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Q. Why is there a difference in the type of academic degrees that are awarded by the programs? A. All programs must award some type of credential to their graduates. It is the decision of the college or university associated with the program to determine the credentials it will award, and this will vary for a number of reasons. Programs awarding master’s degrees generally require a research component. Q. Why is there a difference in the amount of experience that is required by programs? In the length of programs? A. It is the responsibility of the individual program’s administration
to determine admission requirements for applicants. The required standards
for admission to the program are made in accordance with clearly defined
and published practices of the institution. The curriculum of a program must be at least one year in length and is
determined by the program. There must be at least four months of classroom
instruction. Q. What type of experience is acceptable to a program? A. Some programs require previous health care experience while others either recommend it strongly or do not require it. Those requiring experience are specific in the length of time and/or the types of experience they expect in their applicants. It is best to know the kind of previous health care experience a program will consider before you apply. Q. Are there any part-time programs that will allow me to continue to work and support my family? A. Because of the demanding schedule of the PA programs and the amount of instruction students receive in a short period of time, most programs prefer that students not be employed. Only a few programs offer part-time options or expanded time frames in which to complete the training. Q. Is there a ranking system for PA programs? How can applicants determine which programs are better? A. There is no ranking system for PA programs. All accredited programs meet the same stringent standards established by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Applicants may request a list from programs of their recent alumni, who can be contacted for their impressions and recommendations. Q. What do programs most look for in their applicants? A. Experience, academic standing, and the applicant’s character are all important to a program. Attention is paid to selecting students who have met the necessary admission requirements established by the program, especially those who understand the role of |
physician assistants, as well as the responsibilities and limitations of practice. Q. Do the programs keep my information on file from one year to the next or do I need to pay another application fee and send them all the paper work again? A. The CASPA service does not keep applicants’ material from year to year. Applicants may raise this question with admission personnel at programs that do not subscribe to CASPA. Q. Would I get credit for any courses that I have already taken and that are included in the curriculum of the program? A. Programs may ask their students to retake courses that have already been completed, but this is something applicants should discuss with each program to which they apply. PA educational courses are taught with the physician assistant profession in mind, and the program must provide all students with consistent learning opportunities appropriate for the profession. Q. Are there any distance learning courses available? A. Recently a very limited number of programs have begun to offer portions of their curriculum through distance learning modalities. However, for the majority of programs, physical attendance at the program is still required for the majority of course work. Q. Why don't the programs accept more new students each year? A. Budget, space, and facility limitations are some of the reasons for the limited number of students accepted each year. Also, in order to ensure proper instruction and afford the student the education necessary to practice, programs need to maintain an adequate instructor-to-student ratio. Q. Can I find my own preceptors for the clinical rotations or does the program decide that for me? A. Programs establish preceptor databases for clinical rotations. It is the responsibility of the program to secure and evaluate the appropriateness of clinical practice settings. A few programs may allow students to have some input into clinical rotations. Students may discuss the possibility of establishing their own preceptor with the program staff. Q. What is CASPA? A. CASPA is the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants, a Web-based application service launched in April 2001. Currently, 93 accredited PA programs participate in the service. For more information, or to begin the electronic application process, go to www.caspaonline.org. |
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