What is a Physician Assistant (PA)

Physician Assistants (PA’s) are health care professionals licensed, or in the case of those employed by the federal government they are credentialed, to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PA’s conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, and write prescriptions. Within the physician-PA relationship, physician assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. A PA's practice may also include education, research, and administrative services.

To become a PA in the United States, one must graduate from a PA Program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) then pass the NCCPA - PA National Certification Examination (PANCE), then apply for state licensure from the appropriate State Medical Board. PA’s that pass and maintain their accreditation after taking the National Certification Exam will have a -C designation or PA-C title.

Admissions Requirements:

Admissions to the PA Program are highly competitive. Applicants are reviewed by an Admissions Committee. Applicants should verify current requirements with the PA Program and be sure to use the current application materials and requirements. Decisions are made based on a thorough evaluation of all aspects of the candidate’s completed application, including:

1. Academic record and potential, including GRE scores.

2. Written narrative statements

3. Personal references 

4. Previous health care experience (between 1000 hours to  2,000 hours of direct hands-on patient care required in most programs)

5. Personal interview

At Covenant CNA School we can help you reach your goal by taking our Certified Nursing Assistants Program and becoming a Nursing Assistants.

The Covenant Program emphasizes hands-on, interactive learning activities and our instructors possess a combination of teaching experience, subject matter expertise and applied real world experience. Covenant offers Day, Evening and Weekend courses to accommodate your busy schedule.