If you are resident in North Carolina and are on the lookout for the accredited physician assistant schools, look no further! NC apparently has the best PA accredited schools where you can gladly acquire your degrees.
In this article, you’ll be provided with the admission requirements knowing it is a highly professional career. Also, it is expedient that you get your degree from the best PA schools to have a wonderful career experience.
For a highlight of all that you need to know, kindly click on the table of contents below.
Table of contents
- Who Is A Physician Assistant?
- What Are The Skills Required Of A PA?
- What Are The Career Requirements Needed To Be A PA?
- How Long Does It Take To Complete A Physician Assistant Program?
- Which Schools Are The Accredited PA Schools In North Carolina?
- Are There Schools That Accept Without GRE Scores?
- Do PA Schools Accept Students With Low GP?
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendations
Who Is A Physician Assistant?
A physician assistant (PA) is a medical professional who works under a doctor’s supervision and within the scope of the regulations of where the PA is licensed, a licensed PA may conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, assist in surgery, order and interpret lab tests, provide patient education, and prescribe drugs.
Most PAs are found in primary care settings, especially family medicine, internal medicine, Ob/Gyn, and surgery, but there are also options to specialize in a variety of medical specializations such as orthopedics, cardiology, dermatology, radiology, pediatrics, and emergency medicine. The field of the physician assistant is on the increase and the demand is steadily increasing which expands the interest of those in the profession.
In the United States, PAs are nationally certified and state-licensed to practice medicine at their level. PAs in the U.S. are trained with a medical or medicine model and complete the qualifications for their certification.
What Are The Skills Required Of A PA?
When applying for the job of a physician assistant, there are some qualities expected of you to possess. Such skills may differ depending on the position for which you apply for. Listed below are some of the basic skills you should possess.
- Analytical skills: Strong analytical talents are as important for physician assistants as they are for medical doctors. This is to ensure a proper patient diagnosis and the implementation of responsive care plans.
- Interpersonal skills: This particular skill brings about professionalism in medical experts. Possessing this, you tend to display a good manner in the work process especially when it has to do with the sick or injured individuals.
- Patient and care team communications: Physician assistants must be able to communicate clearly and compassionately with patients and their colleagues not minding if the medical treatment process is stressful or not.
- Technical skills: In line with the adoption of keeping medical records electronically, this skill requires the physician assistant to be more technically proficient than he or she was in times past.
What Are The Career Requirements Needed To Be A PA?
To work as a physician assistant in North Carolina, you must obtain licensure from the North Carolina Medical Board. However, for an intending PA, you must graduate from a physician assistant program that is recognized by the Accredited Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
Getting your license requires getting certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). For this certification to come through, you also must have passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).
How Long Does It Take To Complete A Physician Assistant Program?
PA schools typically take between 24 and 27 months to complete PA programs. What this means is that you will be needing 2 years approximately to become a physician assistant.
Additionally, if you have the intention of taking up a job while undergoing the PA program, it could lead to an extension, and on a part-time basis.
This is why it is nice to have a clear-cut plan for yourself so, you don’t get stuck halfway into the program.
Which Schools Are The Accredited PA Schools In North Carolina?
While North Carolina houses more universities offering the PA programs at the master’s level, you are expected to hold a bachelor’s degree in a health-related field. Admission into some of these physician assistant schools in North Carolina could also be highly competitive.
#1 Campbell University
Located in Buies Creek, Campbell University offers a Master of Physician Assistant Practice program. Admission requirements into this PA school are:
- Bachelor’s degree
- GRE scores
- Prerequisite Coursework
- Letter of Recommendation
- At least 1,000 hours of hands-on clinical experience.
This PA program covers topics like pharmacotherapeutics, psychiatry, orthopedics, and radiology. Students typically complete all academic and clinical requirements in 28 months. This program is currently accredited by ARC-PA. The next time it is scheduled for another accreditation visit is in 2024.
#2 Duke University
Duke University has a master’s program that typically admits 88 students each year. Applicants must meet admission requirements which are as follows:
- GRE scores
- Bachelor’s degree
- Completion of prerequisite classes
- 1,000 hours of hands-on patient care experience.
The program typically takes 2 years of full-time study to complete. Also, the coursework for the first year covers areas such as anatomy, surgery, patient evaluations, and pharmacology while the coursework for the second year is committed to 10 clinical turns in various arms of medicine. These areas could be pediatrics, primary care, internal medicine, and primary care.
While completing the program, physician assistant students have access to all the resources of the Duke University Medical Center.
#3 East Carolina University
Eastern Carolina University is one of the best accredited PA school in NC. It offers a physician assistant master’s degree program. Located on the university’s medical campus in Greenville near Pitt County Memorial Hospital and the Brody School of Medicine, it’s admission requirements are:
- Completion of specific undergraduate courses
- Bachelor’s program
- GRE
- 1,000 hours of clinical experience
The coursework covers the whole of anatomy, clinical medicine, the physician assistant’s performance, and diagnostic methods. In the clinical stage, students receive roughly 1,900 hours of patient contact by completing 8 clinical rotations. Rotations can either focus on women’s health, behavioral medicine, family medicine, and emergency medicine.
The University of Waterloo Acceptance Rate
#4 Methodist University
The physician assistant master’s program at Methodist University requires applicants to have bachelor’s degrees from any major which is acceptable. Essential undergraduate coursework includes specific science, math, statistics, and medical vocabulary classes.
Additionally, applicants must submit GRE scores and have completed 500 patient contact hours. Coursework makes up the first 3.5 semesters; classes can include pharmacology, patient evaluations, emergency medicine, healthcare ethics, and healthcare promotion.
Clinical exercise controls the remaining 3.5 semesters, and students obtain knowledge in psychiatry, orthopedics, surgery, women’s health, family medicine, and internal medicine.
#5 Wake Forest University
Located in Winston Salem, Wake Forest University is another school with the best accredited PA programs in North Carolina It offers a physician assistant program that leads to a Master of Medical Science.
This program accepts up to 64 students annually, and classes begin each June. Acceptance into the program requires a bachelor’s degree, prerequisite coursework, reference letters, and GRE scores. The school expects most students to have at least 1,000 hours of clinical experience or 6 months of professional healthcare experience.
The curriculum helps students to train independently through its problem-based learning guide. Students take part in clinical problem-solving groups that relate to real-world problems, and the faculty provides supervision and educational sources.
#6 Wingate University
Wingate University as one of the PA schools in NC offers a master’s degree program in physician assistant studies at campuses in Wingate and Hendersonville. To be admitted into the school, you should have in your possession or be able to meet the following requirements.
- 9 prerequisite classes
- GRE scores
- 500 hours of patient care experience.
The 2-year program is divided into instructive and clinical parts. Courses in the didactic portion include patient evaluations, pharmacology, emergency medicine, and pathophysiology. During the clinical portion, students complete several 5-week rotations in emergency medicine, surgery, women’s health, pediatrics, psychiatry, and other areas.
Are There Schools That Accept Without GRE Scores?
Apparently, the best-accredited PA schools in North Carolina have GRE scores as one of their admission requirements that you must meet, and because of the effect of what the mention of GRE scores does to intending candidates to any of these schools, it is advised that you work hard to meet the admission requirements.
This will enable you secure your space and study that dream course which you’ve always wanted to.
Do PA Schools Accept Students With Low GP?
Currently, there are no physician Assistant schools in North Carolina that admits students with low grade points.
The minimum GPA required is 3.0.
Conclusion
This is a rewarding profession to venture into. I hope you find this information helpful especially if, you are one of those looking for the best accredited PA schools in North Carolina.
References
Recommendations
- 10 Best PA Schools in California
- Top Universities accepting Low OR No GRE scores in USA
- 13 Best dental schools in North Carolina NC
- 15 Highest Paying Careers in North Carolina (NC)
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