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Still ridiculous. I SPECIFICALLY stated having a BS, not a BA. And the BS doesn't count as medical training. Only the ACTUAL MEDICAL TRAINING is medical training.
All the more reason not to be palmed off on a PA, NP, or med student. Especially in my case, where I have cognitive and neurological issues that can only be addressed by a properly trained specialist - who I never even saw. I had a doctor's office try to palm me off with a resident who was only going to be around for another year or less. I have ongoing complicated medical issues. I need and deserve better than a temporary worker who hasn't even completed their training. I refused his services.
Again, if you read my post, I indicated that these days most PA programs require hands-on experience in healthcare to be considered. This includes working as an EMT, paramedic, medical assistant, surgical tech, nurse, CNA, etc. so they have training too from their prior experience. No one is trying to argue that a PA should be performing heart surgery.
It seems like none of your complaints so far have been about PAs and instead are about going to teaching facilities and seeing residents or students. That is not the subject of this thread, which is licensed physician extenders like PAs and NPs.
I'M OK seeing PA's and have one as my primary care provider. They work under a physician and have had some solid training. It is NP's that I won't go to. This is because I have no way of knowing what their qualifications are now that NP's are being churned out of fast track online programs. Some of those newly minted NP's have never worked a day in their lives as an RN. They don't know what they don't know. Too risky for me as a patient to take the chance.
PA's and NP's are slowly but surely becoming the "physicians" of our time as the nationwide shortage of physicians deepens. At least you got in to see someone in person. Medicare and other insurance plans are seeking to broaden the scope of telehealth.
For Actinic Keratosis and the like, PA's should be able to handle it just fine as they see it everyday all day. If they see something unusual, that is when the MD needs to be directly involved. Even at that, the MD's are reviewing and "supervising" the PA's in the background.
PA's and NP's are slowly but surely becoming the "physicians" of our time as the nationwide shortage of physicians deepens. At least you got in to see someone in person. Medicare and other insurance plans are seeking to broaden the scope of telehealth.
For Actinic Keratosis and the like, PA's should be able to handle it just fine as they see it everyday all day. If they see something unusual, that is when the MD needs to be directly involved. Even at that, the MD's are reviewing and "supervising" the PA's in the background.
That is not necessarily true. Whether PAs and NPs can practice independently varies by state. Some states allow neither to practice independently and some allow both to practice independently. If someone is not comfortable with PAs/NPs who can practice independently, they really need to know what the regulations are IN THEIR STATE, because they may be in a state where they are seeing someone who is not practicing under a protocol.
I've had both, a dermatologist with an MD and a physician's assistant that specialized in dermatology examine me and didn't notice any difference.
The one dermatology clinic I went to, had 4-5 Derm MD's and 2-3 PA's, and when making my initial appointment, they asked me if it mattered whether a PA saw me, and I said I didn't care. I ended up with a PA, who was older, male and practicing for 20+ years and saw him over 2 years before I moved.
He knew his stuff and wrote the Rx for the meds I needed, no issues what so ever.
I had to see a dermatologist for an problem that would perhaps require a small surgical procedure and the only open appointment was with a PA.
My insurance would not cover THAT person for some reason--I knew because I called the insurance company to verify coverage
So when I made the appointment I specifically mentioned that issue
They were understanding and had the doctor come into the office to check with the PA who did the proceedure (had to drain a cyst on my cheek) and verified it was carried out appropriately...that way the DR could be the billing reference...
I was satisfied the PA knew what she was doing but I didn't want to be stuck with a bill when I have Medicare and type F supplemental that covers any excess...
made an appointment with a dermatologist but saw a pc-a.
I have never experienced any problems as a result of being treated by a PA, rather than an MD or DO. In fact, my most recent visit to the Dermatologist's office resulted in being examined and treated by a PA. However, it is important to note that when I made my appointment via the phone, I was made aware that I would be seeing a PA, and that if I wanted to see the MD, I would have to wait ~3 weeks.
So, I was given a choice, and because I wanted a new skin rash to be treated a.s.a.p., I opted for the PA. IMHO, when you booked your appointment, you should have been told that you would be seeing a PA.
Incidentally, the Rx that she provided was successful in clearing-up that rash within a few days, so I have no complaints about her competence.
I'm not sure that I had a problem with seeing a pa. It's just that I was shocked. I made an appointment to see a doctor.
It just appeared to me that I walked into a doctors office that promotes youthful procedures which is not what I was expecting. Maybe since I am older, I didn't understand that dermatologists are in the business of youth. I thought they were in the business of skin abnormalities.
The entire experience was bizarre to me. The office was very large and there were children screaming and running through the waiting room and when they kept coming out asking for Patricia and no one was responding, it seemed like a beam me up scotty moment.
I think that I may have just been to the wrong place. I won't go back. It was a waste of my time and theirs. The samples of lotion are nice but I was there for a serious screening for skin cancer and since Daphne only looked at my lower legs below my shorts and my lower arms below my t shirt and I had to ask her to look at some spots on my face and ears, seemed like I was in charge of the screening. If this is what dermatologists are like now, I'm not interested.
Iike both the PAs and FNPs I see. Occasionally I see the doc at the derm, like when I went back for the 3rd time. They figured out he was needed. I think they are educated enough to know when they need the doc.
I'm glad you used the term "educated" rather than "trained". Yes, PAs receive an education post college. "Training" grinds my gears.
I understand from friends who live in FL that this is becoming the norm there. You call and make an appointment with the doctor, only to end up being seen by the PA or NP. Fortunately, that is not the case where I live. It would not work well for me at all.
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