Physician Assistant School

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: February 4th, 2010

What are my physician assistant degree options?

Among physician assistant schools awarding medical science degrees to aspiring physician assistants, the trend has been towards more didactic coursework and more clinical exposure, culminating in a Bachelor of Science, then ultimately a Master of Science degree.

All 50 states have a governing body that presides over the practice of physician assisting, and most require state-issued licensure Physician Assistant Schools

in order to practice. All jurisdictions will expect graduates to gain physician assistant certification by passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination. Some states; however, have different educational requirements for entering the practice with special provisions being made for physician assistants in training, on clinical rotation, or in residency while working to complete their degree.

To get information on the specific educational requirements in your state, consult a local campus based institution or online school offering these programs in your area. The admissions counselor will be able to help you determine your state’s requirements and establish the exact educational track you’ll need to pursue.

Certificate and Associate’s Degree: Certificate and associate degree programs are available through only a few physician assistant schools in the United States. These programs are sufficient to provide the training necessary to enter bachelors programs, but by themselves they won’t provide the level of clinical training necessary to enter the profession. Expect these programs to provide the foundational education upon which bachelors and masters programs build. These physician assistant programs will focus on the classroom and lab component of physician assistant training, but rarely do they allow for any clinical exposure.

Bachelor’s Degree: Most aspiring physician assistants begin their educational career by pursuing a bachelor’s degree to earn the Bachelor of Science Physician Assistant post-nominal credential or BA PA. These programs facilitate the training necessary to allow graduates to begin actively working in the field of medicine in either clinical rotations or paid internships. Expect to invest about four years earning your bachelors of science degree so as to be eligible for both paid clinical work, and the next scholastic step you’ll take towards finalizing your education: A master’s degree program. A bachelor’s degree will mark the completion of your undergraduate schooling as you begin your master’s level training.

Master’s Degree: Graduate programs offered by physician assistant schools allow those practicing as physician assistants, or in another medically related capacity, to train for more specialized forms of clinical work. Two year master’s programs represent the final stage of advanced physician assistant training, although in some rare instances individuals elect to pursue a doctorate program. Common specialties that are pursued by master’s students include internal medicine, emergency medicine, rural primary care, neonatal care, occupational medicine, surgery, and pediatrics.

The three master’s level degree designations that can be pursued in the course of preparing for a physician assistant career are:

Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
Master of Health Science (MHS)
Master of Medical Science (MMSc)