Physician Assistant Colleges

Requirements For Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner – Is There A Difference?

When you hear the words health or medicine, what do you think of? If you’re like most individuals, your mind turns to doctors or perhaps nurses. The requirements for
Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner are similar and we are reminded that there are many career opportunities in the field of health care, and not all of them have a prerequisite that one must graduate from medical school to be able to diagnose and treat illness.

After you read a description of the duties of each and the educational requirements, you might surmise that they are almost one and the same. Even the salaries aren’t substantially different. The physician assistant and the nurse practitioner both work closely with patients and their duties can include diagnosis as well as treatment for various illnesses, however, there are differences between the two.

Nurse Practitioner

First of all, a nurse practitioner begins as a registered nurse, usually with a BSN degree. After reaching this stage, there are approximately 24 to 30 months of additional schooling to obtain a master’s degree. Part of the training in school will include clinical experience where “hands on” care with patients will help the student to be able to diagnose and treat illness.

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Physician Assistant Salaries – Varies By Experience, Specialty, Type of Employer

The number of Physician Assistant job openings is forecast to increase by 39% by 2018, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, salaries will be rising as well, especially in certain metropolitan areas and in some specialized fields.

In order to get a license to practice,
Physician Assistants must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying exam. Passing this exam entitles the PA to use the P.A.-C designation in their title. This stands for Physician Assistant Certified. To maintain their certification, a Physician Assistant must complete one hundred (100) hours of continuing education every two years. In addition to that, they are also required to retake the Physician Assistant National Certifying examination every six years.

Physician Assistant Salaries by Specialty

The fundamental authority that is responsible for monitoring the work and the rules of PA’s, The American Academy of Physician Assistant, has furnished the following list that reflects some of the best paying specialties:

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Physicians Assistant Schools – Generally A Two Year Program

Associate Degree in Physician Assistant Studies

Students applying for an associate’s degree program for Physician Assistant will find that the requirements can be very competitive and will vary from school to school. Often, while many Physicians Assistant schools have a literal requirement of only a high school diploma, they are in fact looking for students that have strong math and science grades as well as some basic healthcare experience along with letters of recommendation.

Just because the courses are accredited at the associate’s level doesn’t mean that they are easy. They generally tend to be as rigorous as the medical classes at a four year institution. The course work in these programs usually include human anatomy, biochemistry, patient diagnosis, microbiology, pharmacology, and pathophysiology.

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Physician Assistant Colleges Prepare You For A Great Career In Medicine

Even though physician assistants have been practicing since the 1960s, the profession is not as widely known as some others in the medical field. Physician Assistant colleges and other schools are trying to promote this profession and the exciting program that is available to students who perhaps have no desire to be a physician, but want to serve their community in a meaningful way.

What is a Physician Assistant

Becoming a Physician Assistant is a highly respected career choice, and one that continues to grow. Their primary duties are to assist physicians in caring for patients by performing the more routine tasks, thus freeing up the physician to concentrate on more advanced procedures. A PA is trained to diagnose and treat medical problems just like a medical student, however, they work under direct supervision of a physician.

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