A comparison of military and civilian physician assistants

Physician assistants are becoming a major provider of primary health care services in the miltary. Comparative analyses of physician assistants in the military and civilian health sectors provide useful insights into selection and utilization patterns adopted by one sector which may be useful for the other. Recruitment of older persons with extensive prior medical experience, delegation of greater responsibility, and reliance upon principally indirect forms of physician supervision have all been effectively implemented by the military and have potential application within the civilian health sector. Opportunities for career advancement within the physician assistant profession appear to be slightly greater in the civilian health sector, however. Proposals to expand the career opportunities of military physician assistants, currently under considerattion, should improve this problem. As this new health profession continues to grow and develop in both the military and the civilian health sectors, future comparative studies will be useful in assessing the effectiveness of recruitment and utilization policies for these two groups of physician assistants.