Physician Assistant Program in Virginia - VA

By Joanna Pelletier, allied health world contributing writer
Published: January, 7 2010

Candidates should choose Physician Assistant programs in Virginia approved by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and the State of Virginia require future practitioners to go through these programs as a prerequisite for the NCCPA  Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE).

Physician Assistant programs in Virginia provide students with a core curriculum that balances their clinical practice time with the amount of time they spend in class. Students who are accepted into these programs demonstrate an ability to process a large amount of technical information, provide patients with cost-effective medical services, understand the principles of scientific inquiry and research design, and incorporate the basic principles of their education into programs that are beneficial for the community. These students also possess leadership capability, sensitivity to cultural and individual differences, and a team-oriented attitude.