A view that physician associates aren't the solution to problems in our health system

The Government is now regulating the profession, whose members can evaluate, diagnose and treat patients under doctor supervision.

Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director Sarah Dalton says there's nothing that a physician associate can do, that a doctor can't.

She says physician associates train in a two year post graduate programme.

Dalton says doctors have six years of education and two years of clinical placements.