Job Description:
Position Summary:
The Physician Assistant (PA) is a healthcare provider who always works under the supervision of a registered physician. The PA supports the physician as the principal medical decision-maker and the supervising physician is responsible for the direction of the PA’s activities. PAs are highly skilled providers with the knowledge, skills, and experience to work as part of a physician-led team in a variety of clinical settings.
The Gastroenterology PA (Temp FT) will provide dedicated clinical support to the Division of Gastroenterology at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, working directly under the supervision of the attending Gastroenterologists. The role is designed to assist with the growing inpatient and outpatient workload across a broad range of gastrointestinal and hepatic conditions. Clinical expert competencies are central to the function of the PA and draw on the other competencies of Communication, Collaboration, Management, Health Advocacy, Scholar, and Professionalism.
Qualifications:
- Secondary School Diploma or Equivalent
- Graduate of a Canadian or US Accredited Physician Assistant Education Program
- Eligible to challenge the National Physician Assistant Certificate Exam, or Canadian Physician Assistant Certification – Mandatory
- Must be registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) or eligible to register with the CPSO upon passing the Physician Assistant certification examination – Mandatory
- Must maintain active CPSO registration on an annual basis as a condition of continued employment – Mandatory
Experience:
- 2 years’ experience managing inpatients preferred
- Experience in gastroenterology, hepatology, or internal medicine preferred
- Familiarity with common gastrointestinal conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatic disease, and motility disorders preferred
Competencies:
- Integrate all core PA competencies to provide optimal, ethical, and patient-centred medical care
- Perform a complete and appropriate clinical assessment of a patient and formulate a clinical treatment plan
- Use preventive and therapeutic interventions effectively
- Demonstrate proficient and appropriate use of diagnostic and procedural skills
- Recognize their scope of practice while demonstrating effective and appropriate consultation practice with other healthcare professionals in respect to patient care, education, and legal opinions
Responsibilities:
- Conduct inpatient rounds under the direction of the attending Gastroenterologist, including assessment of newly admitted patients and follow-up of active inpatients
- Obtain health history as appropriate, including patient demographics, chief complaint, history of present illness, past medical, surgical, family, and relevant psychosocial history, medications, allergies, and systems review
- Perform comprehensive and focused physical assessments and interpret findings, including vital signs and examination of major body systems
- Utilize assessment results to formulate a differential diagnosis and determine if further clinical investigation is required, in conjunction with the most responsible physician
- Ensure pre-operative and post-operative assessments are completed and documented in a timely manner
- Facilitate timely assessment and admission of Gastroenterology patients from the Emergency Department and direct outpatient clinic pathways
- Support discharge planning, including coordination of follow-up care, medication reconciliation, and patient education
- Complete admission notes, progress notes, and discharge summaries as required
- Order and complete preliminary interpretation of diagnostic tests, including hematology, microbiology, chemistry, serology, urinalysis, blood gas, ECG, and plain film x-ray
Demonstrate at least an academic understanding of:
- Routine and micro-urinalysis
- Basic hematology and coagulation studies
- Chemistry and serology panels
- Microbiology cultures and sensitivities
- Provide clinical support in outpatient Gastroenterology clinics, with priority given to the physician managing the highest clinic volume
- Manage follow-up visits for stable but complex Gastroenterology patients under physician direction
- Support urgent add-on appointments and same-day assessments as required
- Provide patient and family education regarding diagnosis, treatment plans, and follow-up expectations
- Provide relevant information and explanations, including proposed treatment plans, to the supervising physician and seek further direction where appropriate
- Communicate with members of the healthcare team and other hospital departments, both orally, in writing, and electronically
- Provide education to patients, families, and other health providers as appropriate to the clinical setting
- Maintain clear, accurate, and appropriate records of patient encounters and management plans
- Complete consultation requests, admission notes, progress notes, discharge notes, and other documentation as required
- Collaborate with nursing, pharmacy, social work, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy in the care of Gastroenterology patients
- Liaise with subspecialty consultants including Internal Medicine, Surgery, Infectious Disease, and Critical Care as required
- Participate in case conferences, teaching rounds, and quality improvement initiatives as appropriate
Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre is a teaching hospital. As such, participation in the education of learners is an expectation of all clinical staff.
- Participate in the clinical supervision and teaching of Physician Assistant students on rotation when required
- Serve as a clinical resource and role model for PA students, supporting their integration into the gastroenterology clinical environment
- Contribute to the academic mission of the hospital by supporting learner objectives in alignment with affiliated PA education programs
