Meet Daniel Reyly, one of the Physician Assistants (PAs) working at the DGH Emergency Department.
PAs were first introduced in NS in 2019 through a pilot program in Orthopedic Surgery. With the success of those first PAs, Nova Scotia Health now employs more than 20 PAs across the province. They are an impactful part of the team. PAs are excellent at delivering high quality patient care and deal with a wide range of simple to complex conditions.
“If you come into the Emergency Department, you may get seen that day by one of the physician assistants. My process begins with a comprehensive review of a patient’s history and a physical exam. Working closely with my supervising physician, I help determine a diagnosis and a path forward. I am responsible for ordering diagnostic tests and medications, performing necessary bedside procedures, and coordinating with specialty consultants. I place a high priority on patient education and counseling throughout the treatment process.”
Dartmouth General Hospital is the only emergency department in the Central Zone to have PAs and is one of only four emergency departments with PAs in Nova Scotia. Having this valuable resource helps to decrease wait times and free up capacity for physicians – knowing that they have a PA collaborating with them allows them to redirect their attention as needed.
“I’ve always believed that it’s important when I meet a patient that I introduce myself and I introduce what a PA is, what my capabilities are, and how I’m going to help them. I’ve yet to have a patient here that has had anything but gratitude for us getting more medical providers into the healthcare system.”
Daniel is the first American PA in Nova Scotia, and currently part of the Interprofessional Practice and Learning Portfolio (IPPL) working to recruit new, experienced PAs in our
province as well as helping transition into practice the new graduates of Dalhousie University’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program. This is a career choice that Daniel doesn’t hesitate to recommend to those looking to enter the healthcare field.
“When I’m speaking to anyone who is considering a medical profession I say absolutely become a physician assistant. I would choose to do it all over again – I think it’s a great career path. The education side is more of an accelerated pathway, so you can start working right away and continue to learn from your supervising physician. It’s very satisfying to get that investment from your education in a fairly quick turnaround.”
As for being at Dartmouth General Hospital, Daniel has nothing but great things to say about the staff and the community.
“The best thing that everyone talked about at Dartmouth General is the staff and the culture. The group of doctors are great and have been very supportive. So have all the nurses and the paramedics and NPs as well. It’s challenging work and can be intense at times, but the staff working here are so accepting and have a great team approach.”
