After about 20 minutes, a physician assistant (not a doctor) came to check us in.

The program has graduated more than 1,300 physician assistants since its opening.

The new law has programs to increase the number of primary care doctors, nurses and physician assistants in areas that need them.

Several are not doctors at all, but nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Physician assistants attend an accredited 2-year program after at least 2 years of college.

They often perform roles similar to those of physicians and physician assistants.

But hiring nurses or physician assistants may not add significantly to costs, others say.

Physician assistants have their own medical licenses and do not work under a physician's license.

Doctors usually pay physician assistants a fixed salary, ranging from $35,000 to $60,000 a year.

A particularly high rate of alumni are now involved in the medical field as doctors, nurses, physician assistants and other health care professionals.