PLANNING GUIDE

PHYSICIAN

ASSISTANT

PLANNING GUIDE

OFFICE OF PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISING

Garland Hall, Suite 300

410-516-4140

http://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/preprofadvising/

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 3

What does a Physician Assistant do? 4

Physician Assistant Career Options 4

Personal Abilities of a Physician Assistant 4

Characteristics of a Successful Applicant 5

Academic Preparation for Applying to Physician Assistant School 6

Choosing a Physician Assistant School 7

Applying to Physician Assistant School 7

Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) 8

Supplemental Application Materials 8

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) 8

Managing the Timing of the Application Process 9

Healthcare Related Experience 9

Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation 10

Financing Physician Assistant School 11

Physician Assistant Resources 11

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this booklet is to describe the process of preparing for and applying to physician

assistant school. The most important challenge for students is deciding that becoming a physician

assistant is the career for you and assessing the implications of that decision. It is our hope that

you have consulted your pre-health advisor at several points during your undergraduate career at

Hopkins, as well as practitioners in the physician assistant field, in order to help you clarify your

motivation to become a physician assistant (PA). In making the decision to apply to physician

assistant school, it is important to consider the range of health career options that are available

to you.

The Department of Labor anticipates employment for physician assistants to grow much faster

than average during the next few years, with growth rates averaging about 39%. With the

expansion of healthcare systems many hospitals and healthcare facilities are turning to physician

assistants to provide primary care and to assist with medical and surgical procedures. In addition

to working in private practice settings, physician assistants can find a growing number of

opportunities in hospitals, academic medical centers, public clinics, and prisons.

If you proceed with your application, the initiative is and must be yours. It is essential that you

complete the tasks outlined here on time and do a thorough job of putting together the best

possible presentation of yourself. We are here to support you throughout the application process

and wish you every success in achieving your goals. A majority of the information in this booklet

is provided by the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and the Physician Assistant

Education Association (PAEA).

We wish you success in your health career pursuits,

Shannon Jensen, MA

Advisor to Pre-Physician Assistant Students

ADVISORS IN PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS AND ADVISING

Kelli Johnson, JD, Director, [email protected]

Ana Droscoski, JD, Associate Director, a[email protected]

Ellen Snydman, MS, Assistant Director, [email protected]

Shannon Jensen, MA, Assistant Director, Pre-Health Advisor, [email protected]

To schedule an appointment with an advisor, go to http://web.jhu.edu/prepro

SUPPORT STAFF

Angie Decker, Office Manager, [email protected], 410-516-4140

Carolyn Mae Krause, Administrative Coordinator, A-L, ckraus[email protected] 410-516-6744

LaTonia Sanders, Administrative Coordinator, M-Z, [email protected]u 410-516-4140

Ps are health care professionals licnsed to practice medicine with physician supervision.

 PAs are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training. They are

representatives of the physician, treating the patient in the style and manner developed and directed by

the supervising physician.

 PAs share the responsibility for care of patients with physicians.

 PAs practice in all areas of medicine: primary care (including family, internal, pediatrics, and obstetrics

and gynecology), surgery, and surgical specialties.

 Forty-seven states, the District of Columbia and Guam have enacted laws that authorize a PA to

prescribe medications (Indiana, Louisiana and Ohio do not yet authorize prescribing by PAs).

What Does a PA DO?

PAs are health care professionals licensed to practice

medicine with physician supervision. They are educated in the

medical model designed to complement physician training and

serve as representatives of the physician, treating the patient

in the style and manner developed and directed by the

supervising physician.

 PAs share the responsibility for care of patients with

physicians.

 PAs practice in all areas of medicine: primary care

(including family, internal, pediatrics, and obstetrics

and gynecology), surgery, and surgical specialties.

 Forty-seven states, the District of Columbia and Guam

have enacted laws that authorize a PA to prescribe

medications (Indiana, Louisiana and Ohio do not yet

authorize prescribing by PAs).

 Genuine interest in

people and medicine.

 Capable of complex

independent thought,

judgment and action

within the boundaries

established by the

employing physician.

 Requires patience and

persistence.

 Willingness to care for

patients and make

them comfortable

before or during any

treatment.

 Emotional stability,

calm mind, decision

making ability and

etiquettes to deal with

variety of people.

Career Opportunities

In addition to the many geographic choices available to a physician

assistant (PAs are licensed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia,

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and the

U.S. Virgin Islands), there are a variety of settings or types of

practices from which to choose:



Private Practice:

More than half of all physician

assistants are in private clinical practice. .



Hospitals:

Roughly 24% of physician assistants practice in

general medical and surgical hospitals, public and private



HMOs:

The majority of PAs employed with Health

Management Organizations work in family practice,

pediatrics and internal medicine and generally provide

primary care.



Uniformed Services and other Federal

Government agencies:

PAs serve in all seven branches

of the U.S. Uniformed Services as well as other Federal

Government agencies, including Veteran’s Affairs, the

Department of Health and Human Services, the Central

Intelligence Agency, and the Department of Justice.

Personal

Abilities of

a PA

 Demonstrated mastery of the basic science requirements

 Demonstrated a broad and successful exposure to the humanities and social sciences

 Maintained or further developed an ability to read rapidly and understand sophisticated

material in the humanities and social science. This is especially important for those taking

a test like the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).

 Demonstrated interest in being a lifelong learner, and have shown “mature and

independent scholarship,” etc

 Established a relationship with at least four faculty members and with a professional in the

field who can write a letter of recommendation.

2. Firm and Clear Motivation

 Demonstrated care for fellow human beings and their welfare.

 Demonstrated understanding of the role of a PA from direct personal contact.

 Demonstrated personal traits such as maturity, stability, integrity, responsibility,

trustworthiness, leadership, enthusiasm, etc.

 Demonstrated accomplishment of something worthwhile, and development of skills and

abilities to contribute to the intended profession.

 Demonstrated ability to communicate with varied populations.

 Demonstrated ability to deal effectively with those of other cultural backgrounds.

Characteristics of a

successful applicant:

Those considering applying to a

physician assistant school often ask

what they need to do to get accepted

or what the schools are seeking in

candidates. What the schools seek in

applicants are:

1. Strong Academic Record

3. Outstanding Personal Qualities

 Biology with lab (8 credits)

 Microbiology with lab (4 credits)

 Chemistry with lab (8 credits)

 Organic chemistry with lab (3-4 credits)

 Biochemistry with lab (3-4 credits)

 Human anatomy and physiology with lab (8 credits)

 Psychology (3 credits)

 English (3 -6 credits)

 Humanities and social science classes (3-6 credits)

ACADEMIC

PREPARATION

Applying

Physician

Assistant

School

To enter a physician assistant program, one must first

complete three to four years of college credit at an

accredited institution. The majority of students who

enter a physician assistant program have a bachelor’s

degree and some have completed graduate study.

There is no particular major required for physician

assistant school, just the prerequisite of certain

science classes. You should check the specific

admissions requirements for your schools of interest;

however, some typical prerequisite courses include:

 Biology with lab (8 credits)

 Microbiology with lab (4 credits)

 Chemistry with lab (8 credits)

 Organic chemistry with lab (3-4

credits)

 Biochemistry with lab (3-4 credits)

 Human anatomy and physiology with

lab (8 credits)

 Psychology (3 credits)

 English (3 -6 credits)

 Humanities and social science classes

(3-6 credits)

Johns Hopkins University does not offer all

of these courses. Students needing to

complete prerequisites that are not offered

at Johns Hopkins University may take

courses at other colleges and universities

through the Johns Hopkins University

Academic Cooperative Program.

http://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/preprofadvisi

ng/pre-medhealth/overview/other-health-

professions/academic-cooperative-

programs/

In some cases students can also complete

these courses through accredited online

programs or at community colleges.

Students will need to meet with their

academic advisor and an advisor in the Pre-

Professional Programs and Advising Office

about these options.

 Biology with lab (8 credits)

 Microbiology with lab (4 credits)

 Chemistry with lab (8 credits)

 Organic chemistry with lab (3-4 credits)

 Biochemistry with lab (3-4 credits)

 Human anatomy and physiology with lab (8 credits)

 Psychology (3 credits)

 English (3 -6 credits)

 Humanities and social science classes (3-6 credits)

APPLICATION

PROCESS

Applying

Physician

Assistant

School

CHOOSING A SCHOOL

Choosing which physician assistant schools you apply to is

a personal decision, so relying on any rankings you find

may be misleading. Instead, below are questions you

should consider as you review each schools material to

make your choices:

 What is the focus of the PA training? Does it match

my interests and needs?

 What is the structure of the curriculum in terms of

what is taught and when?

 What academic resources are available?

 What services are available to the students?

 Where is the school located? Most state-supported

physician assistant schools give significant

preference to state residents.

There are four major steps in the application process:

1. Taking the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) – however, some colleges will accept the Medical

College Admissions Test (MCAT) and some also require the biology subject test in addition to the

GRE.

2. Completing the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) form for the U.S.

schools that participate in CASPA or individual school applications for non-participating

institutions.

3. Submitting supplemental materials such as letters of evaluation and academic transcripts.

4. Managing the timing of the application process.

Submit the following application materials directly to CASPA:

 CASPA application (submitted electronically).

 Application fee.

 Three completed evaluations using official CASPA form in paper or electronic formats.

 Supplemental application, if required by the designated CASPA, and any associated fees.

 College transcripts.

 Standardized test scores.

 Biology with lab (8 credits)

 Microbiology with lab (4 credits)

 Chemistry with lab (8 credits)

 Organic chemistry with lab (3-4 credits)

 Biochemistry with lab (3-4 credits)

 Human anatomy and physiology with lab (8 credits)

 Psychology (3 credits)

 English (3 -6 credits)

 Humanities and social science classes (3-6 credits)

Applying

Physician

Assistant

School

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

Physician Assistant programs typically require the GRE (however, some institutions will accept the MCAT). The

examination is administered in a computer-based format and takes just over half a day to administer. It consists of

three separate sections that cover the following:



Analytical Writing:

Tests your critical thinking and analytical writing skills. It assesses your ability to articulate

and support complex ideas, analyze an argument, and sustain a focused and coherent discussion. It does not

assess specific content knowledge.



Verbal Reasoning:

Measures your ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information

obtained from it, to analyze relationships among component parts of sentences, to recognize relationships

between words and concepts, and to reason with words in solving problems. There is a balance of passages

across different subject matter area: humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.



Quantitative Reasoning:

Measures your basic mathematical skills, your understanding of elementary

mathematical concepts, and your ability to reason quantitatively and solve problems in a quantitative setting.

There is a balance of questions requiring arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis.

For more information (including fees and testing sites) and to register visit the GRE web site, www.gre.org .

Central Application Service for

Physician Assistants (CASPA)

CASPA is the online application service that allows students applying to physician assistant

programs to complete one application and send it with other information to a centralized service.

CASPA will verify your application accuracy, computer process it, and send it along with your

supplemental materials to the physician assistant programs you designate. Please note that not all

physician assistant programs participate in CASPA and will require applicants to complete and

submit separate admissions applications. Fees for using CASPA are based on a graduated scale that

varies according to the number of programs you designate to receive your application information.

Three letters of recommendation are required for CASPA and they should be written by individuals

such as academicians, physicians, licensed and practicing PAs or other health care providers. Some

programs may have requirements or specifics as to the type of letter of recommendation so be

sure to check with the schools to which you are applying for specific information. Further

information on CASPA requirements and the process of completing a CASPA application can be

found at: https://portal.caspaonline.org/

Supplemental Application Materials

While CASPA has application requirements, there may be other requirements for admission, including

application forms, personal statements, and a personal interview. Be sure to check with the individual

schools to determine what supplemental materials are required.

 Biology with lab (8 credits)

 Microbiology with lab (4 credits)

 Chemistry with lab (8 credits)

 Organic chemistry with lab (3-4 credits)

 Biochemistry with lab (3-4 credits)

 Human anatomy and physiology with lab (8 credits)

 Psychology (3 credits)

 English (3 -6 credits)

 Humanities and social science classes (3-6 credits)

Managing the

Timing of the

Application

DON’T PROCRASTINATE! Application deadlines vary and

every school has its own program start date. Please be sure to

research the application deadlines and program start dates ahead

of time. Applicants are advised to apply early as it can take up to

four weeks for your application to be processed.

Healthcare

Experience

Physician Assistant Schools can require anywhere from 200 – 2000

hours of healthcare related experience. These hours must be

completed by the time you submit your application. During your pre-

professional planning, either during the semester or in the summer

months, you should plan to gain healthcare related experience.

Healthcare related experience must include direct patient contact or

the observation of direct-patient contact. Acceptable healthcare

related experiences include:

Experiences that will not be considered PA-related and will not count towards your application include:

 Clerical duties for any organization

 Veterinarian work

 Medical answering service

 Ward Secretary

 Massage Therapist

 Dental Assistant

 In-home care assistant (i.e., personal care

giver for ill family member)

 Shadowing of any profession other than

PA, NP or Physician

 Shadowing of PA, NP, MD/OD

 Emergency Medical Technician

 Military Medic/Clinical Specialist

Corpsman

 Surgical Technician

 Radiological Technician

 Certified Nursing Assistant

 Laboratory Technician

 Phlebotomist

 Athletic Trainer

 Scribe

 Nurse

 Orderly

 Certified Physical/Occupational Therapist

 PT/OT Assistant

 Home health with verification of job duties

 Hospital volunteer

Applying

Physician

Assistant

School

Applying

Physician

Assistant

School

Letters of

Recommendation

Types of recommendation letters vary by

physician assistant school. If you are applying

through CASPA, they require that at least three

letters be submitted to CASPA using the official

CASPA form in paper or electronic formats. Most

schools prefer the three letters to be from:

 Academic advisor or faculty member

 Employer

 A licensed and practicing physician

assistant or other health care provider

Keep in mind that an important part of your application consists of letters of

recommendation written by people who know you personally. It is your job to solicit the

strongest possible letters of recommendation/evaluation.

Select your recommenders to reflect a variety of your strengths. A strongly supportive

letter from someone in your major field of study can be very important. If you are taking

a tutorial, or have done independent research, ask your supervisor to write a letter for

you. Be thoughtful about what each person can contribute.

Whenever possible, ask for your letter in person. Request a brief interview and use the

opportunity to discuss your application. We advise you to prepare a statement of why

you wish to attend physician assistant school to help the writer.

Be respectful of demands on your recommender. Allow approximately a month for your

letter to be written. Follow-up with a written thank-you note, and later advise them of

your admissions decision. Your recommenders are interested in you.

FINANCING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT SCHOOL

Everyone knows that the cost of physician assistant school is expensive and getting

more expensive. In general, physician assistant schools do not consider ability to pay

when selecting applicants. They expect each student will manage with the help of

parents, spouse, and other family members to pay for the tuition and costs.

Fortunately, however, additional help is available from a variety of other sources,

including federal and state government loans, institutional loans and scholarships,

and private foundations.

As you complete the application process, your main source of information will be the

financial aid offices of the physician assistant schools themselves. They will help you

put together a financial aid package based on your estimated costs and ability to pay.

The financial aid is usually an important consideration in finalizing your choice of a

physician assistant school.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

A number of sites offer information about careers as a physician assistant, preparing

for admission and financial aid for physician assistant students.

US Physician Assistant School Web Sites:

http://www.paeaonline.org/index.php?ht=d/ContentDir/pid/255

American Academy of Physician Assistants

http://www.aapa.org/

Physician Assistant Education Association

http://www.paeaonline.org/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources - Health Resources and Services

Administration

www.hrsa.gov

Johns Hopkins Career Center

http://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/careers/

Johns Hopkins University Office of Undergraduate Advising – National Scholarships

Advising

http://fellowships.jhu.edu/

Free Application for Federal Student Aid

www.fafsa.ed.gov

Stafford Loan

www.staffordloan.com

Central Application Services for Physician Assistants (CASPA)

https://portal.caspaonline.org/

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

http://www.ets.org/gre/

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/

Johns Hopkins University Academic Cooperative Programs

http://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/preprofadvising/pre-medhealth/overview/other-

health-professions/academic-cooperative-programs/