Questions to Ask a Physician Assistant
Questions for an appointment with a physician assistant, covering how their role works alongside a physician, how a diagnosis was reached, prescriptions and test results, cost, and how to follow up.
The questions
Open any question for the note
Will I be seeing you at follow-up visits, or does that rotate?
Why ask it
Continuity matters more than credentials for anything ongoing. Some practices assign you to one clinician, others fill whichever slot is open, and it is easier to request continuity at the first visit than later.
How does your work here divide up with the doctor I was referred to?
Why ask it
Arrangements vary widely: some PAs carry their own panel of patients and consult as needed, others work through a physician on every case. Knowing which applies tells you who to ask for when something is complicated.
When do you bring a physician into a case?
Why ask it
A clear answer describes the situations, such as an unexpected finding or a treatment that is not working. A clinician who says it never comes up is worth a follow-up question.
How often do you see what I'm dealing with?
Why ask it
PAs specialize by practice setting, and someone in an orthopedic clinic may see your problem several times a week. Frequency is a fairer measure of familiarity than years in practice.
What do you think is going on?
Why ask it
Ask for the working diagnosis in plain language, including how certain they are. Hedged answers are useful information, not evasion, and tell you where the plan may change.
What else could this be, and what would rule that out?
Why ask it
This is the question that catches premature conclusions. Any careful clinician has a short list of alternatives, and hearing it tells you what the tests are actually for.
Which of these tests do I need now, and which can wait?
Why ask it
Ordering is often bundled by habit or protocol. Asking what each test would change about the plan separates the necessary from the routine, and it usually lowers the bill.
What are the options besides what you're recommending?
Why ask it
You learn whether a real choice exists and what the tradeoffs are. If the answer is that there are no alternatives, ask why the others were ruled out.
What happens if I wait a few weeks and do nothing?
Why ask it
Many conditions resolve on their own, and some do not. This question makes the urgency explicit rather than leaving you to infer it from the tone of the visit.
What are the side effects of this medication, and which ones mean I should call?
Why ask it
Ask for the difference between the common nuisance effects and the few that warrant stopping the drug. The printed handout lists everything without ranking any of it.
Will this interact with anything else I take?
Why ask it
Bring the actual bottles or a photo of your list, including supplements and anything prescribed elsewhere. Interaction checks only work against a complete record, which yours may not be.
How will we know this is working, and by when?
Why ask it
A defined checkpoint stops a treatment from continuing on autopilot. Ask what specifically should be different, and what to do if it is not.
Who looks at my results, and how will I hear about them?
Why ask it
Practices differ on whether normal results get a call at all. Ask what happens if you hear nothing, and by what date you should chase it, because results do occasionally sit unreviewed.
Can you prescribe what I need, or does part of this go through a physician?
Why ask it
Prescribing authority for PAs varies by state, particularly for controlled substances. Asking upfront avoids a delay at the pharmacy or a second appointment you did not budget for.
What should make me come back sooner than planned?
Why ask it
Ask for the specific symptoms that apply to your case and write them down. A general instruction to return if things get worse is not something you can act on at 11pm.
Do I need to see a specialist, and who arranges that?
Why ask it
Referrals stall when nobody owns the next step. Ask who sends it, how long it usually takes, and what to do if you have not heard back.
What will this cost, and is there a less expensive version?
Why ask it
Clinicians often do not know prices unless asked, but they can usually name a generic, an older drug, or a test that can be deferred. Cost is a treatable part of the plan.
How do I get a question answered between visits?
Why ask it
Portal messages, nurse lines, and after-hours coverage all work differently, and response times vary. Establish the route while you are still in the room.
Can I get a copy of today's notes?
Why ask it
Reading the visit summary catches errors in your history and medication list, which propagate quietly once they are in the record. You are entitled to it, and asking is routine.
If this doesn't resolve, what's the next step?
Why ask it
Knowing the plan beyond the current one, whether that is imaging, a specialist, or a different medication, gives you something to act on rather than starting over at the next appointment.
Working with a physician assistant
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
What the role involves
Physician assistants complete a graduate-level medical program, pass a national certifying exam, and hold a state license. They examine patients, diagnose, order and interpret tests, prescribe, and manage ongoing conditions. What varies is the arrangement with the supervising or collaborating physician, which is set by state law and by the individual practice. If you want to know how much of your care is being decided by the person in front of you, that is a reasonable question to ask directly and it will not offend anyone.
Before the appointment
- Bring a current medication list with doses, including supplements and anything prescribed by another practice.
- Write down your three main concerns in priority order. Visits often end before the third one comes up.
- Note when symptoms started, what makes them better or worse, and anything you have already tried.
- If you were referred, check that records and imaging actually arrived. They frequently have not.
During the visit
- Say your main concern in the first minute rather than saving it for the end.
- Repeat the plan back in your own words before you leave. Misunderstandings surface immediately when you do this.
- Ask them to write down drug names, doses, and any number you are supposed to watch.
- If you are not comfortable with the plan, say that in the room. It is far easier to revise there than by phone afterward.
When you want a physician's opinion
- Asking to see a doctor is a normal request, not an insult, and staff handle it regularly.
- Say why: an unclear diagnosis, a treatment that has not worked, or a decision that feels large. A reason makes scheduling easier.
- For anything surgical or rare, ask whether the case has been reviewed with the collaborating physician.
- A second opinion elsewhere is always available to you, and you can request your records to take along.