Physician Assistant Studies
Combined Bachelor of Science and Master of Science
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Earn a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies in 27 months |
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The Springfield College Physician Assistant Studies (PA) program is renowned for its unique blend of academic rigor and hands-on experience in this field. The program educates physician assistants eligible for employment in a wide variety of medical settings and specialties. A hallmark feature of the program is its expedited nature, allowing students who qualify for the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program to graduate in 6 years rather than 7 (typical at most institutions), saving a year of tuition and enabling entry into a salaried position a year earlier.
You will enter Springfield College as a first-year student. Those who qualify will earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Science: Pre-PA Studies and complete the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies in 6 years. The professional phase of the program begins in January of the senior year. The Bachelor of Science in Health Science/Pre-PA is awarded in May of the fourth year. The Master of Science degree is awarded at the conclusion of the PA program.
To successfully matriculate from the pre professional phase to the professional, master’s phase of the program, you must meet all program standards and participate in an interview. What sets our program apart is all qualified Pre-PA students are guaranteed an interview with the graduate admissions committee at the end of their sophomore year. If offered a seat in the graduate professional phase of the program, students are eligible to begin the graduate phase in the spring of their senior year. A maximum of 35 seats are reserved for students through this track.
Any student who is not offered a seat in the graduate professional phase of the program will remain at Springfield College and reapply through our graduate admissions process at the next cycle.
What job can I get with a degree in Physician Assistant Studies?
A degree in Health Science: Pre-Physician Assistant Studies from Springfield College opens up various rewarding career opportunities in healthcare. Graduates can pursue roles such as medical assistants, where you'll work alongside physicians, taking patient histories and assisting with examinations. This degree also sets you up for our Graduate Degree to become a physician assistant (PA), providing diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive healthcare services.
Other career paths include becoming a health services manager, overseeing the operations of healthcare facilities, or working as a clinical research coordinator, managing clinical trials and research studies. Additionally, you might find opportunities as a health educator, teaching individuals and communities about healthy lifestyles and preventive care.
Data is from the 2024 Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
With our Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, Physician assistants are on teams with physicians or surgeons and other healthcare workers. The amount of collaboration and the extent to which they must be supervised by physicians or surgeons differ by state.
Physician assistants work in a variety of healthcare specialties, including primary care and family medicine, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. The work of physician assistants depends, in large part, on their specialty or the type of medical practice in which they work. For example, a physician assistant working in surgery may close incisions and provide care before, during, and after an operation. A physician assistant working in pediatrics may examine a child and give routine vaccinations.
Health education specialists create workplace programs or suggest modifications that focus on wellness. For example, they may develop incentives for employees to adopt healthy behaviors, such as controlling cholesterol, or recommend changes in the workplace to improve employee health, such as creating smoke-free areas.
Home health and personal care aides monitor the condition of people with disabilities or chronic illnesses and help them with daily living activities. They often help older adults who need assistance. Under the direction of a nurse or other healthcare practitioner, home health aides may be allowed to give a client medication or to check the client’s vital signs.
