Physician Associates, or PAs, are healthcare professionals who work alongside doctors to provide medical care.
At Tara Road Medical Centre, Physician Associates are an important part of our healthcare team, especially in the Walk-in Clinic. They work closely with our GPs to assess patients, provide treatment, and make sure you get the care you need.
What does a Physician Associate do?
Physician Associates can help with a wide range of medical concerns. They can:
- Ask about your symptoms and medical history
- Carry out physical examinations
- Assess and help manage illnesses and injuries
- Arrange and review medical tests
- Help develop treatment plans
- Provide health advice and ongoing care
- Perform certain minor medical procedures
- Prescribe medications
- Assist in surgery
How do Physician Associates work with doctors?
Physician Associates are not doctors, but they have specialised medical training and work under a doctor’s supervision.
At Tara Road Medical Centre, our PAs work closely with our GPs. They can assess and care for patients, and doctors are always available for advice or additional medical care when needed.
Working as a team helps us care for more patients and make sure everyone gets the right medical attention.
What training do Physician Associates have?
Physician Associates undergo extensive medical training and often have healthcare experience, such as working as paramedics or in other patient care roles.
Before becoming a PA, they usually complete an undergraduate degree and then finish specialised medical training, often at the Master’s level.
Their training includes about 2,000 hours of supervised clinical experience in different medical settings, such as general practice, hospitals, emergency care, and surgery.
After finishing their studies, PAs must meet the certification and registration requirements for the country where they work.
Seeing a Physician Associate at Tara Road Medical Centre
Our Physician Associates mainly work in our Walk-in Clinic, where you can get medical care without needing an appointment.
Depending on your needs and availability, you may see a PA or a GP. Our team works together to make sure you get the care you need.
We welcome both registered and non-registered patients at our Walk-in Clinic.
Learn more about our Walk-in Clinic.
More information
For more information about Physician Associates in New Zealand, visit: