The 2018 Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs written by Mark Volpe, MPH, MMSc, PA-C and Brittany Hogan PA-S, provides prospective PA program applicants with detailed information regarding all accredited PA programs in the United States. The book also provides helpful tips for applicants to improve their chances at success during […]
The PA Life Blog
2019 NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint Updates
Did you know that the NCCPA has updated the PANCE Content Blueprint for 2019? With the update came some changes both to my SMARTYPANCE Board Review Website and your board review checklist which I will be discussing here in detail. NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint 2019 vs. 2018 The Big Changes The biggest change comes in […]
The 10 Best Cities For PAs to Move to in 2018
In its 2018 ranking of best health care jobs, U.S. News and World Report ranked physician assistant second in best health care jobs and third in best jobs overall. PAs are undoubtedly in high demand. As of 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there were 109,220 working in the country. They are paid well, with […]
Episode 59: Emergency Medicine EOR – The Audio PANCE and PANRE Board Review Podcast
The Audio PANCE/PANRE PA Board Review Podcast Welcome to episode 59 of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten Emergency Medicine End of Rotation Exam (EOR) review questions from the SMARTYPANCE course content following the NCCPA™ and PAEA content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). This week […]
The PA Advisor Series: Patient Contact Hours and Healthcare Experience
The PA Advisor Series Welcome to the PA Advisors Series – a special series of posts where PA school applicants like yourself ask the tough questions and admissions directors from top-ranking PA schools provide the answers. Today We Will Discuss: Patient Contact Hours and Healthcare Experience Requirements for PA School Here are some of the questions […]
The Power of Picmonics Plus Get 20% OFF!
Let’s start with a simple question… You’re studying for your PANCE exam, and you need to memorize 1000’s of clinical pearls from 467 topics covering 13 content blueprint organ systems, the culmination of two years of hard work and endless pimping from sadistic, but well-intentioned, attending physicians. How, exactly do you go about memorizing all this […]
The Perfect PA Program Picker: PA School Requirements and Admissions Tool
2018-2019 PA School Admissions and Requirements Table Search and sort through all 256 accredited and developing PA school programs by healthcare experience, resident and non-resident PA school tuition, PA program duration, GRE requirements, overall GPA, prerequisite GPA, and science GPA requirements. Search by PA program accreditation status, CASPA participation, PA school class size, five-year PANCE pass […]
How Much do PAs Make? Physician Assistant Salary and Compensation
PA Salary and Compensation How much money does a physician assistant make? In 2018, the median annual salary for PAs working full-time in the United States is $102,000 – $106,873 per year. PAs who receive an hourly wage, rather than an annual salary, earn an average of $60.00 per hour. PAs working in emergency medicine […]
Episode 57: The Audio PANCE and PANRE Board Review Podcast
The Audio PANCE/PANRE PA Board Review Podcast Welcome to episode 57 of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE and PANRE Board review questions from the SMARTYPANCE course content following the NCCPA™ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). This week we will be covering ten endocrinology […]
Physician Assistant Stats, Data, and Demographics
Physician Assistant Facts and Figures Physician assistant demographics have changed a lot over the years. From just four practicing physician assistants in the year 1967 to roughly 115,547 practicing PAs in 2018. That’s a big difference in just over 50 years! Below is the latest demographic and statistical data on physician assistants from the most […]
2018 Physician Assistant School Tuition and Fees: Cost Comparison Table
Tuition, Costs, and Fees of Resident and Nonresident Tuition For All 256 US PA Programs How Much Does it Cost to Go to PA School in 2018? Average cost of resident tuition + fees to graduate from an accredited physician assistant program in 2018 is: $79,941 This is an increase of 11% from 2017 Average cost […]
PA School Prerequisites: Admissions Directors Answer Your Burning Questions
As you probably know by now, if you want to get into PA school you must complete the necessary prerequisite coursework. I have discussed this in detail in a previous post Prerequisite Coursework: How to Design the Perfect Pre-PA School Curriculum. Today, we are going a step further by giving you answers to some of the […]
Torn Between PA or MD? Here’s How You Decide!
Are you struggling to decide between PA or MD, NP or PA, pre-nursing or biochem, new job or comfy job, CNA vs. MA, or scribe vs. EMT? One day you favor option A and the next day you flounder back to option B or worse, you start looking at option C. Wouldn’t it be great […]
Episode 55: The Audio PANCE and PANRE Board Review Podcast
The Audio PANCE/PANRE PA Board Review Podcast Welcome to episode 55 of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE and PANRE Board review questions from the SMARTYPANCE course content following the NCCPA™ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). This week we will be covering ten general board […]
How to Pay For Medical Missions as a Broke PRE-PA
I have always found the dichotomy of time and money interesting. Either you have all the time in the world to do things like when you’re a student and have summer break, or you’re working and have a paycheck but no longer have the time to take off. If you’re the former and are interested in […]
Going Midlevel Midlife: Michelle’s Story of Becoming a Physician Assistant in her 40’s
After 16 years of teaching high school wellness, Michelle Roush felt ready for a greater challenge to leverage her interest in health. After much planning and preparation, she is now studying to become a physician assistant, and loving the journey. Tell us a little about your background… I am a married, 41-year-old mother of two […]
20 Answers to The Question: Why Do You Want to be a Physician Assistant?
Why Do You Want to be a Physician Assistant? You will be asked many different times: “Why?” “Why do you want to become a physician assistant?” “Why don’t you just go to medical school or NP school?” “You will make more money as a physician; you will have more prestige and recognition as a physician.” […]
The 10 Best Websites for Physician Assistant Job Search
Where is the best place to begin your next physician assistant job search? I have put each website to the test! Here is a comparison of the biggest and the best job search websites and apps for physician assistants based on their ability to GET THE JOB done! 1. ZipRecruiter ZipRecruiter is the new kid […]
Episode 53: General Surgery End of Rotation Exam – The Audio PANCE and PANRE Podcast
Welcome to episode 53 of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE and PANRE Board review questions from the Academy course content following the NCCPA™ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet) and the PAEA End of Rotation™ Exams Blueprints & Topic Lists. This week we will be […]
5 Ways to Save Money On PA School Textbooks
How to Get The Most Book for Your Buck! There are a lot of expenses when starting PA school and typically not a lot of income. According to the data, the cost of PA school textbooks (including some supplies) is in the range of $1,200 – $2,000 per year. Ouch! When you don’t have an […]
