Physician assistants are health care professionals licensed, or in the case of those employed by the federal government they are credentialed, to practice medicine with physician supervision. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, and write prescriptions. Within the physician-PA relationship, physician assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. A PA's practice may also include education, research, and administrative services.

To become a PA in the United States, one must graduate from a PA program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) then pass the NCCPA - PA national Certification Examination (PANCE), then apply for state licensure from the appropriate State Medical Board. PAs that pass the national certification exam and maintain it have the -C designation or PA-C title.

The Emory PA program is 28 months of combined academic and clinical coursework granting a Masters of Medical Science Degree in Physician Assistant (MMSc-PA). There is a MPH dual degree option adding an additional 12 months (MMSc-PA/MPH) The Emory PA Program provides a strong foundation in primary care with a focus on underserved populations. If you are interested in becoming an Emory PA, visit our prospective student page.

History of the PA profession - PA History Center at http://www.pahx.org/

Read about life as a PA in the online Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAAPA) Do a search for "A day in the Life" for the article series.

PAs Ranked #2 out of the top 50 "Best Jobs in America" by CNN/Money

Bureau of Labor job outlook for PA  positions expected to grow much faster than average.

Video about the history of the PA profession

Video interview with Emory PA Program founder Dr J Willis Hurst

American Academy of Physician Assistants at http://www.aapa.org

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) http://www.nccpa.net/

Physician Assistant Education Association:  http://www.paeaonline.org/

Federation of State Medical Boards: http://www.fsmb.org/

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) http://www.arc-pa.org/