Physician assistants work collaboratively with physicians to provide a wide range of care for patients in both clinical and hospital settings. PAs are able to specialize in a variety of areas, including anesthesia, cardiology, dermatology, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and more. Their daily duties often include examining patients, prescribing medications, diagnosing illnesses, ordering tests, and performing procedures.

Program Admission Prerequisites:

• 5 Biology courses: Zoology (BIOL 111), Microbiology (BIOL 208), Biometrics (BIOL 247), Anatomy (BIOL 256), and Human Physiology (BIOL 257)
• 3 Chemistry courses: Introductory Chemistry (CHEM 117), Organic Chemistry (CHEM 230), and Nutrition and Metabolism: Biochemical Mechanisms (CHEM 260)
• Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 100) and Life-Span Developmental Psychology (PSYC 210)
• English with intensive writing
• Prior health care experience with hands-on patient care, such as working as an EMT, CNA, Medical Assistant, or Surgical Tech.

Most students will have a bachelor’s degree and roughly three years of hands-on healthcare experience prior to entering a program. The Physician Assistant Education Program and the American Academy of Physician Assistants are great resources for students wanting to learn more about becoming a physician’s assistant. Explore this list of training programs to find the requirements of specific programs.