PrePA Club Successful ways to become a PA
Pre-PA Club: Successful ways to become a PA Auburn University
But first, what is a Physician Assistant? Note: Its “Physician Assistant” not “Physician’s Assistant”…. this is EXTREMELY important in properly understanding the role that PAs have in medicine. “A PA is a nationally certified and state-licensed medical professional. PAs practice medicine on healthcare teams with physicians and other providers. They practice and prescribe medication in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the majority of the U. S. territories and the uniformed services. ” -source: AAPA. org The PA profession was created to improve and expand healthcare. In the mid 1960 s, physicians and educators recognized there was a shortage of primary care physicians. To help remedy this, Eugene A. Stead Jr. , MD, of the Duke University Medical Center, put together the first class of PAs in 1965. Does that mean that PAs can only practice in primary care? Not at all.
Yes, PAs can specialize just like physicians! In nearly every healthcare specialty, PAs have a vital role. You may just be more likely to find them practicing in areas such as primary care, family medicine, dermatology, emergency medicine, and orthopedics, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find them elsewhere.
Physician Assistant vs. Nurse Practitioner Very similar: both are mid-level care providers PAs are educated through a more medically-focused training, while NPs receive a more nursing-focused training Both can diagnose and treat illnesses under guidance and supervision of a physician, but NPs can function autonomously, while PAs work autonomously under the practicing physician or practice’s insurance. PAs are typically more trained in procedures and are often seen assisting in surgery, but NPs can learn procedural skills as well. PAs have medication prescribing rights in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and most US Territories, while NPs often have to apply and be licensed to prescribe, depending on the state in which they practice.
What does it take to become a PA? A bachelors degree from an accredited university, followed by a master’s degree from a medical school or a college/university with a graduate healthcare program. Most programs require applicants to have experience in healthcare work or volunteering (more on this later) Most programs require the GRE for admission and a competitive GPA The majority of programs are around 2 -2. 5 years in length, with the first 12 -16 months labeled as the “didactic year” where students learn in a classroom setting and clinical settings (depending on the program). The rest of the program is spent in clinical rotations (“clinical year”), where students spend a few weeks in various specialties, similar to having multiple mini-residencies, and focus on learning from real clinical practice. Some PAs choose to enter a residency program after PA school. Typically these are useful for surgical specialties or emergency medicine/trauma, and are around a year in length (very hard to find and not necessary).
What happens when you graduate from PA School and have the title “PA-C” You’ll have to successfully pass the PANCE, the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam, and then become licensed in the state that you want to work in prior to practicing medicine there. To maintain national certification, PAs need to complete 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) credits every two years. PAs are also required to take a recertification exam, the PANRE (Physician Assistant National Recertifying Exam) every 10 years. New requirements for CME went into effect in 2014. –source: AAPA This is similar to a physician having to update a board certification and retake an exam to stay board-certified. PA-C means Physician Assistant-Certified, meaning you’ve met and kept up with the requirements and can legally practice medicine.
Now, do you want to apply to PA School? First, do your research and make sure this career is the one for you. The AAPA is a great resource. Talk to a PA or PA student and get their input. Shadowing is always a great idea. Make sure you fully understand the PA’s role in numerous settings and how it is different from a physician’s or NP’s. It is helpful to shadow all three as well as other professionals such as physical therapists, dentists, etc. to make sure you know this is really the best choice for you. Plus, all of these experiences are very helpful and can be used for hours on some applications. Keep track of these experiences and what you learned, how many hours you were there, the dates, and contact information.
Things you need to be doing to become competitive and stay competitive: Work hard in your classes and retain the information. It will come in handy one day. Use free campus resources if you are having trouble. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Develop great study skills and time management skills early on. Become involved on campus or in the community with organizations that you are interested in and passionate about. Volunteer any way you can, medical or not, but medical experiences are typically even more helpful. Shadow often and take advantage of the learning experiences that comes with shadowing. Try to find a way to get direct hands-on patient care experience. Utilize your summers and use them for these things, along with a medical internship or a job working in some type of healthcare setting.
But how do I do all of this and keep up my grades? Do not over do it. Use your free time wisely, but you need to find balance. Keep up consistent patterns involving all the components mentioned, but they don’t need to be done at the same time. Some semesters, your school work will be harder than others and that is okay. Just utilize your summers and days off to be productive.
Volunteering: PA Schools want to see that you are devoted to serving others, especially diverse, underserved, and underprivileged populations. For medical volunteering: Volunteer in a hospital, a blood bank/drive, a community health clinic, a nursing home, or go on a medical mission trip (just a few examples) For non-medical volunteering: Project Uplift, Impact, volunteer with your church, tutor young students, go to a soup kitchen, The Big Event, etc.
Shadowing: Opportunities will not always just appear. Be confident, reach out to different offices, hospitals, clinic, PAs or Physicians. You often have to do a little work to find consistent shadowing experiences. Start wherever you can and make connections. One practice can often help you find another to work with. Shadow numerous people in numerous specialties. It’ll broaden your outlook on healthcare and provide valuable experiences. If you can’t find places in Auburn, utilize your breaks and shadow while at home. Or, find a place in Montgomery, Columbus, or anywhere else within a short driving distance if you can.
Direct, hands-on patient care: These are typically the hardest opportunities to find and often end up being the most important in deciding where you can apply to school. Examples: Medical Assistant, CNA, Patient Care Technician, EMT, Radiology Tech, Phlebotomist, Physical Therapy Aide or Assistant, among many other things. Many of these require a period of training and can be expensive and time consuming to get. PA Schools love that, but it is hard to do as a full-time college student. Utilize your summers or find an opportunity that doesn't’t require a formal training. This is hard to do but if you get creative and put yourself out there, you will find something. I promise. Many medical volunteer opportunities can count as direct patient contact. You’ll just split up the hours on an application.
Other work and healthcare related experiences, including indirect patient care: Jobs in general are good because it shows responsibility, time management, people skills, etc. If you work in healthcare but are not physically touching and treating patients, it usually counts in this category. Examples: Working the check-in desk or an office job at a doctor’s office, physical therapy office, or a nursing home. Work as a hospital greeter or as a camp counselor for children with disabilities or special needs. You can be a scribe or a medical transcriptionist (talk to Jennifer Giddens, jlg 0039). There are many options that usually do not require training!
Research: Some PA Schools suggest having research experiences. If you’re a biomedical sciences major, this is required anyway. There are numerous opportunities for research at Auburn and you can find something you really enjoy. Look into these research opportunities, ask your professors about their research, and reach out when you are interested and want to get involved.
So how do I know how many hours I need to get in each of these areas? Find out where you want to apply. It is best to find out where you might want to live, how much you are willing to pay for PA School, and what specifically you are looking for in a program. The internet is going to be the most helpful resource for this. Find schools you like, check their requirements and prerequisites, and reach out to program staff if you need more information. Be sure to see if they require the GRE, and if so, if they have a specific score requirement. Most schools have a GPA requirement and a list of prerequisite courses (biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, psychology and psych electives, genetics, medical terminology, calculus, and statistics and are the most common). Every program is different. Some start in January, others in May, June, or August. Some require that you have a bachelors degree before you apply, others just want you to have it before you matriculate. And they all vary on their requirement for hours and what counts for each category.
When do I apply and how? Most schools utilize CASPA, essentially the Common App of PA Schools. CASPA opens in late April and most schools have a deadline of August 1 st or September 1 st for classes that matriculate in the fall of the next year. Some schools start in January, therefore those deadlines will be different. You will typically apply during the summer before your senior year of college, although this will change depending on if you take a gap year, if the program you want starts in January, or if they require a bachelor’s degree BEFORE you apply, not before you matriculate. Be on the look out for deadlines. Other schools have their own applications, but they will typically follow a similar schedule. Most applications through CASPA and other servers will have supplemental applications with their own deadlines. Applying to PA School is time consuming and can be expensive, so pick carefully.
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