how to become a dermatologist assistant

Last Updated on December 14, 2022

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how to become a dermatologist assistant

Becoming a dermatologist assistant requires first becoming a physician assistant (PA). Becoming a PA requires a master’s degree from an accredited institution and passing licensing exams.

As a precursor to the master’s, you must earn a bachelor’s degree.

In sequence, here is a typical career path for a dermatologist assistant:

Earn A Bachelor’s (BS) Degree

Students who aim to become a dermatologist assistant will generally concentrate on a healthcare-related bachelor’s of science degree. This is partly because the second degree they will need is a master’s of science.

To be most employable immediately after obtaining a bachelor’s, candidates will seek programs that offer specialized or practical education (such as an internship in healthcare).

A BS usually takes about four years for students who are able to attend a university full time. Some universities may offer special programs for students who plan to become PAs (similar to pre-med specialties).

Gain Practical Healthcare Experience

While not a required educational step, getting work experience in a healthcare field can help in admission to a master’s program, which is essential for becoming an accredited PA.

Most dermatologist assistants/PAs have work experience as registered nurses, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), or paramedics. Each of these specialties required licensing or certification, as well.

For example, all U.S. states require that prospective registered nurses (RNs) pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become RNs.

Earn A Master’s

After earning a BS, it will be necessary to earn a master’s degree to become a dermatologist assistant.

Master’s programs have differing criteria for accepting students, each year selecting candidates based on potential to complete the program and be successful after it. Two important criteria are often a BS and work experience (see above).

Prospective dermatologist assistants need to enter master’s programs accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

While it is technically voluntary for a program to be ARC-PA accredited, attending an ARC-PA accredited program is an eligibility requirement for taking the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination and for licensing in most states.

For this reason, it is important to make sure that any program chosen is ARC-PA accredited.

Lab Work

PA education includes lab work and classroom instruction. Subjects include anatomy, pathology, physiology, clinical medicine, pharmacology, diagnosis and medical ethics.

PA programs usually include hundreds of hours of supervised training. The focus for clinical training is usually family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine and pediatric medicine.

Master’s candidates often must ask themselves, whether the degree they seek, will be worth the investment of time and money. When it comes to getting a master’s degree in physician assistant studies, Forbes thinks it is, claiming the degree is the “No.1 Best Master’s Degree for Jobs.”

Gain The Credential

All states require PAs to earn their licenses. The national license is administered by Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

Maintain The Certification

PAs must also maintain their certification with continuing education and re-taking the recertification examination. To maintain certification, PAs (and thus dermatologist assistants) must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) every two years.

Passing the recertification examination is required every 10 years (prior to 2006, every six years). The CME cycle for maintaining certification offers some variance in requirements period-to-period so it is important to check the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), for current requirements.

Seek Specialized Internships And Education

While at present, there is no requirement for a dermatologist assistant certification, PAs wanting to specialize in this area should elect dermatology rotations and look for other opportunities to build their dermatology-specific resume.

Examples of specialized coursework in dermatology include pediatric dermatology, dermatologic pharmacology, pigmented lesions and cutaneous manifestations. Disorders studied include connective tissue, hair, nail, pigmentation and eczematous.

The Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA) offers ideas and assistance on specializing in dermatology as a physician assistant. This includes a resume posting / job search resource.

Additionally, the SDPA offers a distance learning initiative to help maintain accreditation. This resource is available to SDPA members with at least one year of clinical experience. It is not available to students seeking to enter the field.

Join A Dermatology-Oriented Practice

PAs work in many settings but dermatologist assistants mostly work in dermatology office settings.

Job opportunities can include positions in dermatology offices as well as medical spas (a fast growing type of medical practice).

dermatology assistant salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for physician assistants (a requirement to become a dermatologist assistant) was $104,860 in 2017.

Wages for dermatologist assistants may have both higher and lower variance. In some cases, pay may be slightly higher, due to specialization.

Conversely, in some cases, average wages may be lower because dermatologist assistants usually work in practices that do not require shift work, emergency and on-call hours.

Wages also vary by location.

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