Understanding The Medical Profession - Physician's Assistants (Part 1)

Level 5 - Ivy League

Welcome! Previously, we discussed the overview of the various medical professions in a free post. If you have not had a chance to read it, see the link below:

Understanding the Medical Profession - An Overview

With the basics out of the way, we can dive into each medical role.

This is the second in a series of deep-dives into the medical profession. The goals of these posts are to:

1. Understand the education requirements for each medical role

2. Document common role variations

3. Provide High School, College, and Grad School considerations where applicable

4. Salary expectations for each of the roles

5. Projected job growth/loss for each medical role

6. Additional financial/academic considerations (e.g., scholarships, loan forgiveness)

7. Any required licensing or testing considerations

Let’s dive into the physician’s assistant (PA) role:

Part 1: Key questions for the prospective PA

If you are considering becoming a PA, you will need to make sure you have several key questions answered:

1. Does your college major adequately prepare you to meet the prerequisites for PA school?

2. Are you trying to apply directly to PA school from undergrad?

3. Do you have all of the requirements for submitting your application?

4. What type of work setting do you wish to work in?

5. How will you specialize?

6. Will you take advantage of any loan forgiveness incentives?

7. What changes are coming in the medical industry and how will they impact the PA role?

Part 2: Education Requirements

Although the education requirements for a PA are pretty straight forward (obtain a Master’s degree), the path is actually more complicated. In order for you to become a PA, you will need the following:

1. Prerequisite coursework

2. Medical and patient care experience

3. Take the GRE

4. Get Letters of Recommendation

5. Apply to Master’s programs and become accepted

Let’s start from the top:

Prerequisite Coursework

In general, the best way to approach coursework requirements is to know the PA program(s) you are considering applying to and then taking the most conservative set of courses.

In other words, assume you have three schools that you are considering applying to. You want to take the coursework that would meet prerequisites at all schools, not just for one school.

In general, you should take the following at a minimum to be prepared for PA school: