Physician Assistant

Canadian Armed Forces; Canada; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Canadian Armed Forces are seeking a qualified Physician Assistant to provide primary and emergency health care for service members domestically and abroad. This role involves independent duty, often in remote locations, and requires a degree from an accredited PA program and certification from the PACCC.

Benefits

Opportunities for travel and exploration

Experience in unique environments

Qualifications

• Certification from the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC) is required.
• Registration to practice in a Canadian province or territory is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Provide primary health care to military personnel.
• Practice environmental and hyperbaric medicine.
• Promote health protection and occupational safety.

Skills

Primary Health Care

Health Protection Education

Occupational Health and Safety

Education

Baccalaureate or Master’s degree from an accredited Physician Assistant Program

Job description

As a member of the military, a Physician Assistant (PA), is a health care provider who extends the hand of the supervising physician to remote or isolated locations.

A Canadian Armed Forces Physician Assistant is part of the greater military health services team, providing primary and emergency health care for Canadian Armed Forces members domestically and abroad. Physician Assistants are employed throughout Canada in Health Services Clinics, onboard ships, or overseas in support of various operational missions.

The primary responsibilities of a Physician Assistant are to:

• Provide primary health care;
• Promote health protection and education;
• Practice environmental medicine and hyperbaric medicine; and
• Promote occupational health and safety.

Work environment

Physician Assistants may serve anywhere that CAF members are based. They work in fully equipped medical clinics, whether at a base or garrison, or in temporary clinics supporting operations. PAs are also employed independently in isolated locations, including onboard ships and submarines.

If you choose a career in the Regular Force, upon completing all required training, you will be assigned to your first base. While there is some flexibility regarding postings, accommodations cannot always be guaranteed, so relocations are likely. If you join the Primary Reserve Force, you will do so through a specific Reserve unit. Outside of training, your Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part-time basis, typically working one night per week and some weekends, with possibilities for full-time employment.

I'm Lieutenant Nicole Spivey. I'm a physician assistant currently serving onboard HMCS Ottawa.

Narrator:

A Physician Assistant in the Canadian Armed Forces is part of the military health services team, providing primary and emergency health care for members both domestically and abroad. They extend the hand of the supervising physician to remote or isolated locations.

The unique aspect of being a physician assistant in the Canadian Armed Forces is the independent duty, where we often do not have a doctor physically present in our office. We sometimes need to reach out by phone or email to discuss patient cases due to this independence.

Narrator:

The primary responsibilities of a Physician Assistant include:

• Providing primary health care;
• Promoting health protection and education;
• Practicing environmental and hyperbaric medicine; and
• Promoting occupational health and safety.

Physician Assistants are employed across Canada in Health Services Clinics, onboard ships, or overseas supporting operational missions.

I'm responsible for the health and safety of 185 to 200 sailors daily, including during sea deployments.

The unique opportunities in the Royal Canadian Navy include travel and exploration. I recently traveled through the Northwest Passage, where I saw polar bears and penguins and visited remote areas covered in ice most of the year.

I've visited about 57 countries, including Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia, experiencing once-in-a-lifetime adventures that stay in my heart.

This job is ideal for those seeking adventure. I am proud of my work, love my job, and enjoy sharing my experiences with my daughter, who is proud of me and interested in my work.

If you already hold a Baccalaureate or Master’s degree from an accredited Physician Assistant Program, are a Certified PA with current certification from the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC), and are registered to practice in a Canadian province or territory, the CAF may place you directly into the required on-the-job training program after basic training.