Wednesday, November 28, 2001

Sanders joins Fayette Area Dermatology

Joan S. Sanders has joined the staff of Fayette Area Dermatology as a physician assistant.

Certified physician assistants are medical providers formally trained in primary care, graduating from one of more than 78 accredited academic medical-model training programs in the United States.

Sanders graduated from the Emory University physician assistant program last December with a master's degree in medical science. Prior to that, she received an undergraduate degree in business from Mercer University.

Upon entering the PA program, she received "medical model" schooling for 26 months. But her education does not stop there.

To remain nationally certified, she must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years, and pass a national recertification examination every six years.

While just under half of the 30,000 physician assistants nationwide remain in primary care, the rest can be found in every medical and surgical specialty, including dermatology.

Physician assistants have been practicing with dermatologists for 20 years, providing a wide variety of services, including diagnosis, prescription in most states, ordering and interpreting lab tests, wound suturing, and medical or surgical treatment of a wide variety of clinical pathology. As with all physician assistants, dermatology PAs are legally and ethically bound to practice only under supervision by their employing physicians.

Fayette Area Dermatology is at 1260 Ga. Highway 54, Suite 203, in Fayetteville. Call 770-460-8988 for more information.