Accredited Physician Assistant PA Schools in Utah

A Physician Assistant is a trained member of a team of healthcare providers whose job is to assist doctors to carry out their tasks.

Find all the information you need to know about this career here in this article.

It is a tailor-made piece for you if you live in Utah. This article will uncover the best PA schools in Utah where you can acquire your training.

Becoming a physician assistant usually takes a long, rigorous process, but I can tell you It is quite a rewarding career that will broaden your knowledge in the medical field.

Physician Assistants are not nurses, but they work side by side with medical doctors in the discharge of their duties. So if you think becoming a physician assistant is the same as being a nurse, the two are not the same. Nurses are also a different component of a standard healthcare team.

So in this article, you’ll really learn all that you deserve to know concerning this career.

Meanwhile, take a look at some of the things you’ll find in this article in the table of contents below.

So let’s delve into the journey.

Who is A Physician Assistant?

A Physician Assistant, also known as PA, is a trained member of a healthcare team who works under the supervision of a licensed medical doctor to provide medical care to patients in a healthcare setting.

Usually, the PA does not need to perform his duties only when the supervising physician is around, provided he has been well-trained and knows how to discharge his duties appropriately. However, there needs to be a consistent method of contact between the supervising physician and the PA at all times.

What are the duties of A Physician Assistant?

Part of what a Physician Assistant does is the recording of medical histories and physical examinations of patients. This is on a general note. However, 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.

For instance, a physician Assistant who has under the supervision of an orthopedic surgeon will definitely have the task of conducting bone surgeries even when the supervising surgeon is not around.

In the same vein, a physician assistant working under a pediatrician will have the responsibility of carrying out what duties the supervising pediatrician does, whether he is around or not. These are dependent on the premise that the assistant physician has been properly trained by the mentor.

However, on a general note, Physician Assistants perform the following functions.

• Physician Assistants order tests in order to ascertain the nature and extent of illnesses and injuries of patients.
• They also prescribe medications and help develop therapeutic plans for the remedy of medical problems. 
• Physician Assistants may also take the responsibility of stitching wounds and setting bones. This is if they have this training.
• Physician Assistants Administer immunizations in healthcare centers.
• Another important role physician assistants play is following up with the patients through the course of their treatment to ensure strict adherence to treatment plans and recommended regimens.

What Requirements do I need for PA School?

To be considered for admission into any of the PA schools in Utah, it is important that you meet these very important requirements in the following lines.

The first level to becoming a physician assistant is the acquisition of a high school certificate with a strong foundation in sciences like; biology, chemistry, physics, English, etc.

Virtually all schools in the US will require the completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. This degree requirement is one of the prerequisites for gaining admission into an accredited PA school.

After your bachelor’s studies, you will need to acquire a master’s degree in a medical-related course. It could be in any of these courses or any other; pathology, human anatomy, physiology, clinical medicine, and pharmacology.

Some schools require a GRE and GPA before they can admit you into their PA master’s program, while some do not really consider it.

Furthermore, in your walk to become a physician assistant, you’ll be required to complete healthcare training and also acquire a license.

After completing a PA program, you’ll need to take the PANCE to earn the certification as a physician assistant, then seek licensure from your state in order to begin practicing.

How long does it take to complete a PA program in Utah?

It takes approximately 8 years of training to become a certified physician assistant. The eight years are spent learning various skills that are required to fully become a PA.

Firstly, one must earn a bachelor’s degree, which takes roughly four years to complete. This means that you must have also completed your high school education with relatively good grades.

The bachelor’s degree that you must have could be in any course at all, 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 which will further widen your knowledge of health care. 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.

One more thing will be left for you to do after your master’s degree. That is sitting 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.

One can attempt this test up to 6 times in a span of 6 years, after which he will need to wait for some time before trying again.

In addition, a person who has completed all the rigors and has been licensed to practice as a physician assistant will still need to take council exams periodically to maintain their licensure.

What schools offer Physician Assistant Programs in Utah?

There are about 2 notable schools in the whole of Utah State that offers Physician Assistant programs. So, if you live in Utah and you are looking to enroll in PA school soon, here is a list of PA schools where you can pursue PA programs in Utah State.

Explore here below.

List of Best PA Schools in Utah State

• Rocky Mountain University
• The University of Utah, School of Medicine

Let us look at the schools more closely.

Looking for a scholarship to pursue a career as a physician assistant? Find Physician Assistant Scholarships here.

#1. Rocky Mountain University

Rocky Mountain University is one of the top schools with PA schools in Utah. The school, over the years, has provided thorough training for students pursuing careers as Physician Assistants.

The Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Physician Assistant (PA) Program educates outstanding clinicians equipped to handle the challenges of practicing medicine in a multifaceted and complex healthcare system.

The University provides one of the most rigorous PA schools in Utah for students, and the program usually lasts between 2 to 3 years.

Rocky Mountain University Physician Assistant program is accredited by ARC-PA. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2029. 

Visit School Here

#2. The University of Utah, School of Medicine

The University of Utah, School of Medicine is one of the best PA schools with the best PA programs in Utah.

The Physician Assistant at the University of Utah is committed to raising PAs who will be prepared to meet the challenges of providing high-quality care to patients in medically underserved and rural communities. The program has been consistently ranked among the top 10 PA programs in the country by the US News and World Report since 2004.

The Physician Assistant Program at UT is accredited by the ARC-PA. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2026.

Take a quick flight to the school.

Visit School Here

Living in Colorado? You can see the Accredited Physician Assistant Schools in Colorado here.

PA schools in Utah without GRE

Gaining admission to physician assistant programs can really be a daunting task. This is because most PA schools require you to pass the GRE before you can be considered for admission. 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.

If you desire to become a physician assistant but you don’t want to write the GRE, there is only one PA school in the whole of Utah that does not require you to write a GRE, and that is the University of Utah School of Medicine.

The school does not require you to write a GRE, but you are surely going to pass through the CASPA.

Here’s something for if you live in Carolina. See the list of best Accredited Physician Assistant Schools In North Carolina.

PA programs in Utah State with low GPA

If you are looking to enroll in a PA school in Utah but you are looking for a school with a low GPA requirement, it’s sad; the truth is that all the PA programs in Utah state require GPA above average.

The minimum GPA required to be admitted into Utah PA schools is 3.0. This is quite above average. So there is actually no PA program in Utah that accepts a low GPA.

Frequently Asked Questions on Best PA programs in Utah

Conclusion

Pursuing a career as a physician assistant is a very demanding but lucrative one. You’ll get to spend so much time in school completing your training. It takes about six years without healthcare training while it takes 9 years plus with healthcare training.

But is it really worth all the stress? I think it is worth all the stress and even more! An average salary of $111,561 isn’t just huge but promising that more will come. Additionally, you’ll get to work with specialists in your chosen specialty.

References

• rm.edu
• medicine.utah.edu
• medicinenet.com
• balancecareers.com
• mypatraining.com/
• physicianassistantedu.org

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