Last Updated on July 30, 2023
Physician assistants (PA’s) work in just about every medical specialty you can imagine, from pediatrics and family medicine to surgery. Physician assistants are under the supervision of a licensed physician. They work closely with patients to provide care and treatment to individuals, families, and communities. There are many advantages to becoming a physician assistant, including job outlook, how much does a physician assistant make, and physician assistant salary.
To those of you looking for information on becoming a Physician Assistant, you’ve come to the right place as we provide the information you need. We will be providing information such as what does a physician assistant do and how to become a physician assistant.
If you are looking for How to Become a Physician Assistant [PA], Physician Assistant admission requirements, Physician Assistant education and Physician Assistant course, then you are on the right track.
About PA [Physician Assistant]
In its 2016 ranking of best health care jobs, U.S. News and World Report ranked physician assistant (PA) fourth in best health care jobs. A physician assistant in the United States, Canada and other select countries or physician associate in the United Kingdom (PA) is an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) who is educated in general medicine and trained to practice medicine. PAs may practice autonomously and independent of physicians or collaboratively with physicians depending on the legislation in the state or province in which the PA practices. In cases where PA collaboration is required, physicians do not need to be on-site with PAs and collaboration or supervision often occurs via electronic means when consults are necessary. The scope of practice of PA’s varies by jurisdiction and healthcare setting. Although the title of Physician Assistant in the United States and Canada consists of the word assistant, the role rarely involves assisting physicians. The profession is currently exploring a title change to better describe the modern role of PAs. The title Physician Associate or Associate Physician has been favoured by many in the profession, similar to the recent title change in the United Kingdom. Other advocates are also proposing other options such as the titles; Medical Practitioner, Medical Care Practitioner, Associate Medical Practitioner, Clinician, Praxician and Paraphysician.
In the United States and Canada physician assistants are nationally certified by their respective certifying body. Physician assistants complete their qualifications for certification in less time than a traditional medical degree by following an educational model based on the fast-tracked training of physicians during the shortage of providers during World War II.
what does a physician assistant do?
Working interdependently with physicians, PAs provide diagnostic and therapeutic patient care in virtually all medical specialties and settings. They take patient histories, perform physical examinations, order laboratory and diagnostic studies, prescribe medications, and develop patient treatment plans. Their job descriptions are as diverse as those of their supervising physicians, and include clinical practice, patient education, team leadership, medical education, health administration, and research.
Requirements to Become a PA
Because the word “assistant” is in the job title, it can be easy to assume that physicians assistants don’t need a whole lot of education. Maybe a two-year degree, right?
In most cases, a physician assistant will need a master’s degree from an accredited institution (two years of post-graduate education after completing a four-year degree). Essentially, you’re looking at six years of rigorous education in total to become a physician assistant.
Most applicants to PA education programs will not only have four years of education, they will also have at least a year of medical experience. Admission requirements will vary depending on the specific program, but you can expect to need two to four years of undergraduate course work with a specific focus on a related science.
For work experience, many people entering a PA program will have worked as a registered nurse, an EMT, or a paramedic.
Generally, there are five steps to becoming a PA:
- Complete your bachelor’s degree (a science or healthcare related major is usually best);
- Gain experience either working or volunteering in a healthcare setting;
- Apply to ARC-PA accredited programs;
- Complete a 2-3 year, master’s level program;
- Pass the PANCE licensing exam.
Physician Assistant Education
We briefly explored a physician assistant education path, but now we’d like to take a deeper look at this topic to help you understand the details of getting the right education to become a PA.
Step 1: Four-Year Science or Medical Degree
Almost all prospective physician assistants will have completed a four-year (bachelor’s) degree in a related science before entering a PA degree program. Technically, a prospective physician assistant can have a four-year undergraduate degree in any field, but you will be better served if you choose something that closely relates to medicine or science. Ensure your bachelor’s degree is regionally accredited in order to make your application to graduate school as seamless as possible.
Common undergraduate degrees for physician assistants include:
- Biology
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Nutrition
Step 2: Physician Assistant Program
You must ensure that your physician assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Asssistant (ARC-PA).
Most programs will take two to three years to complete. During your years of study, you will learn more detailed and focused information about health, medication, anatomy, and the health care industry. Throughout your classes, you will get both medical science and clinical experience, with courses covering diagnosis techniques, emergency medicine, pharmacology, and pathology, and well as many other topics.
Around the second year of studies, you will begin to focus on even more detailed topics, such as general surgery, gynecology, and behavioral medicine. Once you complete the physician assistant education, you should be well prepared to pass the licensing exam and become a full-fledged PA.
Online Physician Assistant Programs
One of the best options is to seek your education online. There are many top-notch online programs that can prepare you for this rewarding career, and most are built to fit the busy schedule of a working professional or single parent.
Admission requirements will vary depending on the specific program. However, you can expect the programs (at least the high-quality, ARC-PA accredited programs, which is what you should be seeking) to require at least a 2.75 GPA from previous studies, if not a 3.0.
Other admission requirements will include some or all of the following:
- Pre-requisite courses in General Chemistry I with lab, General Chemistry II with lab, Organic Chemistry with lab, Human Anatomy or Anatomy and Physiology I, Human Physiology or Anatomy & Physiology II, General Biology with lab, Biochemistry, Microbiology with lab, College Algebra or Statistics, Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Anthropology or Sociology, Medical Terminology
- Patient care experience gained via work or volunteer time as a CNA, EMT, CMA, medical technician, or in hospice care
- Shadowing of a physician assistant
- Community service
- GRE scores
- Admission essay
- In-person interview
- Letter(s) of recommendation from previous instructors or medical professionals
- Previous experience in the medical profession
- Basic life support certification
- Background check
- Drug screening
How To Become A Physician Assistant [PA]
1. Obtain a bachelor’s degree and complete common prerequisite courses.
Generally, it takes about four years to get a bachelor’s degree, but some future PAs take an additional year to ensure that PA school prerequisites are completed. Consider majoring in a science-based field; your required coursework will count towards PA school prereqs. Keep in mind there are some common classes like statistics, ethics, and physics that may be required by your PA program, but not required for your undergraduate degree. You may need to take some additional classes to fulfill these requirements.
2. Accrue healthcare and patient care experience hours (HCE/PCE).
All future PAs need healthcare experience. PA programs look for two types: healthcare experience (HCE) and patient care experience (PCE). Healthcare experience is work in which you are not directly responsible for a patient’s care; patient care experience is when you are directly responsible for a patient’s care1.
It’d be best to obtain these types of experiences as early as possible, but some future PAs have to take a “gap year” to accumulate the necessary hours. Usually, PA programs require at least 1,000 HCE or PCE hours. Every program is different, however, but minimum requirements can be found on PA schools’ websites, the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA), or in the Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs.
3. Apply.
Once you have your bachelor’s degree and have acquired a substantial amount of HCE/PCE, it’s time to start preparing your application. You’ll likely use CASPA to apply, and, among other things, you’ll need:
• Undergraduate/post-graduate transcripts. It’s important to obtain these early in the application process. Some undergraduate institutions charge for these and can take weeks to send to CASPA, so don’t let this delay your application.
• Letters of recommendation. Typically, these are from professors, supervisors, physicians, and, of course, PAs, acting as references. PA programs can gain insight into your character, work ethic, and overall intelligence and integrity.
• List of HCE/PCE. As noted above, you’ll have to differentiate between the different types of hours you have accumulated. CASPA will have you provide an accurate audit of all of your HCE/PCE. If you have questions regarding the type of experience you’ve had, be sure to check out the FAQ section on CASPA’s website.
• Personal statement. CASPA requires a 5,000-character essay highlighting why you have chosen to become a PA and why you should be considered for the PA program of your choice. This is your opportunity to tell your personal story and is one of the most important aspects of your application. Make sure to have friends, mentors, editors proofread your essay! Keep in mind that once you submit your essay you can no longer make any corrections, changes or adjustments!
4. Interview.
Once you submit your application to CASPA, the waiting begins. While you wait for your letter in the mail, email, or phone call from your top-choice PA program, it’s a good idea to start preparing for interviews. You can research interview tips online, reference guides, and ask your friends to help you with a mock interview.
Every PA school does candidate interviews differently, so your best bet is to contact the PA program and ask their typical interview style. If you’ve practiced, you should ace the interview and get accepted!
5. STUDY.
Now that you’re enrolled, it’s time to learn. Getting through PA school is no easy feat. Your time in PA school will be the toughest 23-27 months of your life. But it’s important to stay focused on your goal: becoming a PA. There will be times that you think about quitting and contemplate whether or not your sacrifices will be worth it, but don’t let stress get the best of you. Just keep studying, keep reading, and keep asking for help if you need it. Ultimately the faculty at your PA program will be as dedicated to your success as you are.
6. Pass the PANCE.
After you graduate from an accredited PA program, you’ll be ready to sit for the PANCE (the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam). The PANCE consists of 300 total questions. You are allotted five hours to complete five 60-question sections. (You are allowed 45 break minutes and 15 minutes to train on the software.)
It generally takes a few weeks to receive your PANCE results. You do have an opportunity to retake the exam if things don’t go your way the first time.
Passing the PANCE is the final step to becoming a PA. All that’s left to do is find a job and start practicing all that you learned in PA school. Being a PA is a rewarding profession that benefits many patients on a daily basis. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished.
Getting Licensed as a Physician Assistant
All candidates for physician assistant careers will need to complete the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, also called PANCE, which is administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. When you pass this exam, you can legally use the designation Physician Assistant-Certified, or “PA-C” for short.
To even be eligible for the exam, you will have to graduate from an accredited school. To take the test, you will have to submit an application and a $500 payment in advance. You may schedule the exam anytime within the 180 days after payment.
The examination will involve many different topics related to the profession. The test takes five hours to complete and includes 300 multiple-choice questions that are given in five blocks of 60 questions. You will also have an allotment of 45 minutes total for breaks during your testing.
You will have six years after completing schooling to pass the exam. During these six years, you may take the test up to six times if needed. If you take the test six times and fail, or if the six years after graduation is completed, you will be ineligible to take the test again. If this happens, you will have to complete an unabridged program all over again to become eligible. In other words, study hard, focus during your studies, and learn as much as possible so you pass the test quickly.
In addition to the examination for licensing, state law requires you hold an agreement with a supervising physician. This agreement will include required collaboration between the assistant and the physician, although the doctor does not need to be working on site with the assistant at all times.
physician assistant salary
Average Salary of a Physician Assistant
Compensation rates for physician assistants vary by state, experience, specialty, and work context, but the national average salary of a physician assistant External link is $108,430, according to 2018 figures reported by the BLS. Connecticut has the highest annual average salary of $125,610. Physician assistants working in outpatient care centers have the highest annual salaries compared to PAs working in physician offices, general hospitals, and other health care settings.
Median Physician Assistant Salary by State
The median physician assistant salary varies from state to state External link , with some of the highest average PA salaries found in West Coast states, including Hawaii ($121,120) and California ($117,230).
There are job opportunities for physician assistants throughout the country; however, the highest location quotients are on the East Coast and in the Mountain states.
how many years to become a physician assistant?
To enroll in a physician assistant master’s program, you’ll need to have your bachelor’s degree, which is a four-year degree if you attend your educational program full-time. Most physician assistants take between seven and nine years to complete their training.
