Physician Assistants Are In High Demand In Baltimore For Primary Care Positions
According to AARP, this current need for more doctors is being exacerbated by an aging population requiring more care and by the fact that many primary care doctors are close to retirement themselves. Additionally, the Affordable Care Act has provided access to care for millions of the previously uninsured.
One approach is to utilize physician assistants in place of primary care doctors for routine patient care. It is cost-effective and reserves the doctor time for the more complex medical care needs.
In fact, health care experts are suggesting that all of primary care be restructured to reflect this change. The Affordable Care Act does actually authorize money to train more physician assistants and provides more money for scholarships and loans for all health professionals. (Some of this may change if the ACA is amended by its detractors.)
To qualify as a physician assistant in Maryland, each student must complete two years of education in a science based program followed by 2000 hours of clinical rotation. Further details along with specifics regarding individual school programs may be obtained at The Maryland Academy of Physician Assistants.
There is also a national certification examination called PANCE, Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination which must be passed in order to practice as well as ongoing certification requirements. This also is outlined at The Maryland Academy of Physician Assistants.
According to Salary.com, a typical physician assistant job description includes:
"Assesses, plans and provides patient care under the supervision of a physician. Examines patient, performs comprehensive physical examinations, and compiles patient medical data, including health history and results of physical examination. May require a master's degree and must be a graduate of an accredited physician assistant program."
Median salaries here in Greater Baltimore for physician assistants vary depending upon the practice location and level of responsibility. The median in the Greater Baltimore area is approximately $93,000 although salaries for retail locations such as Target appear to be significantly lower from the data available.
Job locations include: hospitals including emergency rooms and primary care practices located within the hospital, medical centers, outpatient health centers, retail locations, assisted living centers and schools.
Susan Brown originally spent many years in banking/finance before confronting her addictions. She has now been in recovery for 20 years. Her current interests, in which she has several certifications, are metaphysics and the healing arts. She has written for Examiner.com since 2009 and also writes for Om Times.
