Duke University (Durham, NC) University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA) Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia) George Washington University (Washington, DC)

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1 Saddleback College

2 Duke University (Durham, NC) University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA) Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia) George Washington University (Washington, DC) Oregon Health and Sciences University (Portland, OR) Quinnipiac University (Hamden, CT) University of Colorado (Aurora, CO) University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT) University of Nebraska Medical Center (Omaha, NE) Wake Forest University (Winston Salem, NC)

3 Getting pre-requisites and healthcare experience Attend an accredited PA program Become certified Obtain a state license Maintain your certification

4 The majority of PA programs have the following pre-requisites: Chemistry Physiology Anatomy Micro-Biology Biology Prior healthcare experience with hands-on patient care Medical assistant EMT or Paramedic Peace Corps volunteer Registered Nurse (RN) Emergency room or surgical technician Most students have a bachelor s degree and about three years of experience before entering a physicians assistant program. For a full list of school specific requirements please visit:

5 Prepare early Look into the programs you want to apply to as early as freshman year. You can access them through the Physician Assistant Education Association. Programs have very different requirements and cultures, and it s important to strategize early if you re planning to enter a program after your senior year in college. Keep up your GPA Get clinical experience Get involved in extra curricular activities Premedical club (or PA specific associations) Choose undergrad classes wisely Although classes such as medical terminology are not a requirement, you will think yourself for taking them as an undergrad Have a strong general chemistry background Consider taking anatomy, pathophysiology, and pharmacology to put yourself ahead of the competition Work in the summer Obtain as many patience contact hours as you can. Internships are great. Do research it will look great on your resume and impress graduate schools Consider becoming a medical or ER scribe Find mentors A good mentor will help guide you towards a good school. They might even write a letter of recommendation for you. Networking! Your mentor (depending on who they are) might be able to introduce you to people who will greatly increase your chances of getting into a top notch program. Network as much as possible, always.

6 As a PA student you will learn about: Anatomy Physiology Biochemistry Pharmacology Physical diagnosis Pathophysiology Microbiology Clinical lab science Behavioral science Medical ethics Also you must complete 2000 hours of clinical rotation, with an emphasis on primary care in ambulatory clinics, physician offices and acute or long-term care facilities Your rotations could include: Family medicine Internal medicine Obstetrics and gynecology Pediatrics General surgery Emergency medicine Psychiatry

7 Once you ve graduated from an accredited PA program, you re eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). If you pass the PANCE and maintain your certification, may use the title Physician Assistant-Certified or PA-C. Before you can practice, you need to get licensed in your state. All states require that PAs graduate from an accredited PA program and pass the PANCE. State licensing requirements:

8 To maintain national certification, you need to complete 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) credits every two years and take a recertification exam (the Physician Assistant National Recertifying Exam, or PANRE) every 10 years. New requirements for CME went into effect in Under the new certification maintenance process, there are two major changes: The recertification exam requirement is being extended from every six years to every 10 years. PAs will still have to earn 100 CME credits every two years, but two new categories have been added called self-assessment and performance improvement CME (PI-CME). Within the 50 credits required for Category 1, 20 of them will have to be earned via AAPA accredited self-assessment and/or PI-CME activities. See more at: 1DkcMdEF.dpuf

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11 The average PA school student is female The gender distribution of first-year students has started to stabilize after nearly a 20-year trend of a gradually increasing proportion of females: Female: 72.4% Male: 27.6% (mean) The majority of PA school applicants hold a baccalaureate degree. No academic degree: 8.1% Certificate: 0.2% Associates Degree: 2.6% Baccalaureate Degree: 70.5% Master s Degree: 6.6% Doctoral Degree: 0.9% The average PA school student has between a 3.36 and 3.47 overall GPA and an undergraduate science GPA between 3.36 and 3.47 The average undergraduate overall GPA for PA school applicants who WERE ACCEPTED into PA school was 3.49, undergraduate science GPA was 3.36 and non-science was The average GPA for students not accepted was What are your chances of being accepted into a PA school? If you apply to one PA program you have a 25% chance of getting in. If you apply to 12 PA programs (or more) you have a 49% acceptance rate.

12 Ability to practice medicine: Physician assistants have many of the same job responsibilities as a physician. In underserved areas, they can serve as your primary care provider in place of a doctor. Only two years of training: Compared to physicians, who face a minimum of seven years of training before they can practice and make an income, physician assistants typically go through a two-year training process after receiving their bachelor s degree. The first year consists of core classes, and the second year is filled with clinical rotations in several specialties. Additional training in a specialty is optional. Good income: After two years of school, physician assistants make a median of $93,000 a year. Abundant job opportunities: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2), job growth for physician assistants is expected to grow 30 percent between 2010 and This is one of the fastest growing careers today. Flexibility to move between specialties: Physician assistants can choose to work under physicians of all specialties, from primary care to surgery. Less administrative responsibilities than a physician: While most doctors are complaining about taking care of administrative duties instead of having more time to spend with patients, physician assistants do not have to worry about that. Little opportunity for advancement: Physician assistants don t have much room to move up in their field without further schooling. No autonomy: Physician assistants must always work under the supervision of a physician, and cannot make medical decisions without passing it by their supervisor. Lower pay than physicians: While physician assistants make a pretty sizable income, they earn significantly less than the physicians they work with. Benefits Drawbacks

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