Physician assistants are “healthcare professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision,” according to the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
Physician assistants offer patients services ranging from general care medicine to specialty surgical treatment as part of their extensive responsibilities.
Physical examinations, illness diagnosis and treatment, ordering and interpreting lab testing, helping with surgical procedures, and giving patients advice on preventative health issues are all things that physician assistants do.
In this article, we will see the best PA schools in Tennessee.
Who Is a PA?
Physician Assistants (PAs) are healthcare professionals with medical licenses who work under the direction of an MD or DO.
Together with the supervising physician, the PA develops and implements treatment programs, does physical examinations, orders diagnostic tests, and offers diagnostic and therapeutic patient care.
Additionally, PAs hold positions in academia, administration, and research. PAs work in a variety of settings, including private medical practices, clinics, hospitals, health maintenance organizations, community health centers, federal and state facilities, the Armed Services, businesses, universities, and medical schools.
History Of PA Profession
At Duke University, Dr. Eugene Stead established the first Physician Assistant (PA) Training Program in 1965. Also in 1965, Dr. Henry Silver launched a four-month postgraduate program for nurses at the University of Colorado to become pediatric nurse practitioners.
In order to promptly place former military corpsmen in neglected rural communities, Dr. Richard Smith created a MEDEX training program at the University of Washington shortly after that, in 1969.
Soon after, such initiatives were launched in other states, and by 1971, over 50 PA educational initiatives had been set up in colleges, universities, and hospitals all throughout the nation.
The List of Best PA Schools In Tennessee
There are 105 colleges and institutions in Tennessee that make up the higher education system. There are 34 for-profit private institutions, 48 nonprofit private schools, and 23 public institutions among them. However, these are the best PA schools in Tennessee.
Bethel University PA Program
You’ll receive a top-notch education as a medical assistant at Bethel. You will be given the full skills necessary to collaborate with doctors and deliver valuable care to patients with a variety of backgrounds and needs thanks to experience-based learning, qualified instruction, and a transforming community.
You will offer services as varied as healthcare itself as a medical assistant. You will be prepared to provide preventative care, create treatment plans, and carry out medical treatments after completing the 27-month program.
Additionally, you’ll graduate with the skills necessary to work in healthcare management, research, or teaching.
Modern training facilities will be used, and learning will be enhanced through the use of cadaver dissection, patient simulations, and procedural trainers.
The teachers’ collective clinical experience as physicians or Pas amounts to about 150 years, and they bring this wealth of knowledge to the classroom.
Click here for more information.
Admission Requirements: To be considered for admission, ensure you have the following.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.25 on 4.0 scale.
- Complete CASPA application.
- Official transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Minimum of C in all prerequisite courses.
- GRE or MCAT scores are not needed
- 250 hours of direct patient care
- 3 letters of recommendation
- Deadline for application is 1st of August.
Tuition: Click here to see the breakdown.
Christian Brothers University PA Program
Physician assistants (Pas) who complete Christian Brothers University’s Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program will be better equipped to care for patients in their locality, region, state, and country.
In order to provide outstanding clinical experiences during both stages of the program, with an orthopedic focus, they have partnered with nationally renowned medical centers.
You will have the skills and knowledge from your training to assess patients, identify illnesses and injuries, and administer care as a general practitioner.
To work under the supervision of a doctor or surgeon after graduation, you must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination and submit an application for state medical license.
The foundation of the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program is an integrative approach, active learning, and student interaction.
- Coursework: 15 months
- Clinical rotations: 14 months
Click here for more information.
Admission Requirements: To be considered for admission, ensure you have the following.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on 4.0 scale.
- Complete CASPA application.
- Official transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Minimum of C in all prerequisite courses.
- GRE or MCAT scores are not needed
- Hours of direct patient care is recommended
- 2 letters of recommendation
- The deadline for application is 1st of September.
Tuition: Click here for more information.
Lipscomb University PA Program
The Physician Assistant Master of Science The School of Physician Assistant Studies offers top-notch education with small class numbers, seasoned teachers, and cutting-edge facilities with the goal of changing healthcare one student at a time.
At Lipscomb University, the Christian religion is fundamental and permeates both the academic program and the student body. The PA program will help you achieve your personal and professional objectives as you prepare to help others.
Click here for more information.
Admission Requirements: To be considered for admission, ensure you have the following.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale.
- Complete CASPA application.
- Official transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Minimum of C in all prerequisite courses.
- Hours of direct patient care is recommended
- 3 letters of recommendation
- The deadline for application is the 1st of February.
Tuition: $119,376 for entire program
Milligan College PA Program
The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program at Milligan University is a 28-month, 108-credit program that trains highly skilled healthcare specialists with a background in primary care to collaborate with doctors and other members of the healthcare team in a range of medical specialties.
For entrance to the program, candidates must have achieved a bachelor’s degree and fulfilled the necessary prerequisites.
The 108-credit program is spread out over two phases and takes 28 months to complete. Each year, graduation takes place in May.
Didactic Phase, a 15-month period during which 72 credits worth of coursework is taught face-to-face.
Clinical rotations totaling 36 credits make up the clinical phase. Over the course of 13 months, each student completes a series of eight, six-week clinical internships. At least three months before the start of a rotation, students are allowed to recommend a clinical rotation location and/or clinical preceptor.
Click here for more information.
Admission Requirements: To be considered for admission, ensure you have the following.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on 4.0 scale.
- Complete CASPA application.
- Official transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Minimum of C in all prerequisite courses.
- 300 hours of direct patient care is recommended
- GRE score
- 3 letters of recommendation
Tuition: $99,420 for entire program.
South College PA Program – Knoxville
In order to prepare you for advanced physician assistant positions within the medical sector, South College’s demanding 27-month Master of Physician Assistant Studies program builds on your prior study.
By increasing a physician’s practice base—which is crucial in medically underserved areas—physician assistants contribute to bettering access to medical care. Family practice, pediatrics, and general medicine are among the primary care specialties where Pas are frequently engaged.
South College is committed to providing you the training and knowledge you need to become a highly certified physician assistant who can provide excellent, competent patient care.
To give the curriculum a practical focus, they recruit local doctors and physician assistants as adjunct instructors in addition to the core faculty.
Click here for more information.
Admission Requirements: To be considered for admission, ensure you have the following.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.75 on 4.0 scale.
- Complete CASPA application.
- Official transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Minimum of C in all prerequisite courses.
- Hours of direct patient care is recommended
- GRE score
- 3 letters of recommendation
- The application deadline is 1st of March.
Tuition: $118,239 for entire program
Lincoln Memorial University PA Program
Since 2009, the Physician Assistant (PA) Program at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, has been preparing Pas to fulfill local and global healthcare demands.
Students receive a top-notch, practical medical education thanks to devoted, experienced academic personnel with clinical and research knowledge and cutting-edge technologies.
Students practice procedural skills like intravenous catheter insertion, lumbar puncture, and point-of-care ultrasound using simulated trainers.
Students have a special chance to take part in a range of volunteer opportunities where medical care is given to disadvantaged, uninsured, and destitute groups.
Click here for more information.
Admission Requirements: To be considered for admission, ensure you have the following.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on 4.0 scale.
- Complete CASPA application.
- Official transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Minimum of C in all prerequisite courses.
- 150 hours of direct patient care is recommended
- 3 letters of recommendation
- The application deadline is 1st of December.
Tuition: click here to see the breakdown.
South College PA Program – Nashville
In order to prepare you for advanced physician assistant positions within the medical sector, South College’s demanding 27-month Master of Physician Assistant Studies program builds on your prior study.
Click here for more information.
Admission Requirements: To be considered for admission, ensure you have the following.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.75 on 4.0 scale.
- Complete CASPA application.
- Official transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Minimum of C in all prerequisite courses.
- Hours of direct patient care is recommended
- GRE score
- 3 letters of recommendation
- The application deadline is the 1st of March.
Tuition: $118,239 for entire program
Trevecca Nazarene University PA Program
Graduates of Trevecca’s Physician Assistant (PA) program are prepared to work in clinical settings to benefit their communities.
With brand-new on-campus amenities and clinical experiences in a variety of settings, this program is the first and most established one in Tennessee.
There are two sections to the program: didactic and clinical. You will spend 15 months taking courses in clinical medicine and medical science throughout the didactic phase.
The following 12 months will consist of 8 six-week rotations in family medicine I and II, pediatrics, behavioral and mental health, internal medicine, emergency medicine, general surgery, and a specialty of your choice.
Click here for more information.
Admission Requirements: To be considered for admission, ensure you have the following.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.25 on 4.0 scale.
- Complete CASPA application.
- Official transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Minimum of C in all prerequisite courses.
- 250 hours of direct patient care is recommended
- 10 hours Shadowing a PA
- GRE score
- 3 letters of recommendation
- The application deadline is 1st of October.
Tuition: N/A
University of Tennessee Health Science Center (Memphis) PA Program
The goal of the physician assistant program is to train a diverse group of highly skilled physician assistant practitioners who are committed to lifelong learning, broadening the profession’s body of knowledge, and improving access to high-quality primary and/or specialty healthcare as members of inter-professional teams.
Click here for more information.
Admission Requirements: To be considered for admission, ensure you have the following.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on 4.0 scale.
- Complete CASPA application.
- Official transcripts from previously attended institutions.
- Minimum of C in all prerequisite courses.
- Hours of direct patient care is recommended
- Hours Shadowing a PA
- GRE score
- 3 letters of recommendation
Tuition: Click here for more information
FAQs
What PA schools are in Tennessee?
- Bethel University PA Program.
- Christian Brothers University PA Program.
- Lipscomb University PA Program. …
- Lincoln Memorial University PA Program
- Milligan College PA Program. …
- South College PA Program – Knoxville.
- South College PA Program – Nashville.
- Trevecca Nazarene University PA Program
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center (Memphis) PA Program
How many PA programs are in Tennessee?
There are five programs in development and four fully accredited programs. Bethel University, Lincoln Memorial University, South College, and Trevecca Nazarene University are the institutions with fully accredited programs.
Does the University of Tennessee have a PA school?
An entry-level Master of Medical Science-Physician Assistant (MMS-PA) degree is awarded by the University of Tennessee’s physician assistant school, which is housed in Memphis, Tennessee.
Does UT Chattanooga have a PA program?
Meeting the minimum requirements DOES NOT guarantee an interview for admission to the Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant (MMS-PA) program.
Application and admission to the PA program are extremely competitive. The GRE is not a prerequisite for admission to the UTHSC PA Program.
How do I become a PA in TN?
- For licensure, select Tennessee physician assistant programs.
- Gain NCCPA Certification.
- The Tennessee Committee on Physicians Assistants has to accept your application for licensure.
- As required, renew your Tennessee license.
Does Nashville have a PA school?
The Master of Health Science in Physician Assistant Studies Program offered by South College in Nashville has been given Accreditation-Provisional status by the ARC-PA.
Does MTSU have a physician assistant program?
There is a demanding 27-month PA program here. Beginning in May 2022, they welcomed the first cohort class.
How long is PA school?
Most master’s degree-granting programs last about 27 months (3 academic years). Both classroom training and clinical rotations are a part of PA programs. Leave your suggestions and questions on these PA schools in Tennessee below.