Physician Assistants to be in High Demand

Physician assistants (PAs) are the right hand of physicians. In the coming years, they will be in high demand as nursing and doctor shortages become more acute. Like medical doctors, PAs are taught to diagnose and treat medical problems. Unlike medical doctors, they don't have to spend nearly as much time in school.

There are more than 140 accredited programs in the United States. All PA programs must meet the same ARC-PA standards. The average PA program takes about 26 months to complete and combines classroom and laboratory instruction in anatomy, pharmacology, pathophysiology, clinical medicine and physical diagnosis. This is usually complemented by clinical rotations in internal and family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, surgery, gynecology, and geriatric and emergency medicine.

Like their M.D. colleagues, PAs are expected to continue their education after graduation. This includes a requirement to take ongoing medical education classes and clinical skills testing. Some postgraduate PA programs even allow practicing PAs to pursue advanced education in specific medical sub-disciplines.

Ideally, if you wish to enter a PA program, you should already have some previous health care experience as well as a college degree in a science or health related field. This is why you'll typically find EMTs, nurses, and paramedics in PA programs.

What can you expect to earn? Annual salaries vary somewhat depending on location, but mid-career PAs can expect to make anywhere from $78,000 to $92,000.

For more information on accreditation, visit the ARC-PA Web site.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.