PA News Update!!!

Forbes Ranks Physician Assistant Studies as Top Master’s Degree for Long-Term Employment Opportunity

2012-06-11

Majority of PAs are female as the profession grows
Alexandria, VA — Forbes again named physician assistant studies the single best master’s degree for the third year in a row, citing the profession’s favorable outlook for salary and long-term employment.
“The continued recognition from Forbes is a welcome one for our profession because PAs increase access to quality, coordinated healthcare in virtually every medical setting and specialty,” said James Delaney, PA-C, president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. “Whether we work as administrators, clinicians or educators, there are limitless opportunities for the more than 84,000 certified PAs in transforming our nation’s healthcare.”
To meet the continuous demand for PA services, industry experts estimate that by 2025, there will be 189 PA programs and more than 127,000 PAs in the healthcare workforce. Currently, 6,000 PAs enter the workforce each year after graduating from the 164 programs around the country.
Newly released data from the AAPA 2011 Census shows that the profession, already 61 percent female, is going to continue the trend. Of those PAs entering the workforce annually, 75 percent are female, and data shows that male PAs are retiring at a faster rate.
The average PA education program is 27 months long and is modeled on the medical school curriculum — a combination of classroom and clinical instruction. Admission to PA school is highly competitive. Applicants to PA programs must complete at least two years of college courses in basic and behavioral science as prerequisites, analogous to premedical studies required of medical students. PA education includes instruction in numerous core sciences, as well as more than 2,000 hours of clinical rotations.


   For me, this is the incentive to grind out PA school and begin a wonderful career! It's pretty special when your profession is recognized as having the best longevity when it comes to careers, especially by Forbes for 3 yrs in a row.  Again, it makes me even more thirsty to become a PA. The road to becoming one is going to begin 25 days from today! Till then!

" Hardwork & Dedication " - Floyd "Pretty Boy" Mayweather