Question:

What is the reason for the requirement that applicants have a minimum of 100 hours of direct patient health care experience?

Answer:
This requirement exists to insure that becoming a physician assistant is the correct career choice for you. The program requires all applicants to have had an opportunity to experience the unique medical environment in the United States and be exposed to individuals with health problems.

Direct patient health care experience can be in many forms, including, but not limited to, a paid or unpaid position as a health care provider in another profession, a paramedic or an EMT, a medical assistant, shadowing a Physician Assistant, a hospital volunteer, or any other circumstance where there is direct face-to-face contact in a patient care environment.

Please note that positions that do not have regular and direct patient contact (e.g., clerical positions as well as work completed in a pharmacy or a lab) will not meet this requirement. The minimal amount of time to satisfy this requirement can be obtained in less than a month but still provides candidates with view of the United States healthcare system today. It is not required that you have worked in the healthcare field or that you hold any licenses or certifications.

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