UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM BY CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIALISATION FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS

This review article explores the opportunities for specialization of physician assistants (PA) in various medical specialties in an international context. The profession of PA plays an increasingly important role in healthcare, especially in systems with limited resources. The specialization (residency) of these professionals allows for higher quality of medical care and more effective distribution of responsibilities in multidisciplinary teams. The main emphasis is placed on the system in the United States, where the opportunities for residency are best developed through accredited programs in areas such as cardiology, surgery and others. The United Kingdom and Germany are still developing the profession and its specialized areas. Australia is also taking steps in this direction, albeit with a limited scope. Bulgaria, compared to these countries, is taking the first steps in the establishment and qualification of these specialists. Through a comparative analysis, good practices and the potential for adapting successful models in different healthcare systems are outlined. The conclusions of the review emphasize the need for regulation, standardization, and investment in the education of physician assistants with the aim of their broader engagement and specialization in clinical practice, including with the aim of alleviating the healthcare workforce crisis in Bulgaria and Europe.