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Physician Assistant Programs in Arizona

Assistants with Skeletal Model

Physician Assistants made a median of $90,930 in May, 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job opportunities will continue to grow for Physician Assistants through 2012 at a much higher rate than most positions.

The Path to Becoming a Physician Assistant

To become a Physician Assistant, a candidate has to attend an accredited Physician Assistant program. In Arizona, these programs average 26 months. First, one must apply to one of the many accredited Physician Assistant programs throughout the country. A common way to apply is through the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants, or CASPA. It is recommended to apply to more than one Physician Assistant Program at a time, as their classes are small in comparison to the number of applicants received each year.

CASPA is an application service for graduate-level Physician Assistant programs that is offered through the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). This organization is the only organization that represents accredited programs in the United States.

Upon completion of an accredited Physician Assistant program, a Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies (M.M.S.) is awarded. After the Master’s Degree has been earned, the new graduate will need to pass a national certification exam to be a practicing Physician Assistant in Arizona, which is offered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, (NCCPA).

If you would like to be placed in a healthcare job within the United States, please fill out the form below or call us at 602-468-6300.

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Physician Assistant Programs in Arizona

The following Arizona schools are part of the CAPSA participating Physician Assistant programs list for the 2014-2015 application cycle. The application deadlines are September 1, 2014 and October 1, 2014, depending on the program. Check CAPSA’s website for specific deadlines for each of the schools listed below.

  • Arizona School of Health Management’s Physician Assistant program located in Mesa, Arizona

    http://www.atsu.edu/ashs/programs/physician_assistant/index.htm    This school also offers a Native American track

    http://www.atsu.edu/ashs/programs/physician_assistant/ait.htm    This is a 26-month program.This program’s 2014 – 2015 esitmated tuition and fees are:

    • Didactic component tuition and fees: $41,976 + $3,081 medical equipment, lab and educations supply fees
    • Clinical component tuition and fees: $33,510 + $1,050 education supply fee
    • Additional expenses include a laptop computer (minimum specifications prescribed by ASHS), books, room and board, transportation, health insurance and personal items.

      Total stated expenses (not including additional expenses mentioned above): $79,617

      All tuition and fees are subject to change.

      Financial Assistance is available. Visit their program’s website for more information.

  • Northern Arizona University’s Physician Assistant Program, which is held in part at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus and, in the second year, in Phoenix and other diverse geographical locations in Arizona. http://nau.edu/CHHS/PA/

    This is a 24-month program.

    This program’s 2014 – 2015 tuition and fees are estimated as follows for the 24-month program.

    • Arizona Resident
      • Tuition: $27,484
      • Fees: $22,00
      • Student Fees: $774
      • Total Estimated Fees (not including the Additional Cost Estimates listed below): $50,258
    • Non-Arizona Resident
      • Tuition: $49,652
      • Fees: $22,000
      • Student Fees: $774
      • Total Estimated Fees (not including the Additional Cost Estimates listed below): $72,426
    • Additional Cost Estimates
      • Books/Equipment: $3,000
      • Housing: $15,552
      • Transportation: $7,968
      • Total Estimated Additional Costs: $26,520
  • Midwestern University’s Physician Assistant Studies Program located in Glendale, Arizonahttps://www.midwestern.edu/programs-and-admission/az-physician-assistant-studies.html

    This is a 27-month program.

    This program’s 2014 – 2015 tuition and fees are estimated as follows for the three-year program

    • Tuition: $94,667
    • Student Services Fee: $1,350
    • Health Insurance: $7,828
    • Disability Ins. Fee: $163
    • Book & Supplies: $3,562
    • AAPA Membership: $75
    • PANCE: $475
      Total estimated tuition and fees for the 27-month program: $108,120

    Midwestern University boasts a five-year first time NCCPA Certification taker average pass rate of 97% compared to the national average of 93%.

    Click here to see the complete first time test taker report.

Additionally, if you are considering enrolling in one of the many Physician Assistant programs available, there are online groups of people in the Physician Assistant community to help offer their experiences, such as:

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