For more information about PA education, please review http://paeaonline.org/

PAs are educated at the master’s degree level. There are more than 300 PA programs in the country and admission is highly competitive, requiring a bachelor’s degree and completion of specific prerequisites. PA programs range in length from 24 to 36 months.

In the rigorous didactic phase, students take courses in basic medical sciences, clinical decision making, clinical skills, behavioral sciences, pharmacology, health promotion and disease prevention, and behavioral ethics.

In the clinical phase, students gain clinical experience in various specialties, completing more than 2,000 hours of clinical hours. Clinical experiences occur in surgical disciplines, including family medicine, internal medicine, women's health, pediatrics, general surgery, emergency medicine, and behavioral medicine.

For more information on the Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program, please contact (pa@meridian.msstate.edu).