Becoming a physician assistant (PA) is a dream for many people. It is a long journey that bears wonderful fruits. It is a field that requires a lot of dedication. Learning will have to take part, and the school a person goes with will heavily affect their career. Everyone wants to be at a top school and one that suits their needs. Location is one of the factors that people always have in mind when selecting PA programs. Texas is a beautiful state and home to some of the best PA schools countrywide. If you want to school in the city, you have the task of choosing the school you want.
Top PA Schools in Texas
Do you want to be a physician assistant? Is your preferred destination Texas? Here are some of the top PA schools you can choose from in the city.
1. Baylor College of Medicine - Houston
Baylor College of Medicine has produced some of the best health professionals in the country, including physician assistants. The school provides great didactic instruction, exposing you to various clinical situations. The schools’ PA program ranks as the best in Texas as per U.S News and World Report. Students in the school get hands-on learning experience at the Texas Medical Center.
Many of the college's faculty members are excellent clinicians in various medical disciplines, including emergency and internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, and family medicine. Furthermore, as a Baylor student, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with students and faculty from the School of Medicine and other healthcare fields to get unique interdisciplinary learning experiences. The institution incorporates service-learning into the curriculum from the beginning of the program because it is committed to improving the health of underprivileged groups.
The program starts with didactic courses that span 13 months. The key theoretical concepts you'll learn are human anatomy and function, behavioral dynamics, clinical biochemistry, clinical genetics, clinical medicine, physical diagnosis, pharmacology, medical ethics, immunology for health professions, behavioral health counseling, and cultural competency. The college provides an elective course in Physician Assistant Spanish after you finish the didactic component and before you begin your clinical training.
You must have a bachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum GPA of 3.2 to be eligible for admission. You must also get a C or better in the pre-requisite science and non-science courses. Because the college uses a holistic approach, it is highly advised that you complete a healthcare experience and shadowing hours to boost your application.
2. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center – Dallas
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas will do for anyone looking for an affordable yet quality physician assistant school in Texas. Not only does the institution provide affordable tuition, but you will graduate with great abilities in multidisciplinary primary health, leadership, and evidence-based medicine thanks to the experienced mentoring of its stellar faculty. With a 35,000-square- campus, the institution provides a welcoming multidisciplinary learning environment where you can engage in cutting-edge research and study. Furthermore, the college's location in the heart of Dallas, which is teeming with leading healthcare, business, and education organizations, can provide a wealth of rewarding internship and placement options.
His program provides a good mix of theoretical and practical training. You will graduate with the professional tools to promote primary health care and improve patient safety across many foot patient demographics, regardless of where you begin. The curriculum begins with four semesters of basic core courses covering theoretical topics and a practical understanding of medical and behavioral sciences. Following that, you'll move on to the clinical phase, which will take another four semesters.
Clinical rotations take place in various clinical settings and specialties to offer you diverse experiences. Medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, patient care, professionalism, practice-based learning and improvement, and systems-based practice are all covered in the program. You must finish 112 credits during your two years of study while maintaining a GPA minimum of 2.75.
To be considered for admission, a baccalaureate degree in any discipline with a minimum GPA of 3.0 is necessary, as it is for other physician assistant programs in Texas. Although not essential, other elements such as work experience, letters of recommendation, and community service are strongly suggested because the college assesses applicants holistically.
3. The University of Texas HS Center at San Antonio – San Antonio
If you're considering a job as a medical assistant, you should go for it without hesitation. Physician assistants are in high demand in Texas and across the country and worldwide as the most adaptable primary care practitioners. Enrolling at the University of Texas HS Center at San Antonio's PA program, one of the best-recognized physician assistant programs in Texas and housed in an internationally acclaimed biomedical research university, can be your best choice for launching a career as a PA.
You will be prepared to work in various healthcare settings thanks to a well-designed curriculum, substantial experience in the state-of-the-art simulation lab, and clinical rotations. While most students prefer the San Antonio site, the college's Laredo Extension campus offers a distance-learning PA program to serve the Laredo and Webb counties. This extension program, one of the few online physician assistant programs in Texas, has made a significant contribution to improving the health of those who live in the area.
You will be prepared to work in primary care and other specializations and sub-specialties as a trained physician assistant in Texas. This professional preparation stems from the PA program's intensive didactic and clinical training, which spans 30 months. The program consists of 126 credits divided among 14 months of didactic classes and 16 months of clinical practice. If you're wondering how participation on the Laredo campus differs from that on the San Antonio campus, the coursework and educational quality are identical.
This program accepts high-achieving students with a solid academic record. Students with a bachelor's degree in any discipline and a minimum GPA of 3.0 are eligible for admission. You must complete a healthcare work experience, shadowing experience, and community service activities to improve your chances of admission. Knowing medical Spanish and getting good grades in science classes will also help you stand out among the crowd.
