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Differences and Similarities Between Physician Assistant Schools
Training to become a Physician Assistant (PA)usually requires around two years of full time study. Eligibility to take this course varies slightly from one program to another however in most instances it is recommended that the candidate has previous medical training and a Bachelor’s Degree. In the US there are over one hundred and forty training facilities that are accredited by the ARC-PA. Around eighty percent of these training facilities offer the possibility of studying for a Master’s Degree, while some offer Bachelor’s Degrees to those who do not already have one.
Programs are at academic training centers or 4-year colleges, with some at medical schools and a few at community colleges and hospitals. If the training is not undertaken at a hospital, the training center has ties with one where students can do their clinical training. Studies are very similar to those undertaken by physician trainees; subjects include all aspects of medical care, treatment and diagnosis, as well as anatomy and other supporting subjects. Post graduate courses are also offered online by some schools and colleges, but in order to participate in these programs you must already be a certified PA.
Institutions are located in 51 different States as well as the District of Colombia, though some have considerably more options available than others. Broken down into regions, there are approximately eighty training centers in the Eastern regions, eighty in the combined Midatlantic and Western areas, and thirty in the South East.
When choosing a school, students will need to carefully consider their options. While all schools offer the same basic training and accreditation there are other differences that may sway the choice of where to study. Some offer training with a slant towards one particular branch of medicine which is helpful to be aware of if the student is planning on specializing in the future. For example, some may focus more on rural area applications while others emphasize basic clinical medicine or primary care medicine. Class schedules may be fixed or they may be negotiable depending on the school itself. These are all considerations that need to be taken into account when choosing the most suitable Physician Assistant Training Program.