Colorado Technical University

Is this a good path to becoming a physicians assistant?

After graduating high school next year I want to enter a career institute school that will train me to become a medical Assistant while completing a A.A.S degree in liberal Arts and Sciences and then getting into a B.S Physicians Assistant Program im taking liberal arts and sciences which prepares you to choose you specific science classes and becoming a M.A first for health care expierence After becoing a P.A i want to go back to get my masters in something

Public Comments

1. This sounds like you are very focused and have a great plan! good luck!
2. I thought all PA programs were MS and not BS programs. I think being a medical assistant would be beneficial but look at requirements for individual schools. My school requires the PA program to have a BA or BS and have a minimum documented PA shadowing hours along with making sure all the required courses are taken. It might be set up differently in your area, but look on the requirements for schools you think you might be interested in.
3. There are still many B.S. PA Programs in which you may not need a degree for admission, rather you need to complete certain prerequisite courses including patient contact hours which can be done by volunteering in a hospital or shadowing a doctor or PA. The liberal arts degree will probably not include the many science courses you need for admission into a PA program. Check the admission requirements for the programs you are interested in. I think becoming a medical assistant first will just be a waste of time. Visit the AAPA website for info on different programs and the PA profession: www.aapa.org
4. Go to a regular college for a B.Sc. degree in Health Science or Biology. This will qualify you (for Plan B) to get into other programs like Clinical Laboratory Science, Health Education, Pharmacy, ect. PA programs are going to the M.Sc. level, and the standards are high. See a good example program at the Butler University web site.