Physician assistant job opportunities are similar to those of doctors, but without quite as many surgical skills, medical expertise, and a smaller salary. Still, physician assistants certified in their field go through extensive training and are able to diagnose and treat patients. Physician assistants always work under the supervision of a physician, but they still have a required number of skills to be successful in the medical field. If you’re thinking about becoming a physician assistant, here are some skills and personal attributes that you should think about incorporating into your professional manner.
Calm Under Pressure
While physician assistants work under the supervision of a doctor, they still have to work independently and will sometimes be put in high-pressure situations. Physician assistants must be able to remain calm regardless of what is happening. In order to save lives, you have to be able to keep yourself calm and calm other people.
Observant
Diagnosing and treating illnesses requires memorization and observational skills. It’s important for physician assistants to always pay attention to the details and look for any abnormalities in patients to be able to treat and diagnose effectively.
Good Communication
Understanding your patients and communicating with them is essential to their health and wellness. Good communication will go a long way when dealing with difficult cases and patients. If you can articulate what problems are occurring and how the patients need to respond, you’ll make your job and your patients’ lives much easier.
Compassion
Physician assistants work to provide healthcare for patients, so it’s important for them to actually care about the patients they’re working with. It’s not enough to care about the paycheck; you have to care about the patients’ well being.
Good Team Player
Physician assistants must always work under the supervision of a doctor, so they have to be good at working in a team. If you’re the kind of person who only likes to work alone, being a physician assistant may not be the career for you.
Adaptable and Emotionally Stable
In order to provide care to patients who may not always be physically, mentally, or emotionally stable, it’s important for physician assistants to be emotionally stable. You also must be able to adapt to different situations throughout the day. It’s entirely possible, especially if you work in a hospital, that you will have to go from working with a terminally ill patient one minute to having to work with families who have a newborn child the next. Being adaptable, flexible, and stable enough to be able to make those switches throughout your day is important.
