A physician assistant, or PA, is a licensed medical professional trained in the generalist medical model and authorized to diagnose, treat and prescribe under a collaborative relationship with a physician. PA programs are typically 27 months of graduate study after a bachelor's degree, covering the same core sciences as medical school in condensed form, followed by more than 2,000 hours of clinical rotations across medicine, surgery, pediatrics and psychiatry. Graduates pass the national PANCE examination and use the credential PA-C, with the C indicating certification. Some PAs then pursue a postgraduate psychiatry fellowship or a Certificate of Added Qualifications in psychiatry from the national certifying board.
In a psychiatric practice, a PA conducts evaluations, makes diagnoses, prescribes and adjusts medication, orders laboratory monitoring, and provides supportive counseling. Their broad medical training is useful for spotting when physical conditions such as thyroid disease, anemia or sleep apnea contribute to psychiatric symptoms. Florida and South Carolina both license PAs to prescribe, including controlled substances, within the scope of their supervising physician's practice. At Stedfast Psychiatry, physician assistants see new and returning patients, collaborate daily with our psychiatrists, and refer to them for complex cases or when Deep TMS or Spravato may be appropriate. If you are scheduled with a PA, you are receiving medical psychiatric care under physician oversight, and you can request a psychiatrist consultation at any point.