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Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants
exists to provide information, education and governmental advocacy, and
to serve as the primary resource on the Physician Assistant profession
in State of Illinois. IAPA represents 367 certified and licensed
Physician Assistants and 250 Physician Assistant students in Illinois.
What Is A Physician Assistant
Physician Assistants are skilled members of the health care team who
provide a broad range of medical services, in both primary care and
specialty areas, under the supervision of licensed physicians. The
Physician Assistant profession was founded in 1965 at Duke University
in North Carolina. By 1975, there were approximately 1500 practicing
Physician Assistants. Today there are over 32,000 PAs working in the
United States. There are over 100 accredited Physician Assistant
training programs across the country.
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| IAPA
Brochure |
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Click on the brochure cover to
download the pdf file.
Click
here to request IAPA brochures by mail. |
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Role of a PA
The scope of practice of Physician Assistants is determined by their
supervising physician and state legislation. This includes:
- Obtaining medical histories
- Performing physician examinations
- Ordering or performing diagnostic tests and obtaining
laboratory results
- Diagnosing and treating common medical problems
- Assisting in surgery
- Administering emergency care
- Prescribing uncontrolled substances and controlled
substances Schedule III-V
The physician does not need to be physically present when the PA
provides these and other services, but the PA always works with the
supervision
of the physician, who maintains the overall responsibility for the
patient's care.
Practice Setting of a PA
Physician Assistants function in a wide variety of health care
environments: Private Offices, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Health
Maintenance Organizations, Urban/Rural Satellite Clinics, Industrial
Clinics, Industrial Clinics,
Correctional Institutions, Veterans’ Administration & Military
Facilities
Impact of PA
Physician Assistants, working with physicians, providing a better
distribution of health care services, and improve the access to those
services,
especially in rural and medically under served areas. Patient waiting
times
are reduced, and they have more time for questions, counseling and
education.
This helps to increase the level of patient understanding and
compliance,
which in turn reduces the cost of health care. Research has
demonstrated
the high levels of patient acceptance, the excellence of care
administered,
and the cost effectiveness of PA utilization.
Illinois Statistics on PAs According
to the 2006 Census (available October 2006)
Average salary for a PA with more than two years experience and works
more than 32 hours a week is $77,341.00.
Average salary for a PA with less than two years experience and works
more than 32 hours a week is $68,472.00;
40.8% of the PAs receive a productivity bonus based on performance;
23.8% of the PAs receive a bonus based on something else;
66% of the PAs have their malpractice insurance paid by their employer
as a rider on the employer's policy;
82% of the PAs have their employer's pay their DEA fees;
71.8% of the PAs have their NCCPA dues paid by their employer;
71.5% of the PAs have their AAPA dues paid by their employer;
60.4% of the PAs have their Illinois Academy dues paid by their
employer;
Average CME funds provided by Employer is $1,495.00; 97.6% (from 2005
Census) of employers pay professional liability insurance for PA;
Average age of PA is 36; 30.4% are male; 69.6% are female;
40.5% of PAs have a Bachelor's Degree; 19.8% of PAs have a
certificate from a PA Program; 43% of PAs have a Master's Degree;
22.7% of PAs are employed by a single specialty group practice;
13.9% of PAs are employed by solo practice physician office;
Specialty
23.5% PAs are in Family/General Practice;
26.8% PAs are in Surgical subspecialties;
11.4% are in Internal Medicine subspecialties;
8.2% PAs are in Emergency Medicine;
Education
All Physician Assistant students have prior college education and
some previous health care experience. PA
Programs average 24 months in length with both broad classroom training
and structured clinical rotations, including: Surgery, Pediatrics,
Obstetrics/Gynecology, Psychiatry, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine,
and Emergency Medicine.
A certificate and/or academic degree is awarded upon graduation. PA
programs are accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and
Accreditation. After graduation, PAs take the certifying examination,
Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE), given
by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistant
(NCCPA).
After passing the exam, their title is PA-C. To obtain a license in
Illinois,
a PA must have passed this exam and be certified. PAs are required to
have 100 hours of Continuing Medical Education (CME every 2 years to
maintain
this certification as well as take a re-certifying exam every six
years.
No other Allied Health Professional has these types of requirements of
continuing education/recertification. |
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