The Army Physician Assistant What is a Physician

The Army Physician Assistant

What is a Physician Assistant ? l A healthcare professional l An integral part of the medical team l Provides a broad range of medical services traditionally performed by physicians

What is a Physician Assistant ? – As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs l provide advanced trauma management l conduct physical exams l diagnose and treat illnesses l order and interpret diagnostic tests l counsel on preventive health care l assist in surgery l write prescriptions

What is an Army PA l Military health care professional certified to practice medicine with physician supervision. l The AMEDD’s primary medical provider in battalion and division level TO&E units l Echelon I/II Subject Matter Expert

The Army PA Provides garrison health care to soldiers, family members and other eligible beneficiaries l Participants in all major conflicts and deployments including Operations Urgent Fury, Desert Storm, Provide Comfort, and Southern Watch l

The Army PA l Qualifications – BA or BS degree – NCCPA certification – Graduate of an accredited program l Governed by Army Regulation 40 -48

Educational Prerequisites – 6 hours English Composition – 6 hours Humanities and /or Social Sciences – 6 hours Chemistry – 3 hours Anatomy – 3 hours Physiology – 3 hours of Algebra – 3 hours of Psychology

Interservice PA Program (IPAP) l 3 classes each year selected from the Air Force, Navy, AD Army, NG & USAR l 60+ students per class l 180 students per year

Interservice PA Program (IPAP) Phase I (Didactic) – 50 weeks – 86 College Credit hours – 1815 Contact hours (class room) A&P, pathology, pharmacology, radiology, psychiatry, OB/GYN/, PM, orthopedics, infectious diseases.

Interservice PA Program (IPAP) l l Phase II (2890 hours) – 20 different clinical sites – 52 weeks Clinical rotations include: – Family Medicine/Primary Care – Internal Medicine – – – – – Ophthalmology Psychiatry Pediatrics Dermatology OB/GYN Orthopedics Surgery Emergency Medicine ENT/Allergy

The Army PA l Specialty Training – Aviation Med – CV Perfusion – Emergency Med – Occupational Med – Orthopedics

Brief History of the PA 1965 -first PA training program at Duke University l 1967 -first graduate of Duke program l 1971 -Congress authorized Army to train PAs l 1973 -first Army PAs graduated at Ft Sam Houston l 1980 -first specialty training authorized l

Brief History of the PA 1984 -PAs assigned to White House Medical Unit l 1992 -PAs commissioned as regular line officers (formerly Warrant Officers) in the Medical Specialist Corps l 1995 -Fort Sam Houston selected as the site for Interservice PA program (IPAP) l

QUESTIONS ?

Application Process l DA msg: http: //www. goarmy. com/job/amedd/paqual. htm POC: CPT Bruce Mc. Lennan at USA Recruiting Command CML (502) 626 -0386/0360 DSN 536 -0386 l E-mail: bruce. mclennan@usarec. army. mil l Application deadline 31 May l Selection Boardlate August l