PCOM Physician Assistant Studies
Program Description
The PCOM PA program is offered at two locations: our main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and at our Suwanee, Georgia location.
How long is the physician assistant program?
The physician assistant program is 26 months in duration, leading to a master of science (MS) degree.
What is the physician assistant program curriculum?
Our physician assistant program curriculum provides comprehensive academic and clinical medical education to prepare students
for their professional roles as physician assistants. The physician assistant program
consists of five consecutive terms (14 continuous months) of classroom instruction
and four consecutive terms (12 continuous months) of clinical preceptorships in multiple
medical disciplines.
The didactic component of the curriculum provides a solid foundation for the clinical
component. Core didactic courses such as clinical medicine, pharmacology, pathology,
history taking and physical examination provide a thorough theoretical and practical
background in basic medical education and clinical diagnostic skills.
What does it take to become a physician assistant?
As students move through the physician assistant program curriculum they will develop
a solid grounding as a generalist with a focus on patient communication skills and
advanced clinical problem-solving skills. They will acquire technical proficiency
in areas related to professional practice and will learn to use the latest in educational
and medical technology.
All didactic phase requirements must be successfully completed to be eligible to progress
to the clinical phase of the curriculum. A minimum cumulative grade point average
of 3.0 is required for progression from the didactic phase to the clinical preceptorship
phase.
During their clinical preceptorships, students refine their medical knowledge and
clinical skills by participating in supervised patient care, teaching rounds and clinical
procedures as they rotate through various preceptorships at out-patient and in-patient
clinical facilities. In keeping with the mission of the program, students are exposed
to a variety of practice settings and patient populations.
Following completion of preceptorships, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA
of 3.0 or better to graduate. All requirements for graduation must be completed within
4.5 calendar years from the first date of matriculation.
Learn more about how to become a physician assistant.
What are the requirements for PCOM's Physician Assistant Program?
Competitive applicants will have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
which includes satisfactory scores in prerequisite coursework. Additionally, applicants
will be assessed based on letters of recommendation, healthcare experience and other
factors. For additional details regarding applying to the physician assistant program
and the requirements for admission, visit the physician assistant studies application requirements page.
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