Are you looking to become a Physician Assistant? Find all the information you require here in this article. Here’s a good research piece for you if you live in Mississippi and looking to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant. This article will unseal the schools with the best PA programs in Mississippi where you can receive your training.
In your career as a physician assistant, you’ll assist doctors in carrying out their duties and tasks in hospitals. It is quite a rewarding career that will broaden your knowledge in the medical field. So it’s a career you’ll need to consider.
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.
In cases where PA collaboration is required, physicians do not need to be on-site with PAs, and collaboration or supervision often occurs via electronic means when consults are necessary.
So, relax and read on! This article aims to answer the following questions on schools for physician assistants PA In Mississippi.
Before we continue, let’s go through the table of content below to get an overview of what the article entails.
Table of contents
- Who Is A Physician Assistant(PA)?
- What Are The Duties Of A Physician Assistant (PA)?
- What Requirements Do You Need For PA School In Mississippi?
- How Long Does It Take To Complete A PA Program In Mississippi?
- PA Schools In Mississippi Without GRE
- PA Programs In Mississippi With Low GPA
- What Is The Job Outlook Of Physician Assistant In Mississippi?
- How Much Do Physician Assistant PA In Mississippi Earn?
- List Of The Best Accredited Physician Assistant PA Schools In Mississippi
- FAQS
- CONCLUSION
- RECOMMENDATION
Who Is A Physician Assistant(PA)?
A Physician Assistant, otherwise known as PA, is a trained mid-level healthcare provider who works under the supervision of a licensed medical doctor.
In other words, the term Physician Assistant can be defined explicitly as a mid-level practitioner who can practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician.
Usually, the PA does not need to perform his duties only when the supervising physician is around, provided he has been well-trained. He knows how to discharge his duties appropriately.
However, there must always be a consistent contact method between the supervising physician and the PA.
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, chairman 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.
Also, PA training programs are accredited by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
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What Are The Duties Of A Physician Assistant (PA)?
The duties of a Physician Assistant are described according to what specialty they want to focus on or what specialty their supervising physician is focused on.
The duties of a physician assistant PA include the following:
- PAs takes or review patients’ medical histories
- They examine patients
- A PA order and interpret diagnostic tests, such as x rays or blood tests
- Physician assistants diagnose a patient’s injury or illness.
- Also, they give treatment, such as setting broken bones and immunizing patients.
- They educate and counsel patients and their families—for example, by answering questions about how to care for a child with asthma.
- He/She prescribes medicine.
- A physician assistant assesses and records a patient’s progress.
- PAs research the latest treatments to ensure the quality of patient care
- In addition, they conduct or participate in outreach programs, talking to groups about managing diseases and promoting wellness.
You can check these 10 Best PA Schools in California
What Requirements Do You Need For PA School In Mississippi?
To be considered for admission into any PA program, you must meet these essential requirements in the following lines.
The first stage to becoming a physician assistant is the addition of a high school certificate with a strong foundation in sciences like; biology, chemistry, physics, English, etc.
Also, this degree requirement is one of the prerequisites for gaining admission into an accredited PA school. Some schools require a GRE and GPA, but some do not consider them.
Furthermore, to become a physician assistant, you must complete an ARC-PA-accredited master’s program. This is one of the requirements you must meet to have a swell time as a physician assistant.
After completing a PA program, you’ll take the PANCE to earn certification as a physician assistant, then seek licensure from your state to begin practicing.
How Long Does It Take To Complete A PA Program In Mississippi?
To become a certified physician assistant, one must complete 7 – 8 years of training. The 7 – 8 years here are spent learning various skills required to become a PA fully.
Firstly, one must earn a bachelor’s degree, which takes roughly four years to complete. This means you must have also completed your high school education with relatively good grades.
The bachelor’s degree you must have could be in any course, provided it is related to the medical profession.
Acquiring a bachelor’s degree alone does not qualify you to become a Physician Assistant. You’ll need to get health training to widen your healthcare knowledge further.
The health care training could be in the area of paramedics or any other medical-related course. Usually, this training takes about three years to complete.
After you have completed the health care training, the next thing will be to acquire a master’s degree. The master’s program does not take so much time to complete. On average, it will cost you like two years to complete a master’s degree program, which leads to a career as a Physician Assistant.
Then the next stage is to sit for the Accreditation test. Only those who graduate from the ARC-PA program (the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant) can qualify to write this test.
In addition, a person who has completed all the difficulties and has been licensed to practice as a physician assistant will still need to take council exams periodically to maintain their licensure.
Also, see: 10 Best Colleges in Mississippi
PA Schools In Mississippi Without GRE
GRE has been the nightmare of most students desiring to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant. This is because of how rigorous the exam is.
There are several factors that PA schools in Mississippi use 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.
In other words, Applicants who do not have time to take the GRE earlier to apply or those who are not bothered about not performing well on this exam can apply 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.
PA Programs In Mississippi With Low GPA
If you are looking to enroll in a PA school in Mississippi but you are looking for a school with a low GPA requirement, it’s sad. The truth is that all the PA programs in Mississippi require GPA above average.
Admission to PA school with a low GPA is often a matter of persistence and determination to outperform the opportunities and, honestly, that the opportunities are not stacked against you.
The minimum GPA required to be admitted into Mississippi PA schools is 3.0. This is quite above average. So no PA program in Mississippi accepts a low GPA.
In other words, If you can show the approval team that despite your low GPA levels, you have what it takes, they are ready to consider you.
What Is The Job Outlook Of Physician Assistant In Mississippi?
According to bls.gov, employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 31 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Demand for healthcare services will increase because of the growing and aging population. Population growth means more need for healthcare services generally, and members of the large baby boom generation will require more medical care as they age.
How Much Do Physician Assistant PA In Mississippi Earn?
A physician assistant (PA) is a licensed medical professional and caregiver. Who typically works in a clinic, doctor’s office, or hospital.
According To Salary.com, The average Physician Assistant salary in Mississippi is $93,489, but the range typically falls between $86,057 and $103,073.
In other words, the Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city, and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and the number of years you have spent in your profession.
Also, see: 17 Mississippi Scholarship |Apply
List Of The Best Accredited Physician Assistant PA Schools In Mississippi
Only 2 notable schools in the whole of Mississippi offer Physician Assistant programs. So, if you live in Mississippi and are looking to enroll in PA school soon, here is a list of PA schools where you can pursue PA programs in Mississippi.
Also, you can click on the link under each school for more information. Here is the list of the accredited physician assistant PA schools in Mississippi.
- Mississippi College
- Mississippi State University – Meridian
#1. Mississippi College
Mississippi College is a private Baptist college in Clinton, Mississippi. Founded in 1826, MC is the second-oldest Baptist-affiliated college in the United States and the oldest college in Mississippi.
Mississippi College is one of the top schools with PA programs in Mississippi. The school, over the years, has provided thorough training for students pursuing careers as Physician Assistants.
Each program is unique and has some things that make it stand out from the other programs.
The Mississippi college helps Physician Assistants (PA) to acquire core competencies, as well as specialized knowledge and skills necessary to perform effectively as physician assistants and to prepare them to provide primary health care services.
Also, prepare graduates for roles in surgery and as hospitalists. The tuition for the physician assistant program at Mississippi college is $80,000(resident students) and $80,000(Nonresident students).
Furthermore, for standardized exams required for PA student in Mississippi college is GRE, TOEFL(for international students), and IELTS for non-English language
At the end of the program, the student will have experience in the following areas; inpatient medicine, ambulatory care medicine, surgery, pediatrics, women’s health, emergency medicine, behavioral medicine, and an elective that integrates all previous academic and clinical training.
In addition, Mississippi College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award bachelor’s, master’s, and education specialist degrees, and ARC-PA accredits doctoral degrees and the Programs.
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#2. Mississippi State University – Meridian
Mississippi State University-Meridian is a regional, upper-division, degree-granting campus of Mississippi State University located in east-central Mississippi. It also provides one of the best PA programs in Mississippi.
Also, the programs focus on specific populations, regions, teaching methods, etc. In addition, each program is unique and has some things that make it stand out from the other programs.
The program also emphasizes wellness promotion and disease prevention for the individual patient and the community.
Furthermore, for standardized exams required for PA student at Mississippi State University is GRE, TOEFL(for international students), and IELTS for non-English language
In addition, Mississippi State University-Meridian has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
You can also check this Accredited Physician Assistant (PA) Schools in Michigan
FAQS
The average salary for a Physician Assistant in Mississippi is $93,489.
According to bls.gov, employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 31 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations, because the demand for healthcare services will increase because of the growing and aging population.
The Mississippi Medical Commission Application Fee: $550 (All applications must be completed online.)
The lowest GPA to be considered for PA schools in Mississippi is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
CONCLUSION
Pursuing a career as a physician assistant is very demanding but lucrative. You’ll get to spend so much time in school completing your training. It takes about 6 years without healthcare training and 9 years plus with healthcare training.
But it is worth all the stress, because of the Salary and you’ll get to work with the specialists in your chosen specialty.
REFERENCE
- https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/physician-assistant-medical-salary/ms
- http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation/accredited-programs/
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm#tab-2
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm
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