PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT FAMILY PRACTICE

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:
A physician assistant (PA) provides health care services to patients under the direction and responsible supervision of a physician. PA's are academically and clinically trained to perform many of the routine but time-consuming tasks that physicians usually do, and are accountable for their own actions as well as being accountable to their supervising physicians.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Completion of a four-year accredited physician assistant baccalaureate program and a year of clinical training, OR Completion of a two-year accredited physician assistant program (which, in turn, requires two years of undergraduate study) plus two years of clinical training following completion of PA program State accreditation based on certifying exam. Continued employment requires 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years and passing a recertification examination every 6 years