Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals

NOC

31303

provide primary health care in conjunction with physicians and other health professionals. This unit group includes physician assistants, midwives, genetic counsellors, orthoptists and pathologists' assistants.

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Full NOC Description

Physician assistants and midwives provide primary health care and treatment in conjunction with physicians and in collaboration with other health professionals. Physician assistants provide a range of health services to patients delivering preventive and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. Midwives provide full-course care to women and their babies during the pre- and post-natal period. This unit group also includes professionals such as genetic counsellors, orthoptists and pathologists' assistants, who work in collaboration with primary health occupations.

Main Duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Physician assistants

Conduct patient interviews, physical assessments and take medical histories

Perform or order diagnostic tests and interpret results

In consultation with a supervising physician, formulate and implement treatment plans and monitor patients' progress

Perform and assist in minor surgery

Provide health maintenance education

May participate in research activities

May prescribe from a limited list of medications.

Midwives

Provide primary, full-course, care to women and their babies during pregnancy, such as physical examinations, screening and diagnostic tests to monitor the health of mother and baby and make referrals to medical specialists as required

Manage labour and spontaneous normal deliveries

Care for, assess and monitor the health of newborns and refer infants to appropriate medical services as required

Provide advice and guidance regarding care for newborns and young infants.

Genetic counsellors

Provide information and support to families affected by or at risk of a genetic disorder

Gather and analyze family history and inheritance patterns, calculate risks of recurrence, and provide information about genetic testing and related procedures

Develop, implement or coordinate action plans and refer individuals and families to other health professionals

Design and conduct genetics training programs for other healthcare professionals or the general public

May conduct research in the field of medical genetics and genetic counselling.

Orthoptists

Work alongside ophthalmologists to diagnose and treat eye disorders by performing specialized eye tests to measure and assess defective binocular vision or abnormal eye movement in patients

Prescribe treatment such as eye exercises or patching regimens.

Pathologists' assistants

Prepare for autopsies by obtaining patients' medical records and arranging for radiographic examinations

Prepare, assist with or perform autopsies and surgical specimen examinations under pathologists' supervision

Assist with preparation of provisional autopsy report

Dissect, examine, weigh, photograph and X-ray organs and specimens, collect tissue samples for chemical analysis and record findings

Discard specimens according to established safety procedures

Clean and maintain instruments, equipment and supplies

Develop and maintain processes for laboratory quality control

May prepare bodies for release to funeral homes following completion of autopsies

May supervise and train junior resident pathologists and morgue attendants.

Also Known As

genetic counsellor
midwife
orthoptist
pathology assistant
physician assistant

Requirements

Employment Requirements

Physician assistants

Physician assistants require completion of a university degree in a physician assistant program.

Physician assistants require registration with a regulatory body in Manitoba and New Brunswick.

Midwives

Midwives require completion of an undergraduate university degree program in midwifery or its equivalent and a period of supervised practical training.

Registration with a regulatory body is required for midwives in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Genetic counsellors

Genetic counsellors usually require a master's degree in genetic counselling and the certification with the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC).

Orthoptists

A bachelor's degree and completion of a two-year accredited training program in orthoptics are required.

Certification with the Canadian Orthoptic Council is required.

Continuing education is required for recertification with the Canadian Orthoptic Council.

Pathologists' assistants

Pathologists' assistants usually require completion of a master's degree in a pathologists' assistant program.

Certification by the Canadian Certification Council of Pathologists' Assistants, the American Society for Clinical Pathology - Board of Certification, or Pathologists' Assistant Certification Examination is usually required by employers.

Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Pathologists, is voluntary, but may be required by some employers.

Provincial Regulation

Provincially Regulated: Yes

Regulation Body

Midwifery Council of New Brunswick

Employment by Sex

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Female

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Male

Employment by age

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15-24

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25-34

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35-44

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45-54

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55-64

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65+

Employment by highest level of education

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No Certificate, Diploma or Degree

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High School, Diploma or Equivalent

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Apprenticeship or Trades Certificate or Diploma

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College or University Below Bachelor Level

71.4%

University - Bachelor Level or Above

Employment by Industry

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71.4%

Health care and social assistance

N/A

28.6%

All Other Industries

Employment by Economic Regions

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Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Annual Average Salary by Economic Regions

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Economic Regions

Hourly Median Wages by Economic Regions

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Salary

The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.

Employment Outlook

The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).

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