Physician’s Assistant, Comphealth
Jada Alcantara
Physician’s Assistant, Comphealth
About the Position
This physician’s assistant position is through CompHealth and is located in Central Washington. Physician assistants are able to prescribe, examine, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician. All physician assistants must go through a program and be licensed and most work full time. This position is particularly interesting because programs are typically between 2-3 years which is much less than medical school. Wages are also very good trending towards $100,000 which makes this position appealing as well.
Question & Answer
How did you find this position?
I initially found this position after doing some research on my own as I am on a pathway to becoming a physician’s assistant. This specific posting I found on Indeed.com and it was interesting to me because it called for Spanish speakers specifically.
Summarize the Minimum Qualifications in your own words and emphasize the skills relevant to language majors.
The position calls for a licensed physician’s assistant and prior experience is preferred. Critical thinking skills are important as well as skills related to working with different cultures and all age groups. The position also requires skills in ethics and reasoning which is common for most healthcare positions.
What might be helpful to prepare for a language major to prepare for this field or position (think about courses at Boise State, graduate school/certificates, other types of PD, internships, work experience, etc.)?
To prepare for this position it is important to pursue a degree related to healthcare or health sciences. There are no specific degree requirements to have before attending a physician’s assistant program but some prerequisite classes are needed. Some classes include multiple biology courses related to physiology and anatomy, organic chemistry, and other health-related classes. Internships and prior experience are helpful when working towards applying for a program and it can help stand out on an application. Admission to a physician assistant program is competitive and the process includes a general application as well as an interview process.
How is proficiency in another language useful or important in this position?
Proficiency in another language can be very helpful in this position as there will be many different patient interactions and all different backgrounds. There are many patients who do not speak English and being proficient in another language allows for a better connection between provider and patient. This can also take away the need for an interpreter which can alleviate the mixed messaging and more direct communication can be had.
How is the ability to communicate and work with people from different cultural backgrounds useful or important in this position?
It is important to communicate and work with people from different cultural backgrounds is very important in this position. Patients will be coming to you for very personal and important health issues and questions so having cultural awareness is key to understanding how to help them.
