Negative Article Prompts Rebuttal From PA
An article titled "Those with little formal training still allowed to take X-rays," published in Connecticut newspaper The Day on July 6, has prompted a rebuttal from a Unionville PA in defense of physician assistants.
PA Marc Benjamin expressed his concern that it is irresponsible for another medical professional to "scare the public with multiple distortions of the truth" about the qualification--or suggested lack thereof--of a PA to perform radiologic procedures.
(The author) speaks of physician assistants as having no formal training in radiology and compared using fluoroscopic guidance to perform procedures as “taking X-rays.” Physician assistants receive basic radiology in their education and, during the clinical aspect of their training, spend countless hours learning to interpret CAT scans, MRIs, X-rays and such.
Also, physician assistants are educated under the medical model and become licensed to practice medicine and surgery under the supervision of a physician. The supervisory and scope of practice guidelines are governed on the state level and all physician assistants have to be board certified to practice.
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