physician assistant

English

Alternative forms

Noun

physician assistant (plural physician assistants)

  1. (medicine) A health care professional trained and licensed to perform a role similar to that of a physician but with somewhat narrower limits of authority; physician assistants and nurse practitioners have enough capabilities to be physician extenders, providing primary care and allowing physicians to spread their time across more patients.
    Synonym: PA (initialism)
    Coordinate term: nursing assistant

Usage notes

  • This term is always capitalized when used as a person's title.

Further reading

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