PA Programs in Tennessee > TN Physician Assistant Information

Last Updated on November 23, 2021 by admin

Physician assistants work under the supervision of physicians and assist them in almost every aspect of their work, making them significant members of the healthcare system, and putting them in a position with some staying power. Physician assistants jobs in Tennessee are expected to grow by about 40 percent in the year 2018, which is twice as fast as most careers. The state of Tennessee has already seen the start of this growth. Chattanooga is believed to be one of the highest paying metropolitan areas in the country.

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There are about 120 employed physician assistants in this area. According to the American Bureau of Labor Statistics, their annual average salary is $124,220. The state of Tennessee as a whole is a host to 1,330 physician assistants. Most graduates who want to become PAs in Tennessee will get jobs in physician offices, and surgical and medical hospitals. Rural areas of this state have a high demand for physician assistants.

How to Become a Physician Assistant in Tennessee

Attend an educational program for PAs. Lincoln memorial, South College, Trevecca Nazarene University and Bethel College all offer 27 month programs that prepare students to become physician assistants in Tennessee. All these institutions offer master’s degree program, which means you will need to complete your bachelor’s degree before beginning the program.

Apply for licensure as a physician assistant in Tennessee. Once you have graduated from your physician assistant program in Tennessee, you can apply for your licensure which will entitle you to start working as a certified PA in Tennessee.

Attach the required documents to your application letter. While a licensing test isn’t necessary for PAs in Tennessee, there is a lot of additional documentation that must be presented with your letter of application. Certificate of graduation from a physician assistant program must also be attached as a completed practitioner profile form. What’s more, you must also present a recent passport sized photograph of yourself along with a certified form indicating that you are the person in the photo.

Submit recommendation letters. At least two licensed physicians in Tennessee must attest to your capability to be a professional PA in order to receive a license to practice in Tennessee. This requires you to submit two letters of recommendation with your application letter. These must be on the licensed physician’s letterhead, including their signature.

While being able to prescribe medicine is more common for physician assistants in rural areas where physicians are not on location, a few physicians in Tennessee allow their physician assistants to prescribe drugs. If given this task, you will need to present forms indicating what type of medicines you are allowed to prescribe, and all supervising physicians will need to sign off on it. You will also be required to have a Federal Drug Enforcement Administration number to prescribe medicine. You will also be required to submit a copy of the DEA form to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy.

The state of Tennessee additionally requires a criminal background check on all PAs requesting a license in Tennessee. After completing all the above process you can now start working as a licensed Tennessee physician assistant.

Salary and Career Info

The interactive chart above is a visual representation of the annual salary of Tennessee 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 Schools in Tennessee

Trevecca Nazarene University

The Trevecca Nazarene University PA program has been in existence since 1976, having graduated almost 1,000 students to date. Alumni have worked all across the universe from the United States to Africa and Mongolia.

The physician program at this University is a 27-month in length and starts on the third week of May every year. The first 15-month is classwork, and the last 12-month is clinical rotations with didactic education continuing at the end of each rotation in seminar setting. Prospective students are evaluated on skills, attitude (professionalism), and knowledge base to be professionally competent and confident in using their knowledge in compassionate ministry. Students who successful complete the PA curriculum receive the Master of Science-Medicine degree.

Lincoln Memorial

The physician program at Lincoln Memorial offers graduate level professional education for prospective students who want to become PAs. The program provides the clinical and academic training required to work as a competent, reputable assistant of the physician. The program is a full time, 27 months curriculum that provides students with the opportunity to earn a Master of Medical Science degree and certificate of completion to meet the entitlement requirements for the Physician Assistant national Certifying Examination.