For anyone who wants to work in medicine, but doesn't want to endure many years of medical school, a career as a physician assistant may be the right prescription. You won't have a "Dr" in front of your name, but the "PA" after your name is the next best thing. In fact, based on your care for them, most of your patients won't be able to tell the difference between you and a doctor. As a PA, you'll be entitled to do 80 percent of what doctors do, including giving checkups and diagnosing illnesses, prescribing medication, and assisting in surgeries. Physician assistants are formally trained to take medical histories, perform physical examinations, order and assess laboratory tests and X-rays, make preliminary diagnoses, give inoculations, set broken bones, and treat patients with minor injuries and illnesses.

As a PA, your exact responsibilities will depend on how much education you received, your experience, the state you live in, and the discretion of your employer. About half of all PAs practice primary care medicine in areas such as family medicine, pediatrics, and internal medicine. The others work in a wide variety of specialties like general and thoracic surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, and geriatrics. PAs specializing in surgery provide preoperative and postoperative care, make regular hospital rounds, and work as first or second assistants during major surgery. While technically you'll be under a doctor's supervision, it's not like anyone is looking over your shoulder. You'll work very independently most of the time. In many cases, PAs are the sole primary healthcare providers for patients, checking in with their physician partners only once or twice a week. Sometimes they have technicians and medical assistants to help them.

Physician assistant is one of the "hot" professions these days. Physician assistant is consistently listed among the top 10 (and sometimes top five) best jobs in the US, based on salary and job prospects. It is one of America's fastest-growing careers, especially in inner city and rural areas, where it is hard to attract doctors. According to a study by the Physician Assistant Educational Association (PAEA), newly graduated physician assistants are averaging seven job offers each! The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), the leading professional association for PAs, has determined that the total average annual income for full-time physician assistants is over $90,000, and salaries are continuing to rise along with the demand. Physician assistants working in emergency medicine, dermatology, and surgical subspecialties earn the most, with yearly salaries of well over $100,000 in many parts of the country. These salaries are not that much less than what medical doctors are earning, which is especially notable considering that the PA training is much shorter than it is for doctors.

Many physician assistant training programs require only two additional years following graduation from college. The curriculum is based on the medical school format, but is greatly compressed - and there are no residency requirements. Admission requirements vary by school, but most require a bachelor's degree and some healthcare experience. All states require physician assistants to complete an accredited education program and to pass a national exam in order to obtain a license. If your goal is a professional healthcare career, and you want to care directly for patients, becoming a physician assistant may be right for you. You will need strong science skills and good grades. You will also need empathy and a concern for helping people. To find out what else is involved, read on to learn more about this exciting profession.