Does the idea of spending four years in medical school intimidate you? Not to mention at least three years in internship and residency? In spite of these fears, do you still have a strong desire to practice medicine?

Do you already have experience working in health care?

If these questions describe you, becoming a Physician Assistant may be the perfect option for you.

US News and World Report describes it as one of the 31 Careers with Bright Futures in 2008. Here’s what they have to say:

Don’t confuse physician assistants with medical assistants, who aren’t qualified to do much more than take your blood pressure. Physician assistants do 80 percent of what doctors do: conduct exams, diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, even assist in surgery. While PAs are supervised by physicians, they have considerable autonomy. And while pay isn’t doctorlike, it’s far from sickly.

The Physician Assistant career is one of fastest growing occupations in the country.

How much training is required?

Most Physician Assistant programs are 2-3 year masters programs. A few exist as Bachelors degrees or just certificates, but these are becoming less common. The masters programs start at the beginning of the summer and go straight through, no breaks.

What is the average salary of a Physician Assistant?
The middle 50% of Physician Assistants make between $70,000 and $85,000. Specialize a little more, gain a little bit more experience and you’re bound to make a great salary with a schedule and benefits that few careers can match.

How can I learn more?
Check out the American Academy of Physician Assistants website.

The PA Forum also has some great information. Here you can discuss the field with PAs and PA students.

Pre med students should consider the PA path. I work with PAs in the ER and have only had great experiences with them. They love their work.

I gave it strong consideration, and it still is a possibility in my mind, although it is becoming more and more unlikely. Do some research, talk with some Physician Assistants and maybe you’ll find that it’s the path for you.

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There are 7 Physician Assistant (PA) programs in the  great state of Texas. Here is a list in alphabetical order.  Learn about each program by clicking on these links about each PA program in Texas:

Baylor College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Masters

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Physician Assistant Program: Masters

The University of Texas Pan American Physician Assistant Program: Masters

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Physician Assistant Program: Masters

The University of Texas Medical Branch Physician Assistant Program: Masters

University of North Texas Physician Assistant Program: Masters

University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Looking for help applying to PA school? Check out this book: Getting Into the Physician Assistant School of Your Choice

There are 18 (!) Physician Assistant (PA) programs in the state of New York. Here is a list in alphabetical order.  Learn about each program by clicking on these links about each PA program in New York:

Albany Medical College Physician Assistant Program: Masters

CUNY York College Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors

DYouville College Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors, Masters

Daemen College Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors, Masters

Hofstra University Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Bachelors

Le Moyne College Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Long Island University Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Bachelors

Mercy College Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors, Masters

New York Institute of Technology Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Pace University Lenox Hill Hospital Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Masters

Rochester Institute of Technology Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors

SUNY/Downstate Medical Center Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors

St John’s University Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Bachelors

Stony Brook University SUNY Physician Assistant Program: Masters

The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Bachelors

Touro College Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors

Wagner College/Staten Island University Hospital Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Bachelors, Masters

Weill Cornell Medical College Physician Assistant Program: Certificate

Good Luck!

There are at least 15 Physician Assistant programs in Pennsylvania, the most of any state. The programs are spread throughout the state in cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Scranton.

Learn about each program by clicking on these links about each PA program in Pennsylvania:

Arcadia University Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Chatham College Physician Assistant Program: Masters

DeSales University Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Drexel University Hahnemann Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Duquesne University Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Gannon University Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Kings College Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Masters

Marywood University Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors, Masters

Pennsylvania College of Technology Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors, Masters

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Masters

Philadelphia University Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Saint Francis University Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors, Master

Salus University Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Seton Hall University Physician Assistant Program: Bachelors, Masters

There are six physician assistant programs in the state of Florida. They are located in various cities spread around the state.

Learn about each program by clicking on these links about each PA program in Florida:

Barry University School of Graduate Medical Sciences Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Masters

Miami Dade College Physician Assistant Program: Associates

Nova Southeastern University Ft Lauderdale Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Nova Southeastern University Naples Physician Assistant Program: Masters

Nova Southeastern University Orlando Physician Assistant Program: Masters

University of Florida Physician Assistant Program: Certificate, Masters

There are two Physician Assistant program in Alabama. They are located in Birmingham at UAB and Mobile at University of South Alabama. Learn more about the programs here:

Surgical Physician Assistant Program at UAB

University of South Alabama Physician Assistant Studies Program

Apply to the Physician Assistant programs in Alabma through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) Good luck!

Looking for help applying to PA school? Check out this book: Getting Into the Physician Assistant School of Your Choice

There are two Physician Assistant programs in Colorado. One is at Red Rocks Community College near Denver and the other is at University of Colorado Denver which is also, you guessed it, in the Denver Area.

Click the links below to find out more information about these PA programs in Colorado.

Red Rocks Community College Physician Assistant Program

University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center Physician Assistant Program

Apply to these Physician Assistant program through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)

Good luck!

There are 10 physician assistant programs in the state of California. They are located in various cities spread around the state including Los Angeles, Sacramento, Oakland, and Pomona among others.

Looking for some help applying to PA schools? Check out this book!

Learn about each program by clicking on these links about each PA program in California:

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science Physician Assistant Program

Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California Physician Assistant Program

Loma Linda University Master of Physician Assistant Program

Riverside County Regional Medical enter/Riverside Community College Physician Assistant Program

Samuel Merritt College Physician Assistant Program

San Joaquin Valley College Physician Assistant Program

Stanford University School of Medicine Primary Care Associate Program

Touro University California College of Health Sciences Physician Assistant MPH Program

University of California Davis Physician Assistant Program

Western University of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program

Click here for an index of all the PA programs in the United States.

Good Luck!

Looking for help applying to PA school? Check out this book: Getting Into the Physician Assistant School of Your Choice

There are two Physician Assistant programs in Arizona. One is at Arizona School of Health Sciences in Mesa, Arizona and the other is at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona.

Learn about the programs here:

Arizona School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program

Midwestern University College of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program

Apply to these Physician Assistant program through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)

Good luck!

Looking for help applying to PA school? Check out this book: Getting Into the Physician Assistant School of Your Choice

There is only one Physician Assistant program in Arkansas. It is located at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.

Learn more about the program here:

Harding University Physician Assistant Program

Apply to the Physician Assistant program at Harding University through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)

Good luck!