Job Description:
Department:
- Physician Assistant Program and Emergency Department
Responsible to:
- Manager, Medical Education, Simulation and Physician Assistant Program
- Chief of Emergency Medicine
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 Emergency Medicine PA will provide dedicated clinical support to the Emergency Department at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, working directly under the supervision of the on-call and attending Emergency Physicians. The role is designed to assist with the growing patient volume and acuity across the department, including undifferentiated presentations, minor and major trauma, medical resuscitation, and time-sensitive diagnostic pathways, with coverage spanning multiple ED zones. 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:
Education:
- Secondary School Diploma or Equivalent
- Undergraduate Degree
- 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
- BCLS, ACLS, and ATLS – Mandatory
- PALS – preferred
Experience:
- 2 years' experience in an acute care or emergency setting preferred
- Experience in emergency medicine, critical care, or internal medicine preferred
- Familiarity with high-acuity presentations, trauma resuscitation, and rapid clinical decision-making 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, including point-of-care ultrasound where applicable
- 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
- Function effectively in a high-volume, high-acuity, fast-paced clinical environment with shifting priorities
Responsibilities:
Emergency Department Clinical Support
- Assess and manage patients presenting to the Emergency Department under the direction of the on-call/attending Emergency Physician, across assigned zones (including designated low- and high-acuity areas)
- 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
- Initiate and participate in resuscitation and stabilization of critically ill or injured patients, including trauma activations, in accordance with departmental protocols
- Perform or assist with emergency procedures within scope of practice (e.g., wound management, splinting, procedural sedation support) under physician supervision
- Support timely disposition planning, including admission, discharge, and transfer coordination, and facilitate patient flow across the department
- Complete assessment notes, procedure notes, and discharge documentation as required
Diagnostic Procedures
- 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
Communication
- 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
Medical Documentation and Record Keeping
- Maintain clear, accurate, and appropriate records of patient encounters and management plans
- Complete consultation requests, assessment notes, procedure notes, discharge notes, and other documentation as required
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
- Collaborate with nursing, pharmacy, social work, respiratory therapy, and other allied health in the care of Emergency Department patients
- Liaise with subspecialty consultants including Internal Medicine, Surgery, Critical Care, and Trauma services as required
- Participate in case conferences, teaching rounds, morbidity and mortality reviews, and quality improvement initiatives as appropriate
Teaching and Education
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 emergency medicine clinical environment
- Contribute to the academic mission of the hospital by supporting learner objectives in alignment with affiliated PA education programs
