Question:

What is the difference between a master's degree and a bachelor's degree or a certificate program?

Answer:
The coursework taught in physician assistant programs across the United States has always been graduate level coursework, although a certificate or a bachelor's degree may have been awarded at the completion of most programs. With this in mind and to most accurately reflect the level of training received by physician assistants, the profession is rapidly moving to the master's level as the minimum degree awarded. Furthermore, a master's level program afford candidates the opportunity to become more involved in research both during their education and afterwards, patients frequently express a higher level of confidence in those with graduate level degrees, and in some practice settings graduate level degrees are required for employment.

At the moment, graduates from accredited master's, bachelor's, or certificate physician assistant programs are all qualified to sit for the certification examination and subsequently to practice as physician assistants. However, the master's degree is clearly the degree of the profession for the near future.

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