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What are the education requirements to become a physician assistant?

I am a senior in high school interested in a medical career. #physician

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Daniela’s Answer

Hi Aurora,


Physician assistants work in collaboration with a licensed physician to provide medical care to patients. Duties include diagnosing and treating illnesses, performing physical examinations, assisting in surgeries, making rounds in hospitals, and performing assigned tasks during a procedure. They may conduct physical exams, order different types of tests, develop treatment plans, write prescriptions, or monitor patients in hospital or medical facilities.


Physician assistant degree programs typically include 2,000 hours or more of clinical rotations, providing the PA with the applied experience needed to work in a variety of clinical and medical settings. A certified physician assistant is responsible for performing many tasks and procedures under the supervision of a doctor or other medical professional. They may work in a specific field, such as family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, or psychiatry.


Physician assistants need to be very detail-oriented since they are often tasked with writing orders for medications and charting information about patients. They may also be responsible for performing basic data entry, so knowledge of basic medical software programs is important. Physician assistants need to have strong people skills and a good bedside manner in order to ensure patients feel at ease under their care.


Graduates of a PA program need to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) and obtain a state license before they can practice. Completing a physician assistant master’s degree program, becoming certified, and obtaining state licensure will help a graduate enter the field as a certified physician assistant.


According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physician assistants opportunities are expected to grow much faster than the overall national average between 2012 and 2022, This is due to an increased demand for healthcare services for the baby boomer and aging populations, and an ongoing shortage of physicians.


More in: http://www.learnhowtobecome.org/physician-assistant/


Good Luck!

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