| The road to Physician Assistant certificate | | | | the class. So your application has to be stellar! It |
| Some may think of Physician Assistant's profession | | | | starts with the personal statement. |
| as just another job, while others have never heard | | | | Your personal statement is what separates you from |
| of this career. Physician Assistant or PA is relatively | | | | the others. Those who apply have a high GPA and |
| new profession. It was established in the late 1960's | | | | extensive medical background, but only one person |
| after the Vietnam War. During that time there were | | | | can stand out with a personal narrative about |
| a lot of experienced Navy corpsmen coming home | | | | themselves and why they want to be a Physician |
| from the war. Navy corpsmen are Navy medics who | | | | Assistant. Pay close attention to the questions asked, |
| serve with the Marines. Corpsman gained an | | | | and do lots of research and proofreading before you |
| extensive amount of combat medicine. They cared | | | | submit your application. |
| for hundreds of wounded changing their bandages, | | | | The second hardest thing is the interview. If you |
| administering medications, performing minor surgical | | | | were invited to the interview then there is something |
| procedures, and numerous life-saving procedures. | | | | in your application that made you worthy of PA |
| Corpsmen had no equivalent job in the civilian life, so | | | | profession. Now, selection committee wants to meet |
| the Physician Assistant profession was developed. | | | | you in person and see if you would make a good PA. |
| Today, those who wish to apply to PA program | | | | They will ask you questions, personal questions |
| don't have to be Navy corpsmen, however medical | | | | sometimes to find out about your character. Think |
| experience is a must. Usually, PA programs like their | | | | about it, no one wants a money hungry provider |
| applicants to have at least two years of relevant | | | | overcharging patients. When interviewers are asking |
| medical background. What that means is someone | | | | you questions, they are asking them self only one |
| who has been working as a medical assistant, a | | | | question, "Would I want this person to take care of |
| nurse, paramedic, respiratory therapists, and such. | | | | me and my family?" After you get accepted, you |
| Volunteering, medical billing, coding, office type of | | | | face two more challenges. |
| work is not considered to be relevant medical | | | | First is two years of intensive studies. Physician |
| experience. They look for people with patient hands | | | | Assistant school is designed exactly like a medical |
| on type of experience. | | | | school that doctors go through, only it's compressed |
| In addition to experience, a potential applicant must | | | | into two and a half years instead of four. |
| be in good academic standing. There are prerequisite | | | | The last challenge is the certifying exam. It is |
| classes which must be completed before application. | | | | composed of 600 questions. It's a little shorter then |
| Each program is a little different, but usually they | | | | doctors have to take which is 800 questions. When |
| want Anatomy and Physiology, English, Biology, | | | | that hurdle has been accomplished, you are now a |
| Microbiology, and Chemistry. Most programs require a | | | | licensed practicing PA. |
| Bachelors degree. There are a few left that don't, | | | | As anyone can see the road to becoming a certified |
| but soon they all will require some sort of Bachelors | | | | Physician Assistant isn't an easy one. It requires lots |
| degree. | | | | of experience and college education just to be able |
| Once you have those things completed, the hardest | | | | to apply to PA program. Than once in the program |
| thing is application process itself. It's the hardest | | | | two years of intensive studying follows. It takes a |
| process because now you have to compete with | | | | strong moral character, lots of dedication, and a good |
| five hundred other applicants for roughly 50 seats in | | | | heart to become a Physician Assistant. |