October 6 – 12 is Physician Assistant Week, an opportunity to celebrate the dedicated physician assistants that make great care accessible for millions of patients every day.

Collectively, physician assistants (PAs) see more than 500 million patients in the U.S. each year, and their role within the modern healthcare system is only projected to grow in the coming years.

PAs participate in a wide range of areas across the continuum of patient care, conducting exams, diagnosing illnesses, making treatment plans, and prescribing medication with skill and expertise. Their robust medical knowledge equips them to treat a wide variety of patients across many areas of medicine, including general surgery, family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, and many more. This training enables hospitals and clinics to meet the care demands of their communities, shortening wait times and giving patients more face-to-face time with providers they know and trust.

In addition to earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees, PAs must complete a minimum of 2,000 supervised clinical hours before passing the rigorous Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) exam to earn certification. PAs must also complete continuing medical education throughout their career and pass recertification at regular intervals.

PAs are a critical part of our care teams at Hereford Regional Medical Center and the Hereford Health Clinic. From surgery to women’s health and family medicine, PAs provide experience and expert care that helps us meet the care needs of the Hereford community.

Learn more about our incredible team here.