Physician Assistant Undergraduate Degree Program Information
Physician assistants (PAs) are healthcare professionals who are licensed to practice medicine under a medical doctor's supervision. It is not uncommon for PAs to hold master's degrees, but a bachelor's degree gives them a good career foundation. This article contains more information about physician assistant undergraduate programs.
Bachelor's Degree in Physician Assistant
Physician assistants provide patients with diagnostic and therapeutic services. Students learn how to gather patient histories, perform physical examinations, administer diagnostic tests and perform medical procedures like sutures, injections and immunizations. Students in physician assistant undergraduate programs should have strong interpersonal skills and sound judgment. Graduates are prepared to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE), which is necessary to become a certified physician assistant.
Educational Requirements
Applicants to physician assistant undergrad programs need to have a high school diploma or GED. ACT or SAT scores are expected. Some schools require previous exposure to the healthcare industry.
Program Coursework
The first two years of a PA bachelor's degree program are spent learning theory, and the last two years are comprised of clinical work. Lectures involve anatomy, biology and chemistry. Class topics are:
- Clinical pharmacology
- Diagnoses and procedures
- Health law and ethics
- Human physiology and anatomy
- Making clinical decisions
- Medical terminology
- Microbiology
- Physician assistant internship
Employment Outlook and Salary Information
Jobs for physician assistants are expected to incrase by 39% between 2008 and 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov). The Bureau also reported in May 2008 that a physician assistant's mean annual wage was $81,610. This salary is dependent on specialty, setting and experience.
Continuing Education Information
Physician assistants are expected to keep their medical knowledge up to date, which requires additional classes every few years. Some physician assistants go on to earn master's degrees in the subject. Those who want to be specialized PAs, such as surgeon assistants and anesthesiologist assistants, can seek further training.
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Physician Assistant: Educational Requirements
- Online Physician Assistant Bachelor's Degree Program Information
- Online Physician Assistant Masters Degree Program Information
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18 Popular Schools
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be 21 years of age or older and have completed some college or 24 years of age or older and a high school graduate for a Bachelor's degree
- Masters degree applicants must have a Bachelors degree
- Doctorate degree applicants must have a Masters degree
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
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Bachelor
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- BS in Health Studies - General
- BS in Health Studies - Health Management
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
- Currently not accepting applications from Texas residents
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
- Bachelor
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Associate
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- AS in Medical Assisting
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must live within close proximity to school locations
- Must be graduated from high school by 2011
School locations:
- Arizona (1 campus)
- Florida (2 campuses)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Texas (2)
Classroom-Based Programs
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate.
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
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Bachelor
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- RN to BSN
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- BS in Health Science
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
- Currently not accepting applicants from Minnesota or Tennessee
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
- Bachelor
- Associate
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School locations:
- Online Learning
- Arizona (3 campuses)
- California (16)
- Colorado (3)
- Florida (6)
- Georgia (4)
- Illinois (8)
- Indiana (2)
- Kentucky (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (1)
- Missouri (2)
- North Carolina (2)
- New Jersey (3)
- Nevada (1)
- New York (2)
- Ohio (4)
- Oklahoma (1)
- Oregon (1)
- Pennsylvania (5)
- Tennessee (2)
- Texas (7)
- Utah (1)
- Virginia (3)
- Washington (3)
- Wisconsin (2)
Online and Classroom-Based Programs
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must have either two or more years of college or active military status if you are under 24 years of age
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
- Bachelor
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- Online Learning
Online Programs
- Associate
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
- California (1 campus)
- Minnesota (1 campus)
- Texas (1)
Classroom-Based Programs
- Bachelor
- Associate
