physician assistant
noun
variants
or physician associate
or less commonly physician's assistant
or physician's associate
plural physician assistants or physician associates also physician's assistants or physician's associates
: a health care professional who is licensed and certified to provide patient care (such as in diagnosing and treating illness or injury, prescribing drugs, ordering lab tests, and assisting in surgeries) under the supervision of a licensed physician
The fields that physician assistants work in today range from primary care to surgery to oncology to geriatrics …—Martha E. Mangelsdorf
… she was part of a workforce that included tens of thousands of physician associates … seeing her work for years alongside doctors in both family medicine and emergency care.—The Post
A physician's assistant would admit the patients and do the workup. … He would prescribe medications …—Joan G. O'Leary
Note: In 2021, the American Academy of Physician Associates officially changed the title physician assistant to physician associate to better reflect the clinical expertise and advanced medical training required.
called also PA
Cite this Entry
“Physician assistant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physician%20assistant. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.
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