Physician Assistant - General Surgery

Physician Assistant - General Surgery Program

Position Summary

The Physician Assistant (PA) is a healthcare provider who always works under the supervision of a registered physician. The PA supports the physician as the principal medical decision-maker and the supervising physician is responsible for the direction of the PA’s activities. PAs are highly skilled providers with the knowledge, skills, and experience to work as part of a physician-led team in a variety of clinical settings.

The General Surgery PA will provide dedicated clinical support to the Division of General Surgery at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, working directly under the supervision of the on-call and attending Surgeons. The role is designed to support both inpatient and perioperative care across a broad range of general surgical conditions, including elective and emergent cases. Clinical expert competencies are central to the function of the PA and draw on the other competencies of Communication, Collaboration, Management, Health Advocacy, Scholar, and Professionalism.

Qualifications

Education
• Secondary School Diploma or Equivalent
• Undergraduate Degree
• Graduate of a Canadian or US Accredited Physician Assistant Education Program
• Eligible to challenge the National Physician Assistant Certificate Exam, or Canadian Physician Assistant Certification – Mandatory
• Must be registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) or eligible to register with the CPSO upon passing the Physician Assistant certification examination – Mandatory
• Must maintain active CPSO registration on an annual basis as a condition of continued employment – Mandatory
• BCLS and ACLS

Experience
• 2 years’ experience in a surgical environment preferred
• Experience in general surgery, acute surgical care, or perioperative medicine preferred
• Familiarity with pre-operative and post-operative assessment and management preferred
• Experience assisting in the operating room considered an asset

Competencies
• Integrate all core PA competencies to provide optimal, ethical, and patient-centred medical care
• Perform a complete and appropriate clinical assessment of a patient and formulate a clinical treatment plan
• Use preventive and therapeutic interventions effectively
• Demonstrate proficient and appropriate use of diagnostic and procedural skills
• Recognize their scope of practice while demonstrating effective and appropriate consultation practice with other healthcare professionals in respect to patient care, education, and legal opinions

Responsibilities

Pre-operative and Post-operative Assessment
• Ensure pre-operative and post-operative assessments are completed, documented, and communicated to the surgical team in a timely manner
• Obtain health history as appropriate, including patient demographics, chief complaint, history of present illness or injury, past medical, surgical, family, and relevant psychosocial history, medications, allergies, and systems review
• Conduct comprehensive and focused physical assessments and interpret findings, including vital signs and examination of all major body systems
• Utilize assessment results to formulate a differential diagnosis and determine if further clinical investigation is required, in conjunction with the most responsible physician
• Provide patient and family education regarding surgical procedures, expected recovery, and follow-up care

Inpatient Surgical Coverage
• Conduct inpatient rounds under the direction of the attending or on-call Surgeon, including assessment of newly admitted and post-operative patients
• Facilitate timely assessment and surgical admission of patients from the Emergency Department
• Support discharge planning, including coordination of follow-up care, wound care instructions, medication reconciliation, and outpatient referrals
• Complete admission notes, operative notes, progress notes, and discharge summaries as required

Diagnostic Procedures
• Order and complete preliminary interpretation of diagnostic tests, including hematology, microbiology, chemistry, serology, urinalysis, blood gas, ECG, and plain film x-ray
• Collect blood samples (arterial and venous), minor surgical samples, body secretions, and body fluids as required

Demonstrate at least an academic understanding of:
• Routine and micro-urinalysis
• Basic hematology and coagulation studies
• Clinical chemistry and serology panels
• Microbiology cultures and sensitivities
• Point of care testing

Outpatient Clinic Support
• Provide clinical support in outpatient General Surgery clinics as required
• Manage follow-up visits for post-operative patients under physician direction
• Support urgent add-on appointments and same-day surgical assessments as required

Communication
• Provide relevant information and explanations, including proposed treatment plans, to the supervising physician and seek further direction where appropriate
• Communicate with members of the healthcare team and other hospital departments, both orally, in writing, and electronically
• Provide education to patients, families, and other health providers as appropriate to the clinical setting

Medical Documentation and Record Keeping
• Maintain clear, accurate, and appropriate records of patient encounters and management plans
• Complete consultation requests, admission notes, operative notes, progress notes, discharge notes, and other documentation as required

Multidisciplinary Collaboration
• Collaborate with nursing, pharmacy, social work, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy in the care of surgical patients
• Liaise with subspecialty consultants including Internal Medicine, Intensivists, Infectious Disease, and other surgical subspecialties as required
• Participate in case conferences, teaching rounds, and quality improvement initiatives as appropriate

Teaching and Education

Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre is a teaching hospital. As such, participation in the education of learners is an expectation of all clinical staff.
• Participate in the clinical supervision and teaching of Physician Assistant students on rotation when required
• Serve as a clinical resource and role model for PA students, supporting their integration into the general surgery clinical environment
• Contribute to the academic mission of the hospital by supporting learner objectives in alignment with affiliated PA education programs

Hours of Work

This position operates on a rotating shift schedule. Shifts vary based on weekend rotation:
• Non-weekend rotation weeks: 0700–1700
• Weekend rotation weeks: 0700–1900 (Saturday), 0700–1430 (Sunday)

This position follows a 1-in-3 weekend on-call rotation. Additional scheduling details, including days of work and shift structure, will be discussed during the interview process.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre is committed to the protection of personal health information in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).
• Maintain strict confidentiality of all patient personal health information (PHI) accessed in the course of clinical duties
• Access, use, and disclose patient health information only as required to perform assigned job responsibilities and in accordance with PHIPA, hospital policy, and professional obligations
• Adhere to RVH’s privacy policies and procedures, including appropriate use of electronic health records and clinical documentation systems
• Report any actual or suspected privacy breaches to the immediate supervisor and Privacy Officer in accordance with hospital policy
• Complete all required privacy and confidentiality training as directed by the organization