The correct comparison of the educational requirements for doctors and physician assistants is:
Physician assistants require a lower degree because they act under the close supervision of a doctor.
To elaborate:
- Physician assistants (PAs) typically obtain a master's degree after completing a bachelor's degree and a number of prerequisite courses. Their education includes clinical training.
- Doctors, typically medical doctors (MDs) or doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs), require a bachelor's degree followed by four years of medical school, followed by a residency program, which can last from three to seven years, depending on the specialty.
PAs do perform certain medical procedures and can assist in surgeries under the supervision of a physician, but their overall role and education are indeed less extensive than that of doctors. They work in collaboration with physicians and have a different scope of practice.