Physician Assistants (PAs) are health professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. PA's perform a wide range of medical duties, from basic primary care to high technology specialty procedures. Currently there are more than 31,000 practicing PA's in the United States. PA's provide health care services with supervision by physicians. PAs are formally trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive health care services, as delegated by a physician. Working as members of the health care team, they take medical histories, examine patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and x-rays, and make diagnoses. They also treat minor injuries by suturing, splinting, and casting. PAs record progress notes, instruct and counsel patients, and order or carry out therapy. In 46 States and the District of Columbia, physician assistants may prescribe medications. PAs may also have managerial duties. Some order medical and laboratory supplies and equipment and may supervise technicians and assistants. Physician assistants always work with the supervision of a physician. However, PAs may provide care in rural or inner city clinics where a physician is present for only 1 or 2 days each week, conferring with the supervising physician and other medical professionals as needed or required by law. PAs may also make house calls or go to hospitals and nursing homes to check on patients and report back to the physician. The duties of physician assistants are determined by the supervising physician and by State law. Aspiring PAs should investigate the laws and regulations in the States where they wish to practice. Many PAs work in primary care areas such as general internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine. Others work in specialty areas, such as general and thoracic surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, and geriatrics. PAs specializing in surgery provide pre and post-operative care and may work as first or second assistants during major surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
As a PA can I specialize in a particular medical area?
Do I have to have a Bachelors Degree to get into PA school?
How long is a PA program?
What kind of course work is involved in a PA program?
Is there an entrance exam for PA school?
What kind of GPA do I need to have to get into PA school?
Is there any thing I can do non-academically that will help me get into PA school?
What kind of licensure procedure is there for PA's?
What kind of salary can I make as a PA?
Where are the PA programs in the South?
Where can I find more information about PA's?Have any other questions that are not answered on this page? Contact Dr. Stan A. Baldwin for more information.
As a PA can I specialize in a particular medical area?
Yes you can. Presently the PA's currently practicing are in the following areas.Family/General Medicine: 40%
Surgery: 19%
Internal Medicine: 15%
Emergency Medicine: 10%
Pediatric Medicine: 4%
Ob/Gyn: 3%
Occupational Medicine: 3%
Other: 6%
Do I have to have a Bachelors Degree to get into PA school?
No you do not. Some PA programs are themselves Bachelors degrees. For those programs you would take the required courses at Mississippi College and then transfer to the PA school. Other PA programs are Masters Degrees. Those programs require a Bachelors degree. In order to be a licensed PA in the state of Mississippi you will have to have a Master's degree from a PA program.
How long is a PA program?
Lengths of programs vary, but typically they are 24-27 months.
What kind of course work is involved in a PA program?
The first year most of the course work is basic sciences and the second year is clinical training.Typical first year:
Gross AnatomyTypical second year
Physiology
Pharmacology
Microbiology
Biochemistry
PathologyFamily MedicineSpecific courses will vary from school to school.
Internal Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Pediatrics
Geriatric Medicine
Ob/Gyn
Surgery
Orthopedics
Psychiatry
Radiology
Is there an entrance exam for PA school?
If it is a Bachelors program then no, there is no entrance exam. If the PA program is a Masters Degree then you have to take the general portion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
What kind of GPA do I need to have to get into PA school?
That will vary depending on the PA program. The average GPA for the PA program at the University of South Alabama is 3.3. Each program can give you that information if you call and ask.
Is there any thing I can do non-academically that will help me get into PA school?
Yes! Spend as much time as you can in a clinical setting. Volunteer at an emergency room. Spend time with a physician. Some programs have very high prerequisite patient contact hours before they will consider you. You need to check out the programs that you are interested in and find out their requirements. Get a part time job in a hospital. Go spend time with a PA. There are PAs working at the Veterans Medical Center in Jackson, MS.
What kind of licensure procedure is there for PA's?
All jurisdictions required physician assistants to pass the Physician Assistants National Certifying Examination, administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)—open to graduates of accredited PA educational programs. Only those successfully completing the examination may use the credential “Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C).” In order to remain certified, PAs must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every 2 years. Every 6 years, they must pass a recertification examination or complete an alternate program combining learning experiences and a take-home examination. Some PA ’s pursue additional education in order to practice in a specialty area such as surgery, neonatology, or emergency medicine. PA postgraduate residency training programs are available in areas such as internal medicine, rural primary care, emergency medicine, surgery, pediatrics, neonatology, and occupational medicine. Candidates must be graduates of an accredited program and be certified by the NCCPA.
What kind of salary can I make as a PA?
Results of the 1998 Physician Assistant Census Survey indicate that the mean total income from primary employer for PA's who are not employed by the government or self-employed and who work at least 32 hours a week for their primary employer is $64,784.
Where are the PA programs in the South?
University of South Alabama (Masters Program)
University of Alabama at Birmingham (Bachelors Program specializing in Surgical PAs)
Louisiana State University Medical Center (Shreveport, LA) (Masters Program)
Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX) (Masters Program)
University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston, TX) (Masters Program)
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (Masters Program)
Trevecca Nazarene University (Nashville, TN) (Masters Program)
Emory University School of Medicine (Atlanta, GA) (Masters Program)
Medical College of Georgia (August, GA) (Masters Program)
University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) (Masters Program)
Barry University (Miami, FL) (Masters Program)
Nova Southeastern University (Fort Lauderdale, FL) (Masters Program)
Duke University Medical Center (Durham, NC) (Masters Program)
Wake Forest University School of Medicine (Winston-Salem, NC) (Masters Program)
Methodist College (Fayetteville, NC) (Masters Program)
East Carolina University (Greenville, NC) (Masters Program)
Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, SC) (Masters Program)
Important links
American Academy of Physician Assistants
Occupational Handbook (Physician Assistant)