The Future for Physician Assistants
Abstract
Physician assistants were intended to be assistants to primary care physicians. Physicians in private practice have only moderately responded to the availability of these professionals. Cutbacks in the numbers of foreign medical graduates entering American schools for graduate medical education, concern for overcrowding in some specialties, and the economic and clinical capabilities of physician assistants have lead to new uses for these persons. Physician assistants are employed in surgery and surgical subspecialties; in practice settings in institutions such as medical, pediatric, and surgical house staff; and in geriatric facilities, occupational medicine clinics, emergency rooms, and prison health systems. The projected surplus of physicians by 1990 may affect the use of physician assistants by private physicians in primary care.
Article and Author Information
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▸From the Department of Health Care Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University; Washington, D.C.
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Grant support: in part from grant D21-PE-13136-05 from the Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources Administration, Department of Health and Human Services.
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▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to James F. Cawley, P.A.-C., M.P.H.; Physician Assistant Program, Department of Health Care Sciences, George Washington University, 1229 25th Street, NW; Washington, D.C. 20037.
- © 1983 American College of Physicians
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