What is a Physician Assistant?

If you are interested in the healthcare field, working on teams with physicians, surgeons and other healthcare workers, consider a career as a Physician Assistant (PA). PAs work with licensed physicians to provide medical care to patients including diagnosing and treating illnesses, performing physical examinations, assisting in surgeries and more. Physician Assistant careers are projected to grow 37 percent over the next 10 years, which is a much faster rate than your average job and the median salary is $108,610 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statics.

Interested in getting started? The average PA program runs approximately 26 months and accepts students who have previous health care experience and some college education. Most applicants have a bachelor’s degree and come from nursing, EMT and paramedic backgrounds. PA programs consist of classroom and laboratory instruction in the basic medical and behavioral sciences, followed by clinical rotations in internal medicine, family medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, and geriatric medicine. PAs are educated in medical programs accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). 

Kentucky Physician Assistant programs include: 

• University of Kentucky
• University of Cumberlands
• University of Cumberlands-Northern Kentucky 
• Sullivan University 

Learn more about prerequisites and training to become a Physician Assistant here. 

Our region is in need of Physician Assistants in our rural communities. You can build a successful career right in your hometown, whether it is Lebanon, Bardstown, Elizabethtown, Leitchfield or the surrounding communities.