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MMA Conference Physician Assistant Specialty
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Contact Information
F.A.Q.
Definition: Physicians Assistants who have
developed a specialty and perform physician-delegated functions such as
orthopedics, surgery, urology, pathology, allergy and dermatology.
These individuals take case histories,
perform physical examinations, conduct routine tests appropriate to the medical
specialty, perform routine laboratory tests, basic primary health care and
treatment, and otherwise assist physicians in specialty oriented patient care
responsibilities.
Being a physician assistant definitely gives
you a better status than most other non-medical jobs. This may not even require
USMLE, and physician assistants do earn decent salary.
For more information on the Physician Assistant Program, contact:
American Academy of Physician Assistants
950 North Washington ST.
Alexandria, Virginia
22314-1552
Telephone: 703-836-2272
Fax: 703-684-1924
aapa@aapa.org
http://www.aapa.org/
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How is a Physician Assistant educated?
A. Physician assistants are educated in intensive medical programs accredited by
the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs (previously the American Medical Association's Committee
on Allied Health Education and Accreditation). The average PA program curriculum
is 111 weeks, compared with 155 weeks for medical school.
Because
of the close working relationship PAs have with physicians,
PAs are educated in a medical model designed to complement physician training. PA students are taught, as are medical students, to diagnose and treat medical
problems.
Education
consists of classroom and laboratory instruction in the basic medical and
behavioral sciences (such as anatomy, pharmacology, pathophysiology, clinical
medicine, and physical diagnosis), followed by clinical rotations in internal
medicine, family medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology,
emergency medicine, and geriatric medicine.
There are currently 123 accredited programs,
but an explosion of interest in the PA profession is resulting in the
establishment of many new educational programs. All PA programs must meet
the same curriculum standards.
A PA's education doesn't stop after graduation, though. PAs are required to
take ongoing continuing medical education classes and be retested on their
clinical skills on a regular basis. A number of postgraduate
PA programs have also been established to provide practicing PAs with
advanced education in medical specialties.
Q. What are the prerequisites for applying to a PA program?
A. PA programs look for students who have a desire to study, work hard, and to be
of service to their community. Most physician assistant programs require
applicants to have previous health care experience and some college education.
The typical applicant already has a bachelor's degree and over 4 years of health
care experience. Commonly nurses, EMTs, and paramedics apply to PA programs.
Check with PA educational programs
of interest to you for a list of their prerequisites.
Q. What is the Association of Physician Assistant
Programs (APAP)?
A. APAP is a national organization whose members are the PA programs and individual
PA educators. It includes representation from accredited programs and
programs going through the accreditation process. The APAP Board of Directors
meets several times a year.
Best of Luck to everyone who is searching for a medical profession in the United States! |
