Taking up a career as a physician assistant PA won’t only earn you handsome salaries, you will also be respected and honoured in healthcare. This tells you it won’t be a waste of time and resources going to any accredited Physician assistant PA schools in Oregon to get a degree in allied health science or related field. It is a big-time investment!
Are you surprised why I mentioned OREGON?
Oregon is one state in the United States with the top and accredited schools where you can get the best Physician assistant PA study.
However, pa is a rewarding and challenging career that substantially changes people’s lives.
A physician assistant in the United States and Canada, or physician associate in the United Kingdom (PA), is explained as a generalist advanced practice provider who practices medicine.
However, PAs may practice autonomously and freely with physicians or collaboratively with physicians depending on the legislation in the state or province where the PA practices.
Also, The profession has expanded and is still expanding globally. It can be found in countries like Australia, Canada, Germany, Ghana, India, Israel, Liberia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
While many countries do not use the term but have people that are employed to do similar types of work, such as clinical officers in African, clinical associates in South Africa, assistant medical officers in Malaysia, assistant doctors in China, and many more.
So, relax and read on! This article aims to answer the following questions on schools for physician assistant PA.
Before I continue, let’s go through the table of content below to get an overview of what the article entails.
Table of contents
- What Is Physician Assistant PA?
- Why Study Physician Assistant PA In Oregon?
- How Long Is a PA School In Oregon?
- What Is The Job Outlook Of Physician Assistant In Oregon?
- How Much Do Physician Assistant PA In Oregon Earn?
- Can One Be Accepted Into Physician Assistant PA Schools In Oregon Without GRE?
- Can One Be Admitted Into PA Schools In Oregon With A Low GPA?
- Accredited Physician Assistant PA Schools In Oregon
- CONCLUSION
- REFERENCES
- RECOMMENDATIONS
What Is Physician Assistant PA?
A physician assistant is an integral health care team member in many hospitals and clinical practices. The role of the physician assistant (PA) is to practice medicine under the direction and supervision of a licensed physician.
Furthermore, The physician assistant came about in the 1960s as a response to the need for more clinicians and better access to health care.
Dr Eugene Stead, the chairperson of the Department of Medicine at Duke University, developed the first PA program to train PAs for rural areas with dwindling numbers of physicians and nurses.
Thus, PAs can practice in virtually all medical and surgical specialities, provided they are properly trained and supervised. Also, PAs can assist in surgeries.
In addition, PA training programs are accredited by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
Responsibilities Of A PA
The responsibilities and duties of a physician assistant PA include:
- PAs provide diagnostic and therapeutic patient care in practically all medical specialities and settings.
- The physician assistant prescribes medications and develops patient treatment plans.
- PAs Order tests to find out illnesses and injuries.
- A physician assistant Stitch wounds and set bones.
- Also, he/she Administer immunizations.
- Maintained patient records and provided documentation for insurance companies.
Why Study Physician Assistant PA In Oregon?
Being a PA has so many benefits that it is hard to argue against wanting to pursue this career. But, if you need to be more convinced, here are why you study PA in Oregon.
- Versatility: Generally, PAs practise in every medical setting, every state and speciality, improving healthcare access and quality. Also, you can practice in areas like dermatology, pathology, cardiothoracic surgery, emergency medicine, and family medicine.
- Work/life balance: PA professionals can have a life outside their regular full-time job. Being a PA allows many to have families, hobbies, and time off, without being on-call 24/7.
- Competitive Salary: The salary of a PA is competitive based on multiple factors such as location, speciality, and years of experience, you can count on being able to provide a great standard of living for you and your family.
- Length of School: Most PA programs last anywhere from 23 to 28 months depending on the school. This is of course, after you earn your bachelor’s degree.
- Develop relationships with patients: you will truly make a difference in their quality of life. Also, you will be their shoulder to cry on, and it truly is an honour to be given that much trust and respect from someone who would otherwise be a stranger.
- Team-based care commits PAs to team practice with physicians and other healthcare providers. You’ll experience a lot of autonomy, but if you ever need any help, you’ll always have your team to ask questions!
- Job Market: with the job market, the PA profession increases speedily. Also, you can enter the PA field with considerable job security.
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How Long Is a PA School In Oregon?
If you want to become a PA in Oregon, you need to plan. Where you are on your educational path will determine how long you take to become a physician assistant.
Regardless of where you fall currently in your education, there are a few things you need to know that will help you become a physician assistant most efficiently.
However, many PA programs require that students have hands-on patient experience before applying.
So, if you are currently a high school student, There are two paths you can take to become a physician assistant.
First, you can attend an accelerated physician assistant program customized for students graduating from high school, the programs take about five years to complete, and it will award you both a bachelor’s and master’s degree.
Or you get a bachelor’s degree. Make sure you complete courses required for application to PA programs, which takes 4 years. Then, attend a PA program which requires an additional two years.
If you currently have a bachelor’s degree, then the next thing to do is to apply for a physician assistant program which takes between 24 and 27 months to complete. If you want to work during your PA program, some schools offer a three-year part-time option.
What Is The Job Outlook Of Physician Assistant In Oregon?
According to the Oregon Employment Department, predicts strong job growth. So, they expect the rate of employment of physician assistants to increase by 38.7% from 2015 to 2024 in Oregon and even higher in some regions of the state, which is really very significant.
So, the increased demand for medical services from an aging population and efforts to limit the costs of delivering medical services performed by doctors are factors impacting this growth.
How Much Do Physician Assistant PA In Oregon Earn?
A physician assistant (PA) is a licensed medical professional and caregiver who typically works in a clinic, doctor’s office, or hospital.
The average salary of an experienced physician assistant in Oregon was $139,214, while physician assistants new to the profession earned $79,849 on average.
So, the median salary for Oregon’s physician assistants was $101,962 or even more according to Salary data from the Oregon Employment Department.
Can One Be Accepted Into Physician Assistant PA Schools In Oregon Without GRE?
There are several factors that PA schools in Oregon used to assess applicants. Most, if not all, schools look at an applicant’s grade point average and clinical experience.
But, many schools examine an applicant’s performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The good news for PA applicants is that every school does not require the GRE.
Applicants who do not have time to take the GRE earlier to applying or those who are not bothered about not performing well on this exam, have the option of applying to the various schools that do not require the test.
Interestingly, some PA schools accept the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) instead of the GRE.
Can One Be Admitted Into PA Schools In Oregon With A Low GPA?
Admission to the PA school with a low GPA is actually more common than you might think. The number of PA schools that accept a low GPA will be less than the number only students with high GPAs consider.
However, this does not mean you should feel bad because you are not attending a high school. A low GPA is probably the hardest area to improve.
So, admission to PA school with a low GPA is often a matter of persistence and determination to outperform the opportunities and to be honest that it does not stack them against you.
Many students have been in your position before, attended a Physician assistant school, and started a very successful career in the industry.
That is, standardized tests are only a measure of our skills, but they are certainly not the most important thing.
If you can show the approval team that despite your low GPA levels, you have what it takes, they are ready to consider you.
Accredited Physician Assistant PA Schools In Oregon
There are several Physician assistant PA schools. However, we have put together some Physician assistant PA schools to aid you in making your choice. Also, you can click on the link under each school for more information.
We got our data from reliable sources, testimonials, and contacting individual schools. Below is the list of the schools; read further to get information for these schools more.
However, here is the list of Oregon’s accredited physician assistant PA schools.
- Pacific University
- Oregon Health and Science University
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#1.Pacific University
Pacific University is a medium-sized private university in a large suburb that was founded in 1849. The headquarters of this institution is in the setting of a mid-sized city in Forest Grove, Oregon.
However, Pacific University offers 2 Physician Assistant Degree programs. In the past years, 46 students graduated in the study area of Physician Assistant with students earning 44 Master’s degrees, and 2 Bachelor’s degrees.
The university is a medium (uniRank enrollment range: 9,000-9,999 students) coeducational higher education institution.
Also, the admission rate range is 70-85% making this US higher education organization a most selective institution, and the school is open to international students.
Pacific University offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as pre-bachelor degrees (i.e. certificates, diplomas, associate or foundation degrees), bachelor degrees, master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study.
In addition, Pacific University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, doctorate, and professional degrees.
| Student (Type) | Undergraduate | Postgraduate |
|---|---|---|
| Local Students | over 40, 402 US$ (29,000 Euro) | over 40,402 US$ (29,000 Euro) |
| International Students | over 40, 402 US$ (29,000 Euro) | over 40,402 US$ (29,000 Euro) |
#2. Oregon Health and Science University
Oregon Health and Science University is a small public university that was founded in 1887. The headquarters of this institution is in the urban setting in a large-sized city of Portland, Oregan.
However, Oregon Health & Science University offers 1 Physician Assistant Degree program. In the past years, 37 students graduated in the study area of Physician Assistant with students earning 37 Master’s degrees.
The University, (OHSU) is a small (uniRank enrollment range: 3,000-3,999 students) coeducational higher education institution.
Also, the admission rate range is 0-10% making this US higher education organization a most selective institution. International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.
Oregon Health & Science University offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor degrees, master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study.
In addition, Oregon Health & Science University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) a regional accrediting body approved by the U.S. Department of Education. to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees.
| Undergraduate | Postgraduate | |
|---|---|---|
| Local students | 10,000-12,500 US$ (7,400-9,200 Euro) | 17,500-20,000 US$ (12,900-14,700 Euro) |
| International students | 17,500-20,000 US$ (12,900-14,700 Euro) | over 20,000 US$ (14,700 Euro) |
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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, PA schools in Oregon are relatively affordable and quite endowed with all you need to be the best in your field. This article has carefully picked the best and amazing PA schools in Oregon to enable you to enroll for one that best suits your need.
Also, I hope this piece of information in this article gives you a guide in achieving your professional dream.
REFERENCES
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physician_assistant
- https://www.universities.com/find/oregon/best/physician-assistant-degrees
- https://www.physicianassistantedu.org/oregon/oregon-salary/
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