Physician Assistants: The Superheroes of Science

November 13, 2023 | Lisa Gibbs

Do you watch medical dramas on TV and secretly wish you could be part of the heroic medical team, making life-saving decisions and saving the day? Grab your stethoscope and cape, because our Intro to Physician Assistant course is your ticket to joining the ranks of health superheroes!

What is a physician assistant?

First things first, what exactly is a Physician Assistant (PA)? PAs are the backbone of medical work. They work alongside doctors, surgeons and other healthcare professionals to make an impactful difference in patient’s lives. They diagnose illnesses, develop treatment plans and provide extensive patient education and care to manage their health issues. 

Why should you become a PA? 

Why become a Physician Assistant when you could be a doctor? PAs typically spend less time in school compared to medical doctors, which means you can start making a positive impact sooner. It is also an excellent profession for those who want to get into the medical field but don’t have a specific area of study they want to follow. The PA profession is a dynamic field requiring teamwork and collaboration between medical teams. It also offers the opportunity to work in various medical settings or specializations if you wish to grow your career in the future.

The job outlook for PAs is currently 27%, which is much faster than average. There are also roughly 148,000 jobs (2022 statistics) and the average median pay for the position is $60.58 per hour, or $126,010 per year. 

How can our program help you? 

UWF’s Introduction to the Physician Assistant Profession program is designed to help you get the ball rolling in your career as a PA. By successfully completing this course, you will be exempt from the 500-hour requirement for previous patient care experience required for application to the FSU PA Program. 

University of West Florida students who live in the Florida Panhandle may be eligible to apply to the UWF/FSU Physician Assistant Pipeline Program (PAPP). Full admission requirements are available here. Students who do not meet the criteria established for the Pipeline Program, but meet the regular FSU PA Program admission requirements, may still apply to the FSU PA program as a general applicant.

Registration closes on January 10, 2024. Classes run through January 10 – May 1, 2024, on Wednesdays from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. and are held in-person at the Main UWF Campus in Pensacola. To learn more about this program, visit here.