Doctors and physician associates: As a medical student, I’m trying to figure out who does what (5 April 2025)

Summary

In my third year of medical school, my mother announced she wanted to become a physician associate (PA). I always encouraged her to follow her dreams — until she told me her motivation.

“It’s basically the same as being a doctor, but with less time at university,” she said.

Her words gave me pause. Despite years of medical training, even I wasn’t entirely sure where the line was drawn between doctors and PAs. And if I was confused, how could patients be expected to understand the difference?

For some doctors, the PA role can feel less like a collaborative partnership and more like a threat to their professional identity. The British Medical Association has accused the government of using PAs as substitutes for doctors, compromising patient safety in the process. These concerns are not hypothetical.