In the process of learning how to become a Physician Assistant (PA), I have also found that many people have specific questions about PA programs. PA programs are generally 24-month, intensive courses of study that require your full attention if they are to be completed successfully. In fact, many have policies that disallow outside employment after the first two semesters. Most educational institutions operate under the assumption that adult students are highly motivated, experienced, and have matured enough to handle the rigors of the PA program. Therefore, their focus is in preparing the student to function successfully as a primary care provider in a variety of settings, while instilling the values needed to solve problems, think logically, and make sound judgments—committing themselves to life-long learning.
That is why program leaders, faculty and preceptors (sponsoring physician, MD or DO) believe that they serve as catalysts in the learning process and that clinical knowledge and skill development is ultimately, the responsibility of each student. Likewise, ethical behavior should also be the foundation of any legitimate program and it should be modeled in a professional environment where caring, compassion and respect abound. Accountability and social responsibility are also factors to be considered when selecting a physician assistant program. A vital part of the accountability process is to find a suitable preceptor and follow the rules, always striving to be the best you can, while exceeding expectations.
Most physician assistant programs are not only focused on educating their students to succeed in their program and make a life-changing impact within the profession, they are socially conscious and desire to serve the underserved. To this end, they advocate these principles. The University of North Dakota Physician Assistant Program’s mission statement states that, “the goal is to improve access to healthcare, help alleviate shortages of primary care providers and deliver comprehensive, affordable health care services to the people of rural and or underserved populations.”
Granted, North Dakota may be abundant with this population; however, this is an emphasis of the majority of programs throughout the US. The key to finding the appropriate setting where you can showcase your talents and demonstrate your skills will be contingent upon finding the right preceptor who believes in the value that a physician assistant can provide to the medical profession and potentially their respective practice.
As you begin the process of identifying potential physician assistant programs that you are eligible to apply for, the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) is one of the most helpful resources you will find. It has established a uniform method of submitting your credentials for consideration by program evaluators. You will also discover that there are many noted commonalities between physician assistant programs in the US and all but one have linked with the CASPA system. They are Master’s degree programs and most have been training students for at least 10 years, with some for at least 30 years.
Lasting a minimum of 24 months in duration, these programs require at least a 3.0 GPA in all top level science courses and all but one of them are associated with top medical schools. Likewise, they all have first time pass rates for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) above 97% and can cost anywhere from $15,000-$100,000 (US) or more. PA programs can include two or more years of didactic (classroom) training where knowledge is acquired and a year or more of clinical rotation where skills are developed through experience.
The list of prerequisites for entry into your specific program may include, but not be limited to:
- General or Cell Biology with Lab (minimum of 2 semester or 3 quarter courses)
- Organic or Inorganic Chemistry with Lab (minimum of 2 semester or 3 quarter courses)
- Microbiology with Lab (one course with lab)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology (minimum of 2 semester or 3 quarter courses)
- General or Development Psychology (one course)
- Advanced Math (one course, providing that it is not a business statistics course)
- Additional Highly Recommended Prerequisite Courses
- Genetics
- Statistics (research-focused)
- Pharmacology
- Pathophysiology
- Embryology
- Immunology
- Biochemistry
- Epidemiology
- Medical Terminology
- Along with other upper division natural science coursework
Typically, these courses must have been completed (B or better) within the previous five to 10 years for consideration within a respective physician assistant program, depending upon their specific criteria. The challenge for most people is that these prerequisites are only one of many requirements. There is also a list of personal and professional criteria that is used to evaluate each applicant with only a 7.5-15% acceptance rate, depending on the selection criteria of the program. As you can see, this is a highly competitive field and if you are to succeed, you must be in the top percentile.
The purpose of establishing and maintaining such strict standards is to ensure the integrity of the PA, while promoting the success of the student. Leaders engaged in safeguarding the quality of the physician assistant profession are very involved with screening prospective entrants into the profession and making sure they have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for the establishment of a successful physician assistant practice.
Most universities have adopted these fundamental criteria to establish their competencies as outcomes of student learning at the completion of the graduate program. They are a universal approach to physician assistant program development and include medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, patient care, professionalism, practice-based learning and improvement, along with the implementation of a systems-based practice.
Above all, the best way to discover more about a specific physician assistant program is to contact that university directly and get to know the right people within your respective department. Building successful relationships with key decision-makers will demonstrate that you have the skills to succeed within their program and beyond. It’s not enough to acquire the knowledge, yet not know how to adapt it to your situation and constructively apply it. Some of the top physician assistant programs in the US include:
Duke University
103 Allen Bldg.,
Durham, North Carolina 27708
(919) 684-2813
University of Iowa
101 Jessup Hall,
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
(319) 335-3500
Baylor College of Medicine
Physician Assistant Program
One Baylor Plaza,
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 798-4951
University of Utah
201 Presidents Circle,
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
(801) 581-7200
Northeastern University
360 Huntington Ave.,
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
(617) 373-2000
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York 11794
(631) 632-6000
University of Oklahoma
Health Sciences Center
900 N.E. 10th Street
Oklahoma, OK 73104
(405) 271-4351
Emory University
408 Administration Bldg.,
201 Dowman Dr.,
Atlanta, Georgia 30322
(404) 727-6123
George Washington University
2121 I St. NW,
Washington, District of Columbia 20052
(202) 994-1000
University of Washington – Seattle
1400 NE Campus Pkwy.,
Seattle, Washington 98195
(206) 543-2100
Oregon Health and Science University
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd.,
Portland, Oregon 97239
(503) 494-7800
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
65 Bergen St., Room 1441,
Newark, New Jersey 07101
(973) 972-4300
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.,
Dallas, Texas 75390
(214) 648-3606
Quinnipiac University
Mt Carmel Ave.,
Hamden, Connecticut 06518
(203) 582-8200
University of Colorado – Denver
Denver, Colorado 80217
(303) 556-5600
University of Nebraska Medical Center
987815 Nebraska Medical Ctr.,
Omaha, Nebraska 68198
(402) 559-3937
Saint Louis University
221 N. Grand Blvd.,
Saint Louis, Missouri 63103
(314) 977-2222
University of Florida
Tigert Hall,
Gainesville, Florida 32611
(352) 392-3261
University of Texas Medical Branch
301 University Blvd.,
Galveston, Texas 77555
(409) 772-1011
Saint Francis University
117 Evergreen Dr.,
Loretto, Pennsylvania 15940
(814) 472-3000
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
3333 Green Bay Rd.,
North Chicago, Illinois 60064
(847) 578-3000
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
7703 Floyd Curl Dr.,
San Antonio, Texas 78229
(210) 567-2621
Many of these top schools are also requiring their students to grasp social change concepts, while developing and implementing strategies that will enable them to transform their world. Granted, this may appear abstract to most, but this is the result of the transformative process that you are contemplating engaging in. For this reason, becoming a PA requires that you have the bigger picture in mind. Knowing this, it will help to shape your experience, while equipping you with the self-discipline and focus you need to continually define and develop the physician assistant profession.