It is rare to visit a doctor’s office without seeing a physician’s assistant (PA). The U.S. faces a shortage of primary care physicians, and PA’s are a way to fill in the gaps. A PA works under the doctor’s supervision, and they both take care of patients. The PA examines patients, makes diagnoses, develops treatment plans, and sutures wounds. Indeed, PA’s can do most things except major procedures, like surgeries. The duties of a PA vary from state-to-state. For instance, some states allow them to write prescriptions while others do not. Specialists, such as dermatologists and rheumatologists, also benefit from a PA’s services.
Interested students may need a Bachelor’s Physician Assistant Certification in Arkansas. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has one of the best PA programs in the country. Most PA programs last from two years to thirty months. The initial training is in the classroom and includes some clinical time with patients. Classes include anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and emergency medicine. Students spend at least a year on clinical rotations during the second part of the program. Each clinical rotation lasts four to eight weeks. Focus areas include family medicine, pediatrics, and women’s health. Most students graduate with a master’s level degree.
Students who are not quite ready for medical school should consider the Bachelor’s Physician Assistant Certification in Arkansas. Interestingly, the PA program has roots in the 1940’s, but the shortage of primary care physicians began in the sixties. As a result, the PA program was started at Duke University to help the ailing industry. Experts guessed, correctly, that the program would turn out highly-trained healthcare professionals. The curriculum was based on fast-track training doctors received during World War II. The program is a great alternative to becoming a traditional physician. In addition, patients can only benefit from the PA program. A great percentage are already working in medicine as nurses and paramedics. The average starting salary for a PA is estimated at $100 thousand. If you are interested, read about the Bachelor’s Physician Assistant Certification in Arkansas at visit us website. It is a great time to enter this growing profession.
