History of PA Profession
Why did they start the Physician Assistant profession?
To increase access to healthcare/ There was a shortage in primary care physicians.
List 3 experiences that fulfill direct patient care hours.
Nursing (RN, LVN, CNA), Emergency Services (EMT, Paramedic, EMS), Physical Therapist (Aide), Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, etc.
What are 3 duties of Physician Assistants?
Evaluate, treat, diagnose, prescribe, etc.
What exam must you pass to become a certified PA?
Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE)
Which University did the first PA class graduate from?
Duke University
What is the standardized test that a lot of graduate schools, including some PA programs, require?
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Name four PA schools in Pennsylvania.
Temple LKSOM, Jefferson, PCOM, Arcadia, Salus, Desales, etc.
What is the median salary of a PA-C? (correct if within $10,000)
$115,390 (Source: bureau of labor statistics as of Dec. 2021)
What is the normal blood pressure for an adult?
Systolic less than 120 and diastolic less than 80
120/80
When did the Physician Assistant profession begin? (when was first PA program established)
1965 (The first PA class graduated on Oct. 6, 1967)
What is the first and second year of PA school called and what is the difference between them?
First Year: didactic (classroom based; lectures; etc.)
Second Year: Clinical (hands on training in clinical settings; rotations, etc)
Name one major difference between the physician assistant and a nurse practitioner professions?
1. NPs have nursing background (bachelor degree in nursing and then work as RN) while PAs attend a medical school
2. PAs train using the medical model, NPs use nursing model
3. PAs focus more on pathology, NPs focus more on the patient's quality of life/pain management
4.PAs trained as generalist, NPs trained in specific population (ex- geriatrics, pediatrics, women's health, etc)
etc.
What is the name of the national professional society that works to advocate and education on behalf of the PA profession?
American Academy of Physician Associates/Assistants (AAPA)
Who were first trained to be Physician Assistants?
Navy Corpsmen
Name 4 courses that are prerequisites for most PA programs
Anatomy & Physiology
General Chemistry
General Biology
Microbiology
Statistics
Psychology
Biochemistry
Genetics
Organic Chemistry
three to five
What area/specialty do the highest % of PAs work in?
Family Medicine
Name 2 countries other than the U.S that have adopted the PA profession
Canada, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Liberia, India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Bulgaria, etc.
Which is the last state that passed legislation authorizing PAs to practice?
Mississippi
What are the 3 types of interviews that PA programs may use during their interview process?
1. Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) 2. Traditional Interviews 3. Group Interviews
What are the 5 of the 7 core rotations in PA school (the clinical rotations that are required to be a part of PA school curriculum)?
emergency medicine
family medicine
general surgery
internal medicine
pediatrics
behavioral and mental health
women's health (ObGyn)
By how much (in %) is employment of PAs predicted to grow from 2020-2030? (correct if within 5%)
31% (source: bureau of labor statistics)
ARC-PA (Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant)