physician assistant

noun

: a person certified to provide basic medical services usually under the supervision of a licensed physician

called also PA, physician's assistant

Examples of physician assistant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

About 500 students have enrolled in courses, primarily under the physician assistant and lawyer topics, in the Southern Illinois University system. —Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025

Seated in the back row was Emily Haley, an emergency room physician assistant from Baltimore. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025

After a call for medical assistance was made, fellow passenger Emily Haley — an emergency room physician assistant at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center — sprung into action. —Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025

Long holds a bachelor of science in cognitive neuroscience and a master of science in physician assistant studies from Harding University. —Emma Jones, arkansasonline.com, 9 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for physician assistant

• coexistent
• equidistant
• inconsistent
• nonexistent
• preexistent
• consistent
• existent
• insistent
• persistent
• resistant
• subsistent
• distant

Medical Definition

physician assistant

noun

physician as·​sis·​tant

-ə-ˈsis-tənt

variants also physician's assistant

: a specially trained person who is certified to provide basic medical services (as the diagnosis and treatment of common ailments) usually under the supervision of a licensed physician

called also PA