How Do You Become A Licensed Physician's Assistant?

A licensed physician's assistant, or PA, can work in any field of medicine assisting a doctor. PAs perform intakes on patients, take vital signs, prescribe medications and counsel patients on their treatment under the direct supervision of a medical doctor. In the United States, becoming a licensed physician's assistant requires extensive and ongoing education, completion of a certification process and successful completion of state board examinations. Step 1 Complete your undergraduate studies. Most community colleges offer a pre-physician's assistant associate's degree. You can pursue this degree or complete your undergraduate studies and bachelor of science degree at university level. This process generally takes two years. Step 2 Apply to and complete a master of physician assistant program, a four-year course of study usually offered by university hospitals. Step 3 Attain certification through the National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistants (NCCPA). This ...  more