I am a Physician Assistant.
A profession that I have proudly been a part of for the past 13 years. Many many people have asked me when I'm going to go back to school to be a doctor. My "go to" response is a smile and one word.... Never. I am a Physician Assistant. I can diagnose, order tests, prescribe medications, and generate treatment plans just like a Doctor. I went to Medical School just like a Physician albeit for a shorter time. But I am a Physician Assistant, which in my opinion, is better than being a Doctor. To all of you wonderful Physicians out there I mean no disrespect. My profession would not exist without your knowledge and guidance. But let's face it, the medical field in general has grown sharply into an industry driven by the profit, the bottom line, the quota.
Physicians today are required to see a certain number of patients per day.
Most of the time these numbers are unattainable without double booking patients and spending merely seconds with each. Patients often leave their visit feeling short changed or ignored. While it is never the intention of the Physician to leave their patient feeling this way, it is often difficult to satisfy the patients desire to be heard and the Physicians employer driven requirement to see six or more patients an hour. Now this is why I like my job as a Physician Assistant better than that of a Physician.... my number of patients for the day, my quota, is less than my Physician colleague. The reason behind this is that my salary is less than that of a Physician. I can see fewer patients and still cover my cost to my employer. Yes you are reading this correctly.... I make less money as a Physician Assistant (let's be clear it's still a very good salary) but I am far more satisfied in my employment than I would be if I had to double the number of patients I booked in a day to meet an unrealistic expectation. The reason I chose Medicine as my profession was because I wanted to help people. Not to be rich. Don't get me wrong, I would be remiss to downplay the personal financial benefits of a Medical Degree. But money doesn't provide the satisfaction I get from treating a patient correctly and helping them to feel better.
Booking fewer patients a day affords me the time that each patient deserves for their issue. Their time with me is over when we have generated a plan for their health based on their description of what is going on and my medical knowledge of why it is happening. It isn't over when the ten minute timer goes off. The most valuable lesson I have learned in my 13 years as a Physician Assistant is that people know what is wrong with them. They just don't have the medical background to understand why or how to correct it. As a practitioner, I just have to listen. I listen and they tell me what is wrong. I listen. But this takes time. Not 10 minutes. Real time that I invest in their lives. Real time that I sit across from them and listen like an equal, like a friend.
I develop a relationship with my patients...
... A relationship that is cultivated over time. The time that is afforded to me because I am a Physician Assistant. So the next time you call your Physician's office to book an appointment and the receptionist offers you an appointment with the Physician Assistant because the Doctor is booked, ask yourself what you can afford?
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