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Physician Assistant Education in Virginia - VA
By Joanna Pelletier, allied health world contributing writer
Published: January 7th, 2010
Students who plan to attend Physician Assistant schools in Virginia should seek training through programs that follow the ARC-PA and AMA curriculum models. Students who participate in these programs offered by Physician Assistant schools in Virginia take classes in physiology and genetics, health care dynamics, epidemiology, patient interactions, anatomy, history taking, neuroanatomy, clinical pharmacology, behavioral medicine, health promotion strategies, pediatrics, and a preceptorship over a period of 14-16 months. Students spend their remaining time in a clinical externship, where they gain experience in pediatrics, behavioral medicine, family medicine, surgery, or another field of interest.
NCCPA regulates all continuing medical education (CMEs) requirements for Physician Assistants in the State of Virginia. Physician Assistants in Virginia renew their licenses every odd-numbered year by attending classes, conferences, seminars, grand rounds, lectures, and other gatherings organized by the NCCPA, American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), AMA, American Academy of Family Physicians (AAPFP), American Osteopathic Association Committee on Continuing Medical Education (AOACCME), or an NCCPA-accredited college or university. Their CMEs must total up to 100 hours, which they must collect before the end of the two-year period.
Through campus based and online programs, aspiring Physician Assistants in Arlington, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Alexandria, Portsmouth and Hampton, Virginia may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the University of Virginia Medical Center, Saint Mary's Hospital, Lynchburg General Hospital and Inova Fairfax Hospital.