A Physician Assistant (PA) is a board-certified practitioner who collaborates with a physician to evaluate and treat patients in clinical and surgical settings.

At Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, our PAs play a critical role in the care of our patients. Our PAs increase accessibility to top orthopedic medicine through independent clinics, autonomous procedures, ordering and interpreting diagnostic studies, and prescribing medications. They are an essential component to the surgical process as well, coordinating pre and post-operative care in addition to being first surgical assistant.

On surgery days, PAs are responsible the perioperative management of patients. As a direct line of communication with the patient, they are essential for making the patient and family comfortable with the surgical plan. PAs prescribe and manage medications, order and interpret labs and studies, set detailed plans of care including physical therapy (PT, home health nurses, family caregivers, etc.), as well as round on patients who have been admitted to the hospital. Intraoperatively, PAs are the first surgical assistant and are on hand from open to close of every surgery.

PAs work alongside in physician clinics, as well as conducting their own independent clinics. Here, they obtain a detailed history, perform physical exams, order and interpret diagnostic tests such as x-ray, MRI and CT. A PA can determine an appropriate conservative versus surgical treatment plan. If injections or other technical procedures are recommended, the PAs may also administer the treatment.