Healthcare Practitioners
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Job description
Physician Assistants work under the supervision of Physicians. They may perform professional family medicine activities such as health assessments and physical examinations. They perform more professional activities in the presence of physicians (venous and arterial punctures, intubations, etc.). They work within the Canadian Armed Forces. Midwives provide a woman with the professional care and services required during pregnancy, labour, and delivery as well as during the first six weeks of the postpartum period. Orthoptists assist in the assessment and treatment of vision disorders. Pathology Assistants help with autopsies and surgical sampling. They may also perform autopsies under the supervision of a pathologist.
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Hazardous chemical
- Biological agents
- Odours
- Violence
Main tasks
Physician Assistants
- Discuss with patients, assess their physical health, and record their medical history.
- Perform or order diagnostic tests and interpret results.
- Develop and implement treatment plans and monitor patient progress.
- Vaccinate patients.
- Perform or participate in minor surgical procedures.
- Provide health maintenance education services.
- Participate in research activities as required.
Midwives
- Monitor and assess pregnancy, labour, delivery and, during the first six weeks, the postpartum period.
- Apply preventive measures and screen for abnormal conditions in the woman or her child.
- Practice spontaneous childbirth.
- Perform amniotomies, episiotomies and their repair as well as repair lacerations of the perineum.
- In case of emergency, perform the following procedures:
- Apply a suction cup.
- Practice breech delivery.
- Manually extract the placenta followed by manual uterine revision.
- Perform resuscitation of the woman or baby.
- Prescribe or administer medication.
- Prescribe, perform, or interpret tests and analyses.
- Advise and inform parents on various topics (role preparation, birth planning, preparation for childbirth, etc.).
- Advise and inform the public on perinatal health education. Orthoptists • Work with ophthalmologists to assess and treat visual disorders using specialized tests. • Measure and evaluate vision or eye movement defects. • Organize and implement nonsurgical treatment plans. Pathology Assistants • Prepare autopsies (obtain medical records, order X-rays, etc.). • Assist with autopsies and sample examinations, or perform them under the supervision of the pathologist. • Dissect, examine, weigh, and photograph organs and samples. • Analyze tissue samples and record results. • Destroy samples according to established procedures. • Clean and maintain instruments, equipment, and materials. • Prepare bodies to be sent to the funeral home after the autopsy. • Supervise and train interns and mortuary attendants.
Hourly wage
Not available.Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
All of Québec
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
All of Québec
Gender distribution
All of Québec
- 85.9% Female
- 14.1% Male
- 85.9% Female
- 14.1% Male
Job types
All of Québec
- Full time
- Part time
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- Non traditional for men
- None
All of Québec
- Non traditional for men
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
-
NAICS 621, 622, 62393% of jobs
-
NAICS 212% of jobs
-
NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 11522% of jobs
-
NAICS 6242% of jobs
-
NAICS 6242% of jobs
-
Others1% of jobs
All of Québec
-
NAICS 621, 622, 62393% of jobs
-
NAICS 212% of jobs
-
NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 11522% of jobs
-
NAICS 6242% of jobs
-
NAICS 6242% of jobs
-
Others1% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
College
DCS in techniques de diététique
Placement rate: 73.9%
22.5% of graduates pursue further studies
University
Nursing
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 90.6%
5.8% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 88.9%
7.2% of graduates pursue further studies
Also required
Physician Assistants
- University degree obtained in a Physician Assistant program.
Midwives
- Membership in the Ordre des sages-femmes du Québec (OSFQ [Quebec Order of Midwives]).
Sometimes required
- Training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is often required.
- Advanced Neonatal Resuscitation (ANR) program may be required or may be an asset.
- A Class 5 driver’s licence and vehicle may be required or an asset.
Midwives
- Training in obstetrical emergencies may be required or may be an asset.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Judgment and decision-making
- Critical thought
- Data collection
- Active listening
- Oral expression
- Social perception
- Information processing
- Result evaluation
- Reading comprehension
- Service oriented
- Coordination
- Active learning
- Teaching
- Written expression
- Solving complex problems
- Time management
- Negotiation
- Learning strategies
Abilities
- Deductive reasoning
- Oral comprehension
- Awareness of issues
- Verbal skills
- Inductive reasoning
- Speech recognition
- Perception speed
- Speech clarity
- Information processing speed
- Written comprehension
- Selective attention
- Written expression
- Information organization
- Near vision
- Processing flexibility
- Classification
- Hand-arm stability
Knowledge and attributes
- Capacity to establish and maintain interpersonal relations
- Autonomy
- Capacity to adapt
- Spoken and written bilingualism (French and English)
- Capacity to work in a team
- Rigour
- Tolerance to stress
- Respect standards and regulations
- Availability
- Capacity to facilitate a group
Interests
- Draft, communicate, and inform
- Assist and advise
- Teach or educate
- Assist or care for people
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Social
- People with this profile prefer to be in contact with others, in particular to entertain, help or teach them.
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
Official name of the NOC 31303
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
Job titles
- Midwives
- Physician assistant
- Orthoptist
- Pathologists' assistant
- Clinical orthoptist
- Chief orthoptist
Skill type
Health
Last update: January 29, 2026