Physician assistants are medical professionals that work with their supervising physicians as a team to practice medicine.
They are particularly suited to fill in any gaps in patient care.
Physician assistants frequently assist and support surgeons during surgical procedures.
But they don’t execute operations. Other than that, Pas are qualified to identify and treat diseases and injuries as long as they can speak with a doctor who is on call.
A career as a physician assistant can be rewarding in a variety of ways, including better compensation expectations and job satisfaction.
These medical specialists made an average salary of more than $121,530 in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
These medical experts are in high demand, with a projected 31 percent growth in physician assistant opportunities by 2030.
We have listed in this article, the PA schools in Kentucky and all you need to know about becoming a physician assistant.
What are the 20 top PA schools in California? Find out.
What Does A Physician Assistant Do?
There are many parallels and overlapping responsibilities among medical specialties from the viewpoint of patients, particularly when comparing and contrasting physician assistants with doctors and nurse practitioners.
Historically, doctors have been the main source of medical care. They have more than ten years of advanced education and training, along with the medical expertise required to diagnose and treat patients.
Registered nurses who have advanced in their nursing education—typically through a master’s in nursing program—in order to further their careers in primary care are known as nurse practitioners.
After four years of undergraduate study, however, it takes years to become a doctor.
Although nurses frequently begin their careers earlier, it may take them years of experience in the healthcare field before they complete the necessary schooling to become primary caregivers.
On the other hand, physician assistants learn what it takes to pursue a medical career with less debt and in less time—sometimes only a few years—than other medical professionals.
For instance, the master’s degree programs offered by the University of the Cumberlands can be finished in as little as 27 months.
Physician assistants who work in primary care jobs can:
- Examining patients
- Consider patient biographies
- Identify diseases and injuries
- Bind up wounds
- A test order
- Describe laboratory findings and imaging results
- Administering medications
- Prescribing drugs
- Track development and more
How To Become A Physician Assistant
Physician assistants are highly trained medical professionals. Students must complete a master’s degree at a physician assistant program that is approved after receiving a bachelor’s degree (usually in a science-related discipline like biology, chemistry, etc.).
After that, they must successfully complete a year-long clinical rotation and the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants’ (NCCPA) Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).
The List of Best PA Schools In Kentucky
Kentucky has 75 colleges and universities that make up its higher education system. 24 of these are for-profit private institutions, 27 are nonprofit private schools, and 24 are public institutions.
These 3 listed below are the only ones that provide a PA program in Kentucky.
Sullivan University PA Program
The physician assistant program at Sullivan University seeks to prepare aspiring physician assistants to deliver moral, competent, and compassionate healthcare as a member of an inter-professional team.
Increasing healthcare accessibility both nationally and in the Commonwealth of Kentucky is part of their mission.
A 12-month didactic phase and a 12-month clinical phase make up the demanding 24-month Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA) Degree program.
The program director, the medical director, the directors of didactic and clinical education, and the academic, clinical, and course coordinators keep a careful eye on students’ academic and professional development throughout the program.
Each student has a faculty advisor who can offer advice and support regarding their academic progress.
A student who is struggling academically receives counseling and the opportunity to develop.
In keeping with Sullivan University’s objectives, the PA Program is committed to offering state-of-the-art educational enrichment opportunities for its students’ intellectual, social, and professional development while instilling the values of cooperation, empathy, excellence, professionalism, integrity, and accountability.
Click here to know more about this program.
Admission Requirements: The following criteria must be met before application is made to this school.
- Complete CASPA application
- Possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
- Complete prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of C and have a minimum CGPA of 3.0.
- 500 direct patient contact hours
The application deadline is the 15th of July
Tuition: $54,950 for entire program.
University of Kentucky PA Program
With the help of this program, you will be able to conduct exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, advise on preventive health care, assist in surgeries, prescribe medications, and more.
You will also gain a wealth of clinical knowledge and hands-on patient care experience.
The School’s curriculum is committed to assisting you in becoming the most competent healthcare professional you can be, as demonstrated by the fact that graduates from this school have some of the best pass rates on state licensure exams.
The program chooses 16 students for the Morehead campus and 40 for the Lexington campus, both of whom matriculate in the spring. Candidates may only apply to one campus; they may not apply to both.
Click here to know more about this school.
Admission Requirements: The admissions cycle for 2022–2023 begins on April 28 and ends on July 15, 2022. Below are things you need to apply.
- Complete CASPA application
- Possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
- Complete prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of C and have a minimum CGPA of 3.0.
- Direct patient contact hours and shadowing experience
- Official transcripts
- Complete essay
- 3 recommendation letters
- GRE Scores
- Complete UK Graduate School application after doing your CASPA application.
Tuition: $58,245.00 and $56,545.00 for resident students at Lexington Campus and Morehead campus respectively.
$127,915.00 and $126,215.00 for non-resident students at Lexington Campus and Morehead campus respectively. (NOTE: This is subject to change annually)
University of The Cumberland PA Program
To assist you in starting your medical career, the University of the Cumberland has created a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program.
Basic, behavioral, and pre-clinical medical sciences are all covered in the curriculum.
In this master’s degree program, you will learn the skills you need to succeed in your job through coursework that ranges from clinical medicine, pharmacology, and medical procedures to human anatomy, medical physiology, and patient assessments.
Additionally, you will gain the fundamental clinical and critical thinking abilities needed for our graduate-level physician assistant studies program’s clinical phase.
The university’s recognized Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program can be finished in as little as 27 months and is designed to offer you the skills you need to provide medical care to patients.
Among the 113 credits needed to complete the requirements, 68 must be earned through didactic coursework in conventional classroom and laboratory settings. The entire didactic curriculum is taught on-campus.
During the second year of the program, students complete 10 supervised clinical rotations in the field to earn the remaining 45 hours of the Physician Assistant Studies program.
These rotations are intended to give students practical experience in the fields of family, internal, and emergency medicine, surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, and women’s health.
Click here for more info.
Admission Requirements: to be part of this program, you must have fulfilled the following requirement.
You can apply to either the Williamsburg Campus or the Northern Kentucky Campus.
- Complete CASPA application
- Possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
- Complete prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of C and have a minimum CGPA of 3.0.
- 500 direct patient contact hours
- Submission of 3 letters of recommendation
- Official Transcripts
The deadline is August 1st.
Tuition: N/A
Check out the 13 best PA schools in Ohio and their tuition.
FAQs
Does the University of Kentucky have a good PA program?
On state licensing examinations, their graduates have among of the greatest pass rates, demonstrating the program’s commitment to assisting you in being the most knowledgeable healthcare professional you can be.
How long is PA school in Kentucky?
In-depth medical programs approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) are used to educate physician assistants.
The typical PA program’s curriculum lasts about 26 months.
How do I become a PA in Kentucky?
- Locate Approved Physician Assistant Programs in Kentucky for Licensure.
- Pass the national certification exam.
- File an application with the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure.
- Maintain the Kentucky PA license’s validity.
Does Kentucky have a PA school?
Sullivan University, University of Kentucky, University of the Cumberlands, and University of the Cumberlands Northern Kentucky Campus are the four institutions in Kentucky that provide physician assistant programs.
Does Louisville have a PA program?
Your training in the 24-month PA program at Sullivan University will equip you to lead and innovate in this rapidly expanding and satisfying field.
Can a PA practice independently in KY?
No, a physician assistant is not permitted to work alone. A qualified physician (either M.D. or D.O.) must serve as each physician assistant’s supervisor.
Each patient’s development is monitored by the supervising physician, who is also in charge of all medical services rendered by the physician assistant under their direction.
How do you double major at WKU?
A minimum of 120 semester hours must be taken to meet the requirements for both majors and the bachelor’s degree by students who are pursuing double majors.
How many majors are offered at WKU?
The 102 separate undergraduate degrees that Western Kentucky University offers are broken down into 77 majors that fall under 26 general disciplines of study.
In 2018–2019, Western Kentucky University conferred 3,366 undergraduate degrees in all fields of study.
The proportion of degrees granted to online students (36.0%) was high.
Does WKU have forensic science?
The longest-running and most successful program in Western Kentucky University’s history is forensics.
How do you get into PA school?
Almost always, a full PA school application will contain the following elements:
- Proof of completing a bachelor’s degree
- Finishing the needed classes.
- All of the postsecondary universities’ transcripts, if any.
- Detailed summaries of pertinent activities like patient care hours and shadowing.
- GRE rating.
- 3 character references.
- Completed personal statement.
Do you have suggestions on other PA schools in Kentucky? Please leave a comment below.