As an orthopaedic physician assistant, your job is to assist patients with exams and orthopaedic care. In this role, you may support an orthopaedic surgeon during surgeries, use tests to help determine what care a patient needs, and treat minor ailments that may occur after surgery. Orthopaedic physician assistants may be asked to work nights, weekends, or holidays to provide care for patients in the operating room (OR) or orthopaedic clinic, so the ability to adjust your schedule is essential to this role. You must be able to empathize with patients and provide emotional support before, during, and after treatments. In rare cases, you may help provide emergency treatment for patients who have suffered trauma that requires orthopaedic care.