MentorHow to Become a Physician Assistant in 7 Easy Steps?
A physician assistant is one of the most important careers in the medical industry. While we often talk about doctors and nurses, a physician assistant plays a vital role in diagnosing and treating patients.
The role is varied and diverse. They may meet with patients one-on-one in the morning and collaborate with a team of medical professionals in the afternoon. They may be involved in creating a treatment plan, and they may have a direct hand in administering medication.
By combining a wide variety of skills, PAs keep many hospitals and clinics moving in the right direction. They are well paid, have excellent job security, and work with people of all ages and from all walks of life.
Think you have what it takes to become one of the country’s leading physician assistants? Keep reading to learn more about this amazing career!
PAs combine a wide range of skills to keep many hospitals and clinics moving in the right path.
They are well paid, have good job security, and work with individuals of various ages and backgrounds.
Do you believe you have what it takes to become one of the country’s greatest physician assistants?
Requirements to Become a PA
how long to become a physician assistant? Because the job title includes the word “assistant,” it’s tempting to imagine that physician assistants don’t require much schooling. Isn’t it possible to get a two-year degree?
A master’s degree from an approved university is usually required of a physician assistant (two years of post-graduate education after completing a four-year degree).
To become a physician assistant, you’ll need to complete six years of hard schooling.
Most applicants to PA schools will have at least a year of medical experience in addition to their four years of school.
How Many Years Does it take to Become a PA?
To become a PA, necessitates a four-year college education, usually in a science or healthcare-related field.
An aspiring PA enrolls in a two- to three-year PA school after completing their bachelor’s degree.
They can choose to stop at this level.
However, a master’s degree from an approved university is usually required of a physician assistant (two years of post-graduate education after completing a four-year degree).
Generally, to become a physician assistant, you’ll need to complete six years of hard schooling.
How Much Does it Cost to go to Physician Assistant (PA) School?
With the high rate of undergraduate debt, especially for medical and PA school is on the high, it’s definitely time to move on to the next logical question:
How much is PA school a year?
The cost of PA school is rising, as it is for most college and graduate degree programs in the United States.
To know the cost, one year physician assistant program costs an average of $50,289 in public resident tuition.
For a 27-month physician assistant program, the average cost of public non-resident tuition is $88, 6777.
Non-resident tuition increased by 3.5 percent on average during the last five years, while resident tuition increased by 5.33 percent.
How Much do PA’s Make Right Out of School?
According to the most recent NCCPA data, certified PAs earned an average of $113,186 in 2020, with a median of $105,000.
Meanwhile, PAs in dermatology ($129,246) and critical care medicine ($125,522) earned the most money.
In the last six years, the average compensation for PAs has risen by 15.0 percent.
In 2020, family medicine PAs had a massive leap with an average of $105,286, emergency medicine PAs got $125,110, and orthopedic surgery PAs earned $122,477.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median compensation for PAs is $112,260, with the top 90% earning $157,120.
This is an increase of just under 4% from the previous year’s median income of $108,610.
In addition, most recent compensation report from the American Academy of PAs (AAPA), the median annual income for PAs has risen to $107,500.
This is an increase from the previous year’s AAPA pay report of $105,000.
According to the Melnic salary report for 2020, the average PA pay is $115,799. PAs that worked as first assistants earned an average of $130,000 per year.
Meanwhile, PAs who are paid by the hour rather than by the year earn an average of $60.00 per hour.
In addition to all these, most PAs receive extra non-salary benefits in addition to their base salary: Individual health, dental, and liability insurance are still covered benefits for most full-time PAs.
Should I Become a Physician Assistant?
To become a physician assistant, you need the right formal training and experience. However, there are certain traits and characteristics that will make you more successful and allow you to have a long, rewarding career.
First of all, you must be emotionally stable, as you will deal directly with illness, death, and high-stress situations. Maintaining a calm demeanor will help you get through the emotional rigors of a physician assistant career. You should also be detail oriented and work well with little to no instruction. However, you must also work well in groups, as you will need to collaborate with doctors, nurses, patients, patients’ families, surgeons, and medical professionals of all types.
Throughout your career, a strong sense of compassion will help you be the best physician assistant possible. You need to help solve people’s medical problems, and being able to listen with genuine kindness will help you clearly diagnose and treat patients. Add in a strong dose of problem solving and you have the makings for a world-class physician assistant.
How to Become a Physician Assistant in 7 Easy Steps
The path to becoming a PA is long and winding, but it will be well worth it once you get your white coat and are certified.
But how can you get started in this well-paid, flexible, and in-demand profession?
#1. Obtain a bachelor’s degree and complete common prerequisite courses.
A bachelor’s degree typically takes four years to finish, however some future PAs take an extra year to guarantee that all PA school qualifications are met.
Consider majoring in a science-related degree; the required curriculum will apply to PA school prerequisites.
Keep in mind that your PA program may need some common classes like statistics, ethics, and physics that are not required for your undergraduate degree.
To meet these requirements, you may need to take some more classes.
#2. Compile hours of healthcare and patient care experience (HCE/PCE).
All future PAs will need to have prior healthcare experience. Two types of experience are sought by PA programs: healthcare experience (HCE) and patient care experience (PCE) (PCE).
Patient care experience is when you are directly accountable for the care of a patient.
Healthcare experience is when you are not directly responsible for the care of a patient.
It’s best to have these kinds of experiences as soon as possible, but some future PAs will need to take a “gap year” to get the hours they need.
You can get health care experience by being a:
- Medical assistant
- Paramedic
- Medic
- Emergency medical technician
- Peace Corps Volunteer
- Registered Nurse
- Surgical Tech
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Typically, PA programs demand at least 1,000 hours of HCE or PCE. Although each program is unique, minimum criteria can be obtained on the websites of PA schools, the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA), or the Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs.
#3. Apply to Attend an Accredited PA Program
It’s time to start preparing your application once you have your bachelor’s degree and a significant quantity of HCE/PCE.
You’ll most likely apply through CASPA, and you’ll need the following items, among others:
- Undergraduate and post-graduate transcripts: It’s critical to have these as early as possible in the application process.
- Recommendation letters: These are typically references from professors, supervisors, physicians, and, of course, PAs. PA programs can provide information about your character, work ethic, intelligence, and honesty.
- A list of HCE/PCE candidates: As previously said, you’ll need to distinguish between the various types of hours you’ve accrued. You will be required to produce an accurate audit of all of your HCE/PCE to CASPA.
- Statement of purpose: CASPA requires a 5,000-word essay describing why you want to be a physician assistant and why you should be accepted for the PA program of your choice. One of the most significant components of your application is your opportunity to convey your personal story. Make sure your essay is proofread by friends, mentors, and editors! Keep in mind that once you’ve submitted your essay, you won’t be able to make any edits or edits!
#4. Prepare for an Interview
After you’ve submitted your application to CASPA, you’ll have to wait. It’s a good idea to start interview preparation while you wait for your letter in the mail, email, or phone call from your top-choice PA program.
You can look up interview techniques online, consult reference books, and enlist the help of friends to do a mock interview.
Because every PA school conducts candidate interviews differently, it’s wise to contact the PA program and inquire about their typical interview process.
If you’ve prepared well, you should be able to ace the interview and be approved!
#5. Start Preparing on Time
It’s time to start learning now that you’ve enrolled. It’s no simple task to get through PA school.
PA school will be the most difficult 23-27 months of your life. However, it’s critical to keep focused on your ultimate goal: becoming a PA.
There will be times when you consider quitting and question whether your sacrifices are worthwhile, but don’t allow stress get the best of you.
Simply keep learning, reading, and asking for assistance as needed. In the end, your PA program’s instructors will be just as committed to your success as you are.
#6. Pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE)
You’ll be ready to take the PANCE after graduating from a recognized PA program (the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam). The PANCE consists of 300 questions in total. You have five hours to complete five sections of 60 questions. (You get 45 minutes for a break and 15 minutes to practice using the software.)
The PANCE results usually take a few weeks to arrive. If things don’t go your way the first time, you have the option to repeat the exam.
The PANCE is the second to the last step in the process of becoming a PA. All that’s left to do now is locate a job and put what you’ve learned in PA school into practice.
However, PAs must obtain a state license to practice after completing the exam. Because state licensing standards differ, PAs should contact their state’s licensing authority for more information.
#7. Obtain and Maintain State Licensure and Certification
In order to practice as a PA, you must first obtain a license in your state.
According to the AAPA website page on state licensing, which includes a link to a list of all 50 states’ licensing boards, all states need PAs to graduate from an ARC-PA recognized PA curriculum and pass the PANCE exam.
You must complete additional hours of continuing medical education based on your state’s requirements to maintain national certification.
Physician assistants must earn at least 100 continuing education credits every two years to keep their certification.
During the tenth year of their recertification cycle, they must additionally pass the PANCE.
Being a physician assistant (PA) is a fulfilling career that assists numerous patients on a daily basis. Take pride in your accomplishments.
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