The PA profession was founded on the concept of team practice. Working in all medical and surgical specialties, physician-PA teams enhance coordination and quality of care. The healthcare team is effective because of the similarities between physician and PA training. The professions commitment to team practice and the efficiencies created by utilizing the strengths of each professional in a clinical setting. (American Academy of Physician Assistants)

A PA’s scope of practice is defined by education, experience, state law, facility policy and the needs of the patients at the practice. Illinois state law allows the scope of the PA’s work to be determined at the practice level to customize team based patient care. PAs are educated in the medical model and practice medicine in every specialty and setting. This flexibility maximizes a patient’s access to care. (American Academy of Physician Assistants)

Before they can practice, PAs who graduated from an accredited PA program must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) which is administered by the National Commission on Certification of PAs (NCCPA). Once they pass the exam, then they must apply for state licensure in the state they wish to practice in. In order to maintain national board certification, PAs must complete a board recertification exam every 10 years and complete 100 hours of Continuing Medical Education (CME) every two years. The “PA-C” after a PAs name means that they are currently certified.

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations (IDFPR) resources including the PA Practice Act, Administrative rules, Applications for Licensure, Application for Prescriptive Authority, Supervising Physician Forms

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is dedicated to serving the interest of the public. We do so with a passionate belief that certified PAs are essential members of the health care delivery team who provide millions access to more affordable, high quality health care. Our vision is to transform the delivery of quality healthcare by certifying qualified PAs through programs that improve patient care while exemplifying a commitment to excellence unparalleled among certifying organizations.

Most PA programs are approximately 26 months in length and require the same prerequisite courses as medical schools. Most programs also require that students have at least 3 years of healthcare training and experience. Once in PA school, students take courses in basic sciences, behavioral sciences and clinical medicine across subjects such as anatomy, human physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, and more. They then complete a total of more than 2000 hours of clinical rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, general surgery, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. (American Academy of Physician Assistants)

PAs work in every medical specialty and setting. Some areas include: hospitals, physician offices, rural and urban community health centers, nursing homes, retail clinics, schools and university settings, uniformed services, and other federal government agencies and many more. (American Academy of Physician Assistants)

Step 1: Get prerequisites and healthcare experience
Step 2: Attend an accredited PA program
Step 3: Become certified
Step 4: Obtain a state license
Step 5: Maintain your certification
See more info on prerequisites and healthcare experience at the AAPA website.