NorthBay Health·Vacaville, California
The Physician Assistant functions as a member of the multidisciplinary patient care team, providing care in ambulatory settings and acting as a surgical first assistant in operating rooms under physician supervision. Key duties include performing physical exams, formulating diagnoses, ordering services, providing treatments, and coordinating overall clinical management for patients across pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric populations.
At NorthBay Health, the Physician Assistant (PA) - Ortho Surgical functions as a member of the multidisciplinary patient care provider team. The Physician Assistant is a health professional with advanced education and/or training in the care of the pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric populations, to include ambulatory and surgical care. Provides care to patients within the ambulatory medical office, as well as to perform as surgical assistant to qualified surgeons within the hospital operating room and ambulatory surgery center settings. Under the medical supervision of a qualified and accredited physician, the Physician Assistant works in ongoing collaboration within the inpatient and ambulatory practice settings and as articulated within his or her scope of practice as defined by the State of California.
Primary job duties
Performs physical examinations and updates patient history.
Formulates a diagnosis and treatment plan as appropriate for patient needs.
Orders ancillary services as appropriate to meet patient needs.
Reviews all patient lab results and follows-up on abnormal test results. Reviews lab results with patient.
Requests specialty consultation as approved by the supervising physician.
Provides patient education as appropriate.
Provides treatments and procedures as appropriate.
Applies casting and bracing as appropriate.
Directs the overall clinical management of the patient and works closely with members of the care team to ensure that patient is receiving appropriate services.
Counsels patients who require close monitoring for compliance with established treatment plan.
Coordinates patient care and diagnostic studies with other disciplines including interventions to ensure patient compliance.
Documents patient care as outlined in the Physician Assistant Protocol.
Identifies high risk problems and transfers care to appropriate physician.
Collaborates and communicates with appropriate physicians on patient care issues.
Collaborates with other members of the health care team to identify patient problems and develop plan of care to address needs of patient.
Seeks consultation from physician on any cases that he/she may feel exceeds his/her ability to manage, when the PA is in doubt of the diagnosis, when a patient fails to respond to treatment or when the patient expresses a desire to see the physician.
Participates in team conferences to review status of each patient as needed.
Participates in the development of standards of care and standards of practice as identified by orthopedic department.
Participates in data collection and outcome measurement to ensure quality care is being provided.
Acts as a resource for staff.
Performs inpatient patient rounds in support of the surgical service to which Physician Assistant is assigned.
Works collaboratively with team members to ensure appropriate and efficient flow of patients through clinic appointments.
Completes and submits coded fee tickets or electronic billing for each patient encounter.
Displays excellent customer service and clinical quality skills.
Participates in call schedule rotation, as requested.
Ensures compliance with all safety and quality protocol within the surgical suite.
Instruct patient in pre-and post-operative procedure care.
Other duties as assigned.
Participates in Practice Operations Council for assigned clinic location.
Candidates must be a graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program with mandatory evidence of training as a surgical first assistant, holding current California licensure and required certifications like AHA ALS and DEA license. A minimum of three years of PA experience in a related field and two years as a surgical first assistant is required.
Market context
In California, physician openings are typically driven by ongoing demand across large health systems, outpatient groups, and specialty practices, with competition shaped by board eligibility, licensure, and specialty fit. For this role category, candidates are often compared on clinical experience, communication skills, and readiness to work within team-based care. The job requirements and benefits on this platform are AI-summarized from the original job description, saving candidates research time. Review the CPT and BLS requirements carefully and confirm your experience aligns with the listed laboratory and acute-care expectations before applying.
