Physician Assistant Education and Training
Becoming a physician assistant can be somewhat challenging but once the education and training is finished it’s a very rewarding career. All physician assistants are required to complete a uniform curriculum so that they are all similarly qualified to fulfill their duties. Here is a quick look at the details for physician assistant education and training.
A small percentage of people believe that physician assistants are actually want-to-be doctors who just couldn’t cut it in medical school. Of course, this isn’t true.
The physician assistant education and training is very challenging and is not to be taken lightly. Physician assistants are highly qualified and intelligent individuals. Those who become physician assistants chose that specific profession for personal reasons, they did not dream of becoming a doctor and settle for being a physician assistant.
Most people who enter a physician assistant program have some type of prior healthcare experience. Usually applicants to these programs have worked in nursing or as EMTs or paramedics. Also, a bachelor’s degree is usually required for a person to even be considered to enter a program to become a physician assistant.
Every physician assistant program in the United States is overseen by an independent organization. This organization is partially sponsored by the American Medical Association. Every physician assistant program must make sure they adhere to the guidelines set forth by this independent organization.
The first year of physician assistant education and training includes a student taking anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, physiology, pharmacology, and disease prevention. Students are required to complete classes that are lectures and that are labs.
The second year of physician assistant education and training includes mostly clinical training. This clinical training includes pediatrics, internal medicine, primary care medicine, impatient medicine, emergency medicine, geriatrics, gynecology, and psychiatry.
There are actually two different types of physician assistants. One is a physician assistant and the other is a physician assistant – C. Physician assistant – C is usually referred to as simply PA-C.
The “C” stands for “Certification”. It means the physician assistant has been certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physical Assistants (NCCPA). The NCCPA is an independent organization that’s separate from the normal organization that oversees physician assistants.
To qualify to be a PA-C a student must graduate from a college that is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, also known as the ARC-PA. The student must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam, also known as PANCE.
To continue to be a PA-C a physician assistant must log 100 extra hours of medical training every two years and pass the recertification exam every six years. A PA-C can also be recertified by putting together learning experience and a take home exam.
Becoming a physician assistant is not easy and should not be taken lightly. The physician assistant training and education is very challenging and produces great physician assistants who do many of the same things doctors do. Becoming a physician assistant is a noble and rewarding career choice.
Physician Assistant Schools
Not every physician assistant school is able to produce PA-Cs. In fact, the school has to be accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). And once the certification is given, the PA-C has to complete 100 extra hours of education every two years and pass a test to be recertified every six years.
Being a physician assistant is a great career to get into. It pays very well and it’s also very rewarding. But don’t think that it’s an easy career to get into. There is a great deal that must be learned and, therefore, the education and training is quite extensive. But there are many great physician assistant schools that will give you a solid education.
Like any other field of study, there are schools throughout the world that offer education and training to become a physician assistant.
In the United States there are many schools in each and every state that offer such an education. Some of these schools are also medical schools but they don’t have to be. In fact, some schools don’t train doctors at all but they do have a very good physician assistant program.
There are actually a couple different types of physician assistants that people can become. Therefore there are a couple different types of physician assistant schools. One type prepares people to become physician assistants (PA) while the other type prepares people to become physician assistant – certified (PA-C).
The PA-C is a more strenuous certification to gain. It means the person has met all the guidelines set forth by the National Commission on Certification of Physical Assistants (NCCPA). It also means the person has passed the necessary tests that are required by the NCCPA.
The first ever physician assistant school was formed at Duke University Medical School in North Carolina. The very first class was formed in 1965 and was made-up of naval medical personnel who had mostly served in the Viet Nam War. The actual program was based on the fast track programs for doctors that were used during World War II. To this day the program is still very similar.
While each and every physician assistant school has its own unique way of educating future PAs, they are all somewhat similar. This is because every PA program must meet national standards. However, each state licenses physician assistants. And each state allows PAs to perform different tasks. For example, 39 states allow PAs to prescribe medicine but the other 13 do not.
It generally takes about 25 months to complete a PA program. Usually in the first year future PAs will take courses such as anatomy, biology, physiology, biochemistry, and pathology. In the second year students concentrate more on clinical care in a variety of field including pediatrics, geriatrics, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and surgery.
A career as a physician assistant is a very rewarding experience. It’s a job that will always be in demand too, especially with the way the healthcare field is currently experiencing shortages as demand for care surges higher. There are many great physician assistant schools throughout the United States and the world. While all of these schools have to be very similar, they each have their own unique ways of doing some things which sets them apart from each other. These differences are what must be considered when choosing a physician assistant school.
