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Physician Assistant (PA) programs require pre-medical science courses, clinical experience, and completion of the MCAT or GRE. Shadowing licensed PAs is recommended but not always required.
Licensed to practice medicine under the responsibility of a physician, the Physician Assistant (AP) is educated in the same format as that of a medical student, although the duration of training is significantly less than medical school. With the exception of the shadow, the AF program prerequisites also tend to be somewhat identical, including pre-medical science courses and post-baccalaureate exams such as the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). Paid clinical work experience in a healthcare position, such as a paramedic or medical scribe, is often included in AP program prerequisites.
As the medical assistant is licensed to practice medicine, it is important that he or she has a thorough knowledge base in the natural sciences. Like medical schools, all AP schools require completion of several premedical courses in the physical and life sciences for admission, usually including an introductory year in physics, biological sciences, and organic chemistry in addition to biochemistry. Completed as part of a bachelor’s degree in no specific premedical sciences course for entry into AF programs, one should finish with above average grades.
Depending on the school, PA program prerequisites include scores on the Medical Colleges Admissions Test (MCAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Some programs require candidates to have reports from both types of exams. In certain cases, colleges do not accept one for the other and tend to be very specific about what is required, such as desirable minimum scores and how recent the results are.
Most medical assistant schools require applicants to have clinical experience in the healthcare field, such as nursing, or through employment as a paramedic. Working as a medical scribe is also a popular option for pre-PA students. Medical scribes help physicians by taking patients’ medical histories and noting events that occur during visits, including important doctor-patient discussions, treatments, and test results. There is usually a specification for the amount of clinical experience required; therefore, it is essential that prospective students contact AP schools to find out the total number of paid hours expected for admission consideration.
Not all PA programs require students to have shaded licensed PAs, but it is often recommended in addition to PA program prerequisites. Shadowing involves carefully observing a PA as he or she goes about the day-to-day business of the workday. Primarily done for the purpose of learning about healthcare work, shadowing allows future medical assistants to gain an understanding of the various capacities in which these professionals are employed. Students should observe actual AP duties being performed in various areas of medicine.
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