How To Become A Physician Assistant In 7 Years Or Less

14 February 2024

how long does it take to become a physician assistant

The title “physician assistant” may evoke images of someone whose job it is to run professional errands for doctors to someone with little knowledge of the health sector. Physician assistants (PAs), however, are highly skilled individuals who are authorized to diagnose, track, and provide medication to patients.

Though the responsibilities of PAs and doctors frequently overlap, the degree of autonomy that each enjoys at work varies. Although PAs normally require a doctor’s supervision to treat patients, doctors are legally permitted to practice independently.

There are other options for pursuing an advanced career in healthcare besides attending medical school or nursing school, as evidenced by the growing demand for PAs.

This article covers the steps involved in becoming a physician assistant, as well as typical specializations, salary ranges, and employment prospects for this field.

How Long Does It Take To Become A Physician Assistant?

Are you interested in becoming a physician assistant? Do you know how to become a pa? Are you wondering how long does it take to become a pa? Did you just google “What bachelor degree do I need for physician assistant?” This article will explain everything to you in detail.

Who Is A Physician Assistant?

Physician assistants, or PAs for short, are certified medical professionals who assist doctors in delivering care. They provide care as well as keep an eye on the health of patients alongside doctors.

While some states permit physician assistants to operate autonomously, the majority mandate that they remain under the direct supervision of physicians. PAs perform physical examinations, write prescriptions for medication, and administer tests. Additional duties for PAs are as follows:

Obtaining the medical histories of patients
Placing as well as evaluating diagnostic test orders
Assisting with medical operations
Directing patients to appropriate experts
Creating therapy programs
Offering patients preventive care advice
Track the advancement of your patients.
Carrying out clinical research

Physician assistants are employed in a variety of locations, including surgery rooms, outpatient clinics, hospitals, and doctor’s offices. In addition to working in medical settings, PAs are employed by military institutions, sports teams, and educational institutions.

The majority of PAs have full-time jobs with flexible schedules that sometimes include weekends and holidays. Similar to physicians, they might have to work long shifts on short notice and be on call. PAs should be physically fit and have strong interpersonal skills because spending hours interacting with patients and coworkers can get tiresome.

How To Become A Physician Assistant?

Here are the steps to take before you can become a physician assistant.

Get Your Bachelor’s Degree

Getting a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university is the prerequisite for working as a physician assistant. Applications from a variety of backgrounds are usually accepted into PA programs, but a science-focused major is advised as it will enable you to apply undergraduate credits toward your PA requirements.

Acquire Patient Care Or Healthcare Experience (PCE) (HCE)

Prior to applying to graduate school, prospective physician associates (PAs) are advised by the American Academy of Physician Associates to obtain experience in healthcare or patient care. HCE describes employment, whether paid or unpaid, in which you may still interact with patients but are not directly in charge of their care. PCE, on the other hand, necessitates direct patient treatment.

At least 1,000 HCE or PCE hours are needed for most PA programs, and these hours are normally obtained after working in the health industry for about a year. A medical technician, paramedic, surgical assistant, dental assistant, hospice worker, physical therapy assistant, and phlebotomist are among the positions that satisfy the need for clinical experience.

Enroll In A PA Program With Accreditation

You can acquire the advanced knowledge required to pass the national certification exam and start working as a physician assistant by enrolling in a PA graduate program. Clinical anatomy, clinical therapeutics, histology, as well as medical principles are among the subjects covered in a PA program. Additionally, you might participate in clinical rotations or clerkships, which entail observing certified PAs.

For those who cannot attend in person, several colleges offer online PA programs. Concentrations are a common feature of these PA programs, enabling students to customize their degrees to meet their professional objectives. Moreover, geriatrics, family medicine, women’s health, pediatrics, psychiatry, and general internal medicine are among the common specialties of PAs.

Through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA), students can submit their admissions applications. PA applicants must submit HCE and PCE records, college transcripts, recommendation letters, resumes, and personal statements to CASPA.

Before applying, make sure the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has approved the program of your choice.

Obtain Certification

Graduates from ARC-PA-accredited programs are eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is responsible for administering the exam.

The PANCE is a five-hour multiple-choice test designed to evaluate candidates’ knowledge of medicine and surgery. To obtain a PA license in any state in the United States, one must pass the PANCE. States may have different requirements for other particular licenses.

How Long Does It Take To Become A Physician Assistant?

Usually, it takes at least seven years to finish all of the steps above. You will need four years to complete your undergraduate studies, followed by a year to obtain experience in healthcare and two years to finish a PA program. If you need more time to study for and pass the PANCE, or if you want to gain experience when moving from undergrad and grad school, then the path to becoming a PA may take longer.

Salary Of A Physician Assistant

As of May 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the median annual salary for physician assistants was $126,010. The industry, degree of experience, and place of residence all affect an individual’s compensation.

Certain regions of the United States, such as Connecticut, New York, North Carolina, Nebraska, and Montana, have the highest concentrations of physician assistant jobs, putting them in great demand. According to BLS projections, employment for these professionals will grow by 28% between 2021 and 2031, which is nearly six times the projected growth rate for all U.S. jobs and three times the projected job growth rate for other health practitioners nationwide.

Specializations

Similar to nurses and clinicians, physician assistants can choose to specialize in different areas of healthcare based on their areas of interest as well as strengths. Moreover, the types of patients PAs work with, as well as the range of salaries they can earn, depend largely on their specializations.

The majority of PA programs provide elective courses and some mandate that students finish supervised clinical practice across several specializations. Before starting graduate school, we advise you to select your PA specialization so that you can enroll in a program that offers comprehensive instruction in your field of interest.

Here are some typical specializations for PA professionals and students.

Emergency Practice

In this specialization, PA aspirants learn how to assess, stabilize, and treat patients with life-threatening conditions. Students specializing in emergency medicine also gain skills for collaborating with urgent care teams and for presenting cases to physicians.

Pregnancy And Gynecology

PA students who choose this concentration will graduate with a thorough understanding of childbirth, midwifery, and the female reproductive system as a whole. They get training in giving women prenatal and postpartum care as well as family planning counseling.

Pediatrics

By providing ambulatory care for infants and children, pediatric PAs assist pediatricians. Students specializing in the pediatrician field gain the ability to assess typical pediatric issues, provide prophylactic care, and explain treatment regimens to patients’ guardians.

Surgery

PA students can assess and oversee surgical patients through the surgery specialization. They gain knowledge on how to care for surgical patients both before and after surgery.

Mental Wellness

The treatment and support of patients dealing with mental health issues is the main focus of this specialization. Students in this specialty gain knowledge on how to perform mental assessments, track patients’ progress, as well as recommend individuals to behavioral health professionals.

Certifications

Furthering your experience, profile, as well as career certifications helps you gain credibility. Here are a few you can check out.

PA-C

The primary certification for PAs is the Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) credential, for which you must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination. Three hundred multiple-choice questions, given in five blocks of sixty questions each, make up the five-hour PANCE exam. Between sessions, candidates can take 45-minute breaks.

Those who wish to take the PANCE must complete a program approved by the ARC-PA before taking it. Potential PAs have 180 days from the date of graduation to apply for the exam; however, they can only take the test beginning seven days later. After submitting an application and paying a $550 fee, NCCPA will email you an acknowledgment along with more details.

Additional Qualifications

NCCPA provides optional credentials for ten PA specialties in addition to the PA-C:

Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
Dermatology
Emergency medicine
Hospital medicine
Nephrology
Orthopedic surgery
Pediatrics
Palliative medicine and hospice care
Psychiatry
Obstetrics and Gynecology

These qualifications are known as certificates of additional qualifications, or CAQs. They give PAs credit for their specialized knowledge.

Professional Organizations

While it’s not necessary, becoming a member of a professional organization can help PAs become more credible and open up more career development opportunities. The two professional associations that were established to aid physician assistants are highlighted below.

The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) is the preeminent national organization for PA professionals. It was established in 1968. It encompasses more than 168,000 PAs in each of the 50 US states. The AAPA gives its members the tools they need to grow professionally and enhance patient care.

Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) is the national organization for PA education. It helps academic programs attract and hold onto talented faculty members and PA students. Additionally, it offers a range of study resources for PA certifications.

Wrapping Up

Additional motivations to become a physician assistant include demand, high pay, work-life balance, autonomy, and job security. If you have the desire and passion to become a PA, then the amount of time it takes is unimportant. Your clinical experience and self-assurance will enable you to lead health care forward and improve patient health and well-being with the Physician Assistant Studies Program.

If you have thoughts to share or questions to ask how long does it take to become a physician assistant, then please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!

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Career Development Plan: What Is It And How To Create One?

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The next step to consider when you are creating your career development plan is what your career goal is. Basically, it is what you want to accomplish with the plan. This will give you a sense of purpose and direction. Additionally, when you break down your goals into smaller objectives, it will be easier for you to accomplish them. Moreover, ensure your goals follow the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) framework. Furthermore, it would help if you also break down your goals into long-term and short-term goals. Here, long-term goals are the ones that you will achieve in the next five to ten years. On the other hand, short-term goals are the ones that you can achieve in one or two years or a few months. 3. Determine Your Current Skills You know what skills you have or what you are good at. Hence, once you determine your current skills, you can find out what skills you lack but are important if you want to achieve your goals. 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Do you have more suggestions on creating a plan for a successful career? Please share your ideas and opinions in the comments section below. Read Also: The Secret To Finding A Career That You’ll Actually Love How To Tailor Your Resume To Get That Dream Job? How Do I Qualify for High Paying Remote Jobs?

Finding Your Path in Life: 5 Ways to Determine What You Want to Do in Life

Too many people plan their lives out according to someone else’s dream. They make decisions based on what they ‘should’ do instead of what they ‘want to do’, and end up chasing money, convenience, and easy options. But trying to determine what you want to do in life is far from simple. These are five ways to solve the puzzle and determine what you want to do, and once you know, give yourself a competitive edge and download free of charge resumes from LiveCareer. Put Yourself First: One of the biggest reasons why we overlook what we actually want to do is because we feel like we have to do something for other people. Put yourself first for a change. Ignore what your parents want you to do, or your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife wants you to do and think about what you would be doing if none of them were in the equation. Think About Where You Want to Be in Five Years: It sounds like a cliché interview question, but spending some time thinking about your medium and long-term goals will help shed light on what you want to do with your life. It doesn’t matter if you actually end up there in five-years-time (you probably won’t), but as a thought exercise, thinking about where you want to be can help you discover what is important to you. Find the Common Thread in Your Experiences: Looking backwards can help you moving forwards. Look back through your previous work and personal experiences. What skills have been a common thread? Are there any recurring themes? Job titles, salaries, and companies can all change, but ultimately your career will be defined by your skills. Realizing what those skills are and how to apply them to your career to provide meaning is most of the battle. Establish What You Don’t Want to Do: Sometimes you may not know what you want, but you have a strong idea of what you don’t want. This is a good starting point and can help you work out how to avoid paths that definitely don’t appeal to you. Establish what you don’t want and be specific. Don’t simply assert that you don’t like working in an office. Be more specific. Working in the Google office is not the same as working in an accountancy office, for example. What aspect of office life doesn’t appeal to you? The inflexible hours? Micromanagers? Pointless job titles? All of these can be part of the office life but don’t have to be. Run with Side Projects: Do you have a side project that you have wanted to embark on for a while but have never found the time? Then make time! Side projects are an exceptional method of exploring new possibilities and hobbies. All it takes is the right side project and a huge injection of passion, and before you know it, you could have just discovered your next career. Finding what you want to do in life is as much about sparking your curiosity, igniting your passion, and discovering your interests as it is about choosing a job. There will be obstacles, both internal and external, but finding things you want to pursue, skills you want to learn, and places you want to be in the medium to long-term future are all important steps on the path of finding what it is you want to do in life. Read Also: How To Start Your Career As A Financial Advisor? Top Things To Know Before Entering A Medical Career

Great Benefits Of Working Abroad

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Working abroad exposes you to different business practices, management styles, and corporate cultures, providing a unique learning environment that can significantly sharpen your professional acumen. It offers a platform to showcase your adaptability, resourcefulness, and resilience – traits that are highly prized in today’s ever-evolving job market. Top Benefits Some of the benefits you can expect from an international experience are: 1. Professional Growth: Delving into the diverse terrains of international markets and business practices through working abroad serves as a catalyst for significant enhancement in your professional aptitude and expertise. It gifts you a global vantage point, invaluable in navigating today’s highly interconnected professional landscape, and cultivates a comprehensive understanding of varied business methodologies. 2. Networking Opportunities: The international work arena opens doors to an expanse of networking possibilities, enabling you to forge connections with professionals spanning different corners of the globe. These relationships become integral assets, potentially unlocking doors to future career advancements, collaborations, and insights into global trends. Networking with people from all across the world truely gives you a heads up for your career. 3. Cultural Exposure: Immersing yourself in a new country transcends the ordinary, offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance to dive deep into unfamiliar customs, traditions, and societal norms. This exposure significantly widens your cultural horizon, enriching your life with diverse perspectives and understanding. And let’s admit it, who doesn’t enjoy a bit of popularity? 4. Personal Development: Navigating the challenges of adapting to an entirely new environment cultivates a robust sense of resilience, fosters a newfound sense of independence, and hones your problem-solving skills. It’s a transformative journey that propels you towards self-discovery and substantial personal growth. When it comes to moving abroad, both good and bad experiences develop your personality significantly. 5. Increased Adaptability: The experience of integrating into a different cultural milieu inherently cultivates an enhanced level of flexibility and a capacity to gracefully adapt to fluctuating circumstances and unfamiliar situations, skills that are indispensable in both your personal life and professional career. Moving out of your comfort zone eventually teaches you a lot about adaptability. So, you don’t have anything to worry about! 6. Get Global Perspective: Acquiring a deep understanding of the nuances of international markets and the intricacies of global issues stands as a highly prized asset in the contemporary world. Working abroad is undeniably one of the most effective strategies to cultivate this global perspective. 7. More Quality of Life: The geographical shift often brings with it potential enhancements in your quality of life. This could manifest in a more balanced work-life dynamic, a more serene and relaxed daily lifestyle, or even access to superior healthcare and educational facilities, depending on your destination country. 8. Enhanced Resume: A stint of international work experience is a remarkable addition to your professional portfolio. This thereby illustrates your capability to thrive in diverse environments and collaborate effectively with individuals from various cultural backgrounds. At the time of any job recruitment, you have a higher chance of selection when the recruiter looks at your diverse, thriving regions. 9. Access to International Resources: Being stationed in a foreign country can provide unparalleled access to unique resources and specialized knowledge. Some of them might be scarce or completely unavailable in your home country, further broadening your professional and personal horizons. So, make sure to consider this factor once before you move out of your hometown. Because trust me, international resources can heighten your skills significantly! 10. Learning More About Yourself: The adventure of working abroad serves as a mirror, reflecting profound insights about your own values, beliefs, and personal capabilities. It encourages a journey inward, promoting introspective thought and catalyzing a process of continuous personal development and self-realization. Summing It All… Embarking on a journey to work abroad brings with it a treasure trove of advantages. It ultimately presents numerous avenues for both personal development and career advancement. Moreover, it affords individuals the unique opportunity to fully immerse themselves in entirely new and diverse cultures. Thereby providing a holistic global perspective that is invaluable in today’s interconnected world. This immersion in different ways of life not only broadens one’s horizons but also nurtures essential skills. A few of them are adaptability, open-mindedness, and the ability to communicate effectively in varied multicultural environments. Working internationally, particularly for a US-based company or directly with the US government, presents a unique set of circumstances. Both necessitate careful consideration and preparation. Conclusion It’s imperative to ensure that you are fully covered and entitled to all the necessary benefits. Furthermore, they will facilitate a smooth and enjoyable experience while living and working abroad. This includes having a comprehensive understanding of your legal rights and entitlements as an overseas employee. In such cases, seeking guidance from a DBA (Defense Base Act) employment lawyer can prove to be invaluable. These legal professionals specialize in navigating the complexities of working under US jurisdiction in foreign territories. Thereby ensuring that you are well-informed and adequately prepared for your international assignment. They can provide crucial advice as well as assistance. It ultimately helps to demystify the legal landscape and ensure that you are fully aware of your rights and entitlements. Read Also: Living In Kuwait: A Guide For Indians Planning To Work Abroad Everything You Need To Know About A Post Office And Its Services How Do You Absorb a Foreign Culture? Live and Work There

How To Become A Physician Assistant In 7 Years Or Less