How Did Janelle Bunce, PA Become a Physician Assistant?

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Physician assistants play an important and involved role in patient care, and can complete their degree programs in as few as six years.
  • Physician assistants in urology can address a variety of medical issues, such as urinary incontinence, kidney stones, vaginal prolapse, and overactive bladder, assisting doctors in treating a wide range of conditions.
  • Janelle Bunce, PA is a dedicated physician assistant in urology who began assisting doctors within six years of starting her degree program and enjoys working with a team of healthcare professionals to ensure top-notch patient care.

The field of medicine offers many opportunities for people who want to dedicate their lives to helping others. With hard work and study, almost anyone with a desire to work in healthcare can achieve that dream. One growing role in this field is that of the physician assistant who plays an important and involved role in patient care.

Unlike doctors, who spend up to a decade or longer in training, physician assistants can complete their degree programs in as few as six years. This makes earning credentials and beginning a rewarding career less costly and achievable in less time.

Janelle Bunce, PA from Naples, FLAlthough they may not be doctors, physician assistants have some of the most important jobs in healthcare and carry a great deal of responsibility. They assist with surgeries, see patients independently and take an active role in decision making with the doctors. They are an important part of the patient experience and share in the satisfaction of participating in overall patient care.

Physician assistants in the field of urology address a variety medical issues. From urinary incontinence, kidney stones and vaginal prolapse to an overactive bladder, a physician assistant in the specialization of female urology can assist doctors in treating a wide range of conditions while creating lasting relationships with their patients.

One physician assistant who is enjoying a rewarding career in urology is Janelle Bunce, PA. The educational requirements made it possible for her to begin assisting doctors within six years of beginning the required degree program. Janelle enjoys working with a team of nurses and doctors to ensure that her patients receive top-notch care. Her story and success are an inspiration to anyone with a desire to pursue a career in medicine.

Dedicated urology physician assistants, like Janelle Bunce, PA can be found providing excellent patient care every day at the Advanced Urology Institute. For more information, visit the Advanced Urology Institute website or make an appointment for a consultation today.

TRANSCRIPTION: 

My name is Janelle Bunce, I’m a physician assistant with Advanced Urology Institute.

I was a single mother actually and I started college when my daughter was six weeks old and physician assistant field was a place in medicine that you could advance pretty far. We can assist with surgery, we can see patients independently and yet it wasn’t a prolonged education where I needed to be in school ten to twelve years, it was six and a half years. 

I have a masters degree so I started my undergrad degree in biology and then went on to the PA program which was a masters of medical science. I decided to be a physician assistant because this is an area that we can help people from birth to death. In particular urology has a lot to do with quality of life. I like that it’s a nice mix of autonomy but also there’s always a supervising physician that we can bounce ideas against and we work together as a team with our supervising physician.

REFERENCES: 

What does a physician assistant do According to Janelle Bunce?

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Physician assistants work in all areas of medical practice and are trained to perform diagnostic tests, interpret results, and develop treatment plans under the supervision of a physician.
  • In addition to their clinical roles, physician assistants also educate patients on preventative health, collect patient histories, and assist in surgical procedures.
  • The main purpose of a physician assistant’s job is to lighten a physician’s workload, enabling medical facilities to operate more efficiently and effectively.

Physician assistants, as the name suggests, are professionals whose main job is to assist physicians in their work. They work under the supervision of a qualified and registered physician and even when the physician is not physically present, they are expected to report on their activities to their supervising doctor.

To qualify as a physician assistant, you must obtain a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on science courses such as anatomy. You need to apply to a Physician Assistant Training Program to obtain a masters degree. The training programs are quite intense, combining theoretical and practical classes in a hospital environment. After completing the training program, the student must pass the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination.

The Role of Physician Assistants.

Janelle Bunce: Physician AssistantPhysician assistants work in all areas of medical practice, from basic primary care to geriatric care, pediatrics, and even emergency medicine. Their roles can be summarized:

1. Studying diagnostic tests and developing basic treatment plans

Physician assistants can perform, order and interpret diagnostic tests. They also are authorized to perform physical tests on patients. Based on the results of the tests, physician assistants can develop a treatment plan but only after consulting with the physician. They are allowed to prescribe medication as part of a treatment plan.

2. Educating patients on preventative health

Physician assistants devote their efforts to educating patients and their families on the steps that can improve disease management and prevent its worsening. They also help by warning and educating people about harmful habits and health hazards.

3. Collecting Patient Histories

When patients go to a facility for the first time, physician assistants interview them to obtain any family history that might have a bearing on the patient’s state of health. Such records are maintained at the hospital and they inform the treatment plan of a patient.

4. Assisting in Surgical Procedures

Some physician assistants focus on being surgical assistants. They perform pre and post surgical roles such as preparing and counseling the patient and monitoring the healing process after surgery.

The essence of a physician assistant’s job is to lighten a physician’s work load. They make sure that the small number of doctors available see as many patients as possible. Physician assistants play a key role that makes them vital to any medical facility’s operation. At the Advanced Urology Institute for instance, every physician is teamed up with one physician assistant to ensure maximum productivity. For more information, visit the Advanced Urology Institute website.

TRANSCRIPTION: 

My name is Janelle Bunce. I’m a physician assistant with Advanced Urology Institute.

There’s a lot of responsibility in the position. We are here to work as a team. I keep telling patients that. I keep reiterating that today. We truly are a team. So if it helps make the physician’s life easier, that’s what we’re here to do. So whether that’s reviewing labs or taking phone calls or rounding at the hospitals in conjunction with them. It’s really to help them be able to have more free time so that they can continue to provide better patient care.

Primarily we work with one physician. So we’re a team of one physician and one advanced practice provider. So we have nurse practitioners and physician assistants. So I work with Dr. Wilkinson. Dr. Wilkinson is a great guy. He is a wonderful physician and we’re able to have a little fun while we work. We spend so much of our time with our work family and he is definitely a fun guy to work with.

REFERENCES: