Master of Science PA Medicine

As healthcare costs continue to rise and the number of physicians continues to decline, the demand for non-physician healthcare providers has boomed --- especially in rural areas, where resources and providers are especially scarce. St. Scholastica's PA Medicine program was developed to help address this.PAs are nationally certified health care professionals who are state-licensed to practice medicine and prescribe medication in every medical and surgical specialty and setting. PAs practice and prescribe in 50 states, the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories and are licensed to practice in Puerto Rico. PAs are educated at the graduate level, receiving a Master's degree or higher. In order to maintain national certification, PAs are required to recertify as medical generalists every 10 years and complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years.PA education and the PA Medicine Program is modeled on physician education and PA students are taught to perform a comprehensive range of medical duties, from basic primary care to specialty procedures. PA students are also taught how to act as first or second assistants in major surgery and provide pre- and postoperative care.PA Medicine students are taught to be generalists so that in locations where physicians are in short supply, they may serve as the primary providers of health care, collaborating with physicians and other medical professionals as needed and as required by law.