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My Journey to Becoming a Physician Assistant Danielle Kaplan University Abstract In pursuit of becoming a Physician Assistant I have learned that there are requirements beyond my Bachelors Degree of Science in Health Science. In order to become a licensed Physician Assistant (P. A) I will need to successfully graduate from an accredited Physician Assistant Program which must be approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants. Followed by completing my P. A. N. C.
E (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) which can only be administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants I can finally obtain my state license through the Indiana Health Professionals Bureau. In order to maintain my certifications and license to legally practice I will have to complete at least 100 hours of continuing medical education every 2 years, and take the Physician Assistant recertifying Exam every 6 years. However all this hard work and dedication will pay off as this career is in demand and demand is on the rise.
The demand for Physicians Assistants and related careers are expected to increase 42% by the year 2018, and salary expectations are about $72,000 annually. Although the salary and job security is very attractive in itself once I am licensed and able to practice I will be able to stand beside a Physician and assist with surgeries, and other complicated procedures. Ultimately making my community a better place and advancing my future by helping patients in my area by diagnosing and treating their health care needs. My Journey to Becoming a Physician Assistant I am pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Health Science Degree with Kaplan University.
By obtaining this degree it will enable me to pursue many different career paths/job opportunities for example I could become a Medical Assistant, Health Director, Dental Hygienist, Healthcare Administrator, or Physician Assistant just to name a few. I have chosen my career path as a Physician Assistant. I chose this career path for my geographical location because this will enable me to work in many different fields of the healthcare spectrum if i cannot find the specific Physician Assistant career opportunity in my area at the time I complete my education.
Being a licensed and certified Physician Assistant I can choose other career paths or further my education to become a specialist. When I completed my job search through indeed. com healthcare careers are in high demand with an increased outlook of 42% by the year 2018. (per indeed. com) In a more detailed search on this website I was able to find roughly 42 job openings that I would qualify for within 25 miles of my home. On average the salary for Physician Assistants in my area is about $72,000 annually (per indeed. com).
When I researched on onetonline. org the results were relatively the same. The salary was increased by about $10,000 annually, but projected job growth was still at 42% by year 2018. Nationally the average salary for my chosen career path is $86,410 annually (per onetonline. org). Overall the salary, job demand, and projected growth have been relatively the same for Physician Assistants and jobs alike in my searches over the World Wide Web. After completing my Bachelor’s degree with Kaplan University my journey to success is not over.
In order to become a Physician Assistant I will be required to successfully graduate from an Accredited Physician Assistant Program approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants. After doing a Google search of accredited P. A. programs I discovered that there are 4 schools/Universities that offer this program within my area. For this program I will need to attend a live classroom and do clinical hours which will take approximately 27 months to complete. After completing this program I will be eligible to take the P. A. N. C. E. Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) which can only be administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Once I have completed these crucial steps towards my career I then can go before the Indiana Health Professional’s Bureau to obtain my Physician Assistant License to practice and provide health care in the state of Indiana. In order to continue to practice my profession and maintain my certification and licensing I will need to complete at least 100 hours of continuing medical education every 2 years and take the Physician Assistant Recertifying Exam every 6 years.
After my seemingly long journey to my chosen career path I will be able to obtain information from patients about their healthcare needs. Compile patient information and work with the Physician towards a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient. I will be working very closely with the Physician providing assistance with surgeries and or complicated medical procedures in which I will be using surgical tools such as clips, clamps, and forceps. I will also be responsible for making daily rounds to patients within my practice and report directly to the Physician with any problems, concerns, or ideas.
Ultimately in my eyes it’s the next best thing to becoming a Doctor/Physician. I will be helping others make their life better through counseling patients about their diagnosis and their treatment, helping them plan for their developmental and emotional health maintenance by performing exams and treatment. Along with close work with the Physician and patients I will also have the ability to share my expertise with fellow employees, nursing students, and help guide them through their journey to their desired healthcare profession.
Various technologies like chart ware, spreadsheets to help track patients progress and video conferencing to stay in touch with my fellow P. A. s and professional organizations will help enable me to stay up to date and provide quality care. With developing technology like video conferencing and worldwide web I can stay in touch with professional organizations I intend on joining like the P. A. E. A and A. A. P. A. for example. Getting involved with these professional organizations I believe will help broaden my career opportunities, and keep me knowledgeable in my profession and what’s going on nationally.
Overall my chosen career path has a bright outlook and increasing job growth (per onetonline. org). I am very satisfied with my future outlook and can’t wait to begin my journey into this career path. References: All information used in this assignment was gathered from the following: onetonlline. org indeed. com educationworld. com aapa. org careerinfonet. org successdegrees. com nccpa. net paeaonline. org education-portal. com allhealthcare. monster. com