Major: Physician Assistance
Are you interested in health and medicine? Do biology, chemistry, and psychology rank among your favorite courses? Can you imagine working with physicians and patients in a busy city hospital? Or what about working with a physician in a small rural community? If you answered yes to these questions, a major in physician assistance may be the right choice for you.
Since physician assistants are often the first person to assess a patient’s health, you’ll learn how to recognize and treat everything from the common cold to life-threatening diseases. Your studies will range from basic medical and clinical sciences to specialized fields such as pediatrics, surgery, or psychiatry.
Physician assistance majors train to practice medicine as part of a team supervised by doctors.
Did You Know?
- Even though physician assistants are supervised by doctors, many spend most of their time working independently and are able to prescribe medication in almost all states.
Are You Ready To...?
- Study and train side-by-side with med students
- Attend lectures and learn in small groups
- Spend at least one year studying medicine in an intensive classroom environment
- Spend at least one year completing clinical training at a hospital or another health care institution
It Helps to Be...
A curious and compassionate problem solver. Physician assistants are often on the front lines where a genuine desire to help people and quick, careful diagnosis are critical.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant?
- What degree will you earn once you’ve completed the program?
- Do you have to complete any college-level study before applying to the program?
- Do you need to have work experience in health care for acceptance into the program?
- Does the college participate in the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants?
- Will you be able to complete your off-campus clinical training in a rural or urban health facility?
Did You Know?
- Most students in this major already have several years of work experience in health care.
Course Spotlight
After completing at least one year of classroom studies in courses ranging from anatomy to medical ethics, you’ll head out into the real world for the second part of your training -- clinical rotations.
On-site training with doctors and patients will be intensive (at least forty hours a week). You’ll train in family medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, and many other areas. In both urban and rural settings, you’ll often treat medically underserved populations.
