Lemon Bars Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 If someone were to say that a physician assistant compares to a doctor in the same way a paralegal compares to a lawyer, would this be insulting or roughly accurate? Please explain your answer. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted April 25, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 25, 2012 As they exist in the US, insulting. Paralegal cannot perform legal services and usually are under the direct supervision of a lawyer. PAs, however, can offer medical services and these services can be offered in the absence of the physician. In Canada and the UK, maybe roughly accurate as in Canada they are licensed by law boards and can appear in lower level courts. In the UK, I believe it just refers to someone practicing law without a law degree since they have less rules about such things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Another difference is that lawyers and the legal profession as a whole generally have a fairly amicable relationship with paralegals and appreciate what they do. Not so with the medical profession and what we do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klairsee Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Another difference is that lawyers and the legal profession as a whole generally have a fairly amicable relationship with paralegals and appreciate what they do. Not so with the medical profession and what we do. Are you saying physicians don't appreciate what PAs do? Most physicians I've encountered like PAs and appreciate how PAs fit into the practice of medicine. And the PAs I've met seem to have a good working relationship with their physicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 25, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 25, 2012 captain of the ship=physician executive officer= PA the XO can run the ship when the doc is away.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoPA Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 I would say an MA is comparable to a paralegal in your scenario. From what I understand, one can be a paralegal with the equivalent of an associate degree (so 2 yrs of post- high school education). The job includes administrative/technical duties, rather than executive ones. (A paralegal isn't going to decide which cases to take or try them in court. Likewise, an MA isn't going to be making patient care plans or inserting chest tubes.) A PA, on the other hand, will finish with either a BS or master's degree (4-6+ yrs) and is capable of treating patients on his/her own. Lemon Bars, if this is your analogy rather than one you've heard, you should probably do some more research into the profession. You should also be able to explain the differences to others when they inevitably ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Are you saying physicians don't appreciate what PAs do? Most physicians I've encountered like PAs and appreciate how PAs fit into the practice of medicine. And the PAs I've met seem to have a good working relationship with their physicians. There are a lot of excellent individual physicians to work with (obviously, or we would not exist). But there are many bodies in organized medicine that are determined to make life hard on PAs and to be damn sure that we stay "in our place." One of these happens to be the American Medical Association. With each passing year, happily, many of the old farts that caused us so much trouble are dying off and being replaced with younger folks with a different mindset. It can't happen fast enough to suit me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 25, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 25, 2012 many of the old farts that caused us so much trouble are dying off and being replaced with younger folks with a different mindset. It can't happen fast enough to suit me. in my group it's the younger docs who did not trrain with pa's who are the problem. the older docs are the ones making a case for expanding our scope of practice while the younger ones want to reign us in, require cases be presented, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Seriously? Wow, that's a bummer. People who train in the NY to Boston corridor will typically be around PAs and PA students during their training. This usually breeds a fairly positive attitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 MDs and PAs practice medicine. JDs and paras do not practice law. end of discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 in my group it's the younger docs who did not trrain with pa's who are the problem. the older docs are the ones making a case for expanding our scope of practice while the younger ones want to reign us in, require cases be presented, etc Seriously? Wow, that's a bummer. People who train in the NY to Boston corridor will typically be around PAs and PA students during their training. This usually breeds a fairly positive attitude. My new SP refers to me as his "partner" and never calls me "his PA". He's a younger doc and was an attending at a county teaching hospital not too long ago that trained MDs and PAs side by side. I think this exposure gave him this perspective. Besides being a nice guy. I am just starting with him since our clinic is brand new but really looking fwd to this environment. Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 This is more the attitude I am accustomed to. Makes for a much happier workplace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Bars Posted April 26, 2012 Author Share Posted April 26, 2012 Thank you for the insight all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 26, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 26, 2012 seriously? Wow, that's a bummer. People who train in the ny to boston corridor will typically be around pas and pa students during their training. This usually breeds a fairly positive attitude. it's an e coast vs west coast thing. Much better pa respect on the e coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 it's an e coast vs west coast thing. Much better pa respect on the e coast. Funny, all my negative PA experiences were in NY. Things are much more chill and repsectful here in WA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 26, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 26, 2012 Funny, all my negative PA experiences were in NY. Things are much more chill and repsectful here in WA. in em all the best jobs are in maine, vermont, new hampshire, north carolina, and new york(upstate). very few full scope jobs on the west coast and most are seasonal( yellowstone summers for medcor) or in alaska. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 I meant how respectful docs/others are, not practice scope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 26, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 26, 2012 I meant how respectful docs/others are, not practice scope. to some extent it is the same thing. the more you are respected, the better your scope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 True.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.