Seeing a physician's assistant instead of a doctor

[Fedorgasm]

Seems like a lot of places try to get you to see a PA instead of a doctor. You can request to see the actual doctor if you want to, but they assure you that the PA knows their stuff.

What's been your experience with PA's?

Mine has been pretty good. I feel like generally PA's try harder because they have to prove themselves. Whereas I've had so many doctors that don't listen to me, they just try to get me in and out as fast as possible. I think there's just a certain amount of arrogance that comes with being a doctor because of the way people treat you.

 

[Contempt]

Seems like a lot of places try to get you to see a PA instead of a doctor. You can request to see the actual doctor if you want to, but they assure you that the PA knows their stuff.

What's been your experience with PA's?

Mine has been pretty good. I feel like generally PA's try harder because they have to prove themselves. Whereas I've had so many doctors that don't listen to me, they just try to get me in and out as fast as possible. I think there's just a certain amount of arrogance that comes with being a doctor because of the way people treat you.

Weird, never seen that before. I don't think it's a thing in Australia.

I'd be pissed off if I was paying full price for a doctor and not getting what I paid for.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

I mean. They both are going to give you the same prescription... screw the "Seeing a Doctor" fee.

 

[SammyPops]

We have Nurse Practitioners up here. Its like a 3 week wait to see my family doc, but a couple days to the the NP. She is a former doctor in Brazil who came to Canada and gave up on becommng an MD. She is good.

 

[RoastBeast]

Find a better doctor. I went through 3 of them before I found one that actually listened to me. All 3 of them had heavy accents and didn't seem to understand half of what I was trying to say to them. I almost lost the movement on the tip of my ring finger because of one of those assholes just recommending ice and ibuprofen for a broken tendon and massively swollen finger.

 

[chardog]

a PA is essentially a doctor, I have a few in the family and their schooling is almost as long. a doctor has a bit more schooling and a whole lot more prestige, however, giving prescription is basically textbook stuff that AI can figure out by adding up all the symptoms and an interview. My brother is a doctor, and I hooked him up with a PA I knew.............. Nurse practitioners are a little lower than PA's and cost a whole lot less than what doctors charge.

 

[Cielo_]

I have extensive experience with this.

I see a specialist often for a rare disease so whenever I see him he always has his PA and then usually there are residents or fellows sitting in.

For the first few appointments it’s good to see the doctor to establish a baseline. After that the PA is fine unless some changes in treatment needs to happen.

 

[Natural Order]

Going to the doctor is for pussies!

 

[650lb Sumo]

@Chules
@Dr J

any input on this?

 

[Gene Tunney]

any input on this?

 

[whocares]

Both are equally skilled at fucking you off and not dealing with whatever you're seeing them for, but a PA is even more limited than a doctor. Go with the cheaper option. Funny enough, the doc at my local walk-in clinic runs circles around all the useless asshole PCP's and "specialists" I've had the misfortune of associating with.

 

[Sweater of AV]

I prefer to ask Sherdog.

 

[TheNinja]

For a standard checkup, it doesn't matter. The checkup is going to be basic vitals (taken by nurse) then a 10 minute chat with the doc and any prescriptions you ask for.

If it's something serious or ongoing though I'm going to an actual doc. Cost is the same through insurance for me anyway.

 

[Chules]

@Chules
@Dr J

any input on this?

In the U.K. they’re very much quacks. Very questionable academics/qualifications and their courses have no regulation as to what they study. They build up work and just refer everything back to the actual doctor. It’s like the Wild West with them doing tons of shit they’re not qualified to do. In the U.K. they’re pushing to set limit and scope on them. They’re called “associates” here, just to confuse patients, and no actual physician wants to associate with them.

 

[mjmj]

Pretty common in the medical “associate” groups where you have several Drs under one umbrella. They’re nearly Drs and handle most of the walk ins and cold/flu visits. My kids Dr works in one of those groups so we’ve seen a bunch of them over the years. No issues. Without them, I have no idea where all the people would go. The Drs can only see so many people per day.

 

[TheChance]

I prefer the doctor, there are some really dumb PA's and NP's out there especially in ortho.

 

[ferrisjso]

PA programs in college are a big deal. I'm not sure they are a 1/1 of a doctor but they can probably do a lot of the stuff a doctor can do.

Got to remember doctors have to go through barbaric torture rituals to become doctors(residency) and the AMA sets a cap on how many doctors there can be.

 

[Osculater]

I prefer to ask Sherdog.

Sherdog is the way

 

[Osculater]

A PA works under a doctor but a NP can work a lone without supervision

 

[Sweater of AV]

Sherdog is the way

A PA wouldn't have the heart or the balls to tell me I'm gay and have AIDS.