Top 10 Best Physician Assistant (PA) Schools - Physician assistants can diagnose patients and also prescribe treatment. Students can find physician assistant programs at many colleges and universities across the country, but the best programs are often available at nationally recognized schools.
Best Health Schools for Physician Assistant Programs
In this article, my main focus is on the best health schools for physician assistant programs.
1. Duke University
The Physician Assistant (PA) profession originated in Duke, located in Durham, North Carolina, in the mid-1960s.
Dr. Eugene A. Stead Jr., then Chair of the Department of Medicine, believed that mid-level practitioners could increase consumers' access to healthcare by extending physician time and skills. doctor.
To meet the growing demand for PA, Duke University's PA Program is a participant in CASPA (Centralized Application Service for PA).
To apply to their program, applicants must complete a CASPA application and a Duke supplementary application.
The PA program is a master's degree program; a baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Regional Accreditation Organization is required.
Their PA program requires eight prerequisite courses—all of which must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.
The first 12 months of the program are devoted to preclinical studies, and the remaining 12 months to clinical experience in primary care and medical and surgical specialties.
During the second year of the PA Program, students complete 10 rotations. This clinical experience consists of eight mandatory rotations and two elective rotations, and a final senior seminar course.
At least one of these rotations is required to be performed in an area that is not medically served. Their accredited program boasts that 95% of graduates will be employed within six months of graduation.
Tuition fee: $38,857 per year
2. University of Iowa
Since 1974, PA University of Iowa graduates have enjoyed outstanding achievements at on (PANCE)
consistently performs among the top 5-10% of all programs in the country every year.
Throughout the history of the University of Iowa Physician Assistant Program, students have been widely integrated into Carver College of Medicine's medical education, taking courses and being assessed on the same scale as second-year medical students.
Over the past seven years, the PA Program has received an average of 18 applicants for each available seat. Annually, approximately 110 applicants are interviewed for the 25 available seats.
Upon completion of the 28-month program, PAs will be able to undertake the health care management tasks currently performed by primary care physicians, thereby giving physicians greater freedom and time for more complex medical problems.
Since 1974, University of Iowa graduates have enjoyed a first-time graduation rate of over 99.99% compared to the national average of 85% over the same time period.
No graduate has failed the exam since 1996. For the most recent performance report of PA graduates, the University of Iowa Class PA 2014 achieved a 100% passing rate compared to the national pass rate of 95%.
Tuition: $13,862 (Iowa residents); $29,146 (non-resident).
3. Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia
Emory was named one of the best colleges in the US in 2017 by The Princeton Review.
In addition to programs leading to a Master of Science- Physician Assistant, Emory is one of the few schools to also offer dual degree programs culminating in a Master of Science – Physician Assistant and Master of Public Health.
It is offered through a cooperative agreement between Emory University School of Medicine and the Rollins School of Public Health.
Tuition fee: $41,400 per year
4. George Washington University
George Washington University offers 2 Physician Assistant Degree programs. This is a large private university in a big city.
In 2015, 65 students graduated in the Physician Assistant field of study with students earning 65 Master's degrees.
Housed within Sciences and closely tied to the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the Department of Physician Assistant Studies builds a strong foundation of primary care and public health among its students.
They offer two graduate-level programs: a traditional 2-year program leading to the Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS) degree and a 3-year joint program leading to the MSHS and Masters Degree in Public Health (MPH).
Applicants for the joint PA/MPH program must meet the admission requirements for the MSHS and MPH programmes.
During the clinical phase of PA education, there are seven core rotations and one elective. Core rotations include inpatient medicine, primary care, surgery, pediatrics, emergency medicine, women's health, and behavioral medicine.
Tuition: $41,820 (3 semesters 1 year); $27,880 (2 2nd yr term)
5. Oregon University of Health and Science
The university campus is located in beautiful Portland, Oregon. As Oregon's only public academic health center, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) is dedicated to health science education, patient care, research, and outreach services.
Oregon Health and Science University's educational programs include the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing.
The PA program was founded in 1995 with the mission of preparing physician assistants to provide primary care services to medically underserved communities.
The program graduated its first class in September 1997. In the spring of 2001, the PA Program became an independent Division within the Faculty of Medicine.
The OHSU PA program is a 26-month full-time program of study leading to the Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree.
A class of 42 students is accepted each year with classes starting in June. The didactic phase of the Program is 12 months; The clinical phase lasts 14 months.
The curriculum has been designed with an emphasis on primary care. To achieve this goal, the program uses the PA Professional Competence, a content blueprint for the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE).
To be considered for admission to the OHSU PA Program, applicants must have a bachelor's degree, specific prerequisites, general tests for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and health care experience.
A minimum of 2,000 hours (accumulated by the September 1 deadline) of health care experience in a position of responsibility is expected of all applicants.
This master's level curriculum consists of an Academic Year, a Clinical Year, a Community Outreach Project, and a Rural Track (optional).
Tuition Fees: $8.883 per Qtr. $79,947 (9 Qtrs total program.)
6. Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University began as a small college in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1929. In the early 1960s, Quinnipiac purchased the land opposite Sleeping Giant State Park, which is now the Mount Carmel Campus.
Quinnipiac went from a college to a university in 2000, and has since grown into a national university with eight schools and colleges and two additional campuses.
The Center for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, located on the North Haven, Connecticut campus, is home to the School of Health Sciences, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, School of Law, School of Nursing, and School of Education.
Quinnipiac's physician assistant program leads to a Master of Health Science (MHS) degree and provides the clinical and academic preparation necessary for the diverse responsibilities of a physician assistant.
Quinnipiac's 27-month program provides intensive coursework in biology and applied sciences and engages students in a broad network of fieldwork experiences including in hospitals, health centers, extended care facilities, and nursing homes.
Applicants on average enter the program with a cumulative GPA and science of 3.4, and more than two years of strong healthcare experience.
The Physician Assistant Certificate/Master in Health Sciences degree signifies that the holder is ready to enter into the practice of medicine.
Therefore, graduates must possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to function in a wide variety of clinical situations and to provide a broad spectrum of patient care.
All students who enter the Physician Assistant Program must be in good health and free from infectious diseases. Prior to joining the program, students must show evidence of meeting the school's health requirements.
Tuition: $24,840 (spring/summer period); $31,280 (summer/fall); $16,560 (fall/spring)
7. University of Colorado
The Physician Assistant Program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine (CU), in Aurora, is a graduate-level program that awards a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree upon completion.
The 36-month full-time curriculum provides comprehensive physician assistant education in primary care throughout the lifetime, with expanded training in pediatrics and medically underserved care.
One class of 44 students is enrolled in the summer semester each year through a competitive admissions process.
The Physician Assistant (PA) program offers students the opportunity to participate in a track to help personalize and extend learning beyond the standard curriculum.
This track includes exciting opportunities for interdisciplinary education:
Rural Pathway: Designed to prepare students wishing to practice medicine in rural areas, particularly in Colorado and Wyoming.
Global Pathway: An official interdisciplinary pathway at the Faculty of Medicine committed to equipping PA and MD students with public health skills
Urban/Underserved Pathway: Committed to serving the uninsured and those with limited access to health care in urban areas.
Pediatric Critical and Acute Care- critical care physicians and physician assistants at Colorado Children's Hospital directly mentor students for three years, teaching them skills in pediatric acute care.
LEADER (Leadership, Education, Advocacy, Development, and Scholarship)- provides future healthcare professionals with the vision and skills to become leaders and advocates for patients and their needs
Applicants with a GPA less than 2.8 for either cumulative GPA or science will not be considered. A Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution must also be completed prior to matriculation into the programme.
Tuition: $47,838 (3 year program for Colorado residents); $103,582 (3 years non-resident)
8. University of Texas-Southwest
Founded in 1972, the Physician Assistant Masters Study Program, at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, is a full-time postgraduate program that begins once a year in May and ends 30 months later in November.
The curriculum is a strong blend of academic learning and hands-on clinical training. Students begin with four semesters of lectures and bedside demonstrations in medical and behavioral sciences.
This foundation course is followed by four semesters of clinical rotation in a variety of disciplines and settings.
Your training center is Parkland Memorial Hospital, a 990-bed high-energy regional facility that accepts nearly 41,000 patients a year and delivers more babies than any other hospital in the country.
Parkland has earned a place on the US News and World Report lists of America's Best Hospitals for more than a decade.
In the first semester, students concentrate on basic sciences and problems of professional practice. In the fall semester, emphasis shifts to basic patient evaluation skills balanced by identification of disease processes, pharmacology, and pathology.
In the following spring and summer semesters, students continue this study and add clinical prevention, population health, evidence-based medicine, and psychiatry.
Upon successful completion of your course work, students participate in a 59-week clinical rotation that will expose them to the entire range of medical practice.
Graduates will be eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE)-UT The Southwest first five-year PANCE pass rate is 100 percent. Physician Assistant School
Tuition: $33,682 (total Texas resident 30-month program); $74,227 (total non-resident): includes fees and books
9. Baylor University
The impetus for the establishment of the Physician Assistant Program at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, Texas, arose from several sources.
The College's new Ten-Point Expansion Plan for the '70s called for the creation of an Allied Health Workforce Development Center that would assist in individual preparation to help physicians address the unmet need for medical care in Texas.
The PA Certificate Program began in the fall of 1971 and received initial accreditation from the Allied Health Education and Accreditation Committee in 1973.
In 1988, the faculty of the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Community Medicine proposed that a Master of Science degree curriculum for PA education be established within the Graduate School of the College.
Baylor College of Medicine's programs are consistently top-ranked in the nation.
Located in the largest medical center in the world, Baylor College of Medicine is one of the leading centers of health sciences in the country.
The College of Medicine is the first institution in Texas and the fourth in the nation to award a Master of Science degree upon completion of a PA program.
The 30-month Master of Science Physician Assistant Program offered by Baylor College of Medicine consists of a 13-month didactic phase and a 17-month experiential learning phase including a Master Papers research project.
The program offers a didactic curriculum consisting of basic science, behavioral science and pre-employment medicine along with clinical and critical thinking and problem-solving skills that provide the necessary foundation for entry into the clinical year of the programme.
Tuition: $18,536 (1st & 2nd years); $9,268 (3rd year)
10. University of Washington
MEDEX Northwest, founded in 1967, offers the Physician Assistant Program at the University of Washington School of Medicine, located in Seattle; offer a Master's or Bachelor of Clinical Health Services (MCHS or BCHS) degree.
All students who complete the program successfully also earn a Certificate of Graduation, which qualifies them to sit for the national certification exam. .Physician Assistant School
All master's-level students participate in the MEDEX PA core curriculum, which focuses on primary care and improving access to health care for the medically underserved.
Certain graduate-level assignments and activities are woven throughout the regular PA curriculum.
Students in Seattle and Spokane who have chosen the master's option will participate in master's-specific supplementary courses and complete a capstone project.
MEDEX Northwest has taken a competency-based approach to their PA curriculum design since opening in 1969.
The two main components of the curriculum are the classroom phase (known as the didactic) and the clinical phase.
Each section lasts approximately one year, and master's-level students have a quarter of additional material that prepares them for advanced clinical and leadership roles. The didactic year begins with an overview of basic science, reinforcing concepts about the fundamental building blocks underlying the practice of medicine.
The year-round curriculum integrates material across courses using an organ systems approach.
The core of the clinical phase of the training is four months of primary care guidance. This is most often completed in a family practice setting, or students may work with general internal medicine physicians and PAs.
There are also six shorter one-month rotations, called clerkships, which are meant to expose future primary care physicians to specialized practice. Physician Assistant School.
Tuition: $71,710 (MCHS total: 9 Qtrs.); $59.509 (BCHS total)
This is the best health school for doctor assistant program. I hope this helps.