Good relational skills, exceptional reasoning abilities, and a desire to help people are all necessary to be a success as a physician's assistant. The physician's assistant is an indispensable addition to the practices of internists, primary care physicians and emergency care facilities. Their work enables a greater number of patients to receive care, and at a lower cost, in part because the PA is paid less than the supervising physician, although their work is no less important.

This page will explore how to become a physician's assistant.

A physician's assistant (PA) attends to patient medical care while under the supervision of a licensed medical doctor. The job responsibilities mirror those of the supervising physician, such as performing physicals, treating illness, and interpreting diagnostic test results. http://www.allalliedhealthschools.com/faqs/physician_assistantAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the physician's assistant profession is expected to grow much faster than other occupations between 2008 and 2018. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos081.htm

• Some nurses, nursing assistants and emergency medical technicians choose to advance their education and go back to school to become a physician's assistant. Some have already received an undergraduate degree and are able to apply directly for graduate school, but if you do not already have a bachelor's degree, that is the first place to begin.http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos081.htm

1. Begin by acquiring an undergraduate degree if you do not already have one.
2. It is recommended that your undergraduate studies include coursework in:
   1. Biology
   2. Microbiology
   3. Anatomy
   4. Physics
   5. Psychology
   6. Sociology
   7. Zoology
   8. General and organic chemistry
   9. Medical terminology http://generalstudies.sdstate.edu/PrePhysAsst.htm
3. Admission for graduate school requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0, so make studying a priority.http://www.sf.edu/healthscience/pa/msentryprogram.shtml
4. If you have a PA program in mind, contact them to explore what additional coursework may be required.
5. If you are not already involved in the medical profession, volunteer in a clinical setting. Many colleges prefer that you have at least two years of experience in some type of field training.
6. Seek the guidance of an adviser or mentor who is already in the PA field.
7. Begin the application process for acceptance into a physician's assistant program. A centralized application site is located online at the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA).https://portal.caspaonline.org/#

• Your coursework will include many of the same courses that a medical student will take in medical school. http://www.methodist.edu/paprogram/curriculum.htmSome correlating information is found on the Mahalo guide on becoming a doctor.

1. Enroll in a program that is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).http://www.allalliedhealthschools.com/faqs/physician_assistant
2. The first-year focus will be on medical areas that include:
   1. Endocrinology
   2. Infectious disease
   3. Pharmacology
   4. Human anatomy
   5. Cardiology
   6. OB/GYN
   7. Orthopedics
   8. Emergency medicine
   9. Disease prevention
3. The second year includes rotations in clinical institutions in areas such as psychiatry, pediatrics, surgery and family medicine. The rotations are intense and will prepare you with hands-on experience with patients in a medical environment.http://www.methodist.edu/paprogram/curriculum.htm
4. Explore the possibility of specializing in an area such as:
   1. Pediatrics
   2. Dermatology
   3. Surgery
   4. Emergency medicine
   5. Geriatrics
   6. Orthopedics
   7. Rheumatology
   8. Oncology

http://www.methodist.edu/paprogram/curriculum.htm

• Desire and a good education are only two of the factors you'll need in order to work in your chosen field. Consider the following to give yourself an even better chance of landing your dream job:

1. Specialize in an area of medicine that appeals to you. http://www.sf.edu/healthscience/pa/msentryprogram.shtmlShould you decide on a specialty, contact and join your chosen field's association or society. The American Association of Physician Assistants has a list of specialty organizations' contact info here.
2. During your free time, accept a temporary position as an intern; it will be beneficial to you when applying for jobs, because most employers prefer to hire someone with experience in their field of work.
3. Seek paid employment in your chosen area during your schooling. If surgery is where you want to specialize, for instance, become an assistant in a surgical practice or hospital. If emergency work is more to your liking, look for a job as an emergency medical technician (EMT). Paid experience looks great on an employment application.

• The Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) is designed to assess the PA graduate's knowledge and abilities and determine their likelihood for success in a medical career. Your grade is the determining factor used by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants certifying board to decide whether you'll be certified as a PA-C.http://www.nccpa.net/Pance.aspx

1. You are eligible to take the exam after your graduation from:
   1. An accredited ARC-PA program.http://www.nccpa.net/Pance.aspx
   2. A program certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education—with coursework completed between 7/1/1994 and 12/31/2000.http://www.nccpa.net/Pance.aspx
   3. An American Medical Association Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation program accredited as a "Physician Assistant Program" or a "Surgeon Assistant Program"—with coursework completed between 1/1/1986 and 6/30/1994.http://www.nccpa.net/Pance.aspx
   4. An American Medical Association Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation program accredited as a "Program to Educate and Train Assistants to the Primary Care Physician" or a "Surgeon Assistant Program"—with coursework completed between 1/1/1977 and 12/31/1985.http://www.nccpa.net/Pance.aspx
   5. An American Medical Association Council on Medical Education-accredited program prior to 12/31/1976.http://www.nccpa.net/Pance.aspx
2. As of 1/1/2003, the test can be taken up to six times in a six-year period, following graduation from an accredited ARC-PA program.http://www.nccpa.net/Pance.aspx
3. The exam contains 360 multiple choice questions.
4. For a $35 fee, you may take the self-assessment test to give yourself a feel for the exam.http://www.nccpa.net/SelfAssessment.aspx