've wondered: What exactly is a PA? Are they a doctor? Should I feel confident seeing one?
Short answer: yes, you should. Here's a friendly guide to who PAs are, how they're trained, and what they do for you.
First, a quick note on names
You may hear a few different terms used for PAs:
- Physician Assistant (PA): The most common title, and the one used in Minnesota.
- Physician Associate: Some PAs and professional organizations now prefer this title, since "assistant" doesn't really capture how independently PAs care for patients. You may see it more often in the coming years.
- Advanced Practice Provider (APP): A broader term that includes PAs, Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Certified Nurse Midwives.
One thing you'll notice: it's Physician Assistant, not Physician's Assistant. PAs are trained medical providers, NOT personal assistants to a doctor.
How PAs are trained
Becoming a PA takes years of focused education:
- A bachelor's degree, usually in the sciences, plus hands-on healthcare experience before applying. Many PAs have already worked as EMTs, medical assistants, athletic trainers, or in other clinical roles.
- A master's-level PA program, which typically runs about two to three years. Roughly the first half is classroom and lab work in medicine, and the second half is clinical rotations in hospitals and clinics across many specialties: family medicine, pediatrics, surgery, emergency medicine, women's health, mental health, and more.
- A national board exam. After graduating, PAs must pass a certification exam to earn the "PA-C" credential (the "C" stands for certified). They also complete ongoing education and periodic recertification throughout their careers to stay current.
PA vs. physician: what's the difference?
Both are medical providers who diagnose and treat patients, but their paths are different.
Think of it like two skilled pilots. A physician (MD or DO) spends four years in medical school and then three to five more years in a residency devoted to one specialty, like family medicine. A PA completes a shorter, more generalist program and then builds expertise on the job, working alongside physicians. PAs can also move between specialties over the course of a career, which physicians generally cannot do without additional training.
In everyday primary care, the visit itself looks much the same either way. A PA can:
- Take your history and examine you
- Diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries
- Order and interpret lab tests, X-rays, and other imaging
- Prescribe medications
- Manage chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma
- Provide preventive care, physicals, and wellness visits
What procedures can a PA do?
Quite a lot. With appropriate training, primary care PAs perform many of the same procedures physicians do, including:
- Stitching cuts and lacerations
- Joint injections
- Skin biopsies and removal of skin lesions
- IUD placement and removal
- Casting and splinting
PAs do not serve as the primary surgeon in an operating room, though many work as first assistants to surgeons.
Working as a team
PAs practice in partnership with physicians. At Northwest Family Clinics, that means every PA has physicians they collaborate with closely. Most of the time, your PA will manage your care independently. If your situation becomes more complex, they can quickly consult with a physician down the hall or bring one into your care directly. You get the benefit of two sets of eyes without needing a separate appointment.
Why choose to see a PA?
There are some real advantages:
- Easier scheduling. PAs often have more open appointments, so you may be seen sooner, which matters when you're sick or worried.
- More time to talk. PAs frequently have a little more room in their schedules to answer questions and explain what's going on.
- The same tools. PAs order the same tests and prescribe the same medications as physicians.
- Built-in backup. A physician is always available for consultation when needed.
PAs have also become essential to keeping primary care accessible. With a nationwide shortage of primary care physicians, PAs help make sure patients can still get timely, high-quality care close to home.
Meet our PAs
At Northwest Family Clinics, our physicians and PAs work side by side every day to care for families across the northwest metro. We're proud of our PA team and the care they provide.
Want to learn more? Get to know our PAs here or explore our services here.