How many years does it take to become a Physician Assistant (PA)?

How long does it take to become a Physician's Assistant?

• I am a junior studying Political Science at a university and thinking of pursuing becoming a Physician's assistant after i finish my degree...what would this take? Is it a long program?

• Answer:

  From one career page: "Competition is tough: Nurses, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and paramedics most commonly apply to PA programs in order to become certified physician assistants. The typical applicant to a PA program has a bachelor’s degree (they also need to have followed a premed track as an undergraduate) and more than four years of health care experience. For those interested in becoming PAs but who haven’t followed the traditional science route in college, a post-baccalaureate program may be the answer. Many universities have programs where students can take all the undergraduate sciences courses in one post-baccalaureate program. Because PAs are going to be in a close working relationship with physicians, they are educated in a medical model designed to complement physician training. Once candidates have been accepted to a PA program the average curriculum stretches over 108 weeks of intensive medical study [over two years past the bachelor's degree], compared with 153 weeks for medical school." http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/profiles/dayInLife.asp?careerID=181 Here's a good page for finding the educational programs, seeing the application process, and understanding other PA school related details: http://saaapa.aapa.org/prepa/paprograminfo.htm