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You are here: Home / International Physician Assistant / Where PAs and Physician Associates Can Work Internationally

Where PAs and Physician Associates Can Work Internationally

December 11, 2018 By Stephen Pasquini PA-C 36 Comments

The World Loves Physician Assistants PAs Where PAs can Work Internationally

The contemporary physician assistant/associate (PA) movement began in North America and Africa in the mid-1960s.

As of 2022, the adoption of PAs has spread globally across a variety of health systems and at least sixteen countries have been in various stages of expansion of PA-like medical workers (nonphysician clinicians) that function under the supervision of a doctor:

  1. Canada Physician Assistants
  2. United Kingdom Physician Associates
  3. The Netherlands Physician Assistants
  4. Liberia Physician Assistants
  5. India Physician Assistant
  6. Ghana PA Medical (Medical Assistant)
  7. South Africa Clinical Associates
  8. Australia Physician Assistants
  9. Saudi Arabia Assistant Physicians
  10. Germany Physician Assistants
  11. New Zealand Physician Associates
  12. Afghanistan Physician Assistants
  13. Israel Physician Assistants
  14. Bulgaria Physician Assistants
  15. Ireland Physician Associates
  16. Kenya Clinical Officers (CO)

This post examines countries where advances are being made or the PA model is evolving.

You can absolutely apply as an international medical graduate (IMG), but you will need to have your degree evaluated by a service such as WES, then have a US degree granted, if eligible. All prereqs must be completed in the US as well. All applicants, regardless of their previous degree, will matriculate through the entire program. - Elissa Love, BCM PA Program in Houston

PAs in Canada

CANADA Loves PAs

Canadian PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: Physician Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in Canada: Yes
  • Canadian PA Salary: $115,090 (CAD) / yr and $55 (CAD)/ hr  ($86,180/yr and $41/hr USD)
  • Number of PA programs: 4
  • Number of PAs practicing in Canada: 500
  • Prescription rights: Yes. PAs cannot prescribe narcotics or controlled substances under any circumstance.
  • Canadian Professional PA Association: Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA)
  • Canadian PA certification exam: PA Cert Exam - The PA Cert Exam is 4 hours in duration and consists of 250 multiple choice questions (PA Cert Exam Blueprint)
  • Canadian Certification Maintenance: Maintain certification by completing “40 credits annually and must also complete at least 25 credits in each section of the Maintenance of Certification Program before their cycle ends.”
  • Canadian PA Day: November 27'th

U.S. PAs are eligible to take the Canadian Certification Exam, but Canadian-trained PAs, unfortunately, are not allowed to sit for the PANCE exam.

The Canadian PA model began in the Canadian Armed forces approximately 40 years ago during the Korean war and transitioned to the present PA concept in 1984. It was further revised in 2002.

There are approximately 500 PAs practicing in Canada, roughly 300 of which are practicing in Ontario.

There are three non-military university PA programs in Canada located at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, McMaster University in Ontario, and the Consortium of PA Education in Toronto. Alberta's University of Calgary has a program in development.

The Canadian forces program is taught at the Canadian Forces Health Services Training Centre Program

All programs are 24 to 25 months in duration and deliver curricula that support the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants’ (CAPA) scope of practice statement and Canadian Medical Education Directives for Specialists (CanMEDS) PA competencies.

Certification is administered by the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC) which established an independent national certification examination and registry.  The first national exam was held in 2005.

It is estimated that 38% of Canadian PA serve in primary care settings, 13% in internal medicine, 18% in surgical practice, and 19% in emergency medicine.

American certified Physician Assistants may work in Canada.

They do not need to complete a PA school in Canada to practice.

Once a PA graduate has completed an accredited PA program (In Canada or the United States), they may challenge the PA Entry to Certification Exam (which is overseen by PACCC). If they successfully pass they are designated “CCPA”, Canadian Certified Physician Assistant.

American PAs who have successfully completed an accredited American Physician Assistant Program, and challenged and passed the NCCPA’s Certification Exam can practice in Canada.

PAs in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom Loves PAs

UK PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: Physician Associate
  • Can US PAs practice in the UK: Yes
  • UK PA Salary: £33,222 ($43,000 US) and £49,969 ($64,000 US)
  • Number of PA programs in the UK: 31 (see list)
  • Number of PAs practicing in the UK: 350 practicing in both primary and secondary care and another 550 in training, with numbers in training predicted to rise.
  • Do UK PAs have prescription rights: No
  • UK Professional PA Association: Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) of the Royal College of Physicians
  • UK PA certification exam: Physician Associate National Certification and Recertification exam
  • UK  Certification Maintenance: In order to remain on the Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR) physician associates have to sit the recertification examination every six years. Physician associates have three attempts to sit and pass the certification examination.
  • UK PA Day:?

The first PAs to work in the UK were Americans. In 2003 two Pas were recruited to primary care posts in economically distressed Wes Midlands followed by 20 experienced PAs working in Scotland from 2006 - 2008.

Despite more than a decade of scores of PAs working in the NHS, there is still no official recognition by the U.K. government or by the nongovernmental medical licensing bodies such as the General Medical Council.

Until officially recognized, U.K. PAs are able to work under the supervision of a doctor but are unable to prescribe medicines or refer patients for an x-ray or CT scan. In practice, this means physician associates in the UK have to ask a GP colleague to sign a prescription or x-ray referral form on his or her behalf.

There are about 300 PAs in the United Kingdom, including about 20 Americans.

The United Kingdom’s version is a two-part process, a 200-question multiple-choice examination and a 12-station Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).

The Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) runs the Physician Associate National Certification and Recertification exam. The certification exam is a 14 station OSCE and 200 single best answer (SBA) exam sat by students who have qualified from UK physician associate programs. They are then required to pass their National Certification exam before they can be declared fit to practice in the UK. Once they have passed their exam, providing they are a member of the FPA, they can then be registered on the Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR).

American PAs is that at present, PAs who are already currently NCCPA certified are able to apply to become a member of the Managed Voluntary Register (MVR) without first having to undergo the UK examination process.

Resources:

  • Physician Associate National Certification and Recertification exam
  • The physician associate will see you now – a new role to assist patients in primary care
  • Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) of the Royal College of Physicians

Why We Really Need PAs in The UK: The British Physician Associate

PAs in the Netherlands

The Netherlands Loves PAs

Netherland PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: Physician Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in the Netherlands Yes
  • Netherland PA Salary: € 82.402 (EUR)/yr / € 40 (EUR)/hr ($106,000 /yr and $51 /hr US)
  • Number of PA programs: 5
  • Number of PAs practicing in the Netherlands: 1,000 +
  • Prescription rights: Yes! PAs are enabled by law to practice medicine autonomously, albeit at all times in collaboration with a medical doctor
  • Netherland Professional PA Association: Dutch Association of Physician Assistants (NAPA)
  • Netherland PA certification exam: None - must complete eligible PA program to be able to practice
  • Netherland Certification Maintenance: minimum of 16 hours per working week and have followed CME totaling 200 hours (40 hours per year) in the last registration period of 5 years are considered for re-registration.
  • Netherland PA Day: Coming soon

The PA role was first introduced to the Netherlands in 2000 using extensive experience from the US.

After a five-year experiment, the Dutch parliament and Dutch Senate agreed to give PAs and NPs full independence in diagnosing, initiating treatment and performing medical procedures. These medical tasks are mostly non-complex procedures that can be executed autonomously by an NP or PA; This also includes prescribing medication.

There are now five Master of Physician Assistant (MPA programs) in the Netherlands

  • University of Applied Sciences Utrecht Master Physician Assistant Program (site is in Dutch) (site in English)
  • Rotterdam Master Physician Assistant Program (site is in Dutch) (site in English)
  • HAN University of Applied Sciences Arnhem/Nijmegen Master of Physician Assistant Program (site is in Dutch) (site in English)
  • Hanze University of Groningen Master of Physician Assistant Program (site is in Dutch) (site in English)
  • Inholland University Graduate School, Master Physician Assistant (site is in Dutch) (site in English)

The PA program in the Netherlands is a two-and-a-half-year Master’s degree. After completing the program, they have a Master of Science (MSc) degree. The candidates need to have at least a bachelor's degree in a medical field, for example, nursing or physical therapy, to access the Master's program. They also need at least two years of experience in direct patient care. Furthermore, candidates must be fluent in both Dutch and English

While students on campus (1 day per week) are learning the core knowledge and skills required for all PAs, each student simultaneously receives additional clinical expertise in a designated medical specialty by actually learning in that area the rest of the working week. Students are contracted through a “training and employment contract” with a minimum of 32 hours per working week. On top of this, students are expected to engage in self-study.

As a result, PA students have both didactic (to acquire generic competencies, modeled of the medical curriculum) and clinical days (to acquire specialty competencies, analogous to that of training medical residents) interspersed throughout the duration of their training. Fully qualified PAs are known as MPAs. Dutch PAs work across all areas of medicine, including general practice, and because of their unique approach to their training, they are found in subspecialty areas in greater numbers than PAs elsewhere.

At the time of graduation, PAs can voluntary enroll in NAPA’s Quality Register. The Quality Register contributes to ensuring the quality of professional practice by keeping track of developments in the profession (i.e., by means of continuing medical education [CME]).

Being enlisted into the Quality Register indicates the PA to be a graduate of a Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organization–accredited MPA program and is clinically active at the time of registration.

The registration period covers a term of 5 years after which a re-registration is required.

Only those who have been practicing as PAs with a minimum of 16 hours per working week and have followed CME totaling 200 hours (40 hours per year) in the last registration period of 5 years are considered for re-registration.

Resources:

  • Annual Overview NAPA in 2017
  • Netherland Association of Physician Assistants

PAs in the Netherlands: The Dutch Physician Assistant

PAs in Liberia

Liberia Loves PAs

Liberia PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: Physician Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in Liberia: Yes
  • Liberia PA Salary: 169,000 LRD/yr
  • Number of PA programs: One
  • Number of PAs practicing in Liberia: ~1000+
  • Prescription rights: Yes! PAs in Liberia are allowed to do all medical activities with the exception of surgery
  • Liberia Professional PA Association: Liberia national Physician Assistant Association (LINPAA)
  • Liberia PA certification exam: State Board Exams administered by the Physician Assistant Association Board of Examiners and licensure
  • Liberia PA Certification Maintenance: Unkown

Physician assistant training in Liberia started in the 1960s with the first batch of PAs graduating from 1966-1970

PA graduates in Liberia train for three years in both theoretical and clinical activities and are allowed to perform all medical activities with the exception of surgery.

Physician Assistant programs must be fully accredited by the Liberia national Physician Assistant Association (LINPAA) and the Liberia medical & dental Association Board (LMDA).

To legally practice medicine as a physician assistant in Liberia, the PA must pass the State Board Exams administered by the Physician Assistant Association Board of Examiners & licensure

PA programs in Liberia: 

  • The first program was at the Tubman National Institute of the Medical Arts starts at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia
  • A second program (Baptist Missionary PA Program) has recently started with one graduated group
  • Cuttington University is starting a third program in Suakoko
  • The Mother Pattern College of Health started a Bachelor's Degree program for PAs since 2012 and the first batch of BSC PAs should have graduated August of this year but due to the Ebola outbreak, it is suspended. The program is expected to continue.

Resources:

  • Liberia- where physician assistants are vital in the care of the country
  • New PA Graduate working in Liberia
  • Liberia medical dental

Trials and Tribulations of the Liberian Physician Assistant

PAs in India

India PA Quick Facts

  • Name: Physician Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in India; Yes
  • India PA Salary: ₹ 15,794.09 (INR)/ month /₹ 189,528(INR)/yr  ($200 / month and 2,623.07 / yr USD)
  • Number of PA programs: 47
  • Number of PAs practicing in Indian: 1,100 +
  • Prescription rights: Yes but limited that is in specified areas and under specified conditions
  • India Professional PA Association: Indian Association of Physician Assistants (IAPA)
  • India PA certification exam: Developing
  • India Certification Maintenance: Developing
  • India PA Day: No

Physician assistants came on board in India in 1992 under the supervision of United States trained cardiac surgeon Dr.K.M Cherian who graduated the first PAs under the auspices of the Madras Medical Mission, Chennai.

Today, 47 PA programs exist in India with collaboration from ten universities. The vast majority of these (46 programs) are located in southern India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu)

The Indian programs are hosted by training institutes and facilitated by affiliated universities granting the degrees. Having prior health care experience as a nurse or other allied health profession is mandatory on all Indian PA school candidates.

Programs range in length from 2 to 4 years. They also vary from baccalaureate to postgraduate diploma (as per the U.K. approach). Master’s degree level programs were in existence in the earlier days but were downgraded because there were few applicants.

There is still no formal accreditation process for PA programs in India but under the purview of the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Initiative for Allied Health Sciences (NIAHS) task force has been primarily created to bring in regulation in the education and practice of all allied health care programs with a long-term vision of creating a governance council.

In addition, a PA task force was initiated in 2015 with the purpose of defining and establishing a nationally standardized curriculum. The result is the Model Curriculum Handbook—Physician Associate, which is currently in the final stage of development and will soon be presented to the government.

India now has over 300 PA graduates in India, employed in various hospitals across the world.

Resources: 

  • Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • National Initiative for Allied Health Sciences (NIAHS)
  • Indian Association of Physician Assistants (IAPA)
  • Model Curriculum Handbook—Physician Associate

The Indian Physician Assistant (PA): Past, Present, and Future

PAs in Ghana

Ghana Loves PAs

Ghana PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: Medical Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in Ghana:?
  • Ghana PA Salary: 1800 Ghana Cedis/month ($362 USD / month)
  • Number of PA programs: 7
  • Number of PAs practicing in Ghana: 2000+
  • Prescription rights Ghana: Yes, but according to rules established by GHS, PAs are not allowed to administer certain first-line medications, as this responsibility is reserved for physicians.
  • Ghana Professional PA Association: The Ghana Physician Assistants Association [GPAA]
  • Ghana PA certification exam: Licentiate Examination
  • Ghana Certification Maintenance: Developing
  • Ghana PA Day: no

In Ghana, physician assistant (PA) refers to three distinct groups of healthcare professionals trained in the medical model to practice medicine and dentistry:

  • PA–Medical, also known as medical assistants
  • PA–Dental, also known as community oral health officers
  • PA–Anesthesia, also known as nurse anesthetists

The physician assistant profession started in 1969 in Ghana at the Kintampo Rural Health Training School now known as the College of Health and Well-Being.

Initially, the program was designed for nurses as an advanced study lasting 18 months. Enrollment was open for nurses who had at least three years of work experience. Because of increasing demand for MAs, the program was redesigned in 2007, also enabling high school graduates and other health workers to enter MA training, parallel to the existing program.

This new direct admission program is a 4-year curriculum that includes intensive clinical internships in the last year. Seven schools now train PAs in Ghana, and seven schools are applying for accreditation to start programs.

The first two inaugural bachelor PA programs were started at Cape Coast University and Central University College. Universities in Ghana offer a PA program often referred to as a B.Sc. Physician Assistantship.

After graduation, PAs can obtain a license to practice through the Medical and Dental Council of Ghana, designated by the Ministry of Health as the regulatory body to regulate PA training and practice in Ghana. To get licensed, PAs have to sit for the “Licentiate Examination.”

One will only be allowed to work as a physician assistant if they have the following qualifications:

  • If they have completed their study as a Physician Assistant and graduated from a recognized institution.
  • They have passed the Licentiate Examination
  • If after their studies, they have been registered by the Medical and Dental Council. This body has been tasked to set the standards of medical practitioners in Ghana.

The PAs Medical are predominantly stationed in primary care settings, with the majority serving communities in the rural and remote parts of Ghana. Initially, PAs in Ghana were predominately male, but now women make up 50% of the Ghana PA workforce.

Ghana has only 3,500 physicians and dentists, and 2,500 Medical Assistants (MAs) (PA analog) for the care of its 24.2 million people. Because of this, PAs are referred to as the bedrock of primary healthcare in Ghana as they serve the primary care needs of 70% of the population seeing on average 90 - 150 patients per working day!.

Resources:

  • Medical and Dental Council of Ghana
  • The Medical System in Ghana: Key Roles for Physician Assistants
  • College of Health and Well-Being

PAs in South Africa

South Africa Loves PAs

South Africa Clin-A Quick Facts:

  • Name: Clinical Associate
  • Can US PAs practice in South Africa? Yes
  • South Africa Clin-A Salary: 69 (US$4.53)/hour, R122,084 (US$ 9,416)/Year
  • Number of Clin-A programs: 3
  • Number of Clin-As practicing in South Africa: 920
  • Prescription rights in South Africa: Yes
  • South Africa Professional Clin-A Association: The Professional Association of Clinical Associates in South Africa (PACASA)
  • South Africa Clin-A certification exam: Not required
  • South Africa Certification Maintenance: Unknown
  • South Africa Clin-A Day: not yet

In South Africa, physician assistants are referred to as clinical Associates and are equivalent to PAs. Clinical Associates were established by The National Department of Health in South Africa in 2002 when there was a need for so-called mid level medical workers thus a group of healthcare providers was invited to work with them in developing the program of study.

They trained to provide emergency care, conduct rounds, carry out and assist with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and offer holistic care to patients with a range of common acute and chronic conditions.

The first 23 students began the program in 2008 and entered the profession in 2011 after graduation and, as of 2017, there were 920 graduates, primarily in hospital settings in all nine provinces of South Africa.

Programs at Johannesburg’s University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Pretoria, and Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape Province are all are offered in partnership with national and provincial departments of health, as well as the South Africa Military Health Service (SAMHS).

All Clinical Associate programs follow a 3-year curriculum, which is competency-based and delivered in a variety of formats. The curriculum adopted for training associates was set up jointly by the national bodies, based on the conditions and normal activities carried out in district hospitals. This leads to a bachelor of clinical medical practice degree. Qualified CAs are registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

Almost all the graduates are offered jobs in several district hospitals in the country, mainly in rural areas, with a few in urban areas.

The Professional Association of Clinical Associates in South Africa (PACASA) was founded in 2012. The board provides guidance on the cases that are to be handled by the Clinical Associates, requirements for professional progression and licensing issues.

Resources:

  • Make a Difference – Train the Next Generation of PAs in Sub-Saharan Africa as a Clinical Associates Mentor
  • South Africa Military Health Service (SAMHS)

South Africa’s Clinical Associate (Clin-A): The PA Model Around The World

PAs in Australia

Australia Loves Physician Assistants

Australia PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: Physician Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in Australia: Yes
  • Australia PA Salary: AU$43.27 (US$32.87)/hour and AU$167,101/month, AU$90,000 (US$ 68,363)/annum
  • Number of PA programs: There is a single educational program at James Cook University (JCU) offering a 3-year bachelor of health science (PA) degree
  • Number of PAs practicing in Australia: In 2016, there were approximately 40 Australian-trained physician assistants
  • Prescription rights Australia: Physician assistants are not allowed to prescribe drugs in Australia
  • Australia Professional PA Association: The Australian Society of Physician Assistants (ASPA)
  • Australia PA certification exam: None
  • Australia Certification Maintenance: None
  • Australia PA Day: Not yet

Compared to the United States, the Australian healthcare system has a unique structure.  Based on extensive evaluations and benchmark measures, it functions remarkably well. So the need for physician assistants in Australian health care has been debated.

The first physician assistant program started at the University Of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane in 2009. The 2-year master’s degree program graduated two cohorts totaling 34 students before it closed in 2012.

The reasons for closure included a lack of support from the institution and competing priorities within the School of Medicine.

Queensland is the only state that has allowed physician assistants to work in the public health system.

There is now a single educational program at James Cook University (JCU) College of Medicine & Dentistry in Townsville, Queensland offering a 3-year bachelor of health science (PA) degree.

JCU has two active cohorts totaling 15 students. An additional cohort of 18 students started the course in February 2016. The JCU course is a fully integrated component of the College of Medicine & Dentistry.

PA graduates work in underserved populations; in particular, rural, remote, tropical, and indigenous Australia. Diverse segments of the medical profession have been advocates for the development of PA programs in Australia. These include:

  • The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)
  • The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) has endorsed the ACRRM policy
  • The Grattan Institute

The Australian Society of Physician Assistants (ASPA) started in 2010 and is now the official representative professional body of Australian PAs.

Resources

  • Closure of the Physician Assistant Program at The University of Queensland
  • The Australian Society of Physician Assistants (ASPA)
  • Physician Assistants in Australia: the solution to workforce woes

The Australian Physician Assistant: The PA Model Around The World

PAs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Loves PAs

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia PA Quick Facts:

**Pilot project in Saudi Arabia has ended

  • Name: Assistant Physician
  • Can US PAs practice in Saudi Arabia: ?
  • Saudi Arabia PA Salary: SAR 132,000/year
  • Number of PA programs: ?
  • Number of PAs practicing in Saudi Arabia:
  • Prescription rights Saudi Arabia: Yes, but not in all situations
  • Saudi Arabia Professional PA Association: NONE
  • Saudi Arabia PA certification exam: Comprehensive Certifying Examination
  • Saudi Arabia Certification Maintenance: -
  • Saudi Arabia PA Day: No

The first PA program in the Middle East, offered by the Medical Services Directorate of the Ministry of Defense and Aviation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was launched in September 2010 at the Prince Sultan Military College of Health Professions in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

The program was established with aid from George Washington University Medical Faculty and Associates. The government has now created a keen interest in developing the growth of this profession to address the growing need for primary care providers in the Kingdom.

Physician Assistants (PA) in Saudi Arabia are trained at the Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences Al Dhahran.

The program is 28-month long with didactic and clinical training; it started with 46 students and grants a master's degree in applied health science.

With collaboration with the Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences and the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates in the Department of Emergency Medicine, 40 PAs are trained per year.

The first set of students graduated in 2013, Saudi PAs will be known as assistant physicians (APs) because of an issue with how the original PA title is translated into Arabic

A graduate PA works as a military medical officer (first lieutenant) in the Ministry of Defense's medical service division after completing a 6-month internship in emergency medicine under physician supervision

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates qualify to sit for a comprehensive examination, which includes an objective structured clinical examination and an oral examination.

Currently, the Ministry of Health Specialist (licensing body) and the Ministry of Higher Education (accrediting) do not recognize PAs formally.

Resources

  • Physician assistants in Saudi Arabia
  • Physician Assistants in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

PAs in Germany

Germany Loves PAs

German PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: Physician Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in Germany:?
  • Germany PA Salary: 3,600 EUR per month ($4,076 / month US)
  • Number of PA programs: 7
  • Number of PAs practicing in Germany: 100+
  • Prescription rights in Germany: No prescription right
  • Germany Professional PA Association: None
  • Germany PA certification exam: Yes, state certification permits
  • Germany Certification Maintenance: None
  • Germany PA Day: None

The first physician assistant (PA) program in Germany opened its doors at Steinbeis University Berlin (SUB) in 2005. The university is a private German university, which was established in 1998, based in Berlin but also has institutions in Baden-Württemberg.

PA programs in Germany are offered through universities of applied science and offer a bachelor's degree. There are currently eight universities in Germany that offer this type of education and professional development. The duration of each program is 36 months.

Physician Assistant Programs in Germany:

  • Steinbeis University Berlin (SUB)
  • Praxis Hochschule University of Applied Sciences
  • Baden-Wuerttemberg Collaborative State University
  • University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
  • Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Frankfurt am Main
  • State Academy Plauen
  • Fresenius University of Applied Sciences offered in Munich

Physician Assistant salaries in Germany range between 1,800 EUR per month (minimum salary) to 5,400 EUR per month (maximum salary), strictly based on experience, skills, gender, or location.

Currently, German PAs have a relatively limited scope of practice, requiring direct supervision by the attending medical doctor. Germany’s medical hierarchy has been generally reluctant to entrust any significant aspects of medical practice to non-physicians. Despite this barrier, the German PA profession is steadily growing because of access and efficiency pressures within the medical system.

The nationwide recognition of the PA as a profession will not be complete until all the 16 states in Germany signed on.

Resources:

  • Physician Assistant - a profession with perspective
  • The Society of European Physician Assistants

PAs in New Zealand

New Zealand Loves PAs

New Zealand PA Quick Facts

  • Name: Physician Associate
  • Can US PAs practice in New Zealand: Yes
  • New Zealand PA Salary: NZ $67/hr and Average of NZ $140,061/yr ($46 USD/hr and $96,000 USD/yr)
  • Number of PA programs: None
  • Number of PAs practicing in New Zealand: 6
  • Prescription rights New Zealand: No, physician assistants can't prescribe
  • New Zealand Professional PA Association: New Zealand Physician Associate Society (NZPAS)
  • New Zealand PA certification exam: Developing
  • New Zealand Certification Maintenance: Developing
  • New Zealand PA Day: None

Interest in using PAs in New Zealand began in 2000 with the first pilot study on PAs and the adoption of their roles in New Zealand taking place in 2010.

These pilot studies were carried out by four District Health Boards in the Northern Region of New Zealand with collaboration with The University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences namely:

  • Auckland District Health Board (ADHB)
  • Counties Manual District Health Board (CMDHB)
  • Waitemata District Health Board (WDHB)
  • Northland District Health Board (NDHB)

Two US-trained PAs by CMDHB worked for twelve months, beginning in 2010. The result of their work and commitment to patient care lead to the birth of the New Zealand PA Pilot Project which began in late 2012.

The second project recruited seven U.S.-trained PAs for a two-year commitment from 2013 to 2015.

In 2014, there were six physician assistants working in family practice settings on the North Island, four in the Hamilton area, and two in Tokoroa (rural area).

As of 2019, there are six US-trained PAs working in New Zealand.

Limitations

  • No prescription rights
  • No full approval as a profession by the New Zealand Ministry of Health

Resources:

  • Physician Associate/Assistant Friend or Foe
  • New Zealand Physician Associate Society (NZPAS)

PAs in Afghanistan

Afghanistan Loves PAs

Afghanistan PA Quick Facts

  • Name: Physician Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in Afghanistan: No
  • Afghanistan PA Salary: Not reported
  • Number of PA programs: 1
  • Number of PAs practicing in Afghanistan: 65+
  • Prescription rights Afghanistan: No prescription rights
  • Afghanistan Professional PA Association: None
  • Afghanistan PA certification exam: Developing
  • Afghanistan Certification Maintenance: None
  • Afghanistan PA Day: None

Physician Assistants are a new concept in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has one of the most under-resourced health systems in the world. In an urgent effort to increase the overall size of the health workforce in the country a NATO training mission in Afghanistan developed and launched a PA course in 2010.

The primary goal of this program is to increase the overall number of practicing clinicians and to graduate PAs that will be ready to face the challenges of providing medical care in a war zone.

In correlation with the U.S and Canadian military medical course, the Afghan PA program located at the National Military Hospital compound in Kabul offers a 12-month academic curriculum and a month-long pharmacology course. In addition, there is a 16-week clinical phase, which includes training in emergency medicine and trauma.

The program has both male and female students and 65 PAs are expected to graduate per cohort. Females PAs work at the district military hospitals while male PAs will provide care in active military combat units.

The Afghanistan PA profession currently only exists as part of the military system but plans are underway to expand it into the civilian medical system as well.

Afghan PA programs

  • National Military Hospital compound in Kabul

Resources: 

  • National Military Hospital compound in Kabul

PAs in Israel

Israel Loves PAs

Israel PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: Physician Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in Israel: Yes
  • Israel PA Salary: ₪ 139 (ILS)/hr /288,644 (ILS)/yr
  • Number of PA programs: 1
  • Number of PAs practicing in Israel:50+
  • Prescription rights Israel: Yes, they have prescribing rights though not in all cases
  • Israel Professional PA Association: Ministry of Health (MOH)
  • Israel PA certification exam: Normal Training course
  • Israel Certification Maintenance: None
  • Israel PA Day: None

The development of physician assistants in Israel arose from the need for increased access to emergency medicine, surgery, internal medicine, and pathology. Overcrowding of hospitals and the urgent demand for services have resulted in strong support of the PA role in Israel.

The first program for Israeli PAs began in 2016 at Tel Hashomer Sheba Medical Center with 35 students, mostly experienced paramedics who also hold a bachelor’s degree.  The program is run by the Ministry of Health Training and Development Department and is focused on emergency medicine (approximately nine months) with a mix of didactic and clinical training at their respective site of employment.

The courses in anesthesiology and pathology are still under development.

In order to be licensed as an Israeli PA, all applicants are required to complete a MOH-approved training program. The following professionals are eligible to apply to the Israeli PA course in Emergency Medicine:

  • Israeli-trained paramedics
  • Certified PAs from other countries
  • MDs, whose degrees have been approved to take the licensing exam by the Israeli Ministry of Health.

The first class of urgent care physician assistants graduated in July 2017 with a total number of 31 students now working in urgent care centers all over Israel.

Resources:

  • Physician Assistants in Israel
  • Israel Ministry of Health Physician Assistant Information

Meet The PA Pioneers of Israel: The Israeli Physician Assistant

PAs in Bulgaria

Bulgaria Loves Physician Assistants

Bulgaria PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: (PQ) Physician Assistant
  • Can US PAs practice in Bulgaria: Yes
  • Bulgaria PA Salary: 14 лв. (BGN)/hr and 28 261 лв. (BGN)/yr ($8.17 and $16,482 US)
  • Number of PA programs: 1
  • Number of PAs practicing in Bulgaria: 30 +
  • Prescription rights Bulgaria: None
  • Bulgaria Professional PA Association: Developing
  • Bulgaria PA certification exam: Developing
  • Bulgaria Certification Maintenance: Developing
  • Bulgaria PA Day: Developing

The physician assistant (PA) profession was established in Bulgaria in 2014 before the existence of PAs in Bulgaria feldschers provided a similar role from 1878 to 1999 but feldscher training was later discontinued in 1999 because of a physician surplus.

In 2014 the first two formal university-based, four-year bachelor’s level PA training programs were based on the American PA curriculum.

Since January 2016, PAs are now included in the register of regulated professions.

PA programs in Bulgaria:

  • Trakia University Stara Zagora

Resources:

  • Physician assistant students at Trakia University talk about their choice of specialty
  • From feldschers to physician assistants in Bulgaria
  • Bulgaria health system review
  • The EU register of regulated professions

PAs in Ireland

Ireland Loves PAs

Republic of Ireland PA Quick Facts:

  • Name: Physician Associate
  • Can US PAs practice in Ireland: Not since pilot project ended
  • Ireland PA Salary: €36 (EUR)/hr and€75,148 (EUR)/yr ($41 US /hr and $85,702 /yr)
  • Number of PA programs: one
  • Number of PAs practicing in Ireland: 25+
  • Prescription rights Ireland: No prescription rights
  • Ireland Professional PA Association: Irish Association of Healthcare Assistants (IAHA) 
  • Ireland PA certification exam: Developing
  • Ireland PA Certification Maintenance: None
  • Ireland PA Day: None

The PA profession in Ireland began when the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland carried out a two-year pilot project in 2015 recruiting four PAs from North America, three from Canada, and one American PA in surgical subspecialties in Dublin.

Although still at the embryologic stage of the profession the first program started in 2016 with a class of seven and the second class in 2017 with fourteen students. The first cohort of six graduates is pioneering the profession in Ireland.

With the goal of achieving improved service delivery and better continuity of care, the first Irish PA training program offers a 24-month Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies degree.

By the autumn of 2016, the Irish Society of Physician Associates was established.

Drivers for exploring the PA role in the Irish hospital setting included the clinical teams’ over-dependence on non-training doctors compared to international norms.

PA programs in Ireland: 

  • Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Resources:

  • Diving into the Unknown: Becoming PAs in Ireland
  • First Irish-Trained PAs Graduate from RCSI
  • Hiring doctors’ assistants will lead to further demoralization of a very unhappy workforce
  • Introducing Physician Assistants into the Irish Healthcare System. An Integrated Clinical Workforce Reconfiguration Strategy

PAs in Kenya

Kenya Loves PAs

Kenya Clinical Officers (CO) Quick Facts:

  • Name: Clinical Officers (COs)
  • Can US PAs practice in Kenya: Yes - must achieve designation as clinical officer
  • Kenya CO Salary: KES 60K/ month ($542 US/mo and $6,504 US/yr)
  • Number of CO training programs: ~12
  • Number of registered COs: ~24,106
  • Prescription rights in Kenya: Yes
  • Kenya Professional CO Association: Clinical Officer’s Council (COC)
  • Kenya CO certification exam: COC pre-internship examination
  • Kenya CO Certification Maintenance: No further examination outside of the pre-internship COC exam is required to practice.

The birth of Clinical Officers (CO) began in 1928 when Kenya, then occupied by the British, decided to train a select group of residents to practice medicine and provide care to the local population.

Without official Kenyan doctors present inside its own borders, the goal was to fill the gaps in provision of healthcare to the constituents of the country.

In 1989, a council was created as a regulating body for the CO. Currently there are 66 training institutions for Clinical Officers including Government, faith-based, private, and 12 universities. So far 2656 Clinical Officers with higher national diploma have been trained, and 715 degree Clinical Officers have also been trained. There are 23,000 Clinical Officers registered by the Clinical Officer’s Council (COC) today.

Clinical Officers training:

  • Is a four or five-year professional diploma or degree programme accredited by the Clinical Officers Council involving
  • One year of pre-clinical training in medical sciences followed by
  • Three or four years of training in clinical medicine, surgery and community health including a mandatory one-year internship and
  • Registration, licensing and gazettment by the Clinical Officers Council giving
  • Unlimited practice rights with
  • Specialisation and private practice allowed and eligible for full professional membership of the Kenya Clinical Officers Association (KCOA)

The current training follows international guidelines and the two qualifications are awarded jointly on successful completion of a comprehensive nine trimester programme of full-time study, practicals and examinations which are covered over three years leading to a fourth mandatory year of internship in a teaching hospital.

A fifth and sixth residency specialisation years are undertaken after registration by the Clinical Officers Council and three years of work experience in general medicine which leads to the award of a general degree in clinical medicine or a specialist diploma in pediatrics, orthopedics, psychiatry, anaesthesia, reproductive health and other specialties.

A clinical officer is therefore able to graduate and join the workforce in a minimum of four calendar years and provides medical services within the full scope of family and emergency medicine or within a narrower scope depending on their area of specialisation.

The work of a CO is important in providing physician type services in district hospitals and rural areas in Kenya.

Even though COs are important service providers their role is not clearly understood (or defined), which has resulted in role conflict. It is suggested that their role be redefined, moving from that of ‘substitute clinician’ to professional ‘primary care clinician’, with this being supported by the health system.

For a graphical breakdown visit: Wordmatch Kenya

The Future of International PAs

The introduction of PAs into health systems occurs because their education is less expensive and time-intensive than physicians. In addition, graduates are more likely to occupy roles where there is a scarcity of doctors such as in rural and underserved areas.

In most instances, a physician-dependent role permits their introduction into health systems in a non-threatening manner to doctors and their practices. The utilization of PAs, particularly in primary healthcare roles, increases access to services, is cost-beneficial, and shows a physician-equivalent quality of care.

Conclusion: The PA has been a remarkable health workforce policy development that has spread among countries’ health systems and is likely to continue!

Articles and books worth reading

  • Determinants of the physician assistant/associate concept in global health systems
  • International PA Timeline - Physician Assistant History Society
  • Physician Assistant - A Guide to Clinical Practice

Download the Infographic: Countries Where Physician Assistants Can Work Around the World

Infographic Where Physician Assistants PAs and Physician Associates Can Work Internationally Global PAs Work In Countries Around The World

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About Stephen Pasquini PA-C

Stephen has been a family practice PA since 2004 and is the creator of The PA Life and Smarty PANCE Board Review websites. A National Health Service Corps Scholar and a graduate of The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (Rutgers) PA Program and the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Stephen's goal is to provide one-of-a-kind online resources for those interested in or practicing in the PA profession, to promote better access to healthcare for all, and foster universal recognition/awareness of the PA profession. Read more about Stephen.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elaine says

    December 8, 2022 at 12:22 pm

    Hi Stephen!

    I’m currently looking at PA programs in Canada and would love to know if you can provide more insight about the ongoing program development at University of Calgary. I’m currently studying at the University of Alberta and being able to just move a city over will be great. I tried searching the internet too and can’t find any other information about this development.

    Thank you in advance 🙂

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      December 10, 2022 at 8:33 am

      Hi Elaine, this is a great question. As I am a US-based PA, I am not “in the loop” of program development in Canada, but here is a wonderful resource: https://canadianpa.ca/prepa/

      I would recommend reaching out to see if you can find your answer there. Best of luck to you in your search!

      Stephen

      Reply
      • Elaine says

        December 11, 2022 at 5:13 am

        Hi Stephen,

        Thank you for the resource! It’s extremely helpful!

        Upon further digging it appears that U of C has talked about a PA program but never published any official news, but Newfoundland and Labrador have made public statements regarding a new PA program. Not hopeful that U of C will launch it’s program in the next couple of years but I will stay tuned!

        Best,

        Elaine

        Reply
      • Elaine says

        December 11, 2022 at 5:20 am

        Hi Stephen,

        Thank you the timely reply! It’s very useful!

        I just replied but I’m not sure if the previous comment went through, hopefully this time it works!

        Upon some digging I found that U of C has been talking about opening a new program but nothing official yet, but N.L. has made an official statement this year about developing a new PA program. I’m not hopeful that a new program will come within the next five years but I’m going to stay tuned!

        Best,

        Elaine

        Reply
  2. Deborah Espinoza says

    November 6, 2022 at 8:20 am

    Hi there do you know of any Physician assistant’s working in Italy. I know Italy has some type of training there that they don’t actually call Physician assistant.
    Just wondering if you heard of anyone working in country.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      November 6, 2022 at 2:16 pm

      Hi Deborah, I don’t know anyone personally, but I would recommend reaching out through the contact form at https://www.pasforglobalhealth.com/. They have a great community of international PAs who will likely have a connection in Italy or be able to lead you in the right direction.

      Stephen

      Reply
  3. Beringia says

    August 7, 2022 at 10:12 pm

    Hello Stephen!

    Super random and rather tardy to the conversation, but I am a new-ish family medicine PA practicing in Los Angeles and I’m trying to inch my career more towards global health/public health (I have a MPH background as well), and figuring out what my options are. I am very interested in helping with this project of updating this article, if you feel it is is a good fit. Hoping we can get in contact, thank you so much for working so hard on this article!

    Reply
  4. ken says

    April 8, 2022 at 2:49 am

    nice

    Reply
  5. Kelvin says

    November 22, 2021 at 4:42 am

    Hi, I have graduated PA school and been licensed by the Medical and Dental Council in Ghana. If I want to work internationally, will I need to do the PA program again?
    Also which countries will accept without having to do the program again

    Reply
  6. Abel says

    May 4, 2021 at 10:14 am

    INDIAN pa can work in USA,

    Reply
  7. VICTORIA AMAECHI says

    April 15, 2021 at 2:51 am

    I am a Nigerian who is interested in the PA course in UK. But I have never lived in the UK and the PA course is unknown here in Nigeria. Do you advise me to still study it? What are the chances of my being able to work in the UK after graduation?

    Reply
  8. Peter Sych says

    February 9, 2021 at 1:16 am

    A nice Article. Thank you. Folloeing from South Eastern Kenya University.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      February 9, 2021 at 7:39 am

      Hi Peter! It’s wonderful to hear from you. We would love to feature an article about South Eastern Kenya University on the blog. If you are interested in sharing your experiences and information about the program please let me know in a reply to this comment. Thanks!

      Stephen

      Reply
  9. Alberto says

    January 18, 2021 at 12:02 pm

    Hi Stephen,

    Do you know of anyone who had made the leap to Canada? I am trying to gather information on what the process would look like for an American-trained PA to work in Canada but there is little information available. I know it’s possible, just not sure if it’s worth it.

    On a different note, why do you think some of the international pilot PA program have shut down? Why do you think the trend is changing?

    Thank you very much!

    – Alberto

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      January 19, 2021 at 10:28 am

      Hi Alberto, I don’t know anyone personally who has “made the leap to Canada,” but I used to be on the board of Physician Assistants For Global Health, and I am sure you can connect with someone there who will have had this experience. https://www.pasforglobalhealth.com/. Also, you may want to reach out to Anne (she is a Canadian PA and runs an active blog and IG account) https://canadianpa.ck.page/698506cebd

      As far as international pilot programs shutting down, I agree it’s a shame. I think they were just ahead of their time! 🙂

      Stephen

      Reply
      • Alberto says

        February 15, 2021 at 2:30 pm

        Thank you so much for your answer, Stephen! I’ll be sure to check out those resources and reach out.

        Alberto

        Reply
        • Max Auerbach says

          January 5, 2022 at 1:36 pm

          Alberto,

          I am in a similar position. Just curious if you have had any luck finding employing Canada.

          Reply
  10. Chloe says

    January 9, 2021 at 10:28 am

    HI Stephen!

    I am currently an undergraduate student in the US applying to PA schools this spring 2021. This website has been extremely helpful as I have a special interest in global health. Do you have any more info on Australian PA development? I understand that the profession is in it’s early years, but do you know what we could expect in the future in Australia?

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      January 19, 2021 at 10:45 am

      I recently spoke with a PA practicing in New Zealand who is one of the pioneers in growing and increasing recognition of PAs in this region. I see tremendous opportunity for growth as PAs can meet many of the needs and help address disparities. I think the PA model is a bit different in “Europen style democracies” given they have a lower cost to entry, MD school/training is shorter, and healthcare is universal. Still, I see a place for advanced care practitioners, especially if you look at the growth of the Canadian PA. If this is any predictor of PAs in places like Australia… It’s about to grow exponentially.

      Stephen

      Reply
  11. Boopathi Raja says

    November 21, 2020 at 10:00 pm

    Can Indian Physician assistant work in London?

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      November 22, 2020 at 8:14 pm

      Hi Boopathi,

      This is a fantastic question. Since I have not worked in the UK myself I do not have the answer. I would recommend reaching out to the UK Professional PA Association: Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) of the Royal College of Physicians https://www.fparcp.co.uk/

      You should be able to find your answer here.

      Stephen Pasquini PA-C

      Reply
      • Gaurav Kumar says

        August 12, 2021 at 5:38 am

        Hi Bhoopati,
        Dr Gaurav here.
        Did u got ur answer to work in London as PA?
        If yes, then plz connect on whatsapp 9996613551

        Reply
  12. Ann says

    November 3, 2020 at 6:12 am

    hi
    I was just wondering if it is acceptable if I do my bachelor degree in Ireland and then do the PA master’s program in Canada ?

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      November 3, 2020 at 8:03 am

      Hi Ann, I would suggest you contact the Canadian Professional PA Association (if you haven’t already) to see what their requirements are for foreign graduates and see how/if your undergraduate credits will transfer. Guidelines are constantly changing! Good luck and let us know what you find out!

      Stephen

      Reply
  13. Boopathi Raja says

    October 12, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    Can Indian Physician assistant work in New Zealand, Ireland?
    Do you know about license examination and qualifications?Please help me out from this doubt.
    Thank you in advance ❤️

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      October 13, 2020 at 11:35 am

      Hi Boopathi, as I am a practicing US PA I am not familiar with the requirements for foreign trained PAs with regards to work in other countries. I would recommend contacting the New Zealand Physician Associate Society (NZPAS) and the Irish Association of Healthcare Assistants (IAHA) directly for the most accurate information on this.

      Stephen

      Reply
  14. Ellia says

    September 9, 2020 at 6:35 pm

    Can an American Phycain assistant work in the U.K without having to go through U.K PA school? Like if you have a degree in America, can you work in the U.K. without having to do the Masters again?

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      September 22, 2020 at 8:28 am

      Hi Ella, I believe the answer is yes. I know of two PAs whom I served with on the board of pasforglobalhealth who both moved from the U.S. and have been working as U.S. trained PAs in the UK. I am no longer in contact with them but from what I gather they were able to hit the ground running without having to obtain additional certification.

      Stephen

      Reply
  15. Louis says

    August 26, 2020 at 7:44 am

    Hi, do you have any update on the development of PA in France
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      September 5, 2020 at 1:58 pm

      Hi Louis, I have nothing new to report from this front, but if another commenter can weigh in that would be fantastic!

      Stephen

      Reply
  16. Ankit goyal says

    July 14, 2020 at 7:47 am

    After completing PA from India, can we apply for the job in countries like USA., Britain or Australia. Please help me get out of this question.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      July 14, 2020 at 5:16 pm

      Hi, Ankit,

      From the standpoint of the ARC-PA, individuals educated as PAs outside of the United States (even if you have already earned a PA degree in India) have to complete the necessary prerequisites and apply and graduate from an ARC-PA accredited US PA program and be certified by the NCCPA in order to practice in the United States. If interested in applying to a US PA program, such individuals should contact the PAEA for information on specific programs.

      Here is a wonderful resource on the topic from the ARC-PA (they accredit US PA programs and determine who may sit for the PANCE exam): http://www.arc-pa.org/frequently-asked-questions/non-us-health-care-professionals/

      Before you can work in the US, you must contact the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International) to complete a visa screening program which, in part, will determine if your education was equivalent to that from a US PA Program. If your education is equivalent, you are eligible for a certificate that you can submit with your visa application to the US State Department. The State Department’s approval of your occupational visa may help you enter the U.S. but you are still not eligible to work as a PA in the U.S.

      To become a PA in the United States, individuals must also attend and graduate from an ARC-PA–accredited entry-level PA program and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certifying of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

      For information on PA programs contact the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA): https://paeaonline.org/ and the directory of PA programs here: http://directory.paeaonline.org/

      Eligibility criteria for taking the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) are available on the NCCPA web site: http://www.nccpa.net/

      Additional information on practicing as a PA in the US can be found at the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ (AAPA) website: https://www.aapa.org/

      To determine if an individual state allows non-US educated physicians to practice as PAs without additional education and national certification, you would have to contact the licensing bodies of the specific states.

      To find PA programs that accept international students:

      I would start by searching the PAEA directory website and click the box “Accept int’l applicants.” Currently, there are 138 programs that accept international students. From there you need to narrow down further based on requirements. I would then use my PA program picker table. You can narrow your search even further using all your variables: https://www.thepalife.com/pa-program-picker/

      Then, follow the links to the PA program websites and reach out to them personally. They will be able to guide you better than I since every program is a bit different. If you have any questions afterward just shoot me a reply.

      Stephen Pasquini PA-C
      http://www.thepalife.com
      http://www.smartypance.com

      Reply
  17. Hannah says

    June 23, 2020 at 10:48 pm

    Any update to this article now that we are half through 2020?

    Thank you, in advance.

    – Hannah

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      June 25, 2020 at 9:32 am

      Hi Hanna, it probably is time to circle around and update this! Things are changing rapidly for PAs globally. It’s interesting because it seems as though programs internationally are contracting rather than expanding as many of the pilot programs have since shut down. That being said I am not sure if there are new ones popping up in places I am not aware of.

      Stephen

      Reply
      • Devon says

        July 9, 2022 at 12:08 pm

        Would love to get an update on the career opportunities for PA’s working internationally! I imagine there has been more development in the past 2 years.

        Reply
        • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

          July 17, 2022 at 12:25 pm

          Thank you Devon! I definitely need to take another deep dive into this topic and make some updates to this post. If you are interested in helping with this project let me know in a reply.

          Stephen

          Reply

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How Much Money does a Physician Assistant make

How Much Money do Physician Assistants (PAs) Make?

Physician Assistant Salary and Compensation "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill How Much do PAs Make? According to the … [Read More...] about How Much Money do Physician Assistants (PAs) Make?

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Testimonials

I just wanted to let you know that I got accepted into the RFU PA program! Thank you for all your help and support during the application process. Couldn’t have done it without you!

Zakira, PA-S

Working with Sarah was a wonderful experience. She was prompt, attentive, and incredibly supportive throughout the process. Sarah never deviated from the authenticity of my essay. Even after she made vast changes, the essay still felt true to what I wanted to express. Thank you, Sarah! I would recommend this service to anyone applying to PA school.

Ashley, Pre-PA

This was the most amazing experience! I felt so confident about my topic and essay after our meeting. Duke got back to me quickly and worked around my crazy schedule. The editing of the essay was professional and gave me insight I could not have received any other way. I only applied to one school because it is really the one I would like to go to the most and I got an interview!!! Thank you so much for all of your help!

Kathryn R, PA-S

I just wanted to share some amazing news with you! I have been accepted into the MEDEX PA program in Seattle!!! I can’t thank you enough for all your help!! I am beyond excited and still can’t believe it is actually happening! Thank you again from the bottom of my heart!!!!! 😀

Pavitra, PA-S

I just wanted to let you know I accepted a spot at the University of Dubuque’s PA program! I want to thank you for all your help and support in this process and for all the positivity you brought my way. Thanks for all you do and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you! I would recommend you highly to anyone.

Meghna, PA-S

Holy cow! I wanted to let you know I have been accepted to PA school.  I will be attending the Franklin Pierce Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2019 in West Lebanon, NH. I cannot thank you enough for being part of my journey.

If you are reading this you might have been like me skeptical and trying to find a way to write a stellar essay for your PA application.  I want to share with you my exceptional experience using this service.  First, do yourself a favor and BUY the eBook, “How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement.”  I read it twice. Once before I started my essay draft and then again during.  I cannot stress how helpful the book was in clearly stating what the Admissions Directors are looking for in an application essay.  Next, the book reviews how to formulate a proper essay with clear instructions, easy reminders of the writing process, and excellent examples of good and bad writing choices.  After several drafts of my essay, I made an appointment to work with Duke Pasquini, one of the authors of the guide, through the internet and via phone to help with editing and my length issue.  Duke’s professional experience and kind and straight forward demeanor allowed me to create a winning essay that was an authentic representation of me.  Not only did I receive an interview from my top choice of PA school I was accepted a week later into their Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2019.  Thank you, “PA Life” for being a part of my journey.

Michele Williams, PA-S

I am writing this because I wanted to share with you that I have been accepted to the University of Iowa PA program.  I would like to once again thank you for your insight and guidance while writing my personal statement, it came at just the right time.

Eugene V.PA-S

My editor thoroughly went through my essay and provided exactly what I was looking for to bring my essay to the next level.

Matthew, Pre-PA

Your services have eased the stress and anxiety that results from guessing whether or not your essay contains the content that many PA programs are looking for. Your services were prompt and genuine. It is clear that you have the applicants success at heart. Thank you!

Madison Holtz

I used the personal statement editing service through The PA Life, and I worked with Sarah. She was AMAZING and made such a difference in both the quality of my personal statement and in my confidence as an applicant. That said, I’m so grateful to say I’ve been accepted into two out of the three programs I applied to and have an interview with the third on Friday of this week. I couldn’t be more excited!

Nikki, PA-S

This was just what my essay needed. I am confident that I have answered all the questions without sounding too “braggy”.

Kelsey, Pre-PA

I am extremely pleased with this service. It is exactly the kind of constructive criticism I was hoping to receive. I had my essay reviewed by “myparesources” and was not very satisfied with their general comments. Sue put a lot of time and effort and gave me concrete examples of how to change my essay for the better. I WILL recommend this service over all others. Thank you so much!

Joe, Pre-PA

Carly did an absolutely amazing job editing my essays. From my personal statement to my supplementals, she was thorough and methodically made them into stronger essays. I am glad I was able to work with her. With her edits, I am more confident about the essays I am submitting. I would gladly recommend her to anyone!

Jacob, PRE-PA

This was an extremely helpful process! I still have work to do on my essay but Sue was very helpful by giving me criticism I needed to hear from an unbiased source as well as being very fast responding! I think this will help me moving forward and having a strong application!

Morgan Rial, Pre-PA

I absolutely love the way my essay sounds! I truly appreciate all of your help. I will definitely recommend prospective PA students your way! It’s been a pleasure.

Natalie, Pre-PA

Sue was great! She edited my essay in a short time frame and the comments and feedback were very informative. She helped link all of my main ideas and gave great advice regarding appropriate information for the essay. I highly recommend this service.

Michelle, Pre-PA

This is just a great service overall, because not only is it an editing service, it is specific to the PA personal statement. Sue did a wonderful job editing my essay, and pointed out important flaws in it that I otherwise might not have noticed. Her edits highlighted the main points that I was trying to get across in a much better way than I had originally written. Overall, very satisfied with the results, and will have to keep you updated about the interviews. Thanks so much!

Sabrina L. Pre-PA

I had a great experience with The PA Life essay revision service. They were very professional and made revisions in a timely manner. My editor was very understanding about my schedule and when it would take me longer to reply to emails. I would recommend this service to any new grad PAs!

Sandy, Pre-PA

Great feedback and turn around time. Utilizing this feature gave me even more confidence that I was trying my best to be the top candidate.

Kristopher, Pre-PA

Sarah Schultz was a great editor and was easy to communicate with. She answered my emails very promptly and made great suggestions while also helping me cut down and condense my essay to be in the character limit. She made me feel more confident in my work and helped me develop an essay that I am proud of. I would definitely use this service again!

Katie, Pre-PA

I was accepted into PA last cycle and am currently in my second semester! I am a part of the inaugural class at Keck Graduate Institute. Your services really helped me during the application process. I enjoyed working with Sarah on my personal statement. She helped me view my experiences from a different perspective, making my personal statement more unique and stand out amongst other applicants. The mock interview was also very helpful and prepared me for my one and only interview. I was given great pointers and feedback on how to refine my answers. Thank you again for your services!

Michelle Chen, PA-S

The edit that I received from Sue was exactly what I was hoping for. She was able to tighten up my draft beyond my personal skill level and made edits that I was would have never thought to make. She has definitely made my personal statement stronger. Thank you, Sue!

Ethan, Pre-PA

I LOVED the suggestions Carly made for my essay. Not only was she thorough with her edits, but she also provided a lot of quality feedback that really made my essay shine. Carly took my unedited, messy essay and helped me better convey what I was trying to say. I have nothing but positive things to say about this experience and feel this service was worth every penny.

Rachel, Pre-PA

I am happy to provide an update. I received 5 acceptances for this cycle and will be attending Rush University PA Program starting in May 2022. Of course, I definitely have Sarah Schultz and Deanna Matzen from The PA Life to thank for their incredible help with my personal statement, instilling confidence in my ability to interview, and providing me with a lot of advice in this very difficult cycle.

Bristi (Future PA)

Sue was great to work with. Very prompt in responding to my submission. Asked good questions and incorporated my responses into my essay nicely. I appreciate the work.

Mary Peterson, Pre-PA

Susan did a fantastic job of editing my essay! She guided me and gave me suggestions for strengthening certain sections and equally took out weak parts. After I followed her recommendations, I really felt like I had an essay where every sentence mattered and reflected who I was. Thank you so much Susan for your help. I feel that I have a stronger essay because of your honest feedback and your help!

Amanda, Pre-PA

This past June, you helped me formulate my personal statement for my PA school applications. After our video chat and countless hours editing my CASPA information, I submitted my application and was then given the opportunity to interview at five PA programs. To prepare for my interviews, I would read my personal statement over and over again to remind myself of why I wanted to be a PA. This helped me succeed in my interviews. I was accepted to a few schools, but have I have made my final decision to matriculate into the University of Texas Medical Branch PA program in July! I wanted to follow up after I made my final decision to thank you for helping me with an important step to achieve this amazing life goal. Several of my friends are applying this upcoming cycle, and I will definitely be passing along your information. Again, thank you so much!

Kylie, Pre-PA

Sarah was super helpful and flexible in my schedule. Her editing really turned my essay around, and made me a much more confident applicant! I am so glad I utilized this service. I will keep you updated on my results for this round 🙂

Mollie, Pre-PA

I wanted to tell you that I interviewed with MEDEX on Friday, got the call yesterday that I’m accepted! I also interviewed with Pacific University on and I felt that went VERY well too. I should hear from them any day now. I will keep you in the loop. I appreciate all your help and support!

Norah, PA-S

Excellent service! The editor did a great job of working with me to write my personal statement as I wanted. They also provide some pointers and tips on how to write which is good for supplemental essays and writing prompts.

Ryan, Pre-PA

This is my third time applying to PA programs. With my first two attempts, I only had close friends, family, and peers help me with my personal statement. I never even thought about going through a professional personal statement review service until after I had failed to get into PA programs my second time around. My prerequisites are expiring soon and the thought of going through the entire process of applying a fourth time terrifies me. I was hesitant to purchase the one-on-one service but after going through it, I am so glad that I did. Sarah was my editor and she is incredible. She genuinely understands how frustrating yet exciting this process is. I submitted my initial personal statement to her and within a day, she had already gotten back to me with detailed feedback. She even goes as far as telling you how many characters she wants you to add in different parts of your essay – this was extremely helpful for me because I tend to be a little wordy sometimes rather than succinct. Sarah helped me to highlight my strengths, experiences, and reasons for why I have spent so many years pursuing the PA career. This is an incredible service and I highly recommend that you take advantage of it! I am still in the process of completing my supplemental applications but I am more confident now than I have been with my first two attempts!

Christian S. Pre-PA

Sue was amazing! She was very quick at replying to my emails and looking over my paper and application. She was so helpful and has a way with words. I know I will continue to use her services throughout my application process!

Miranda, Pre-PA

I just wanted to send you a quick email, letting you know that I finally got accepted into PA school! I will be attending Sacred Heart University in Connecticut and will be starting this fall. I could not have made it this far without your help! This was my third time applying and during my first two cycles, I didn’t think that I needed outside help. But this time around, I decided that I needed to change my tactic and I am so freaking happy that I did. Your guidance and advice on my personal statement absolutely made a difference. I had 6 interviews and got accepted into 4! You have helped changed my life and I am forever grateful. I have several friends who will be applying this cycle so I will be referring them to you!

Christian, Pre-PA

Deanna was professional, prompt, and easy to talk to. I truly enjoyed working with her one-on-one for my personal statement. Her suggestions elevated my writing, and I appreciate all the work she put in my essay.

Jamie, Pre-PA

I am amazed by what Deanna was able to do in helping me get my supplemental essays in shape. I had hit a serious roadblock and she was able, and in an incredibly quick manner, help me remove those blocks. I am very grateful!

Lily, Pre-PA

My editor was Beth, and she blew my expectations out of the water. She got back to me within 24 hours of submitting my request for edits and helped me so much with the edits she made. If I receive an interview, I am excited to use PA Life to help me with mock interviews.

Haley, Pre-PA

Deanna was very opening to helping me with my essay. Although I had the material, the way she edited gave it a very nice and easy flow for the reader. She gave me her critical suggestions and comments that I would have otherwise missed. I am so glad I chose The PA Life revision services for my personal statement for PA school.

Yana, Pre-PA

I am so happy to have gone through this editing process! I did not think you would take so much time to not only give me great feedback but also to edit and revise my paper like you did. I am so happy with my new revised paper and will definitely tell my friends!

Eric, Pre-PA

I absolutely loved working with Sarah! I could not be any happier with how my personal statement turned out. She was incredibly encouraging, sensitive to my needs, and insightful. There is not enough praise that I could give her for the amazing work she did for me.

Vanessa, Pre-PA

I just wanted to reach out an let you that I actually got into PA school this year! Out of the 10 programs I applied to, 4 offered me interviews. The first interview wound up being my top choice and they offered me a spot. I accept and declined all my other interviews. So I am absolutely overjoyed!! I wanted to let you know though. Your editing and help, no doubt, helped me get through the initial phase. Thank you so much! I am truly grateful.

Deanna, Pre-PA

I hope this email finds you well. I would like to thank you for your help with my PA school personal statement. I’m glad to share that I did get into my top choice – Drexel!

Ashley, Pre-PA

I had an overall great experience working with Duke. He was open to my suggestions and provided great feedback on my essay. So far I haven’t gotten any interviews yet, but it is still early in the process. I will keep you updated when I get interviews. Steve

Steve Koehler, PA-S

I just wanted to update you that I got waitlisted for Drexel but accept to Dominican University of California. I still have other interviews coming up. Thank you for your help!

Karmen Wu, Pre-PA

A couple of months ago you worked with me on improving my personal statement. I wanted to reach out and let you know that it worked out! I got 5 interviews and so far have been accepted to 2. I am so so thankful for all your help as I don’t think it would have worked out without your amazing editing skills. Thank you for all you do! Not just me but for all the applicants you helped get accepted this year!

Matthew B. PA-S

This service was very helpful. My essay was edited and returned to me within a few days of me submitting it. The feedback was thorough and detailed. I am already planning on sending my essay for a second edit!

Sabrina, Pre-PA

Thank you so much for your assistance with perfecting my personal statement. This service is truly helpful. They were able to easily edit and help to convey exactly what was in my heart onto paper. I was accepted to my first choice PA program this week!!

Vincent, PA-S

Very helpful. I needed help figuring out what to cut and Sue was great at showing me what could go without sacrificing what I was trying to convey.

Dave, Pre-PA

Sarah was absolutely wonderful. She not only helped take my personal statement to the best level, but she also made it easy to understand why certain changes were better. In the end, she went through and used a highlighting method to show how we connected things to PA and skills that were good. This made it easier to visualize everything. I’d recommend Sarah to anyone applying to PA school that needs that extra push on their personal statements.

Taylor, Pre-PA

Sue was a huge help with my essay. Her edits made my essay sound much better grammatically and she pointed out some content problems I completely missed. She prompted me to write a few more paragraphs before her edit and added the information into my essay. That made a big difference. She was very knowledgable about what PA programs were looking for. I am really happy with your service. Worth every penny, THANKS!

Megan Stephenson, Pre-PA

Thank you for taking the time to edit my paper! The feedback was constructive and very helpful. I liked how you highlighted all the strong points in my essay. It made me feel reassured that my essay was heading in the right direction. I also liked how you told me exactly what I needed to add to make it stronger.

Juliana, Pre-PA

It was wonderful to work with The PA Life once again. I appreciated all of my editors’ feedback and creative writing style which was needed to keep the essay within the allowable character limit. I also appreciated how my editor, Sarah, took the time to discover more about me and worked to show those parts which I was unable to reflect myself. With Sarah’s help, the essay really came to life and was a true reflection of my work, personality, and aspiring goals. I’m grateful for all the work she put into helping me with this project!

Jacob, Pre-PA

Duke made some important modifications to my essay and offered several helpful suggestions. I appreciated his insight and a keen eye.

Ilina K. Pre-PA

I just want to thank you again so much for being so awesome and helping me perfect my statement. I promised you that I would let you know if I got into any programs, and I was offered interviews at all the five universities I applied to. And I got offered positions at my top two school choices shortly after I interviewed. I am so ecstatic to say that I will be going to my number one school choice. I know multiple factors contributed to this opportunity being offered to me and the personal statement was surely a big one. Thank you so much for all that you do. It was really a great investment to have you edit my paper. I hope you have a fantastic rest of your day!

Elisa, PA-S

The comments and edits made by Sue are exceptional! They’ve helped a lot in terms of helping me express my thoughts more clearly and effectively. It felt as if she was there with me, reading my thoughts and helping me with the entire process in person!

Amy, Pre-PA

I just want to follow up and let you know that I have been so fortunate enough to have conducted 3 interviews and received 3 acceptances, and I have decided to continue my educational journey at the OHSU PA program. I can’t thank you enough for all the help you’ve provided me, from helping me with my personal statement to mock interviews. I couldn’t have done this without your help, thank you.

Yomiyu Gafesu, PA-S

I just wanted to share that I got into USC! Woohoo!!! They just called me to share the good news. I’m feeling pretty shocked since that interview did not go as well in my head. I can’t believe I got into school during my first round of applications. This would not have been possible without you, and I really appreciate all the support you gave me throughout this process. ?

Tiffany, PA-S

Sarah was so helpful, accommodating my needs, and I would highly recommend her to a friend/peer. I love this company and the people that work here!

Erin Felter, Pre-PA

Ms. Edmondson was incredible! She provided great feedback and answered all of my follow up questions. I will keep in touch as to my interview offers.

Ashley, Pre-PA

We worked on my essays back in summer and oh, how much work it was! But it all paid off because I just got accepted into the school of my first choice! Thank you so much for your time and dedication to my success. I will also be glad to recommend your services to other pre-PA students at my school!

Jennifer, H Pre-PA

I came into this with a half written personal statement and not a lot of time left. I am beyond pleased with the work Sarah and I were able to accomplish together, and I’m so grateful to have gotten the chance to work with her. She has helped me so much with getting my writing to where I wanted it to be, and has instilled in me a great sense of confidence in myself and my abilities. I highly recommend this service to anyone going through the stress of applying! Keeping my fingers crossed as I submit my applications!

Celine, PRE-PA

Thank you so much for editing my essay and for your kind words. Your edits have definitely made it a stronger PS and I am proud to have it as a part of my application. Thank you for alleviating my stress on arguably the most nerve-wracking part of the CASPA app. You are incredibly talented and well-spoken, and any person that has you edit their essays is incredibly lucky! I will let you know if I have any questions, but I think each one of your edits are meaningful and super clear. I appreciate you shortening it and making it flow better. Thank you again!!!

Karina Kapani, Pre-PA

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping me with my personal statement. I have been accepted at Cornell, and will most likely be entering their program in March 2017. I have also received interview offers from Wake Forest, Duke, Pitt, Quinnipiac, Oregon Health Sciences, and Chatham so far. I am happy to share my success up to this point, because I would not be in this position without your guidance, wisdom, and talent.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with you, and I am profoundly grateful for your help. I wish you all the best in the future.

Stephanie Dwyer, PA-S

I had an excellent experience with this service. Deanna was thorough, attentive to my essay, and very easy to contact. She did a great job and I would highly recommend this service to anyone.

Grant, Pre-PA

Sue Edmonson has been a great help in ensuring my personal statement made sense and fit what information I was trying to convey. Her ability to find the pertinent parts in an essay and gain more information about me to make the essay seem relative to my pursuits was truly a Godsend. Would recommend her and your company to others. Thanks!

Christopher Ohsie, Pre-PA

I am so happy with the service Sarah provided! My personal statement turned out exactly how I was hoping it would!

Jennifer, Pre-PA

I was at a point where I kept reading my essay over and over again and not knowing what to change. After Sue looked over and thoroughly edited the essay, I had a completely new focus! I knew exactly what to tweak and her service really cleared up any uncertainty I had with my essay. I’m now much more confident as I finish up my CASPA applications!

Julia Spalding, Pre-PA

I really appreciated Carly’s attentiveness to my writing style and working to keep my message and content but working it in a way that reads easier. I appreciate her turnaround time, as well as priority deadlines for programs, are quickly approaching!

Jacob, Pre-PA

I just wanted to let you know that the majority of my interviews have gone really well! So far, I’ve received six interview invites and have interviewed for five schools. Midwestern (AZ) just got back to me a bit ago, and they sent me an acceptance email! I am beyond thrilled! I just wanted to thank you so much for your help! Your mock interview gave me a lot of confidence that I was able to carry into my interviews! I appreciated having the opportunity to practice my interview skills with you. I wanted to let you know just how much you’ve helped me with my application process (with my interviews, personal statement, and just my confidence in general)! Thank you so much for all of the advice over the past few months!

Sneh, PA-S

Carly did a fantastic job helping my personal statement create fluid and concise writing to help convey my experience! I highly recommend using this service even if you think your statement is solid because they will help make it better than you could have imagined! Thank you for everything.

Kelsey, Pre-PA

I am mind-blown by my editor Carly’s work. My original essay is like an ill-fitting suit. She hemmed and adjusted it in all the right places and now it looks perfect. I don’t think I’m a bad writer, but I don’t write often and I have spent the past 10 years of my life focused on health sciences. I may have never been able to do this on my own. Thank you thank you, I consider this essay service a bargain.

Rebecca, Pre-PA

The ease, frequency, and promptness of communication were some of the best aspects of this service. I found the review and revisions to be very thoughtful and explained in a way where I knew exactly how to apply them to my essay. I would 100% recommend the PA Life PS review to any applicant, and especially enjoyed working with Carly. I am hopeful my personal statement will gain the attention of PA programs I am applying to.

Charlie, Pre-PA

Sue is so incredibly kind! I needed so much help on cleaning up my personal statement and overall flow of the writing. She provided great insights and explanation.

Laila, Pre-PA

Just found your site today while trying to update my resume. Also, I have to recertify next year so your tests are great for a refresher course. I was in a specialty area of medicine so I now realize how much I forgot in the past 5 years. Thank you very much and I will pass on to other PAs.

Pattie Solomon PA-CNorTh Miami Florida

So far, I’ve received 3 interview invites from Chapman, Drexel, and Tufts!!! I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to Sarah for polishing my PS, supplemental essays and giving me lots of awesome tips for my upcoming interviews!!!

Audrey, Pre-PA

This review is long overdue, but my gratitude for how much The PA Life has helped me will never fade. Ms. Schultz went above and beyond to help me tailor my personal statement to my unique stories and qualities. She was open to my suggestions and often thought from my perspective instead of imposing her thoughts on my essay. I appreciate the time she took to help me create a personal statement that expressed my thoughts clearly and concisely. I am happy to report that I have been invited to interviews, and I’m on the waitlist for one of my top schools. If I don’t get in this cycle, I will be using the editing services again. Big shout out to Ms. Schultz!! Thank you for all your encouragement, patience, and support! I am honored to have the chance to work with you. 🙂

Amy, Pre-PA

Sarah did such an excellent job editing my personal statement that I wanted her expertise for my supplemental essays. I’ve had multiple interview invites so far. I’m so glad I used this service, and I’m so glad I had Sarah’s help! She really took my essays to a whole new level and had good suggestions. I’m recommending her to my peers.

Emily Crenshaw, Pre-PA

Kelly M. provided an exceptional experience with detailed recommendations. I am upset that I did not find The PA Life editing service sooner! I will be referring anyone I know applying to pa school to this platform!

Manny, Pre-PA

Sue was very quick to edit my essay and give feedback. Any questions were answered very promptly. I am very pleased with the service provided.

Brandon, Pre-PA

Duke helped me with my personal essay writing for PA school. He was very patient and helpful with me. I made lots of mistake on my Essay, but with Duke’s help I was able to write a sensible essay which was good enough to get Interview calls. I highly recommend his service.

Rajni M, Pre PA

Carly was extremely prompt and helpful! She helped edit my personal statement into something that I am extremely confident applying with!

Danielle, Pre-PA

I want to say thank you, first off for providing such a service. It was difficult having to write a personal statement and then have others critique it, when there is not a clear rubric to follow. I think having to write a personal statement is such an emotional process, and then having others edit it, can be a very harsh pill to swallow. Thank you for your edits, I have no doubt that this process will make my personal statement more compelling and hopefully a more competitive applicant.

Stephanie, Pre-PA

It was an absolute pleasure working with Sarah. She was prompt to respond, professional, and kind. Sarah is an excellent writer. I was consistently impressed with her edits and suggestions for my personal statement. After working with Sarah I feel confident that my final essay will be well-received schools and help me stand out as a candidate.

Leah, Pre-PA

Sue was extremely prompt and thoughtful in providing her comments, edits, and revisions. My essay had a good start but she helped me write it with admissions committees in mind. I will keep you updated on if I get interview invitations.

Kirsten, Pre-PA

I am so thankful that this editing service exists. The personal statement is incredibly important which is why I was so nervous about it. It took me two weeks to even get started because I was so nervous about writing the wrong thing. After Carly helped me with my essay, I am now so much more confident in it. Her edits were very thorough and showed that she had a really good understanding of what is important for a PA personal statement. Her email detailing her overall impression of my essay also showed she understood every single point I was trying to make and what kind of feeling I was trying to give to people reading my essay. This has been the most reassuring thing.

Angela, Pre-PA

Thanks to the PA life and Deanna I was accepted to ECU PA program this cycle. I’m starting my program next fall. I have been part of the PA life community and a member of the leadership team at the virtual pre-PA club with Deanna and others. I’m preparing a video presentation about how to become a PA for IMG. I’m a nontraditional app and abnormally normal applicant 😆. The video will be posted on the IMG space of the community. I’m so happy to share my experience and help pre-PA like me.

Shynar Johnson, PA-S

I was very pleased with this service. Writing has never been my strongest area. While I had the ideas that I wanted to convey I wasn’t able to articulate them as well as I’d hoped. Carly provided comments and suggestions without altering my central thesis. Any questions that I had were answered quickly and thoroughly. Any grammatical mistakes were also addressed which put my mind at ease. I would recommend The PA Life personal statement essay revision service to anyone applying.

Keith G, Pre-PA

I can’t begin to explain how thrilled I am to have stumbled on this service. Like many other PA applicants, I was unsure of whether I was on the right track with my personal narrative. Reading Stephen’s two different PA school application essays showed me how to come up with something unique and creative, but the private personal statement review really made my essay shine.

Duke was so kind and helpful in helping me understand what admissions committees look for in a strong essay. Our phone conversations were so thorough, as we read through and discussed every word in my essay. Sue’s guidance helped me cut out the fluff to reach the character limit.

Melissa T. Pre-PA

The feedback that I received through The PA Life editing service was more detailed than I expected! It gave me a clear idea of what direction I need to take in regard to my personal statement. I absolutely loved the edits!

Crystal, Pre-PA

Mr. Pasquini was very patient, accommodating and direct in his editing/advice. He was honest, in a way that I needed due to the importance of the letter. I even picked up a few tips to enhance my writing from our meetings. Great experience and will definitely recommend him to others!

Alana P. Pre-PA

Very prompt response and turnaround time. While I did not speak with Duke over the phone, his team’s edits were thorough, clear and very helpful. Highly recommended.

Dave H. Pre-PA

Duke really pushed me to write from the heart and explore my true reasons for applying to PA school.  I was very pleased with the outcome.  I haven’t yet received an interview, but my fingers are crossed!

Emily P. Pre-PA

Sarah is amaaaaaaaaaaazing!! She is super kind and helpful. My original essay was very long at about 9,000 characters and I had no idea how to trim it down. Sarah helped me decide what to include and eliminate from my personal statement while correcting many of my grammatical errors. She was a complete professional and very easy to work with. I would recommend Sarah and The PA Life personal statement revision service to everyone, they are absolutely wonderful!

Fariha, Pre-PA

Having my essay edited proved extremely helpful. I was having trouble connecting my thoughts, and the edit helped so much. I haven’t found out about acceptance yet. I’m just now about to submit my application!

Amber, Pre-PA

I worked closely with Duke and Sue for the revisions on my personal statement. They must have edited my original version half a dozen times before they felt it was good enough to send off and never made it seem like an inconvenience. They always responded to my e-mails within a 24-hour time frame but usually got back to me within a few hours. I am very pleased with how my personal statement turned out thanks to all of their time, ideas and direction. The service the PA Life provides is well worth the money spent!

Personal Statement Collaborative

Michelle Murphy, Pre-PA

Hi, I am beyond words to express how I feel, I got accepted, contingent on background check which I think is a formality. I want to say boldly that I am going to be a PA, thanks to you. You will be always blessed for the wonderful service you provide.  You were very kind and worked beyond what I thought could be offered. Thanks again!

Pavithra, Pre-PA

My experience with the PA Life personal statement collaborative was simply remarkable. My editor did an outstanding job making sure that my personal statement reflected my BEST work and addressed all of my concerns regarding the essay and other questions I had about my application. I can’t thank you enough for all the help I received during this process. Thank you!

Erika, Pre-PA

I wanted to share exciting news with you – I got accepted to UT Health San Antonio’s Physician Assistant program!!! I am so thankful for ALL of your work and talent that was put into my personal statement and supplemental essays. I could not have gotten through this process without you. I extend a thank you from my mother, Tammy, as well. We were so blessed to be paired with you. Your hard work and dedication to helping me as a Pre-PA student-led to success during the application process. I hope 2021 is treating you well and you have a blessed year!

Aubrey, PA-S

Carly blew away all my expectations. She not only suggested edits to refine the content, but she also made grammatical and structural changes that fine-tuned my essay and allowed it to flow. I came into the editing process feeling hopeless about my personal statement, but with her edits, I feel confident that it will stand out. On top of all that, Carly was very timely in editing and returning my essay – I got it back within a few days! I’m very pleased with her service and recommend it to anyone out there who needs a fresh, professional set of eyes on their personal statement.

Stephanie, Pre-PA

I am pleased to tell you that I have been accepted to PA school, starting in 2-weeks.? I appreciate everything you have done for me, from helping with my personal statement to preparing me for interviews. You have been with me since the beginning of the application process and I really wanted to thank you.

Shane, Pre-PA

This was my third time applying to PA school and I wanted it to be my last so I figured getting help with the essay would make a difference in my application. Paying for the one on one service was the best idea I’ve had to date. Sarah was great in that she literally combined three different essays I had written into one phenomenal essay! I literally have no idea how she did it. Sarah helped me focus all of my thoughts and experience down into one concise, yet personal essay. I truly think this will help me get into PA school!

Anna M. PRE-PA

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101 PA School Admission Essays

Admissions Directors Know What They Want. Shouldn't You? You’re slaving away at your personal statement, but can’t help wondering if anyone will read past the first line. A troubling thought, isn’t…

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How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement

What Makes This Book Unique? We have worked with 1000’s of applicants through our Personal Statement and Essay Collaborative and have interviewed PA school faculty and Admissions Directors from 12…

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