High School

Since a physician assistant needs to be good with numbers and understand how the human body works, anyone interested in this job can begin preparing in high school by taking math and science classes, such as biology and chemistry, as well as health classes. English, foreign language, and social science classes, such as psychology, will also help you improve your communication skills and give you an understanding of people. Since it is difficult to get into PA school, be sure to work hard in high school to develop good study habits and earn high grades.

Also, keep in mind that its not too early to gain some experience in the health care field. Many postsecondary institutions take into consideration an applicants hands-on experience when deciding whom to accept, so look for paid or volunteer positions in your community.

Postsecondary Training

Most states require that PAs complete an educational program approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (https://www.arc-pa.org). Most educational programs are graduate programs leading to the award of masters degrees in either physician assistant studies, health science, or medical science, and require a bachelors degree and high GRE or MCAT scores for entry. Most PA educational programs last 24 to 36 months. Acceptance to PA programs is highly competitive.

The American Academy of Physician Assistants says that “many PA programs require prior healthcare experience with hands-on patient care. Most students have about three years of health care experience before entering a program.” Examples of occupational fields where an aspiring Pa can obtain experience include medical assistant, lab assistant/phlebotomist, registered nurse, emergency room technician, emergency medical technician, paramedic, surgical tech, or certified nursing assistant.

The beginning of most programs involves classroom instruction in human anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, clinical pharmacology, applied psychology, clinical medicine, and medical ethics. Then students engage in supervised clinical work, usually including assignments, or rotations, in various branches of medicine, such as family practice, pediatrics, and emergency medicine.

Physician assistants may also complete residency training, similar to physicians residencies but significantly shorter, in fields such as OB/GYN, emergency medicine, critical care, orthopedics, neurology, surgery, and other medical disciplines.

Other Education or Training

The American Academy of Physician Assistants offers continuing education classes and webinars. Visit https://www.aapa.org/cme-central for more information.

Certification or Licensing

Currently, all states require that PAs be certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). To use the credential, physician assistant-certified, applicants must be graduates of an accredited PA program and pass the Physician Assistants National Certifying Examination (PANCE). According to NCCPA, the examination consists of two parts:

"1. Organ systems and the diseases, disorders and medical assessments physician assistants encounter within those systems; and

"2. The knowledge and skills physician assistants should exhibit when confronted with those diseases, disorders and assessments."

Once certified, PAs are required to complete 100 hours of continuing medical education courses every two years, and in addition must pass a recertification examination every 10 years. Besides NCCPA certification, most states also require that PAs register with the state medical board. State rules and regulations vary greatly concerning the work of PAs, and applicants are advised to study the laws of the state in which they wish to practice.

Physician assistants can also earn certificates of added qualifications from the NCCPA in 10 fields such as emergency medicine, hospital medicine, nephrology, and occupational medicine.

"All 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, the U.S. military, and many employers have decided to rely on NCCPA certification as one of the criteria for employment, licensure, or regulation of PAs," according to the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Some states grant temporary licenses to physician assistants who have applied for the PANCE. For permanent licensure, most states require verification of certification or an official record of their exam scores.

When you begin to work as a licensed and certified physician assistant, you will rely heavily on your clinical training. PAs who wish to specialize will need to complete a residency.

Interpersonal skills are critical to being a successful physician assistant because you will work with many different kinds of people, from the physician who supervises you to the many different patients you see every day. In addition to being a caring individual, you should also have a strong desire to continue learning to keep up with the latest medical procedures and recertification requirements. Since ill individuals depend on a physician assistants decisions, anyone interested in this job should have sound judgment, leadership skills and self-confidence, as well as compassion. They also need the ability to react to emergencies in a calm and reasoned manner.