Physician assistants, also referred to as physician associates, are nationally certified and state-licensed medical professionals, and practice on health care teams with physicians and other providers. Generally, PAs can take medical histories, conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illness, order and interpret tests, develop treatment plans, prescribe medication, counsel on preventative care, assist in surgery and perform procedures.
The links to the right lead to maps showing a comparison of all states and territories for the following policy areas:
1. Supervision requirements, practice and prescriptive authority (shown below).
2. Scope of practice determination.
3. Adaptable proximity requirements.
4. Chart co-signatures.
5. Number of PAs supervised.
Choose a tab to explore different options. For more detailed information, please click on a state or territory.
Physician Assistants:
Scope of Practice Determination
Mobile users can use this dropdown of states if the map is too small.
LEGEND
- SOP determined at the practice level
- SOP determined by the State Medical Board or law
- Information is not currently available
Scope of practice determination refers to whether a physician assistant’s scope of practice is determined at the practice level between the physician assistant and the collaborating physician. In some states, the state medical board or state law determines a physician assistant’s scope of practice.
Policy areas for Physician Assistants
Supervision Requirements (Practice and Prescriptive Authority)
Adaptable Proximity Requirements
Scope of Practice Determination
Practitioner Scope of Practice
- Behavioral Health Providers
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
- Optometrists
- Oral Health Providers
- Pharmacists
- Physician Assistants