Physician Assistant Programs in California: How to Become a Physician Assistant

The medical field is one of the most promising fields when it comes to job opportunities and career advancement.  In addition to becoming a doctor, nurse, physical therapist or medical technologist, you can also choose to become a physician assistant or PA.  A PA is someone who provides health-care services under the supervision of a physician.

While you can work anywhere in the United States as a PA, California, with its dense population, is a popular destination for those who want to train to become and eventually work as a physician assistant.  Currently, the United States has 154 accredited entry-level PA programs.  In California, there are nine programs in total.

What Is A Physician Assistant?

Physician assistants are different from medical assistants or MAs who are trained to do routinary clinical and clerical tasks.  Physician assistants in California and elsewhere in the US undergo formal training programs where they learn how to diagnose and provide preventive health-care services.  They can examine patients, order lab tests and x-rays, treat injuries, prescribe medications, assist in surgery, and more.  PA’s are required to work under a physician’s direct supervision.

Getting Started

If you want to be part of the fastest-growing professions today, you can start by enrolling in a physician assistant program in California.  The training typically requires a minimum of 2 years of higher education.  In addition, you must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam.

Start off your career by inquiring about physician assistant programs in different schools in California.  You can also find a number of physician assistant programs on the Internet and advertised on TV.  One important thing to remember when searching for a program is to make sure that the program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, also known as the ARC-PA.

This organization evaluates and accredits physician assistant programs in California and all other states.  Keep in mind that you will not be allowed to take the certifying exam if you complete a non-accredited program.  You will have to go back to school and enroll in an accredited program.  The exam is conducted by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or NCCPA.

Important Points

Whether you are applying for admission to a PA program in California or anywhere else in the United States, there are a few important points to keep in mind:

• Different programs have different eligibility requirements; as a rule, applicants should have a college degree or a minimum of two years of college credits and work experience in the medical field.

• Only those who have completed an accredited PA program are eligible to take the national certifying exam for physician assistants

It’s important to make sure that the program you are entering is accredited by the ARC-PA.  To find out, you can visit the official website of the ARC-PA and take a look at the accredited programs.  Physician assistant programs in California are listed under that state.  The programs are easy to find because the states are listed in alphabetical order.

As previously said, there are 9 PA programs in California that are accredited by the ARC-PA.  California is next only to New York and Pennsylvania when it comes to the number of physician assistant programs with the necessary accreditation.  Depending on the program you choose, you can be awarded a Certificate, Associate’s Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, or a Master’s Degree.

Eligibility requirements differ based on the school and the physician assistant program in California that you are applying for.  For example, you may be required to have at least two years of college credits.  Many schools offering physician assistant programs in California also require a certain number of hours of direct patient contact.  Previous experience in health care is definitely a plus.  The school may also require a minimum GPA to be admitted to a program.

One of the schools offering programs in California is the Stanford School of Medicine in Palo Alto.  You can enroll in a program that will allow you to earn a certificate or associate’s degree.  This school in California also offers programs leading to a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree.

The Riverside Community College in Moreno Valley and the San Joaquin Valley College in Visalia, California offer a program that will lead to an associate’s degree.

Other schools offering PA programs in California include the Loma Linda University, Touro University, University of Southern California (Keck), Western University Health Sciences, Samuel Merritt University, and University of California Davis School of Medicine in Sacramento.

If you aspire to become a PA, you must first find out if you are eligible to apply for the physician assistant program in California. Because every school has different eligibility requirements, it is best to contact the school you want to apply to.  In general, your academic standing, experience, and character are major factors that will be evaluated by the school

Licensure For Physician Assistants

If you want to take physician assistant programs in California, it is not enough to complete an accredited program.  You must also take and pass the national certification exam which is called the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination.  All states have their own legislation on the practice of PA’s, and one of the requirements is to pass the certifying exam given by the NCCPA.  Those who pass the exam are permitted to utilize the Physician Assistant-Certified title.

Certification does not end there.  Every two years, PA’s must accomplish one hundred hours of continuing education.  They are also required to pass a re-certification test every 6 years, or they can complete an alternative program and a take-home exam.

Salary Range for PA’s

Experience counts a lot when it comes to your earning potential.  PA’s with less than a year of work experience receive from $60,000 to $78,000 while those with 10 years of experience can earn up to $90,000.  You can also earn more if you have a specialty field such as neurosurgery, cardiovascular surgery, or dermatology.

If you work in New York or California, you may also have the potential to earn more.  PA’s in California can earn $100,000 on average. This is one compelling reason for you to enroll in a PA program in California.

The Best Physician Assistant Schools in California

Physician assistant is a professional health care worker who works with medical staff, physicians and other medical workers. A PA or physician assistant does important tasks under the supervision of her licensed physician. There are many tasks that a physician assistant needs to do and some of these tasks are ordering and interpreting lab results, obtaining the patient’s medical history and records, treating of injuries and ailments and many more. A potential physician assistant needs to complete a PA program from one of the PA schools in California. There are a lot of PA schools in California but one needs to pass the school’s exams and interviews to be able to get into a PA program. There are two popular PA schools in California. Foothill College located in Los Altos Hills California and the University of Southern California which is located in Los Angeles.

University of Southern California is one of the oldest Universities in California and one of those that offer Physician assistant programs. It is known as a private research University. The PA program includes Medicine, research, public health and science. This PA school in California offers a 33 month PA program. One of the University’s requirements is to have a bachelor’s degree and other course works such as chemistry, human anatomy and biology. Foothill College is one of the PA schools in California that does clinical trainings and classroom lectures that includes treatment, diagnosis, preventive health care and counseling. Foothill College’s curriculum includes courses like family medicine clinical, primary care medicine, special clinical projects and family medicine didactic. Finding the best PA schools in California is just one of the preparations in becoming a successful physician assistant. A potential physician assistant must fully understand the job and the many tasks that she needs to do with care and dedication.