Assistant physician (abbreviated A.P.) in the United States (not to be confused with a physician assistant) is a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) who has graduated from a four-year medical school program and is licensed to practice in a limited capacity under the supervision of a physician who has completed his or her residency. The Assistant Physician license is currently issued in Missouri, Virginia, New Hampshire, Utah, and Arkansas.[1]
In order to be licensed, assistant physicians are required to have graduated medical school, in addition to having passed the USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge.[2] The expansion of the profession of assistant physicians is directed towards providing primary care in underserved areas.[2][3]
References edit
- ^ "AAFP Backgrounder - Scope of Practice: Assistant Physicians" (PDF). 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
- ^ a b Lieb, David A. (14 May 2017). "Missouri targets doctor dearth, expands first-in-nation law". AP News. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
- ^ Singer, Jeffrey (18 May 2023). "One simple fix for the primary care shortage: assistant physicians". STAT. Retrieved 12 March 2024.