Physician Assistant Program in Iowa - IA

Admission to Physician Assistant programs in Iowa is competitive.  These schools want the smartest, most experienced, and most all around successful students in their programs. To get in these programs a bachelor’s degree is required with prerequisite classes that need to be completed prior to admission.  Students will need many classes in the sciences like chemistry and biology, and also classes in psychology are necessary.   Both Physician Assistant programs in Iowa require 750 hours or more of health care experience.  Other admissions qualifications are cumulative GPA greater than 2.8 or 3.0 and completion of the GRE or MCAT.

In order to maintain licensure in Iowa, physician assistants must renew every two years.  Renewal costs $120 and a renewal application will need to be completed.  As part of this process, continuing education hours will need to be completed and proof of these hours submitted.  A total of 100 hours is required to be completed in each two-year period.  If working with children in the state of Iowa you must complete at least two hours of training in identifying abuse as part of the continuing education requirement.  You must maintain your certification as well to maintain your Iowa license.  The NCCPA recertifies every two years for a fee of $130 and 100 hours of continuing education (you can use the same hours for both recertification and license renewal).  The last requirement is that every 6 years a recertification exam must be passed.