Charleston Daily Mail | UC graduates first class of physician assistants

UC graduates first class of physician assistants
By Samuel Speciale, Education reporter
Photo Courtesy of Bruce Heflin/University of Charleston
The University of Charleston on Sunday officially graduated its first physician assistant class. Last week, the 28 students completed a 28-month program including a year of classroom studies and a year of clinical rotations. Due to competitive pay and requiring less schooling that a masters in medicine, physician assistant is one of the fastest-growing career fields in the country.



After years of classroom studies and clinical work in area hospitals, the University of Charleston Physician Assistant program graduated its first cohort of students on Sunday.

The 28 students also received academic cloaks last week during a hooding ceremony preceding Sunday’s formal graduation ceremony on campus.

Because of competitive pay — usually around $100,000 a year — and requiring fewer years of schooling than a master’s in medicine, physician assistant is one of the fastest-growing career fields in the country. Jennifer Pack, the program’s director, said many of the students already have job offers and that even more primary and special care units in Charleston are hiring.

UC is one of three schools in West Virginia to have a physician assistant program. Other programs are housed at West Liberty University and Alderson Broaddus.

Pack said UC has a geographical advantage by being located in a major medical hub in Charleston, something she believes has been beneficial for students who have been able to draw upon local resources.

The university’s physician assistant program is a 28-month masters program that started admitting its first class in January 2013.

Students must have a bachelor’s degree before entering, but UC offers a fast track, 5-year program for undergraduate students enrolled in the school.

After 16 months of classroom work, students spent another year doing 10 four-week clinical rotations in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, psychiatry, hospitals, primary care and family, internal and emergency medicine.

Pack said physician assistants are similar to doctors and nurse practitioners and have many of the same responsibilities, like taking patient histories, conducting examinations, ordering tests and scans, diagnosing illnesses and writing prescriptions. The only difference is that it all is done under the supervision of a physician, though that doesn’t mean he or she must always be present on site.

The next cohort of physician assistant students received their white coats last week in a ceremony recognizing their completion of coursework.

Contact writer Samuel Speciale at sam.speciale@dailymailwv.com or 304-348-4886. Follow him at www.twitter.com/wvschools.


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