Beginning your job in the medical industry can offer you great excitement. Becoming a physician assistant is the dream for some people. They are ready to have a career that allows them to provide help to those in need. Their goal is to provide healing and comfort and they want to be on a team that is devoted to it. When the decision has been made to take this career path, the first step is to decide which school they should attend. Physician assistant programs in California are offered by different schools.
You want to be sure that you have a clear understanding of what is being offered at the different schools. There are certain specialties in physician assisting and some programs are tailored for these specialties. If you find that they are geared towards surgery, for example, be sure that this is what you are interested in and if not, continue your search. You can find programs that focus on primary care as well so if this is more like what you are looking for, this may be a good choice for you.
Pay attention, also, to the time that it will take to achieve your certification. Most of the programs will allow you to obtain an associates degree, a bachelor degree, and even a master's degree. You can also receive certain certifications that come with graduation. There are longer time frames in the programs but most are about two years. There are some variations in the available physician assistant programs in California so be sure you are attentive.
If you are like many other people, the amount that you will be paying in tuition is also a factor that must be checked on. The school that you attend could play a large part in the price for the program. You can find programs that are on the low end of the scale and those that are charging an astronomical amount for the education. You will find that the more prestige schools do have a higher price for tuition but you are getting to hold a graduation certificate from one of the best schools. If you want to have their name as a reference then you may decide that the increase in price is worth it.
When you are considering the prices, also pay attention to the resident versus nonresident pricing. Some of the schools offer a fairly decent decrease in cost if you are resident of the area. Other schools do not offer a discount for this at all. They charge the same amount no matter where you are coming from. Make sure you are looking at the pricing scales at school before you make your final selection. Make sure that you have reviewed the pricing so that you can make the best decision on the school.
Check the accreditation of the schools that you are looking at as well. If you want to achieve licensing in your state, you may need to have taken your classes at a school that is accredited. You must have attended an accredited school in some areas if you want to take the national certifying exam. You could find that you cannot do the work that you have trained for and that you still have to pay off the loans for the education that you took.
You have a long list of things to consider when you are looking at a physician assistant program in California. Check things out well before you agree to attend a school so that you can be happy with the selection that you made.
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