What does a general surgery physician assistant do?
A General Surgery Physician Assistant helps surgeon with various tasks, such as inserting tubes, retracting issues, starting intravenous solutions, and others. They also write orders for patients while they are in the recovery room, as well as examine and monitor patients as they recover from their surgeries.
General surgery physician assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real general surgery physician assistant resumes:
- Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
- Develop basic surgical skills, such as suturing, retracting of tissue; debridement of wounds.
- Order, perform, and interpret laboratory and radiology test within the scope of professional practice.
- Educate patients on post-operative recovery and discharge needs.
- Evaluate patients for admission from the emergency room and perform inpatient consultations.
- Monitor stress testing; review nuclear component of stress images; conduct cardiology consultations inpatient and outpatient settings.
- Work in an outpatient orthopedic clinic with emphasis on physical medicine, rehabilitation of both chronic and acute orthopedic conditions.
- Perform Foley catheter insertion, wind care, arterial blood punctures, nasal gastric tube insertion, incision and drainage.
- Perform post op wind check for ICD and pacemaker clients.
- Perform venipuncture and prepare patient blood for PRP injections.
- Assist with diagnostic ultrasound exams, injections and platelet rich plasma (PRP) procedures.
- Review and update guidelines for internal cardiac defibrillator (ICD) and pacemaker implantation.
General surgery physician assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 34% of General Surgery Physician Assistants are proficient in Patients, Plastic Surgery, and Patient Care. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Compassion, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of General Surgery Physician Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 34%
Evaluated patients for admission from the emergency room and performed inpatient consultations.
- Plastic Surgery, 20%
Center, INC. First surgical assistant for plastic surgery practice.
- Patient Care, 13%
Provide efficiency and enhanced coordination of patient care and disposition during surgical rounds.
- Physician Assistants, 6%
Hire, train, supervise and complete performance reviews for staff of 6 Physician Assistants
- Surgical Procedures, 4%
Performed surgical procedures including but not limited to: General Surgery, Urology, Orthopedics and Neurosurgery.
- Physical Examinations, 3%
Obtained comprehensive medical histories & conducted extensive physical examinations in a broad patient population (pediatrics to geriatrics).
"patients," "plastic surgery," and "patient care" are among the most common skills that general surgery physician assistants use at work. You can find even more general surgery physician assistant responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a general surgery physician assistant to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "physician assistants must explain complex medical issues in a way that patients can understand." General surgery physician assistants often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "complete discharge orders, discharge summaries and communication of patient needs to both internaland external care providers. "
Compassion. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling general surgery physician assistant duties is compassion. The role rewards competence in this skill because "physician assistants deal with patients who are sick or injured and who may be in extreme pain or distress." According to a general surgery physician assistant resume, here's how general surgery physician assistants can utilize compassion in their job responsibilities: "demonstrated a high standard of moral and ethical behavior, compassion and professionalism and a commitment to excellent patient care. "
Detail oriented. general surgery physician assistants are also known for detail oriented, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to general surgery physician assistant responsibilities, because "physician assistants should be observant and have a strong ability to focus when evaluating and treating patients." A general surgery physician assistant resume example shows how detail oriented is used in the workplace: "documented detailed histories and physicals, reconciled medication lists, ordered and reviewed diagnostic tests, labs and x-rays. "
Emotional stability. general surgery physician assistant responsibilities often require "emotional stability." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "physician assistants, particularly those working in surgery or emergency medicine, should work well under pressure." This resume example shows what general surgery physician assistants do with emotional stability on a typical day: "instructed and counseled patients on treatment options and regimens, emotional issues, and health maintenance. "
Problem-solving skills. Another common skill required for general surgery physician assistant responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." This skill comes up in the duties of general surgery physician assistants all the time, as "physician assistants need to evaluate patients’ symptoms and administer the appropriate treatments." An excerpt from a real general surgery physician assistant resume shows how this skill is central to what a general surgery physician assistant does: "set up of iv solutions daily. "
See the full list of general surgery physician assistant skills
The three companies that hire the most general surgery physician assistants are:
- Kelsey-Seybold Clinic17 general surgery physician assistants jobs
- Kaiser Permanente12 general surgery physician assistants jobs
- Curative12 general surgery physician assistants jobs
Compare different general surgery physician assistants
General surgery physician assistant vs. Midlevel provider
Pain management physicians are medical doctors who diagnose and coordinate treatment while providing care for patients who are experiencing pain. By understanding the physiology of pain, these physicians are required to conduct specialized tests to diagnose complex pain conditions as well as prescribe proper medications and therapies to treat them. They must observe their patients for their ability to function and overall quality of life. Pain management physicians must also work with other healthcare professionals such as physical therapists, physiatrists, and nurses to meet all the needs of their patients.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between general surgery physician assistants and midlevel provider. For instance, general surgery physician assistant responsibilities require skills such as "patients," "plastic surgery," "physician assistants," and "surgical procedures." Whereas a midlevel provider is skilled in "physical exams," "diagnostic procedures," "emergency room," and "diagnostic tests." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Midlevel providers tend to reach similar levels of education than general surgery physician assistants. In fact, midlevel providers are 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 6.4% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.General surgery physician assistant vs. Pain management physician
Physician extenders are not physicians. However, physician extenders perform a vital task in the overall care of patients. They diagnose and treat medical conditions, document and update patient records, consult patients, and perform physical exams. They may serve either as physician assistants or nurse practitioners. In becoming a physician extender, they must be a registered nurse or must have medical experience by working in the medical field even at a lower level. They need to be a regulatory agency certified and licensed instructor in their region or state.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that general surgery physician assistant responsibilities requires skills like "plastic surgery," "physician assistants," "physical examinations," and "dea." But a pain management physician might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "pain management," "interventional pain," "primary care," and "family practice."
On average, pain management physicians earn a higher salary than general surgery physician assistants. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, pain management physicians earn the most pay in the pharmaceutical industry with an average salary of $190,772. Whereas general surgery physician assistants have higher pay in the professional industry, with an average salary of $181,347.pain management physicians earn lower levels of education than general surgery physician assistants in general. They're 26.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 6.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.General surgery physician assistant vs. Physician extender
Obstetrics Gynecology Physician is a specialist doctor in childbirth, pregnancy, and female reproductive health. Their duties include conducting tests such as pelvic exams, breast exams, and pap smears, diagnosing diseases and disorders, carrying out a patient routine check-up, prescribing treatment plans, and monitoring expectant mothers during periods of postpartum, pregnancy, and childbirth. They maintain accurate patient medical records, educate patients on reproductive healthcare and disease detection and prevention. Obstetrics Gynecology Physicians works to keep abreast with the latest innovations, best practice and collaborates with non-medical and medical teams in accomplishing its tasks.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from general surgery physician assistant resumes include skills like "plastic surgery," "physician assistants," "dea," and "private practice," whereas a physician extender is more likely to list skills in "medical care," "rehabilitation," "physical therapy," and "clinical care. "
Physician extenders earn the highest salary when working in the professional industry, where they receive an average salary of $188,925. Comparatively, general surgery physician assistants have the highest earning potential in the professional industry, with an average salary of $181,347.physician extenders typically earn lower educational levels compared to general surgery physician assistants. Specifically, they're 19.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.General surgery physician assistant vs. Obstetrics gynecology physician
Types of general surgery physician assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
