When I saw "lump" and "doctor" in the same paragraph, I am glad it is instead an ear infection. A physician's assistant is more like a paralegal for medical stuff than like a nurse per se.

Ah, hrm, "lump." Well, i get tired of typing "depressed." And i'm glad the cause of my malaise is something acute and treatable. (I'd been ignoring it as TMJ can present as similar pain.)

The wikipedia article on paralegal training seems to present a broad range of experience and training possibilities. I suppose the key point is that the work is under the responsibility of the doctor.

Hope those antibiotics kick in for you soon.

Physician assistants actually have a really interesting backstory. The first program created was in response to returning corpsmen from Vietnam who didn't have much formal training, but already had hands-on medical experience. I know the profession has really expanded recently, I saw a very young one last time I went to my doctor's practice.

I suspect they may be more popular in certain states, because of regulations governing practice, but I don't know for certain. (I have a friend who is studying to be a NP and I know my particular state is considered very restrictive in terms of what NPs can do.)

Thanks for sharing that backstory: what a good way to make space for that experience. This NP certainly didn't get her experience in Vietnam, but she got the job done with my ear.