Physician's Assistants: Behind-the-Scenes Winners of the Health care Industry

Certain industries command respect, whether because of real attributes or media-fueled perceptions. At the top of this prestigious list sits the health care. While shows like ER and Scrubs would have you believe that everyone who enters the field is a neurotic, caffeine-dependent Type A, a myriad of health-related professions have little or nothing to do with fourteen-hour shifts in the emergency room.
In fact, one such occupation combines the satisfaction of helping patients firsthand with reasonable, forty hour-a-week schedules and competitive salaries. The profession in question is that of a physician assistant (PA), and with an online degree, you could be closer to qualifying than you might think.

Job Responsibilities & Prospects

PAs work closely with doctors and surgeons to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative health care. They treat patients, interpret lab tests, and, in most states, even prescribe medicine. Specific duties vary by region and size of institution, with PAs in rural areas and inner cities acting as primary care providers.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects enormous growth in the coming decade, and, moreover, reports encouraging salary statistics (median annual salary of $78,450 in 2007). Are you ready to sign up? Before you hand in your resume, make sure you meet the educational requirements.

Online Education Options for Physician's Assistants

Physician assistant degree programs cover biochemistry, pathology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, disease prevention, and medical ethics (just to name a few). The good news is that online degrees typically take only two years to complete; most applicants already have a bachelor's degree. If this online degree program has captured your interest, there's no better time to start; enroll now in online education courses for physical therapy.
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Physician Assistants

Karin Hansen lives and works in San Francisco. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in English literature, and edits a music blog in her spare time.