List Of Schools That Offer Physician Assistantship In Ghana

List Of Schools That Offer Physician Assistantship In Ghana

---

Who Is A Physician assistant?

Physician assistants (PAs) are health professionals who practice medicine as members of a team with their supervising physicians.

They are certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and state-licensed.

The Physician Assistant is not a replacement for a doctor, but works as an efficient medium for physicians to extend health care services, especially in under served areas.

In the hospital setting, they are ranked above nurses and Medical assistants, but below medical doctors.

In addition to working in hospitals, polyclinics and private medical centres, physician assistants are trained to function in a variety of settings such as: Private offices, Clinics, Emergency Departments, Health Maintenance Organizations, Community Health Centres, Industry, and Branches of the Armed Services.

The physician assistant functions under the supervision and responsibility of a licensed physician and is competent to:

1. Elicit a comprehensive health history
2. Perform physical examinations
3. Interpret and evaluate diagnostic data
4. Establish basic treatment plans
5. Counsel and educate patients
6. Respond to commonly encountered emergency care situations
7. Prescribe medications.

BELOW ARE THE LIST OF UNIVERSITIES IN GHANA THAT OFFER PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTSHIP;

1. College of Health Sciences, Kintampo.
2. Princefield College and Research.
3. Radford University College Bachelor Of Science In Physician Assistants.
4. Central University College.
5. University Of Health And Allied Science.
6. Narhbita College Physician Assistantship (Diploma)
7. Garden City University College.
8. Mount Crest University College.
9. Presbyterian University College.
10. Pentecost University.

Can a physician assistant become a doctor in Ghana?

Physician assistants and other allied health professionals enter medical school for only a period of four years and graduate as fully-fledged medical doctors.

Entry Requirement for Physician Assistantship

The degree is a 4-year program and below are the entry requirements for the Physician Assistantship program. Science), and CREDIT passes in THREE (3) Elective subjects: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics or Mathematics.

How much does a physician assistant earn in Ghana?
From research, the average salary of a physician assistant is GHC2000. This is almost equivalent to what a degree nurse earns in Ghana and almost half of what a medical doctor earns in Ghana. However, this amount is expected to increase with years of experience and as one progresses along the line of service.

Can I become a doctor after being a physician assistant?
Physician assistants play a vital role in the medical world, practicing routine medicine and primary care under the supervision of licensed doctors. Although physician assistants are skilled and well-paid professionals in their own right, there is an upgrade path for PAs who choose to become fully licensed doctors.

Is it difficult to get into a PA school?
According to the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), PA school is quite difficult to get into. Of those total applicants, only about 31% matriculated into a physician assistant program.

Can a PA do surgery?
Physician assistants are the first assistants in surgery, even before other surgeons. Surgical PAs usually perform certain surgical procedures on their own, such as putting in chest tubes, cutting and draining abscesses, as well as working as a part of a surgeon/anesthesiologist/nursing team.

Is PA school 2 or 4 years?
PA programs usually take three years to complete. PA school rotations include family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, general surgery, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. PA programs are also designed to prepare you for the test that all registered PAs must pass PANCE.

What bachelor’s degree is best for physician assistants?
Students thinking about pursuing a career as a physician assistant might consider majoring in these subjects while in undergrad: biology, chemistry, biochemistry, nursing, physical therapy, health sciences, neuroscience, nutrition, psychology, human development, pharmacology, gerontology, genetics, or child development.

What is the difference between a PA and a doctor?
The main difference between a doctor and a physician assistant is that a PA works under the supervision of a doctor, whereas a doctor has full responsibility for a clinical situation. Both are qualified medical professionals and very much work in collaboration with one another

Can I major in nursing and become a physician assistant?
Aspiring PAs need a qualifying bachelor’s degree to gain admission to a graduate program. Some graduate schools accept a bachelor’s degree in any subject, but a degree in a relevant area, such as health science or nursing, provides ideal preparation for a PA graduate program.

Licensure and Certification
After graduating from an accredited PA program, students must complete the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. After passing the exam, PAs are licensed to practice. Maintaining that license requires an ongoing commitment to continuing education, completed on a six-year cycle. Some PAs, like doctors, complete residencies and fellowships in areas of specialized practice such as oncology or cardiology. These require their own certifications and additional continuing education.

Why become a PA and not a doctor?
Becoming a physician assistant allows someone to provide health care without the lengthy and strenuous education that is mandatory for a doctor. Physician assistants can examine patients, prescribe medicine, order diagnostic tests, and perform a host of other duties that doctors also do, experts say.

What is the highest paying Physician Assistant specialty?
Dermatology is the highest paying PA specialty. On average they earned $126,084 each year. The median (midpoint) salary was $115,000. These professionals evaluate, diagnose and treat skin conditions, medically and surgically.

READ ALSO:

Ireland suspends the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine after reported cases of serious blood clotting in some recipients

---

Ireland became the latest country to stop using AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday, temporarily suspending the shot “out of an abundance of caution” after reports from Norway of serious blood clotting in some recipients there.

Three health workers in Norway who had recently received the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine were being treated in the hospital for bleeding, blood clots, and a low count of blood platelets, its health authorities said on Saturday.

Ireland’s National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommended the temporary deferral pending the receipt of more information from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the coming days.

AstraZeneca on Sunday said it had conducted a review covering more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and the UK which had shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots…

---

source:myhealthsite