Dermatology Associates of Georgia, L.L.C.

Physician assistants (P.A.'s) are quite different from medical assistants. P.A.'s are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine under the indirect supervision of a physician. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, P.A.'s conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, perform skin surgery and biopsies, and in most states (including Georgia) write prescriptions. Because of the close working relationship P.A.'s have with physicians, P.A.'s are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training. Physician assistants are required to pass a national certification exam every five years and complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years. Upon completing those things and graduating from an accredited P.A. program, they can apply for state licensure, which then allows them to practice.

At Dermatology Associates of Georgia, there are three physician assistants, Ewa Rooney, M.P.A.S., PA-C, Helen H. Bennett, M.Ed., M.S.P.H., M.M.Sc., PA-C, and Danna Dennis Calder, M.M.Sc, PA-C. Our P.A.'s have earned masters degrees as part of their P.A. training. In this practice, the P.A.'s see their own schedule of patients and consult with one of their supervising physicians when appropriate. They provide the highest standard of medical care. If you have not already seen a P.A., we welcome you to do so. The above information is adapted from the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) website. If you have any questions about physician assistants, we welcome you to call us or visit the AAPA website at http://www.aapa.org.