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Except for the most complex cases, physician assistants (PA's) perform the same functions as doctors. They examine and diagnose patients, order lab tests and x-rays, prescribe medications, supervise medical staff and carry out other duties that you would expect of your physician. Physician assistants work everywhere that doctors do, including hospitals, public health clinics, home health care agencies and private practice. Unlike medical doctors, however, physician assistants can enter the medical profession after completing a two-year master's degree program. On average, most also attain four years of health care experience before becoming physician assistants. Colleges with physician assistant programs typically offer both undergraduate and graduate degree coursework. Plus, to help working adults fit an education into their busy schedules, some colleges offer online learning physician assistant programs that allow students to take courses at their convenience and at their own pace. Find Physician Assistant Programs The A.T. Still University (ATSU) in Mesa, Arizona, offers an online school of health sciences where students can complete their Master of Science in Advanced Physician Assistant Studies. Splitting its curriculum between academic instruction and clinical practice, ATSU's online program equips graduates with the medical expertise, problem-solving skills and hands-on experience to start successful health care careers. At South College in Knoxville, Tennessee, students will find a Masters of Health Sciences Physician Assistant program that emphasizes a comprehensive medical education as well as compassionate patient care. South College's program involves multiple core clinical learning areas, including primary care, internal medicine, women's health, pediatrics and emergency medicine. Physician assistants belong to a rapidly growing profession that is in high demand at health care facilities across the country. Earning a median annual salary of $74,980, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports, physician assistants are cost-effective employees in the rapidly expanding health care industry. Colleges with physician assistant programs offer the academic and clinical practice training that PA's require to succeed. And students interested in becoming health care leaders and advocates for compassionate patient care will find life as a physician assistant to be a perfect match for their career goals. Find Physician Assistant Programs Related Reading:
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