Master of Science in Physician Assistant (95 credits)
Starting in Fall 2014 (pending accreditation), Monmouth University will offer a full-time physician assistant (PA) program to prepare students to enter this highly sought-after profession. With an increasing need for healthcare providers, the PA field is expected to grow rapidly through the next decade. This three-year Master of Science program will provide close, personalized training so that students can successfully achieve PA certification.
What is a physician assistant?
A PA is a medical professional who works as part of a team with a physician. PAs have a variety of responsibilities, including...
- performing physical exams and procedures,
- diagnosing and treating illnesses,
- ordering and interpreting lab tests,
- assisting in surgery,
- providing patient education and counseling, and
- making rounds in hospitals and nursing homes.
To become a physician assistant, students must graduate from an accredited PA educational program, which is modeled on the medical school curriculum. They must then become nationally certified and state-licensed to practice medicine with the supervision of a physician.
The physician-PA practice is described as delegated autonomy—physicians delegate duties to PAs, and within those range of duties, PAs have autonomous decision-making in patient care. PAs embrace this team model in providing and enhancing medical care.
Read more about PAs and physician supervision...
Accreditation
Monmouth University has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Monmouth University's PA program anticipates matriculating its first class in September 2014, pending Accreditation-Provisional in September 2013. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status for a new PA program that has not yet enrolled students, but at the time of its comprehensive accreditation review, has demonstrated its preparedness to initiate a program in accordance with the accreditation Standards. Students must graduate from an accredited program in order to be eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE), and Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status.
