title: The utilization of surgical physician assistants: policy implications for the future.
abstract: It is anticipated that there will be a major growth in the role of surgical physician assistants in the immediate future. The authors believe that this trend will improve the quality of surgical care in the United States, reduce the number of surgeons being trained, and enable practicing surgeons to be more productive and hence more proficient.
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010823:Physician Assistants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce