Physician Assistant Education in Louisiana - LA
According to the website of the Primary Care & Rural Health Department of the state of Louisiana, a shortage of primary care providers exists in Louisiana; in fact, a huge 86 percent of the state’s parishes are designated as shortage areas. Furthermore about 40 percent of doctors who graduate from medical schools in Louisiana move elsewhere to set up their practices. In general Louisiana has a poor record in terms of the health of its citizens, with much room for improvement; it is 49th among states in level of health and 6th in the percentage of residents who do not have primary care. Hence Med Job Louisiana is recruiting physician assistants and other health-care professionals to work in underserved areas in community health centers, hospitals, clinics, and other public health units. Physician assistant schools in Louisiana along with the Louisiana physician assistant university have been ramping up to accommodate new enrollment to meet this need.
Renewal and Continuing Education
Renewal forms are available at www.lsbme.la.gov. To renew, a physician assistant must pay a fee of $150. Forms may be either mailed or delivered to: LSBME/630 Camp Street/P.O. Box 54383/New Orleans, LA 70154-4383. Physician assistants should make sure to send in renewals by at least 30 days in advance, especially if the renewal date is near the end of the calendar year, when processing takes longer.
Continuing education offered through physician assistant schools in Louisiana and is required by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants to maintain the NCCPA certification. The hours must be earned every two years and logged in online along with a $130 fee to maintain certification; the online entries may take place between May 1 of the certification issuing year and December 31 of the expiration year. No less than 50 of the hours must be Category I and the rest may be Category I or I or both.