Last Updated on December 7, 2023 by admin
How To Become A Physician Assistant In Arkansas?
If you want to become a PA and to work in the state of Arkansas, then you should know that there are several clear steps that you need to follow. Arkansas requires all of its physician assistants to complete an accredited formal training and then to pass the licensing national exam in order to work legally in the state. That being said, the first step every future PA needs to take is to research the physician assistant career paths that are available and to obtain at least some basic hands-on medical experience, as this is highly recommended before applying for an accredited physician assistant training program.
After that, it is important to know that for becoming a PA in Arkansas you must earn at least a Bachelor’s degree in either Chemistry or in Biology. Pursuing such a degree typically takes around four years of hard work and study, which encompasses both theoretical and practical training. After that, you will need to start applying to a physician assistant training program of your choice and to successfully graduate from it – only upon graduation you can consider taking the certification exam, or the well-known PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certification Exam), in order to pursue your licensure/certification. The PANCE exam is administered by the NCCPA, or the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, and you must also remember to register with your state before you can get to legally work as a PA in Arkansas, under the close attention of an already licensed physician.
Physician Assistant Job Description
Physician Assistants work closely with physicians and surgeons, and they often perform a variety of tasks and duties depending on the medical needs of each patient. Having said that, the duties and responsibilities of a physician assistant in Arkansas can vary depending on the particular facility or clinical setting where the PA chooses to work, but generally speaking these health care providers typically provide specialized care by administering casts, preventative care, therapeutic treatments, treating splints, sprains and strains, suturing major wounds and so forth.
Arkansas PAs also have to closely examine the patients who require urgent medical attention, as well as to gather and update their medical history when needed, to offer counseling services for the patients, their families as well as for the wide public, and to also order medical supplies and medical equipment whenever needed. In addition to this, physician assistants who work in Arkansas also have the right to prescribe various drugs and medications, to order and then to interpret x-rays and various other types of tests, to diagnose and to treat patients and so forth. It is also the responsibility of all the physician assistants in Arkansas to comply by all the state laws that apply here in terms of medical services and treatments.
Licensure And Certification Options For Physician Assistants In The State Of Arkansas
Like it happens in most US states, physician assistants who have decided to work here must pursue a license in order t work legally. The first step towards getting licensed in Arkansas is to enroll in an accredited training program for PAs and to successfully graduate it, before having the chance to sit or the final Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam. The purpose of the PANCE exam is to thoroughly evaluate all the fundamental surgical and medical comprehension of the candidates, and if the students manage to pass the PANCE exam they will receive the PA-C designation, or the Physician-Assistant-Certified designation, which will increase their job opportunities and the likelihood of getting a stable job and a lucrative career in the medical industry.
After getting this particular designation, all the certified physician assistants in Arkansas must try to maintain it throughout the years by earning at least 100 continuing education credits, on a 24-month basis. In addition to this, it must be mentioned that the certification is not permanent and it must be renewed once every six years by sitting for a recertification exam and paying the adjacent fees.
Salary and Career Info
The interactive chart above is a visual representation of the annual salary of Arkansas PA’s compared to the national annual salaries, all based on the latest May 2022 Occupational Employment Statistics figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Physician Assistant Programs In Arkansas
There are two accredited institutions that offer physician training programs in Arkansas at the moment: the Harding University, which offers a Master’s Degree, and the University of Arkansas within the Department of Physician Assistant Studies.
List of All 2 Accredited PA Programs
As of December 2023, the accrediting agency is ARC-PA and they have 2 fully accredited programs.
1. Harding University
Initial Accreditation Date: March 5, 2005
Next ARC-PA Review: September 2024
Website: https://www.harding.edu/paprogram
2. University of Arkansas
Initial Accreditation Date: March 9, 2013
Next ARC-PA Review: September 2026
Website: https://healthprofessions.uams.edu/programs/physicianassistant/
