The Canyon

Physician Assistant

A physician assistant is a health care professional licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. What a Physician Assistant does varies with training, experience and state law. The scope of a PA's practice corresponds to the supervising physician's practice. In general, the PA sees many of the same types of patients as does the physician, but the more complicated or non-routine cases are referred to a physician as appropriate. Physician assistants (PA's) ALWAYS work "in the context of a supervising physician."

Specialties

Health Care Settings

1/3 + of all PA's work in undeserved areas. (63% are female)

Hospital 27% Solo practice 6%
Clinic 18% Inner City Clinic 5%
Group Practice 14% HMO 5%
rural Clinic 10% Military 4%

Average Salary: $64,000

Average Salary for Surgery Specialties: $125,000

Education

Physician assistants, because of the close working relationship they have with physicians, are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training. There are nearly 100 physician assistant programs nationwide, two in Arizona. The typical program is at least two years long, and no residency is required afterwards. A quarter of these programs, including the two in Arizona, award master's degrees. Half award bachelor's degrees and half award certificates.

Acceptance ratio:
10 to 1 acceptance
Average # of years experience before admission:
5.2 years
Average science GPA:
3.5

Arizona has two Physician Assistant programs:

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

A few highly qualified students may be admitted after completing 90 credits.

2000 contact hours of medical experience required.

A number of Physician Assistant programs also require or recommend the following:

For Further Information Contact