"In my previous role at a hospital, I was responsible for making rounds to examine, diagnose, and care for patients. I would create treatment plans for patients and prescribe them medications. I was often their direct care practitioner, but I would consult with my supervising physician when necessary. I would assist in surgery as well, but not very often."

"Physicians and physician assistants have similar roles. They both care for patients by diagnosing and treating them. However, the main difference is that physician assistants must work under a physician. The physician doesn't always need to be present, but they are responsible for the physician assistant's work. Physicians are also able to open their own practise, but physician assistants cannot."

"If I wasn't 100% sure about a patient's condition to give them a diagnosis, I would consult with my supervising physician. They are more experienced and have a deeper medical knowledge, so I would be happy to ask for a second opinion. I would use it as a learning opportunity as well to provide excellent care for my patients."

"I want to work at this hospital because it's the hospital my entire family goes to when there's something wrong. Every time I've come here, your entire staff has been so accommodating and helpful. They really go above and beyond to help patients. I want to work with a team like that as I know I will be able to rely on them to help me provide excellent patient care."

"When a new patient makes an appointment, I ask our receptionist to give them fill in some documents before they come in. The documents will outline their medical history so I can learn more about them and determine the best way to treat them. This also saves us time during our first appointment as the patient won't need to outline their entire medical history."

"The one disagreement I've had with my previous supervising physician was about a surgery a patient needed. My supervisor wanted to do an invasive surgery that had a better chance of success, but I wanted to do the non-invasive one. I'd been working with my patient for months and knew that she wouldn't want to go through another invasive surgery. We let my patient choose after giving her the details of both surgeries and she went with the non-invasive one."

"Yes, I am very comfortable working without direct supervision. In my previous role, the physician only came into the clinic I worked at once a week, as he owned several. We had an open line of communication, so I was able to contact him whenever I needed, but I was able to work independently when he wasn't around."

"I have a master of physician assistant studies from the University of Manitoba. In this programme, I completed a clinical year where I received on-the-job training. I then had to complete the physician assistant entry to practise examination which allowed me to become a certified physician assistant in Canada."

"To combat the stress associated with my job, I use my free time wisely. I like to spend time with my family and friends to wind down. Also, at the end of every shift, I meditate at home or go to a yoga class to help me relax and let go of the stress from work. Being able to relax in my free time significantly lowers my stress at work and allows me to give the best care possible to my patients."

"If I was taking care of a patient and an emergency came up with another one, I would attend to the patient with the emergency immediately. On my way out, I would ask another physician or nurse to take care of my patient in my absence. Once I handled the emergency, I would return and apologise to my original patient and follow up with their care."

"I have had to deal with a lot of angry and upset patients in my three years as a physician assistant. Hearing a diagnosis or treatment plan they don't like or agree with can be tough for patients. I will usually excuse myself and give them time to cool down on their own. After a few minutes, I will go back into the room and ask them if they have any questions. If they're still too angry or upset, I will recommend they make another appointment to discuss the problem when they've had time to think about it and calm down."

"To ensure every patient I see is safe, I follow every health and safety regulation. This includes wearing proper PPE, such as a mask, washing my hands constantly, and using sterile instruments when examining or treating them. I also ensure the environment is clean and sanitised frequently. I emphasise good hygiene practises and proper care for my patients as well so they can stay safe outside of my office."

"To expand my skills and knowledge, I take new medical courses whenever I can. For example, I recently took an obesity management course at the University of Calgary. I also enjoy attending medical conferences when I can. I learn a lot and get to meet like-minded people to learn from as well."

"One of the biggest challenges physician assistants face is people not taking them seriously. When people hear the term assistant, they think I'm not qualified to treat them. If anyone questions my qualifications, I discuss my education and the training I had to go through to become a physician assistant."

"Whenever I start working with a physician, I always meet with them to discuss their requirements and the level of communication they prefer. If they want to be updated frequently, I offer to e-mail or call them at the end of each workday with updates or questions. If they prefer hearing about our patients when they come into the office, I will make detailed notes before I see them."