Physician Assistant - Emergency Department

Department:

• Physician Assistant Program and Emergency Department

Responsible to:

• Manager, Medical Education, Simulation and Physician Assistant Program
• Chief of Emergency Medicine

Position Summary:

The Physician Assistant (PA) is a healthcare provider who always works under the supervision of a registered physician. The PA supports the physician as the principal medical decision-maker and the supervising physician is responsible for the direction of the PA's activities. PAs are highly skilled providers with the knowledge, skills, and experience to work as part of a physician-led team in a variety of clinical settings.

The Emergency Medicine PA will provide dedicated clinical support to the Emergency Department at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, working directly under the supervision of the on-call and attending Emergency Physicians. The role is designed to assist with the growing patient volume and acuity across the department, including undifferentiated presentations, minor and major trauma, medical resuscitation, and time-sensitive diagnostic pathways, with coverage spanning multiple ED zones. Clinical expert competencies are central to the function of the PA and draw on the other competencies of Communication, Collaboration, Management, Health Advocacy, Scholar, and Professionalism.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Secondary School Diploma or Equivalent
• Undergraduate Degree
• Graduate of a Canadian or US Accredited Physician Assistant Education Program
• Eligible to challenge the National Physician Assistant Certificate Exam, or Canadian Physician Assistant Certification – Mandatory
• Must be registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) or eligible to register with the CPSO upon passing the Physician Assistant certification examination – Mandatory
• Must maintain active CPSO registration on an annual basis as a condition of continued employment – Mandatory
• BCLS, ACLS, and ATLS – Mandatory
• PALS – preferred

Experience:

• 2 years' experience in an acute care or emergency setting preferred
• Experience in emergency medicine, critical care, or internal medicine preferred
• Familiarity with high-acuity presentations, trauma resuscitation, and rapid clinical decision-making preferred

Competencies:

• Integrate all core PA competencies to provide optimal, ethical, and patient-centred medical care
• Perform a complete and appropriate clinical assessment of a patient and formulate a clinical treatment plan
• Use preventive and therapeutic interventions effectively
• Demonstrate proficient and appropriate use of diagnostic and procedural skills, including point-of-care ultrasound where applicable
• Recognize their scope of practice while demonstrating effective and appropriate consultation practice with other healthcare professionals in respect to patient care, education, and legal opinions
• Function effectively in a high-volume, high-acuity, fast-paced clinical environment with shifting priorities

Responsibilities:

Emergency Department Clinical Support

• Assess and manage patients presenting to the Emergency Department under the direction of the on-call/attending Emergency Physician, across assigned zones (including designated low- and high-acuity areas)
• Obtain health history as appropriate, including patient demographics, chief complaint, history of present illness, past medical, surgical, family, and relevant psychosocial history, medications, allergies, and systems review
• Perform comprehensive and focused physical assessments and interpret findings, including vital signs and examination of major body systems
• Utilize assessment results to formulate a differential diagnosis and determine if further clinical investigation is required, in conjunction with the most responsible physician
• Initiate and participate in resuscitation and stabilization of critically ill or injured patients, including trauma activations, in accordance with departmental protocols
• Perform or assist with emergency procedures within scope of practice (e.g., wound management, splinting, procedural sedation support) under physician supervision
• Support timely disposition planning, including admission, discharge, and transfer coordination, and facilitate patient flow across the department
• Complete assessment notes, procedure notes, and discharge documentation as required

Diagnostic Procedures

• Order and complete preliminary interpretation of diagnostic tests, including hematology, microbiology, chemistry, serology, urinalysis, blood gas, ECG, and plain film x-ray

Demonstrate at least an academic understanding of:

• Routine and micro-urinalysis
• Basic hematology and coagulation studies
• Chemistry and serology panels
• Microbiology cultures and sensitivities

Communication

• Provide relevant information and explanations, including proposed treatment plans, to the supervising physician and seek further direction where appropriate
• Communicate with members of the healthcare team and other hospital departments, both orally, in writing, and electronically
• Provide education to patients, families, and other health providers as appropriate to the clinical setting

Medical Documentation and Record Keeping

• Maintain clear, accurate, and appropriate records of patient encounters and management plans
• Complete consultation requests, assessment notes, procedure notes, discharge notes, and other documentation as required

Multidisciplinary Collaboration

• Collaborate with nursing, pharmacy, social work, respiratory therapy, and other allied health in the care of Emergency Department patients
• Liaise with subspecialty consultants including Internal Medicine, Surgery, Critical Care, and Trauma services as required
• Participate in case conferences, teaching rounds, morbidity and mortality reviews, and quality improvement initiatives as appropriate

Teaching and Education

Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre is a teaching hospital. As such, participation in the education of learners is an expectation of all clinical staff.

• Participate in the clinical supervision and teaching of Physician Assistant students on rotation when required
• Serve as a clinical resource and role model for PA students, supporting their integration into the emergency medicine clinical environment
• Contribute to the academic mission of the hospital by supporting learner objectives in alignment with affiliated PA education programs

Equity & Inclusion
RVH is committed to recruitment and selection practices anchored in principles of equity and inclusion that contribute to an anti-oppressive, respectful, and culturally safe workplace.

We invite applications from individuals who belong to groups that have been historically marginalized on the grounds identified by the Ontario Human Right Code, including but not limited to race, disability, age, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, family or marital status, and status as a First Nation, Métis, or Inuk person.

To learn about how RVH is taking steps to create and sustain an equitable, inclusive, accessible and culturally-safe environment, please visit:

Accommodations
RVH is dedicated to ensuring every applicant has a fair and equitable opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities throughout our recruitment and selection process. We are continuously working to create an accessible, barrier-free process, and recognize each applicant’s needs are different.

We encourage applicants with a disability or circumstance that could be supported with an accommodation to contact People Recruitment at Recruitment@rvh.on.ca.

RVH does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select applicants.

If you are interested in this position, please apply online before 11:00 p.m. EST on the Requisition Close Date. If there is no close date listed above, the requisition will remain open until filled.