AND MORE IMPORTANT WHAT DO THEY MEAN TO ME?

WHAT IS A CANADIAN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT AND MORE IMPORTANT WHAT DO THEY MEAN TO ME? Ian W Jones, MPAS, PA-C, CCPA National President CAPA-ACAM Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 1

My Back Ground NAIT -- EMT-P 17 Years as EMT- Paramedic University of Alberta Public Administration Certificate Needed a change so I Took more courses: at night, Distance Learning Full time University Univ. Of Washington PA-C and BCHS Masters - Practiced 12+ years now Teach and Practice CAPA s Mission is to Advocate the Physician Assistant Physicians Model of Quality Health Care Canadian Association of Physician Assistants Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 2

Physician Assistant: an academically prepared and highly skilled health care professional, who manages and provides medical care that extends physician services in any medical setting. So how does a PA work? Think heroes Photo credit cbc.ca Jose Araneta, a physician assistant (pictured right), assists orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Hedden (pictured left) during knee replacement surgery. Physician assistants have helped surgeons double the number of hip and knee replacement operations at Concordia Hospital in Winnipeg Manitoba. Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 3

What do PA do? PA s scope of practice mirrors the scope of the supervising physician and is outlined in a Practice Description. Responsibilities and degree of guidance will depend on relationship with supervising Physician, nature, and the location of the practice environment. PA functions as physician extenders and are dependent practitioners collaborative practice Trained as generalist and may be given increasing responsibility by supervising Physician as experience, trust, and needs grow an investment Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 4

Physician Assistants supplement, not supplant the work of physicians MD Formalized Oversight The role progresses through phases of Supervision to Leadership and eventually a Partnership within the MD/PA relationship. Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 5

NP are Registered Nurses who have completed advanced education Has achieved competencies in a defined area of Nursing Practice i.e. Family or Acute Care, RN Scope with extended privileges Avg. 700 hours clinical + RN training Physician Assistants are from any clinical background Education and function as a medical generalist with a wide based clinical knowledge. Function under the leadership, supervision, and license of a MD Scope defined and of their Physician 2000 hours of clinical rotations + prior experience Therefore PA s Can move easily between specialties Have more medical knowledge with clinical focus Rotations in Orthopedics, Emergency, Surgery, both Family and Internal Medicine (the real fun stuff) Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 6

PA could be found: In critical access hospitals (rural, remote) with no on site MD. (Tele-health) Supporting MD by day or weekend coverage in academic, community hosp. or family practice Assisting Specialist Wherever the need is i.e. Lots of Job Opportunities Primary Care Provide Medical Care when MD not absolutely necessary or available Family Medical Clinics Community outreach Remote Community or Rural Health Clinics Second Provider in any Community PA a specialist in Team Medicine Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 7

Emergency Medicine Role PA works with a supervising physician Sees all triage levels in Department Reviewing patients with supervising physician and formulate treatment plan to include: Assessment and Evaluation Labs and Diagnostic imaging Procedures: sutures, I&D, fracture reduction & splinting, advanced airway management, etc. Manage patient disposition: admission, consultations, prescriptions, home care etc. PA in Emergency Services Be they EMS or Fire/Rescue Provide Occupational Health for Employees Major Incident Support Treat Patients that don t need transport Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 8

PA in Emergency Services Teach and Practice Medicine Physician Assistants are educated in a medical model often along side medical students, taught by physicians in 24-27 month programs Photo: McMaster s PA Program Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 9

Canadian PA Education Programs Canadian Forces Medical Services School University of Manitoba PAEP McMaster University Medical Sciences PA Program PA Education Consortium @University of Toronto/NOSM/Michener Inst. For Applied Health Sciences Education Didactic First Year Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, & Basic Medical Science Patient Assessment, Diagnostic Medicine Psychiatry, Ob/Gyn, Pediatrics Adult Medicine Surgical Principals, Emergency and Critical Care with skill seasons, Pharmacology, Genetics, ethics, and infectious disease, etc. Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 10

Clinical Year (12-14 months) The Clinical portion of 12 to 14 months provides rotations in family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, psychiatry, emergency, general surgery, orthopedics, internal medicine, community health, and anesthesia. Entrance Requirements University of Manitoba s Physician Assistant Education Program Masters Physician Assistant Studies A four year Bachelor's degree (Honours), Minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last two full years (60 credit hours) of study. Undergraduate courses in Human Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry are required; Microbiology and Psychology are asset courses. Medical Experience recommended Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 11

McMaster University Physician Assistant Education Program: Bachelor of Health Sciences (Physician Assistant) Academic: A minimum of 10 full-courses or 20 half courses (two years) are required. 3.0/4.0 GPA or Better Other: McMaster applicants will participate in The Multiple Mini-Interview, or MMI. The MMI increases the overall reliability of the interview in judging an applicant's merits. The Consortium of Physician Assistant Education Bachelor of Science Physician Assistant degree ( BScPA ) Academic: Minimum 10 University full-courses Required to have completed one FULL course (postsecondary level) or equivalent in each of Human Anatomy, Chemistry, Physiology. Non-academic : Experience as a Health Care Professional in good standing with minimum 1680 hours (1 year full-time) of direct patient contact Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 12

There is a Canadian National Certification Examination administrated by an independent Council (PACC) with representatives from Canadian Medical Association, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Educators, Consumers, Physicians, Allied Health, and the Profession Other Options for Paramedics with Education Management Education (Health Care) Health Policy and Direction Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 13

Physician Assistants improve access to quality health care. Physician Assistants improve physician efficiency and effectiveness Physician Assistants supplement a MD not replace. Canada s PA provide: Reduction in wait times, Increased Efficiency of Practice Increase access to Health Care Complement Physician Services Canadian PA have established: National Education Scope of Practice Defined Clinical Competencies Omissions and Error Coverage Sponsored by www.firstwatch.net 14

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