Which statement about the physician-PA relationship is accurate?

• A. PAs operate completely independently of physicians.
• B. PA practice is entirely determined by state law and can be independent.
• C. PA must practice under the supervision of a licensed physician and is limited by state rules.
• D. PAs do not require supervision.

Answer: (C)

The relationship is defined by supervision and state regulation that determine what a PA can do. PAs do not practice completely independently; they work under the supervision of a licensed physician and operate within the scope limits set by state law and practice protocols. The supervising physician remains responsible for the PA’s patient care, and the tasks a PA can perform—diagnosing, ordering tests, treating, and prescribing—are constrained by that supervision and by state rules. Because supervision requirements and scope of practice vary by state and setting, the autonomy a PA has is real but not unlimited, existing within a collaborative framework rather than solo practice. This is why the statement that a PA must practice under physician supervision and be limited by state rules is the accurate description.