If you were planning to apply to one of the top physician assistant degree programs in 2020, the coronavirus pandemic may have disrupted these plans. Although the 2020 to 2021 academic year is likely to be an unusual one, many traditionally face-to-face PA programs are still running, but with some changes. In the wake of the pandemic, many schools are temporarily transitioning their face-to-face classroom learning to online instruction or to hybrid learning experiences that involve both online and in-person work.
Traditional PA Degree Programs Transitioning Online Due to the Coronavirus
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During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a PA education from a traditional program may look very different. Classroom lectures at many schools have been moved online for the time being. Laboratory courses are being split into on-campus lab experiences and online lecture components. Many PA students have seen their clinical rotations canceled or postponed as a result of the pandemic, according to the American Academy of PAs.
Although this time remains uncertain in many areas, the need for highly trained medical practitioners is, if anything, greater than ever. As a result, many PA programs are still moving forward with their admissions process for the next generation of physician assistant students. Some PA master’s degree programs are temporarily revising their admissions requirements, including allowing pass-fail grades instead of letter grades and waiving the regular minimum patient care hours requirement. Other physician assistant schools are accepting virtual shadowing experience and at-home graduate entrance exams.
Clinical rotations in some areas are resuming or never stopped in the first place. Students whose clinical rotations were interrupted have found other ways to use their skills and knowledge by volunteering at hospitals or working in contact tracing to help reduce the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
In the midst of a crisis, the medical community, including PA schools and physician assistants in training, has pulled together.
Studying to Become a PA Online
Even before the coronavirus became a global pandemic that shut down universities across the United States, online physician assistant master’s degree programs were beginning to develop. Yale University announced its plans to launch an online PA program in 2015, and in 2017, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) awarded the program provisional accreditation.
Although you may be studying to be a physician assistant online, you shouldn’t expect to complete all of your degree requirements online. A big part of PA school is gaining clinical experience working with real patients in healthcare settings. This hands-on experience must still be gained in person and on-site at a doctor’s office, hospital, outpatient care center or other type of healthcare facility. In a traditional PA program, these rotations may require travel to remote sites for a matter of weeks or even months. Online programs like Yale’s make an effort to allow students to complete clinical rotations at appropriate sites in the vicinity of the student’s own home when possible.
You might also face additional in-person requirements to complete your online degree program. For example, Yale University’s online Master of Medical Science (M.M.Sc.) degree program requires students to complete three weeklong on-campus immersion experiences over the course of their program.
Still, there are benefits to studying online to become a physician assistant, even beyond the issue of infectious diseases. One of the biggest advantages is the ability to get your education and train for a career as a PA without having to relocate. Much like medical school, physician assistant programs are notoriously competitive, and students often have to travel far from home for the two or even three years it takes them to complete their master’s degree in physician assistant studies. With online learning, it’s no longer necessary to move, uprooting your life and potentially your family. This makes the career path more accessible to nontraditional students and those who have a family.
These programs also may be less expensive than traditional face-to-face options. Standard tuition costs for online PA programs are in the range of $15,000 to $20,000, according to U.S. News & World Report. That’s just a fraction of the $70,000 to $90,000 average cost of a traditional PA program, according to BeMo Academic Consulting.
Students should know that online learning isn’t for everyone, and just because your coursework is online doesn’t make it easy. To succeed in online learning – especially in a science-heavy subject like physician assistant studies – you need dedication and discipline.
Additional Resources
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