Physician Assistants (PAs) have become a valuable and essential part of the health care team. While working under the supervision of a physician, PAs provide diagnostic, therapeutic, preventative and health maintenance services. They work primarily as primary care providers but are not limited to this area. They can work in any specialty and are trained to handle medical emergencies. They can also serve as first or second assistants in surgery, and provide both pre- and post-operative care. Physician assistants can relieve physicians of several general duties including taking medical histories, ordering and analyzing lab tests, while maintaining the same quality of care for all the patients.