Physician assistants are highly qualified health care professionals trained in the medical model and licensed to practice medicine as part of a multidisciplinary health care team. Physician assistants are certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and state-licensed. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs can conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, perform procedures, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery and prescribe medications.
