One recommendation must be from a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner in order to be considered for admission. Admission to PA programs can be a very competitive process. The admissions interview provides applicants with the opportunity to explain their interest in the field and in the particular program for which he or she is applying.
Application considerations vary by program but may include standardized test scores, professional experience, background checks and more. Review the application requirements for your desired program carefully. At PCOM, standardized test scores are not required with the exception of English language testing for applicants whose native language is not English.
Applicants must have a minimum of hours of direct patient contact experience in volunteerism or employment in the healthcare industry in order to be considered for an interview and must complete a criminal background check prior to matriculation.
During PA school, you will experience a combination of classroom and clinical learning to help you prepare for a career as a physician assistant. At PCOM, students must successfully complete five consecutive terms 14 continuous months of classroom instruction before advancing to four consecutive terms 12 continuous months of clinical preceptorships in multiple medical disciplines. Following completion of preceptorships, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.
During the program, students will acquire the knowledge, interpersonal, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities required for PA practice.
PCOM has identified 18 program-defined expectations for students to meet prior to graduation. PA school can be challenging, but offers great rewards for those who persevere. Students may have to adapt to different teaching styles, different geographic locations, people of different cultures and values, but every experience and each challenge provides an opportunity to learn something new about themselves and serves to make them a better provider.
Upon passing the exam, PAs are issued their certification and can use the PA-C physician assistant-certified designation. PCOM students have exceeded the national first-time taker pass rate for the past five years. PAs work in private practice, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and other settings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for PAs is good with employment projected to grow much faster than average for all occupations from to The American Academy of PAs hosts a job board for physician assistants and many other job websites post openings for PAs.
PA jobs are also listed on the websites of hospitals and other healthcare providers. Most PAs work in physician offices and hospitals. This work can be physically demanding as PAs spend much of their time on their feet meeting with patients, assisting in surgery and completing other medical tasks. PAs may be required to work nights, weekends and holidays depending upon their place of employment and may also be on call. Physician assistants can find advanced career opportunities as supervisors, administrators, specialists, researchers or instructors.
Some may even move into related careers including physicians and nurse practitioners. PCOM's PA program provides a comprehensive academic and clinical medical education to prepare students for their professional roles as Physician Assistants.
Students may enroll at either our Suwanee, Georgia location , or our main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. References are relied upon to speak to your academic abilities and practical skill sets. Advanced placement will allow you to shorten the time it takes to become a physician assistant. Most programs will not substitute previous, practical experience for academic or practical requirements of the program.
Speak about your previous experience in the medical profession and your drive and perseverance. Expect to be evaluated in the following categories:. Most programs limit the entering class size to 25 students, so a strong interview performance is important. You can expect to spend two years in a physician assistant preparation program.
A combination of classroom and clinical experience will help prepare you for the career. Typical courses include:. Most of this coursework is completed during the first year of the program. Most programs will place you in general clinical rotations and allow students to select two elective areas.
Clinical skills will be learned in health care settings. Core areas include:. A fast growing job market is projected for physician assistants. You can expect a 37 percent increase in jobs between now and An aging population and an increased need for economical medical care options has contributed to an expanding role for physician assistants in the medical industry.
Specialization can increase your earning potential. PA salary varies by specialization. You can specialize by spending additional time in clinical experience, or by taking special courses that focus on a medical area.
A report released by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants indicated the relationship between specialization and expected compensation. Lowest paying specialties were adolescent medicine, pediatrics, gynecology and obstetrics and gynecology. She is the author and co-author of 12 books focusing on customer service, diversity and team building.
She serves as a consultant for business, industry and educational organizations. Work Careers Other Jobs. By Dr. Kelly S. Meier Updated March 08, These programs are rigorous and admission is highly competitive. Schools also require a combined critical reading and math SAT score of at least and a math score of , or a combined ACT score of 24 or higher. A second unique program is an online school.
In addition to the online coursework, many schools also require on-site classes with clinical training. Each program has individual requirements and accommodations. For instance, some work with those who are working while going to school and others discourage their students from working during the program.
The time commitment also varies from 12 months to 3 years. Some allow you to take up to four years or 5 years to finish the program. The length of a PA program can vary between 2 and 5 years, which begs the question, does a longer program guarantee higher success on the PANCE exam?
Not really. According to research by the Physician Assistant Education Association , those who attended a shorter program performed similarly on the PANCE to those who graduated from a longer program.. However, this delays entry into the PA profession, reducing the number of practicing physician assistants available to cover shortages of medical care.
Longer programs also increase physician assistant debt. Researchers from the Physician Assistant Education Association suggest that the growing need for physician assistants should be considered as educators plan the length of their future programs. The Association of American Medical Colleges announced in early they expect a shortage of nearly , doctors by since demand is growing faster than supply. An aging population, growing numbers who live with chronic disease, and long medical school programs all contribute to rising demand and short supply.
While rigorous, PA school is doable. Many students speak openly about the time crunch and the need for time management to fit everything into one day. For example, one student described being in school Monday through Friday from 8 a. To keep up, you may find yourself studying long into the night.
Be sure to find balance when creating successful study habits. For example, you may find it to be more effective to study more during the week and take off a block of time on the weekends.
Or it may be better for you to spread out studying over 7 days. The key is to find what works best for you and then stay on top of your schoolwork.
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