Mental health awareness has been growing over the years. Many people are keener on mental health and providing services related to mental health care. Provision of mental health services and finding ways to ensure their mental health is in the best position possible is vital. Physician assistants are a core part of the mental health field. It is one of the specializations you can venture into as a physician assistant.
How to Become a PA Specialized in Psychiatry/Mental Health
Physician assistants (PAs) in psychiatry/mental health help improve access to mental health services in a health system where physician shortages are a painful reality in many parts of the country. More than 42 million adults suffer from mental health problems, and more than six million children suffer from emotional, behavioral, or developmental problems. Experts know that screening and early intervention can reduce the negative impact of mental illness, yet too few psychiatrists and significant out-of-pocket expenses limit many people’s access to psychiatric care. Similar to other areas of medicine, physician assistants in psychiatry ease the physician shortage and provide high-quality medical care at a fraction of the cost of psychiatrists. Their expertise rounds out the physician-led psychiatric team, ensuring comprehensive care is available to patients with mental health needs.
What Do Physician Assistants in Psychiatry/Mental Health Do?
Psychiatric/mental health physician assistants perform mental health treatments under the direction of a psychiatrist. They're an important part of a mental health team, and their medical knowledge allows them to treat patients both in and out of the hospital. Patient assessment is an important part of a physician assistant's psychiatry and mental health job. PAs diagnose and rule out any underlying medical disorders, such as hyperthyroidism, a brain tumor, or medication toxicity, by assessing patients through casual talk, physical examination, and a review of their medical, personal, and drug (including substance addiction) histories.
Throughout the procedure, they may run tests, make referrals to other medical professionals, and prescribe mental drugs. Most psychiatric physician assistants can prescribe psychiatric medications, including controlled substances, and are thus experts in psychopharmacology, which studies the indications, actions, risks, and side effects of psychiatric drugs used alone and in combination with other psychiatric drugs.
PAs in psychiatry monitor their patients' physical and mental health while receiving psychiatric care after an initial assessment and diagnosis. These PAs follow up with patients regularly to assess how they respond to counseling, medicine, and other therapies. They frequently engage with families to ensure that patients receive proper care and support.
Where Do Physician Assistants in Psychiatry/Mental Health Work?
Physician assistants, under physician supervision, meet the diverse medical needs of mental health patients in several mental health settings, including:
Behavioral health facilities
Psychiatric hospital units
Private practice
Psychiatric emergency departments
County and state mental health facilities
Psychiatric emergency units/emergency rooms
Private health clinics
Prisons and jails
The job duties and responsibilities of PAs in psychiatry/mental health vary depending on the setting in which they work. For example, in hospitals and inpatient psychiatric units, physician assistants serve as affiliate members of the medical staff, evaluating and treating patients and responding to behavioral emergencies. Their work includes:
Performing admission histories and psychiatric assessments
Performing rounds
Ordering and interpreting diagnostic studies
Ordering medications
Managing ongoing care through consultation with the psychiatrist
Education, Certification, and Training Required for the Mental Health Specialty
Physician assistants in psychiatry, like those in other medical specialties, must finish a program recognized by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Candidates for these graduate-level programs must have a bachelor's degree from an authorized college or university, as well as specified undergraduate courses in behavioral and biological sciences. Most PA programs span around 26 months and lead to a master's degree.
Graduates of the PA program must take and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE), administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), and apply for state licensure in the state where they intend to practice. Even though all PA programs include clinical rotations in various medical subspecialties, including psychiatry, many students interested in this field of medicine opt to complete an additional clinical rotation in a psychiatric health facility.
Another way many graduates earn valuable experience in psychiatry/mental health is by completing a physician assistant post-graduate fellowship. About 12 months in duration, these programs allow graduates to rotate with psychiatry residents through various inpatient and outpatient services. Inpatient rotations often include the following units:
Psychotic disorders unit
Geriatric psychiatry unit
Mood disorders unit
Child psychiatry unit
Dual diagnosis (substance abuse and mental health) unit
Outpatient units include adult outpatient clinics, child outpatient clinics, and telepsychiatry and outreach clinics.
How Can Physician Assistants in Psychiatry Earn Professional Certification?
The NCCPA offers the certificate of added qualifications (CAQ) program, which provides physician assistants with the opportunity to earn additional credentials in their practice area. Physician assistants in psychiatry/mental health may pursue the Psychiatry CAQ, which requires candidates to possess a current PA-C designation and state licensure.
Candidates seeking the Psychiatry CAQ must demonstrate they possess advanced knowledge and experience in psychiatry by possessing the following:
At least 150 credits of Category I CME focused on psychiatry practice (50 of those credits must have been earned within the last two years)
At least 2,000 hours of experience working as a PA in psychiatry
Attestation from a supervising physician working in psychiatry that the PA has performed patient management techniques or understands how and when appropriate techniques should be applied in the following areas:
Psychiatric interview, differential diagnosis, and treatment plan
Psychiatric pharmacology
Treatment implementation/intervention
Crisis intervention/risk management
Ethical and legal issues
Disorders
Mood disorders
Psychotic disorders
Substance-related disorders
Anxiety disorders
Personality disorders
Delirium, dementia, and cognitive disorders
Life cycle and adjustment disorders
Childhood disorders that persist into adolescence and adulthood
Somatoform and factitious disorders
Eating disorders
Sexual and gender identity disorders
Dissociative disorders
Impulse control disorders
Sleep disorders
Ethics and forensic issues
Once candidates have submitted proof that they meet all minimum requirements, they must take and pass the Psychiatry Specialty Exam, which consists of 120 multiple-choice questions related to psychiatry and is targeted for physician assistants with experience in the practice of psychiatry.
Resources for Physician Assistants in Psychiatry
Professional associations provide physician assistants with a vast array of resources, information, and networking opportunities related to the practice of psychiatry. My PA Resource is a leading resource option for all kinds of PA readings and guides.
