  Information for Pre-Physician Assistant StudentsPhysician assistants (PAs) are professional members of the health care team qualified by both academic and clinical training to provide patient care under the supervision and direction of a licensed physician. PAs can interview and examine patients, order and interpret diagnostic tests, initiate and monitor treatment plans, assist in major surgery and administer emergency care. They also provide health care education to patients. UWM offers all of the prerequisite coursework necessary for application to physician assistant (PA) programs throughout the country. Approximately 80 percent of students admitted to professional PA programs have earned a bachelor's degree. Admission to PA programs is extremely competitive. Although the requirements may vary somewhat among programs, the following courses generally are required:
Due to the variance in admission requirements, it is important to discuss your course selection with the pre-professional health advisor every semester. In addition to proper academic preparation, it is critical for pre-PA students to gain health care experience. Most PA programs require direct patient care experience as part of their admission requirements. It is very important to apply early to PA schools. The application cycle begins in early May for the class starting 15-16 months later (e.g. Start the application process in May, 2005 if you plan to enter in Fall 2006.). PA schools require letters of reference and submission of Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or other designated standardized entrance test scores. According to the "2008-09" Occupational Outlook Handbook, physician assistants held about 66,000 jobs in 2006. The number of jobs is greater than the number of practicing PAs because some hold two or more jobs. For example, some PAs work with a supervising physician, but also work in another practice, clinic, or hospital. About 15% of actively working PA's held more than one clinical job concurrently in 2006. More than half of jobs for PAs were in the offices of physicians. About a quarter were in hospitals, public or private. The rest were mostly in outpatient care centers, including health maintenance organizations; the Federal Government; and public or private colleges, universities, and professional schools. A few were self-employed. Employment is expected to grow much faster than the average as health care establishments increasingly use physician assistants to contain costs. Job opportunities for PAs should be good, particularly in rural and inner city clinics, as these settings typically have difficulty attracting physicians. Employment of physician assistants is expected to grow 27 percent from 2006 to 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations. Projected rapid job growth reflects the expansion of health care industries and an emphasis on cost containment, which results in increasing use of PAs by health care establishments. Median annual earnings of wage-and-salary physician assistants were $74,980 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $62,430 and $89,220. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $43,100, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $102,230. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, median income for physician assistants in full-time clinical practice was $80,356 in 2006; median income for first-year graduates was $69,517. Income varies by specialty, practice setting, geographical location, and years of experience. Employers often pay for their employees' liability insurance, registration fees with the Drug Enforcement Administration, State licensing fees, and credentialing fees. For more information about the Pre-Physician Assistant studies at UWM, please contact Patricia Cobb (Pre-Professional Health Advisor) at (414) 229-3922 or email here at: pacobb@uwm.edu. If you would like to make an appointment to see Patricia Cobb, please call (414) 229-4654. Links to Physician Assistant Programs. |
